Blog - Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association

Coal City beats Vandalia to repeat as IHSA Class 1A champions

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:47:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

With 15 returners back from a 33-7 team that won last year’s IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Championship, Coal City was definitely the big favorites to become just the sixth program to repeat as champions in the state’s smallest class and the second to do that exclusively in 1A and the Coalers certainly proved to be up to the challenge.

All coach Mark Masters’ Coalers did was win all 42 of their dual meets to become the first unbeaten 1A champions and they also were the first to have a perfect record in the state’s smallest class since Dakota went 24-0 to win the Class A title in 2006.

They completed their perfect season with a 43-23 victory over Vandalia in the title dual meet. It was the second year in a row that the two teams squared off for the championship, with Coal City winning 32-25 in the 2025 Finals.

This was just the second time in the smallest division of the IHSA Finals that two schools met up for titles in back-to-back seasons. The first time that it happened was in 2002 and 2003 when Montini Catholic won consecutive championships over Oregon.

The Coalers also edged defending champion Yorkville Christian 32-31 for their first title in 2023 and then fell 34-27 to Marian Central Catholic to finish in second place in 2024.

This was the Coalers’ third championship in the past four years and they also appeared in the title match of the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the fourth year in a row.

It also marks the ninth time in the last 11 seasons that Coal City has won a trophy, which featured three firsts, four seconds and two thirds. Only three programs in IHSA history have won that many trophies over the same number of seasons, Montini Catholic, Providence Catholic and Washington Community. The Coalers now have won 13 trophies in 15 state appearances.

“You couldn’t have scripted it any better than what we had this year,” said Mark Masters, who now ranks 13th all-time in the IHSA with a 546-161 record. “We got guys at the right weights and our underclassmen, they fit in just perfectly. It was a total effort by everybody and the guys made some sacrifices to get to certain weights and it just worked out for us. There were only three times that we lost five matches in a dual, and that was against Lincoln-Way East, Olympia and Vandalia. And our average scores this season was 67-7. Previously in our other chances, our title hunts, we were part of two different four-time runs. Dakota and that great program they had, we lost to those guys two years in a row. And Washington when we got bumped into 2A and we got to run into them when they were champs. So we’ve been a part of a lot of history. Obviously, on the losing end of those, and didn’t want to be a part of that. (Joining Providence Catholic, Montini Catholic and Washington with nine trophies in 11 seasons) You know, it’s just so close to being 11 for 11. But that’s part of athletics and sometimes things don’t go your way.

“Having consistency through your coaching program is when you have the right coaches. And having those guys consistently be there, that is the key part to almost anything. We had the Coal City Wrestling Club when those guys and those dads were in the program and that was during the big run that we had from 2015 to 2020. Then Joe (Widlowski) took over, and it was Lil’ Coalers. And now you’ve got the right set of dads involved in that. It’s the consistent coaches throughout all the years, with the right parents, right kids, right coaches. And to be able to stay involved at the high school level and our kids didn’t wander off. And we didn’t have kids get into any trouble, they decided to stay on the right path. Our kids have done a great job of being on the right path and following the right course. (Repeating and winning three titles in four years) It’s tough. I mean, it just goes to show you, as good as we were all those years, how hard it is to actually win. And then to win back-to-back is even tougher.”

Coal City’s 42 victories is the second-highest wins total for an IHSA champion with the program also having the record in that category with 43 victories from its first championship team in 2023 when it finished with a 43-2 record.

The Coalers qualified for the IHSA Finals for the 15th time when they beat Yorkville Christian 56-14 in their own dual team sectional. They defeated Olympia 46-27 in the quarterfinals to secure their 13th trophy and Dixon 75-5 in the semifinals to reach their 10th title dual meet.

Coal City’s 70-point victory in the semifinals easily broke IHSA records for all classes, Class 1A or Class A. The previous largest semifinal win was by 66 points, when Montini Catholic beat Barrington 70-4 in Class 3A in 2020. And the 75 points scored by the Coalers was a new record.

The old record for biggest semifinals victory in Class A was 53 points when Dakota defeated St. Joseph-Ogden 64-11 in 2006. And the previous record for biggest semifinal win in Class 1A was 45 points when Dakota won 60-15 over Plano in 2014.

Beside their 29 victories against Class 1A teams, they had 13 wins against Class 3A and 2A teams, which included beating three Class 2A qualifiers, including two trophy winners, third-place Mahomet-Seymour and fourth-place Glenwood with Oak Forest the other qualifier.

Coal City outscored its opponents by a 2,840-307 margin, averaging 67.6 points per dual meet while allowing 7.3 points. That’s a new IHSA record, topping their 2,647 total from their 2023 title team. The Coalers are listed with each of the top-six points totals, all since 2018-2019.

The Coalers shut out 13 opponents and allowed less than 10 points on 27 occasions. They also won by 40 or more points in 36 of 42 dual meets. Coal City finished with 391 falls, which ranks second behind Vandalia’s total of 395 from last season and just ahead of their own 388 pins in 2023-2024. The 1A champions also finished with 81 wins by technical fall, which ranks fifth-best all-time.

Only four teams scored more than 20 points against them, Class 3A Lincoln-Way East (24) as well as three teams who also competed in the Dual Team Finals, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op (21), Olympia (27) and Vandalia (23), with the last two of those duals at the Dual Team Finals.

The Coalers won Downers Grove South’s Larry Gassen Duals, where they beat Lincoln-Way East for the title, and ABE’s Rumble, going 9-0 and only losing 10 contested matches, where it beat Lena-Winlow/ Stockton co-op for first. And they won the title at Princeton’s Lyle King PIT.

Coal City led everyone in the state with 14 qualifiers for the IHSA Individual State Finals and also had the most medalists in Class 1A with seven. It had eight individuals who collected 40 or more wins, four with 30 or more victories and five others who won 20 or more matches.

Vandalia competed in a championship dual meet for the fifth time and finished in second place for the fourth time to cap a successful 29-3 debut season for coach Patrick Myers.

He was an assistant coach on the Vandals’ last three state teams and took over the program when 2025 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee and current athletic director Jason Clay stepped down following last season after leading the program since 2006-2007 and claiming 504 wins to rank in the top 20 of the IHSA rankings for dual meet victories. This was Vandalia’s 25th Finals appearance and it claimed its 12th trophy.

