Warren freshman Aaron Stewart makes it clear: Don’t bother poking him in the eye. He gets ‘the last say.’

Finding a way to slow down Warren freshman phenom Aaron Stewart has been a problem for many of his opponents this season.

Belvidere North junior Colin Young seemed to try a new strategy against Stewart during the 152-pound championship match at the Class 3A Barrington Sectional on Saturday.

“I’ve been poked in the eye before, but never that many times in one match,” Stewart joked. “I just tried to get my vision right before continuing. I got the last say, I think.”

He certainly did, recording an 18-6 victory against Young despite multiple pauses for injury time.

Stewart (40-1) is among the numerous Lake County wrestlers who advanced to the individual state meet that begins Thursday at the State Farm Center in Champaign. But he’s younger than most.

“I felt pretty confident considering it was my first time in the sectionals,” Stewart said. “The main thing for me is that I don’t have the high school experience that some of the other older guys I wrestle. Other than that, I can hold my own.”

Stewart does have plenty of experience on the mat, however. He said he got started at Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy in Waukegan when he was 3 years old.

“Some of my friends were doing it, so I thought it might be fun too,” he said. “I’m glad I did.”

Stewart has made a splash at Warren in his first varsity season.

“Aaron is just so athletic and strong,” Warren coach Brad Janecek said. “He’s also highly intelligent on the mat. He’s thinking two or three moves ahead of his opponent. He’s the real deal.”

It also helps Stewart to have another standout freshman, Royce Lopez (35-10), to work with each day in practice. Lopez lost 3-1 in overtime to Hersey senior Aaron Hernandez in the championship match at 160 on Saturday.

“Royce is my guy,” Stewart said. “He makes me better every day.”

Janecek knows how beneficial — and unusual — that is.

“To have two state-caliber freshmen is something, but to have them so close together in weight makes it even more amazing,” he said. “What great practice partners.”

Warren, which qualified for the dual team sectional at Huntley on Feb. 21 by winning the Grant Regional, will also send senior Evan Onstad (29-5) to the state meet after his third-place finish at 138 on Saturday.

“It makes it fun when we have other guys on our team to root for,” Stewart said. “I’m looking forward to competing in the team competition.”

That comes next week, when Warren will have the chance to qualify for the dual team state meet for the first time in school history.

“We have a good mix of older and younger guys that are really focused on what’s ahead of them,” Janecek said.

In the meantime, Stewart said he isn’t concerned about the pressure of competing as a top seed.

“I just need to take it one match at a time and try to make it to the next round,” he said. “If I wrestle like I can, I know I should be in good shape to win it all. I can’t wait.”

Darren Day is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.