The Vandals only lost twice to Class 1A teams, by a 37-30 score to Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op on December 30 at ABE’s Rumble and to the Coalers in the championship dual meet.

“We were second in the state to a team like Coal City,” Patrick Myers said. “They’re a tough group with obviously a lot of seniors and they came out and wrestled their butts off, so it was tough to win those matches. They got the job done, so hats off to Coal City, because that’s a very well-coached team, as well. (His Vandals) This is a good group right here. They battled their butts in the room and even though it didn’t show you at the state championship, they’re going to continue to push each other. I said it once, I said it before, we’re a family. And we hold each other accountable to do the right things and hopefully we’re back here next year. (His Class 1A-high three state champions: Preston Waughtel, Max Philpot and Dillon Hinton) That’s the most that we’ve had and the state champs show for themselves since they’re hard workers in the room. There’s guys chomping at the bit to get to that area in competition to be the state champs and we had a couple of state placewinners this year and hopefully they take this experience and it motivates them for next year.

“(Best quality of his team) Just the heart. After this match, you know, I see some crying and everything, and that just shows heart. Hopefully, they let this drive them and become a better and a closer team next year. In each match, it didn’t matter if it was the quarters or the finals, I was nervous for the team and nervous for the preparation. I’m asking myself, did I do the right things as a coach getting these guys prepared? Overall, I think I did. So, I just hope that we’ll just continue to get better. We definitely don’t want to be a runner-up three times.”

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op claimed its second-best finish in four appearances in the IHSA Dual Team Finals when it captured a 63-16 victory over Dixon for third place. The only time that the program finished better was in 2010 when a team coached by Ryan Birt claimed second place after falling 33-27 to PORTA in the title dual meet.

Coach Josh Carter’s Falcons finished with a 28-3 record and only had two losses to Class 1A teams, 56-17 to Coal City at Mahomet-Seymour on December 23 and 54-21 to Vandalia in the semifinals. Their 47-point win in the third-place match was the fourth-biggest in IHSA history and was the second-largest in Class 1A, with Olympia’s 64-15 triumph over Beardstown in 2017 the only time that a team in their class won by a larger margin for third place.

The Falcons recorded two falls and got a victory by technical fall in the last three matches, highlighted by a pin in the finale, to rally for a 39-35 win over Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op in the quarterfinals to assure themselves of a fourth trophy in their fourth state appearance.

“We kind of set our goal in the middle of the season that we wanted to be wrestling on the last day of the season,” said Josh Carter, who has a 214-96 record in 13 seasons leading the Falcons program. “We knew that everything leading up to regionals was just practice, so we kind of set a three-phase plan of winning regionals, winning that team sectional and winning in the quarterfinals. Back in 2015, it was a very similar situation. We were wrestling a very strong Shelbyville team and it came down to the last match and we had a kid who got a takedown with 30 seconds left to win the match. I have a lot of respect for their program (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) and what they’ve accomplished over the years. And I was talking to him (coach Kevin Milder), and I told him that I don’t know how you’ve done it for 32 years, it’s impressive. (Co-op with Fisher) It makes it challenging, but the kids wrestle in our program together starting in middle school. It would be nice to not wait another 11 years to do this. And I think we’ve got the ability talent-wise to do it again. (His three medalists) Landen (Lage) was right where we expected him to be and was very close to winning that state title but just came up short, but he’s a tough kid and wrestled really hard. Bentley (Fields) performed kind of beyond what a lot of people expected him to. And I know that Hudson (Babb) will be back and itching to finish better.”

Dixon completed a 21-6 season for coach Micah Hey as it advanced to the Dual Team Finals for the second time, with its other trip in 2017, when it took third in Class 2A for coach Chris Bishop.

The Dukes, who competed in Class 2A last season, suffered all of their regular season defeats to Class 2A schools. Their lone 1A losses were in the state semifinals and third-place matches.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys, they’ve really come together as a team,” said Micah Hey, who was a Class AA champion at 119 in 1993 for the Dukes and also an assistant coach on the 2017 third-place team and has a 68-9 record in his four seasons leading Dixon. “These guys really kind of bonded and that’s helped out because they’ve got each others’ back and they’ve really pushed each other. In the first one against Althoff, which had a great team, we had some big matches and they really came through. We got the coin flip and I think a couple of things went our way. So hopefully we’ll go back next year since we only lose three seniors.”

Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op came up just short of claiming its fifth trophy while making its fifth appearance in the IHSA Dual Team Finals when it fell 39-35 in the quarterfinals to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op.

Coach Kevin Milder’s PantherHawks, who went 29-4 this season and were making their first trip to state since finishing third in 2023, built a 35-22 lead with three matches left but the Falcons used two pins and a win by technical fall, capped by a pin in the finale, to rally for the victory.

“I’m proud of these kids, they battled,” said Kevin Milder, who is 628-166 in 32 seasons with the program, which ranks him eighth in IHSA history. “They battled all year, and today was no exception. Hats off to Gibson City. They’re a good team. They were able to get that last win when they needed it. It was just kind of a 50-50 situation there, and the Gibson City kid ended up on top, so hats off to them, they wrestled well. We’re graduating 13 total seniors and six of those seniors were state qualifiers and a couple of others were major contributors to the team, so we’ll definitely miss those guys. But we’ve got some younger guys coming up and we’ll look to get back here next year. They competed all year and we put ourselves in a position to battle for a trophy, and that’s what we did. We just came up on the short end today. I’m proud of these kids. There were a lot of back-and-forth matches and it just came down to our couple of team points there and, you know, just went Gibson City’s way, but we’ll have our day another day.”

In a matchup of one team making its second state appearance and an unbeaten team that was at state for the third time, the former prevailed as Dixon won 44-27 over Althoff Catholic. Coach Emanuel Brooks’ Crusaders, who finished 18-1, were making their first state trip since 2018.

“The better team won today,” said Emanuel Brooks, who is 137-78 in nine seasons at Althoff Catholic. “We came in and a couple of key guys that we really needed were hurt. We don’t lose much, and we’ve got possibly some good kids coming in, so we should be formidable again next year, but we know that nothing’s guaranteed. We had a state champion, one third-place and two fourth-place and another qualifier and everybody but my state champ is coming back. We placed at every tournament this year, we were first, second, or third. We won the regional back-to-back and we made the Elite Eight this year. I think this year, the guys really pushed each other and I really didn’t have to do a lot of coaching. They kind of held each other accountable for most of the year, which made my job easier.”

Olympia got back to the Dual Team Finals for the second-straight year and 11th-time overall but just as was the case a year ago, it had the misfortune of meeting the eventual champions, Coal City in the quarterfinals, and fell 46-27 as coach Josh Collins’ team concluded a 22-6 season.

“The kids came here to win and they came here to wrestle tough, and we did, but it just didn’t go our way,” said Josh Collins, who is 123-62 in six seasons at Olympia, where he won Class A titles in 2000 and 2001, was a three-time finalist and coached his freshman son Connor to a title at 106 this season. “Coal City is a really good team with 15 seniors. We’re really young and the kids are hungry and we’ve got eighth graders who will be coming in. So a lot of positives.”

Following up on its most-successful IHSA Individual Finals with two champions, four finalists and five medalists, Chicago Hope Academy also made a second-straight state trip and fourth overall and again met the eventual runner-up, Vandalia, in the quarterfinals, where coach Dan Willis’ Eagles lost 44-26 to complete a season where they had an 18-13 record.

“We’ve been on the hunt for our first (champion) and God gave us two and we were close to four,” said Dan Willis, who is 232-166 in 15 seasons leading his program and has been a head coach for 23 seasons. “These guys have worked hard, and what you see here is only the tip of the iceberg of what these kids have overcome and the challenges. Both Chance and Jeremiah came without knowing if they’d have eligibility and they committed to Hope and worked hard and trained and we left it in God’s hands and God allowed them to get eligible and it was a battle but we were able to do it by God’s help and I’m proud of those guys for their hard work.”

Coal City’s Cade Poyner and Brody Widlowski, Vandalia’s Ross Miller and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Bentley Fields were the lone 1A competitors to collect 18 team points and they joined two individuals from 2A, Providence Catholic’s Justus Heeg and Mahomet-Serymour’s Marco Casillas, as the only ones in all classes to score that many points.

Coal City’s Cade Poyner was the lone individual in Class 1A and he joined one other individual, Marmion Academy’s Vincenzo Testa in 3A, as the only one in the competition to record three falls, and he did so in the least time, which was 4:28.

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Hudson Babb tied three others for second for the most wins by technical fall with two, making him the lone competitor in 1A to pull off that feat. He also ranked second in total match points with 56, which ranked him first in 1A and second only to Marmion Academy’s Demetrios Carrera in 3A, who had 59 match points and also was the only individual in the tournament with three victories by technical fall.

Coal City collected the most team points of the 24 teams with 164 while 2A champion IC Catholic Prep was second with 146, 3A title winner Marmion Academy was third with 127 points and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op ranked fourth with 124 points. Montini Catholic and Providence Catholic both scored 123 points while Vandalia was next with 121 points.

Coal City also led all teams in the competition with 17 falls, which was six more than the three schools who had the second-highest total of pins, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op, Vandalia and Montini Catholic.

Coal City 43, Vandalia 23 (IHSA 1A championship)

Coal City (42-0) won six of the first seven matches to jump out to a 31-6 advantage over Vandalia in the Class 1A championship dual meet and the Vandals (29-3) never got any closer than 14 points back after that as the Coalers captured a 43-23 victory to collect their second-straight IHSA 1A title, with both of the title victories over Vandalia, and they also clinched their third state title in the last four years.

The Coalers moved in front for good when Mason Garner won a 17-6 major decision over Cole Yarborough in the opener at 165 and 175 runner-up Brock Finch followed with a victory by technical fall in 3:12 over Noah Langston to make it 9-0 before the Vandals got their lone win in the first half of the dual when Ross Miller won by fall in 1:27 over Evan Greggain at 190 to pull the Vandals to within 9-6.

“It feels amazing,” Brock Finch said. “Not too many teams get to do what we did. And it really became a normal thing for us to just make the state finals and have a good chance to win it. Because it’s just happened every year that I’ve been in high school, so it felt normal. (Coal City winning nine trophies in 11 seasons) It feels amazing to be part of teams that are that great at wrestling and for us to be one of those teams. Our groups, we’ve been above average or we’ve been amazing for years. Even when we were Lil’ Coalers, we’ve won tournaments that it doesn’t seem normal to win. Through middle school, we won two state titles and we only had two years because of COVID. We won them both and dominated. (Finishing second individually at state) I was disappointed at first that I didn’t win, but then I came to realize how special it is to make the state finals. It was amazing and I loved every moment of it. (Their dual meet success) It’s amazing. We expect to win every dual we go into. Our closest dual this year was probably 15, 20 points. So we’ve never really even been scared in any duals, we just always went into it confident. (This team’s legacy) I think everyone will remember this group because we’ve won three titles in four years, which is amazing. And there’s only three titles in history for wrestling.”

Coal City then won the next four matches to build up a decisive 25-point cushion. Brody D’Orazio got a pin in 3:41 over Jeffery Smith and 215 runner-up Cade Poyner followed with a fall in 1:23 over Dominic Swyers at 285 to make it 21-6. Then Ryder Gill pinned Cooper Galoway in 1:00 and Jake Munsterman won a 10-0 major decision over Kaden Daughtery at 113 to make it 31-6 midway through the meet.

Vandalia responded with three-straight victories as Riley Hinton won a 7-3 decision over Tyson Price, 126 champion Preston Waughtel followed with a victory by technical fall in 3:08 over Owen Petersen at 126 and 132 champion Max Philpot claimed a 9-4 decision over Cooper Morris to make it 31-17 with four matches remaining.

Luke Munsterman edged Brody Matthews 4-1 by sudden victory at 138 and Max Christensen clinched the championship with a 13-9 decision over Elijah Mabry. Brody Widlowski won by fall in 1:50 over Dade Kleinik at 150 for the Coalers’ last victory and 157 champion Dillon Hinton received a forfeit win in the finale.

“I’m super grateful that I’ve been able to be on the state championship team as a freshman and in my junior year, and then now in my senior year,” Luke Munsterman said. “We had seven starting seniors. We’ve been wrestling since we were five years old together with the Lil’ Coalers program, so, yeah, it was pretty awesome. Going into the finals, we were all pretty confident because we’ve kind of dominated this year. (Will remember the most about these years) Just how close we all grew together the past 13 years of wrestling. Yeah, just the bond.”

“It was amazing, it was awesome,” Max Christensen said. “We just worked hard every single day together and we weren’t like individual wrestlers, we were a team. We got each other better and it was just a whole team effort. It’s definitely a lot different than other places because we all grew up together. (Being a key contributor as a freshman on a state championship team) It was the best experience of my life. It was just amazing. I don’t know how to describe how grateful I am for the team and just what an experience it was.”

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op 63, Dixon 16 (IHSA 1A third place)

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op (28-3) claimed its second-best finish in the Dual Team Finals and captured a win by the fourth-largest margin in a third-place meet and it was also the second-biggest in Class 1A for third place matches when it won the final nine matches in a 63-16 victory over Dixon (21-6).

The Falcons claimed the opener at 165 as Cooper Miller won a 15-5 major decision over Neyomiah Holloway, and then the Dukes moved ahead briefly at 6-4 when Blake Dingley won by fall in 3:15 over Steven Morris. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op moved back in front by a 10-6 margin at 190 when Sam Manson got a pin in 5:00 over Seth Shaffer.

Dixon got an 18-4 major decision from Dawson Kemp over Jaxon Wright and Dylan Bopes won by fall in 1:00 over Dominic Mackins at 285 to put the Dukes up 16-10 through five matches.

But it was all-Falcons after that as 106 runner-up Bentley Fields claimed a forfeit win to tie it at 16-16 and then Ian Rotramel followed with a fall in 2:35 over Ian Fane at 113 to put his team up for good and Kaden Huster also received a forfeit victory to make it 28-16 with six matches left.

“Every teammate in our program has each others’ back, no matter what happens,” Bentley Fields said. “And that just really brings up the vibe. When we’re wrestling in the practice room, we’ve always got good partners. The coaches will always make sure that we have our mindset right and our teammates, they always have our back, no matter what. And it’s just what GCMS likes to do, to win, and that’s what we go after. (Beating Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) They’re a really good team. (Taking second individually). “I knew going into it, I was like, ‘I’m going to get on that podium. My top goal, for sure, was getting into the top two and making it into the finals.”

Isaac Rotramel also got a forfeit victory and Camden Brucker followed with a fall in 3:37 over Kazmyn Barber at 132 before Blaine Lynch claimed another forfeit win to put his team up 46-16. Nolan Lowe won by forfeit at 144, Hunter Brandon got a pin in 0:25 over Lennan Reaver and Hudson Babb ended the meet at 157 with a win by technical fall 5:52 in over Adam Staples.

“It definitely was a great way to end the season,” Hudson Babb said. “We definitely had a pretty good postseason run with everyone qualifying for sectionals and nine state qualifiers. Everyone worked really hard for us and each and everyone of them deserved it. (Liked most about his team) I just liked everyone’s personalities and everyone got along with each other great. And we were more like brothers than teammates. (The quarterfinals win over Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) We weren’t really too worried, we knew that we’d pull it out.”

Coal City 75, Dixon 5 (semifinals)

Coal City won all but one match to record the largest semifinals victory of 70 points in the history of the IHSA Dual Team Finals with its 75-5 victory over Dixon. The previous record had been 66 points and was set in 2020 when Montini Catholic defeated Barrington 70-4 in Class 3A. The Coalers won the first five matches and then claimed victories in the final eight matches.

The old record for a semifinals win in the smallest class was 53 points by Dakota over St. Joseph-Ogden (64-11) in 2006 and the record for 1A had been 45 points by Dakota over Plano (60-15) in 2014. The Coalers also scored 75 points in a 75-4 quarterfinals victory over Walther Christian in 2016, the first of seven times that Masters has had a team reach the title dual meet.

Aidan Kenney, the 157 runner-up, won a 10-1 decision over Adam Staples in the opener at 157 and Mason Garner followed with a fall in 0:59 over Landon Masters. Brock Finch, the 175 runner-up, got a pin in 1:37 over Blake Dingley at 175, Brody D’Orazio followed with a pin in 3:05 over Levi Pretzsch and Cade Poyner, the 215 runner-up, won by fall in 2:34 over Dawson Kemp at 215 to give Coal City a 28-0 advantage through the first five matches.

Dylan Bopes won by technical fall in 5:48 over Payton Vigna for the Dukes’ lone triumph. Ryder Gill began the 8-0 closing run with a pin in 0:38 over Ryan Rill at 106 and Gavin Roudis won by fall in 0:52 over Ian Fane. Jason Piatak was a winner by fall in 1:22 over Owen Schmitt at 120 and Owen Petersen recorded a pin in 1:24 over Max Sullivan.

Cooper Morris won by technical fall in 5:26 over Kazmyn Barber at 132 and Luke Munsterman, Roberto Rodriguez and Brody Widlowski all received forfeit wins to close out the 75-5 triumph.

Vandalia 54, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op 21 (semifinals)

Vandalia lost the opener but then five in a row to take a 30-3 lead just six matches into its semifinal dual meet with Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op and later added a run of four-straight falls to go up 54-12 and it went on to capture a 54-21 victory which advanced it to a matchup with Coal City for the IHSA 1A championship for the second year in a row.

Hudson Babb gave the Falcons an early 3-0 lead when he claimed a 13-6 decision over Zayne Zinkgraf in the opener at 157 before Dillon Hinton, the 157 champion, put the Vandals in front for good by recording a fall in 1:11 over Steven Morris. Cole Yarborough followed with a pin in 3:00 over Cooper Miller at 175 and Noah Langston got a pin in 3:06 over Sam Manson. Ross Miller was a winner by fall in 1:51 over Jaxon Wright at 215 and Dominic Swyers capped the early run of five-straight victories when he won by injury default over Carson Sexton in 0:45.

“It’s been a blessing to be with my brothers,” Noah Langston said. “We fought this weekend, and I think the semis match against Gibson City was just electric, and we had so much good energy coming into the finals match. This is just heartbreaking but obviously, Coal City is tough and they’ll always be tough. It’s just going to push us to next year and we have to stay in the room and keep grinding. I definitely think that next year we’ll be packed with seniors, so we’re going to have an amazing group. Last year was special and this year was special. So next year, we’ll be right there again.”

Bentley Fields, the runner-up at 106, recorded a fall in 3:34 over Cooper Galoway at 106 and Ian Rotramel captured the meet’s closest victory with an 8-6 decision over Kaden Daughtery.

The Vandals started a 4-0 run at 120 when Riley Hinton won by fall in 5:08 over Kaden Huster and Preston Waughtel, the champion at 126, added a pin in 0:37 over Isaac Rotramel. Max Philpot, the champion at 132, got a fall in 1:08 over Camden Brucker at 132 and Brody Matthews gave the Vandals their final win in the meet with a pin in 1:24 over Blaine Lynch.

“I think we’re a bunch of hard workers and we have a great program,” Brody Matthews said. “It’s all about just hard work and a bond. If you don’t have a strong bond, you’re not going to be a strong team. We’ve all been in it since we were probably five or six years old. So when you come up as a group like that, it’s hard not to be close and not be good as a team. Beside the Waughtels, we’re all from Vandalia. They’re great people (the Waughtels) and a great family, so it’s an honor to be on a team with them.”

The Falcons captured wins in the final two matches as Nolan Lowe claimed a 13-6 decision over Elijah Mabry at 144 and Hunter Brandon was a winner by fall in 0:31 over Dade Kleinik.

“We did a lot of good things this year,” Elijah Mabry said. “We worked real hard in the practice room and we were competitive with 2A teams. (His father coached them at Vandalia Middle School) My dad coached me from when I was starting out in first grade and he has followed me through my whole wrestling career. He’s built this group of wrestlers.”

Coal City 46, Olympia 27 (quarterfinals)

Coal City assured itself of a fourth-straight trophy, its ninth in the last 11 seasons under coach Mark Masters and its 13th trophy overall in its 15th state appearance by capturing a 46-27 quarterfinals victory over Olympia (22-6), who fell for the second year in a row in that round to the champion Coalers, was making its 11th state appearance.

The Coalers assured themselves of their 40th-straight victory after claiming wins in their initial six matches to build a 32-0 lead and Olympia could get no closer than 17 points back after that. Brody Widlowski started things with a fall in 0:44 over Dalton Gerberding at 150 and Noah Houston followed with a 10-6 decision over Austin Kisner.

Coal City’s run continued as 157 runner-up Aidan Kenney got a pin in 5:22 over Kaden Collins at 165 and 175 runner-up Brock Finch won by fall in 3:17 over Isaac Warnock. Evan Greggain followed with a win by technical fall late in the second period over Caleb Peters at 190 and 215 runner-up Cade Poyner capped the early run with a pin in 0:31 over Cohen Maness.

Olympia responded with three-straight wins as Darian Holloway got a pin in 3:30 at 285 over Payton Vigna, Connor Collins, the 106 champion, claimed a 10-0 major decision over Jake Munsterman and Brandon Gaither won by technical fall in 4:18 over Gavin Roudis at 113.

Coal City answered with three wins of its own as Tyson Price prevailed 7-6 over Ryan Ballinger, Owen Petersen won by technical fall in 3:30 over Tucker Garey at 126 and Cooper Morris got a pin in 3:08 over Carter Knobloch. The Spartans got the last two wins as Colby Maness won by fall in 1:02 over Jaxon Trofimchuck and Kenzer Burrell got a pin in 2:19 over Max Christensen.

Dixon 44, Althoff Catholic 27 (quarterfinals)

Dixon used a run of five-straight wins midway through its quarterfinals meet with Althoff Catholic to capture a 44-27 victory that guaranteed the Dukes of their second trophy in two state trips, with the other in 2017, when they took third while the Crusaders (18-1) suffered their first loss in 19 dual meets and fell short of adding to their fourth-place trophy in 2018 in their third visit to state.

The Dukes took an early 11-0 lead when Preston Richards pinned Alex Schallert in 3:01 at 150 and then Adam Staples was a winner by technical fall in 5:57 over Ryan Hogue.

“Wrestling here on the biggest stage was huge for us,” Adam Staples said. “We’ve only placed one other time at the dual finals back in 2017. For all my years, I’d look up in our home gym and see 2017 Dixon wrestling in the rafters, and was thinking by the time that we graduated, that banner won’t be so lonely. (Getting back to state) It’s incredibly hard, especially in the state of Illinois, one of the great wrestling states in America. It’s one thing to take a couple of guys to Individual State, but to take a team all the way, that just shows a lot of hard work and grit. It’s all of the 14 members and the people working in the room with them, the JV and the coaches. I devote everything of our success to our coaches. The brothers (Micah, Jacob, Jamie) Hey, (Matt) Linder, Evan Thorpe, everybody that comes into that room. This is huge. For all the incoming freshmen, it sets the tone for their freshman year and it shows them what Dixon Wrestling is meant to be. We have a very exciting future for Dixon Wrestling. I’m very excited to see where this team is going through sophomores, like Preston Richards and Charlie (Connors) and juniors like Jack Ragan and Riley Paredes. There’s so many notable names, it’s hard to say them all. I see great things for Dixon Wrestling.”

Althoff Catholic moved in front for the first time at 14-11 following three victories in which Landon Weidler won by technical fall in 2:18 at 165 over Neyomiah Holloway, two-time IHSA champion and 165-title winner Pierre Walton got a victory by technical fall in 5:48 over Blake Dingley and Austin Wilkinson claimed a 10-1 major decision at 190 over Seth Shaffer.

Dixon then won five in a row as Dawson Kemp got a pin in 1:40 over Stephen Ache, Dylan Bopes won by fall in 1:02 over Braden Bush at 285 and Riley Paredes added a pin in 1:22 over Karson Fowler. After that, Ian Fane got a fall in 0:33 over Prudence Snider at 113 and Jack Ragan won 8-0 over Jacobi Cobbs to seal the deal at 39-14 with four matches left.

“This is a big one and I’m super proud of it,” Dawson Kemp said. “And it’s a big one, not just for our team, but for our city. We really put ourselves on the map here. Every meet we have, people are asking our coach, asking us, what’s next? Like, how are we doing? How are we looking? And we always just say, we’re ready to go. And this is what it came down to. We showed up, gave all that we have and we played with house money and we brought it home and it feels great. For our team, the energy is just up. Personally, I feel awesome knowing that I’m part of this team with my great coaches and I look up to them every day. They push me as hard as I can physically get pushed in practice. And this is what it comes down to, and it feels awesome.

The thing that I liked the most was that we were just family, on and off the mat. We work hard, we push each other and we keep each other happy.”

The Crusaders answered with a 16-4 major decision from Nathan Fisher over Doolan Long, a pin in 0:37 from Dawson Hawthorne over Kazmyn Barber at 132 and a 17-12 decision from Robbie Schallert over Channing Sarver before 144 runner-up Charlie Connors closed out the Dukes’ victory with a win by technical fall in 3:42 over Colton Stearns in the finale at 144.

“This is huge,” Dylan Bopes said. “This team, it’s a family. This has been so dominant, really, and wherever we went, I couldn’t see us not winning. We’re so close and we helped each other to get better. (Getting to state and placing). It meant everything. From the first practice that we had, we knew that this team was special.”

Vandalia 44, Chicago Hope Academy 26 (quarterfinals)

Vandalia only had an 8-6 edge in wins over Chicago Hope Academy but it used two pins, a win by technical fall, four forfeits and a decision to capture a 44-26 victory over the Eagles, who they also defeated in last year’s quarterfinals. That assured the Vandals, who made their 24th state appearance, of their 12th trophy and third in three years while denying Chicago Hope Academy (18-13) of its first trophy in its fourth state appearance.

The teams exchanged wins in the first four matches with the Vandals winning the opener on a fall by Dade Kleinik in 1:49 over Santori Knight at 150 while Dylan Galvez answered with a 13-9 win on a tiebreaker over Zayne Zinkgraf. After Vandalia’s Dillon Hinton, the champion at 157, won by technical fall in 5:25 over Ismael Martinez, Chicago Hope Academy’s Arkail Griffin, the champion at 175, got a win by technical fall in 4:45 over Cole Yarborough to get to within 11-8.

Vandalia expanded its lead to 23-8 with eight matches left following a pin in 1:55 by Noah Langston over Martin Rodriguez at 190 and a forfeit victory by Ross Miller.

After the Eagles’ Mastewal Evely answered with a fall in 2:41 over Dominic Swyers at 285, the Vandals received forfeit wins from Kaden Daughtery and from Cooper Galoway at 113 before the Eagles’ Nolan Callahan won an 11-3 major decision over Riley Hinton and then in a rematch of the 126 title match, Preston Waughtel captured a 4-0 decision over Obadiah Willis. One week earlier in Champaign, the pair met and Waughtel won his second title with a 7-4 decision.

The Vandals’ 132 champion, Max Philpot, like Waughtel, a two-time champion and three-time finalist, received a forfeit for his team’s final victory. Jeremiah Lawrence, the runner-up at 132, captured an 8-3 decision over Brody Matthews at 138 and the 138 title winner, Chance Woods, wrapped up his career with a victory by technical fall in 5:57 over Elijah Mabry.

“Earlier in the school year, I transferred from De La Salle to Hope and beforehand it wasn’t an issue with my eligibility but when the wrestling season started coming up, they said it was an issue and I wasn’t going to be able to wrestle,” Jeremiah Lawrence said. “So that was like a big hit to me because I love wrestling, and especially my senior year, when I knew I had the ability to go to state and win a state title. So, it was really a big thing for me. My coach told me that I couldn’t wrestle but to keep putting the work in, because you never know what can happen. And then we prayed to God countless times, and eventually my eligibility got flipped right before Christmas break. So it was a true blessing to God, first of all. And that’s why when I got that blessing, I took it. And it really showed me to hold the little things that I value. We had four guys in the Finals and it should have been four brackets. And that’s just like a culture that we’ve made this past year. We’ve all been trying to push each other. That’s like my partner, Chance Woods, and we were both in the finals, and that started in the practice room.”

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op 39, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op 35 (quarterfinals)

The most dramatic of the four quarterfinals dual meets was the one featuring the two co-op teams, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher and Lena-Winslow/ Stockton. The PantherHawks (29-4) looked like they might assure themselves of their fifth trophy in their fifth trip to the Dual Team Finals and their first visit since 2023, but instead, the Falcons won the final three matches to rally for a 39-35 triumph which guaranteed them of their first trophy since 2015 and this was their fourth trophy in four state appearances and their second-best showing overall.

After the PantherHawks took the first lead when Arrison Bauer won a 4-0 decision over Hunter Brandon at 150, the Falcons took a brief 11-3 lead as Hudson Babb got a victory by technical fall in 5:17 over Mark Detwiler and Cooper Miller won by fall in 1:57 over Sam Sikora at 165.

Lena-Winslow/ Stockton responded with four-straight victories as John Mensendike won by fall in 1:23 over Steven Morris and 190 champion Eli Larson, a two-time title winner, followed with a win by technical fall in 4:10 over Sam Manson at 190. In the next match, Oliver McPeek got a pin in 3:00 over Jaxon Wright and then 285 runner-up Jeremiah Luke won a 10-2 major decision over Carson Sexton at 285 to give his team a 23-10 advantage midway through the meet.

“Nothing but luck for this program,” Jeremiah Luke said of competing for Lena-Winslow/ Stockton. “The work I put in with my teammates and the coaching, they’ve been nothing but helpful and always motivating me every day to be the person who I am today. Hunter Luke, Garrett Luke and Griffin Luke were all big inspirations for me as a little kid, going down to state and watching the state tournament. I didn’t get to where I wanted to be at the top of the podium, but it’s just been a cool experience to be a part of all this.”

The sides exchanged falls as the Falcons got a pin from Julian Rodriguez over Taylor Nevel in 1:57 and 106 runner-up Bentley Fields won by fall in 4:36 at 113 over Karah Arnold, who won an IWCOA Girls Open title on March 15. The PantherHawks responded with a pin from Keller Otto in 1:51 over Ian Rotramel and then Brandon White recorded a fall in 1:34 over Gage Martin at 126 as Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op built a 35-22 lead with three matches left.

Camden Brucker got things going for the Falcons with a pin in 3:13 over Huntlee Burris, 138 runner-up Landen Lage followed with a win by technical fall in 3:40 over Anthony Laino at 138 and Nolan Lowe completed the comeback with a fall in 1:32 over Mauricio Glass in the finale.

“We all wrestled really well,” Landen Lage said. “I’ll miss the seniors, that’s for sure. We have a very young program, so hopefully next year we can bring home first or second. The Lena-Winslow dual probably was the most fun. I’ve liked the pressure lately, so being in one of the last matches and being down was really fun. Just cheering on the team and the bonding, just little things like that. (Second at state) The Grand March was amazing and so was every part of the Finals. It was a really good season and we worked hard and we had a lot of fun.”

IHSA Class 1A championship match

Coal City 43, Vandalia 23

165 – Mason Garner (Coal City) over Cole Yarborough (Vandalia) MD 17-6

175 – Brock Finch (Coal City) over Noah Langston (Vandalia) TF 17-2

190 – Ross Miller (Vandalia) over Evan Greggain (Coal City) F 1:27

215 – Brody D`Orazio (Coal City) over Jeffrey Smith (Vandalia) F 3:41

285 – Cade Poyner (Coal City) over Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) F 1:23

106 – Ryder Gill (Coal City) over Cooper Galoway (Vandalia) F 1:00

113 – Jake Munsterman (Coal City) over Kaden Daughtery (Vandalia) MD 10-0

120 – riley Hinton (Vandalia) over Tyson Price (Coal City) D 7-3

126 – Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) over Owen Petersen (Coal City) TF 16-1

132 – Max Philpot (Vandalia) over Cooper Morris (Coal City) D 9-4

138 – Luke Munsterman (Coal City) over Brody Matthews (Vandalia) SV 4-1

144 – Max Christensen (Coal City) over Elijah Mabry (Vandalia) D 13-9

150 – Brody Widlowski (Coal City) over Dade Kleinik (Vandalia) F 1:50

157 – Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) FFT

IHSA Class 1A third-place match

Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op 63, Dixon 16

165 – Cooper Miller (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) over Neyomiah Holloway (Dixon) MD 15-5

175 – Blake Dingley (Dixon) over Steven Morris (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) F 3:15

190 – Sam Manson (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) over Seth Shaffer (Dixon) F 5:00

215 – Dawson Kemp (Dixon) over Jaxon Wright (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) MD 18-4

285 – Dylan Bopes (Dixon) over Dominic Mackins (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) F 1:00

106 – Bentley Fields (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) FFT

113 – Ian Rotramel (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) over Ian Fane (Dixon) F 2:35

120 – Kaden Huster (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) FFT

126 – Isaac Rotramel (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) FFT

132 – Camden Brucker (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) over Kazmyn Barber (Dixon) F 3:37

138 – Blaine Lynch (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) FFT

144 – Nolan Lowe (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) FFT

150 – Hunter Brandon (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) over Lennan Reaver (Dixon) F 0:25

157 – Hudson Babb (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) over Adam Staples (Dixon) TF 23-3

IHSA Class 1A Individual State Finals story

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 16:35:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

Vandalia led the way at the IHSA Class 1A Individual State Finals in Champaign with a school-record three champions, with two of them winning titles for the second time. Junior Max Philpot (132) repeated as a champion and junior Preston Waughtel (126) finished first for the second time in three years. Also, senior Dillon Hinton (157) captured his initial championship.

Chicago Hope Academy also turned in an historic performance as senior Chance Woods (138) and junior Arkail Griffin (175) became their school’s first state champions.

Also repeating as IHSA champions were Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op senior Eli Larson (190) and Althoff Catholic senior Pierre Walton (165), who won a Class 2A title at East St. Louis Senior last season.

Other champions who made history for the school by becoming their first title winners were Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op senior Garrett VerHeecke (144), Freeburg junior Dane Olmstead (215) and Marquette Academy freshman Wesley Janick (120).

The additional four state champions were Canton senior Connor Williams (285), Sandwich junior Cooper Corder (150), Newman Central Catholic sophomore Landon Near (113) and Olympia freshman Connor Collins (106).

Coal City had three seniors who took second place, Aidan Kenney (157), Brock Finch (175) and Cade Poyner (215).

Chicago Hope Academy also had two individuals who finished second, senior Jeremiah Lawrence (132) and freshman Obadiah Willis (126).

Princeton got second-place finishes from seniors Augustus Swanson (113) and Casey Etheridge (165) and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op also had two individuals who took second place, sophomore Landen Lage (138) and freshman Bentley Fields (106).

Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op senior Jeremiah Luke (285) took second place for the second year in row. The other second-place finishers were Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op senior Clinton VerHeecke (150), Wilmington senior Logan VanDuyne (190), Dixon sophomore Charlie Connors (144) and Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op sophomore Weston Frazier (120).

Riverdale senior Dean Wainwright (132), who won state championships in 2025 and 2023, wound up claiming sixth place.

Coal City senior Brody Widlowski (150), who took second place in both 2025 and 2024, settled for third place. Another second-place finisher from last year who was unable to get back to the Grand March was Roxana senior Lyndon Thies (175), who also finished third.

Two second-place finishers from 2025 who fell short of winning a medal were Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op junior Steven Uden (113) and Coal City junior Cooper Morris (132).

Additional seniors who took third place were Roxana’s Brandon Green, Jr. (144), Cumberland’s Owen McGinnis (157), PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op’s Justin Zimmerman (165), Vandalia’s Ross Miller (190) and Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op’s Oliver McPeek (215).

Juniors who finished in third place were Coal City’s Owen Petersen (126), Althoff Catholic’s Dawson Hawthorne (132) and Erie/ Prophetstown co-op’s Caleb Reymer (285).

Sophomores who placed third were Morrison’s Cael Wright (120) and Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op’s Devin Ehler (138). And freshmen who claimed third place were Farmington/ Cuba co-op’s Isaac Showalter (100) and Murphysboro’s Drevan Bramlett (113).

Coal City had the most medalists in 1A with seven while Chicago Hope Academy and Vandalia ranked second with five apiece. Althoff Catholic and Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op both had four medalists while Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op, Murphysboro, Olympia, PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op and Roxana all finished with three medal winners.

Beside the emphasis on the champions and the second-place finishers, there were also plenty of great stories of those who finished from third- through sixth-place. Many of them also made history for their programs and just missed appearing on the championship mat. The author feels blessed to have had the great opportunity to report on and interview so many of these all-state athletes during the 2025-2026 season as well as throughout the careers of the senior qualifiers.

Note: This story begins where the championship matches started, which was at 215. And the records that appear in this story do not include results from the Class 1A Dual Team Finals.

Here are the champions and their weights from the 2026 IHSA Class 1A individual State Finals:

215 – Dane Olmstead, Freeburg

Dane Olmstead definitely turned in a memorable performance as he made history for Freeburg at the IHSA Class 1A Finals. Competing in the first title match of the Finals at 215, the junior got one takedown in the first period and two more in the second period over Coal City’s Cade Poyner to build a 10-2 advantage with just over one minute remaining. That’s when the Coalers senior received a point for a stalling penalty and followed that with a takedown and nearfall to tie things at 10-10 and that’s how it stayed as regulation time wound down. However, just before the buzzer sounded, Poyner could no longer sustain his nearfall and Olmstead got an escape with about one second left to wrap up a dramatic 11-10 decision to claim the 215 championship.

In the process, Olmstead (39-4) became Freeburg’s first state champion and its second medalist and finalist, 10 years after Cooper Secker took second place at 126 in 1A. The Midgets’ program, coached by Dan Quartz, is only in its third season with its previous highlight of the season being the title of the small-school division of the Marion Dual Team Tournament. Olmstead, who plans to play football and be a punter at the University of Missouri, also won titles at the Vandalia Sectional, the East Alton-Wood River Regional and Carbondale, took second at Litchfield and was third at Mascoutah. He followed a 16-5 major decision over Richmond-Burton’s Shane Falasca with a pin in 3:04 over Heyworth’s Jarrod Fulcher before getting two takedowns to help him claim a 6-4 decision over Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op’s Oliver McPeek in the semifinals. He was joined by junior Jack Amann (285) as a qualifier.

“It was fun,” Olmstead said. “He caught me off-guard with the cradle, for sure, but I wasn’t nervous because I knew it was only four points, so it was tied. And I felt his cradle wasn’t tight so I knew that I needed to get up and get out of here. I just trusted in myself and didn’t get scared and just went out there and wrestled. I grew up kicking, it’s my one true love. And I’ve also done this my whole life, so I’m excited to wrestle again next year. (Benefits of wrestling for a punter) I would say staying in shape all year, keeping the flexibility up and mental toughness that keeps building throughout the year. (The first state champion at Freeburg) I’m very happy with how it’s been going and we have some really good coaches. There’s a lot of heart on the wrestling team and I really wanted to do this and bring this title back home to Freeburg.”

“Dane really locked in these last three weeks of the season,” Quartz said. “You could see it in the practice room that his work ethic really improved. He ended up first at regionals, first at sectionals and first at IHSA State. He ended his junior year season with a record of 39-4. During the State tournament he seemed to be on another level on his offensive. He seemed to be taking down kids with ease. We had game plans for the kids he was wrestling and he executed them perfectly. I told him in the tunnel before the Grand March, ‘hey bud it’s just another match’, and he responded ‘I’m good, coach’ without any hesitation. That’s when I knew he was ready. He got to start off the State Championship Finals since they started at 215 pounds and he really gave the crowd a match to watch. Dane is our first state qualifier for the boys since we started our program three years ago and not only did he qualify but he won the whole thing. He set the bar high and hopefully that gets contagious in our practice room.”

Poyner (46-4), a senior was one of three second-place finishers and seven medalists of the 14 qualifiers for the Coalers, who are coached by 2022 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Mark Masters. A three-time state qualifier who also took fifth place at 190 in 2025 and was a title winner at four tournaments this season, got falls in his other three matches, tying five others for third place, including two in 1A, who had three pins. He won in 0:35 over Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op’s Graham Blackwell, needed 49 seconds to get a win over Marquette Academy’s Alex Schaefer and then got a victory over Yorkville Christian’s Jackson Allen in 1:14 in the semifinals. One week later, he and his Coalers teammates were able to repeat as Class 1A champions and win their third state title in four seasons when they defeated Vandalia 43-23 in the title dual meet, the second year in a row that the two teams met for the championship.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Poyner said. “I was really trying to get that pin in the last 10 seconds, but it was a bad angle and it is what it is now. Without a doubt, our team’s going to roll to team state. We’re coming for that title, and we’re going to get it. (What’s special about Coal City’s team) We’re like brothers. We’ve got heart and we always work for each other, no matter what.”

For third place, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op senior Oliver McPeek (48-3), a two-time qualifier who placed fourth at 190 last season, won a 13-1 major decision over Murphysboro junior Caybren Hubbard (47-10), who qualified for the first time. In the fifth-place match, Marquette Academy junior Alex Schaefer (35-5) won a 10-5 decision over Yorkville Christian senior Jackson Allen (46-10) in a meeting of two-time qualifiers who both won their first medals. Falling one victory shy of state medals were Mt. Zion senior Keller Stocks (46-4), a three-time qualifier who was fourth at 215 in 2025 and Richmond-Burton sophomore Shane Falasca (31-12). Others who lost in the quarterfinals and then fell in the wrestlebacks were Reed-Custer senior Dominic Alaimo (39-12) and Marengo senior Owen Bills (21-8).

“I had a fever this morning and I thought I was maybe going to forfeit out, but I powered through it and got third,” McPeek said. “We’re all like brothers and there’s such a great bond with everybody and it’s been a lot of fun.”

285 – Connor Williams, Canton

Connor Williams became the fourth individual from Canton to win an IHSA title and also the fourth to be a two-time state medalist after winning 2-1 on a tiebreaker over Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op’s Jeremiah Luke in the Class 1A 285 title match. The Little Giants senior joined Joseph Norton (2023), Zach Weideman (2010) and 2024 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Phil Johns (1987) as IHSA champions and also two-time medal winners. Williams took the early advantage with an escape to open the middle period and Luke answered with an escape early in the third period. Williams finally wrapped up the championship with one last escape with 24 seconds left in overtime to cap his career with a big celebration while Luke walked off dejected after falling just short to a once-beaten senior in a title match for the second-straight year.

Williams completed a 40-1 season where his lone loss was by a 3-2 score by ultimate tiebreaker against Murphysboro’s Julien Tanner at ABE’s Rumble to close out the 2025 portion of his schedule. He won five other championships, at Seneca, Palatine’s Berman and the Mid-Illini Conference and also the Camp Point Central Regional and the Olympia Sectional. He took fifth at 285 last season and also qualified for state in 2024. He was one of four qualifiers and two medalists for coach Zach Crawford’s Little Giants, with classmate Dyllan Steele finishing fourth at 120. Williams opened with a fall in 2:39 over Effingham’s Jeremiah Lorton. Then he captured back-to-back 4-1 decisions, defeating Dixon’s Dylan Bopes in the quarterfinals and avenging his only setback in the semifinals by advancing to the finals over Tanner, who took sixth place.

“It’s amazing, of course,” Williams said. “It’s just surreal and it’s the best I’ve felt in my entire life. We have four state champions and two in three years, so it means a lot for the town and the sport. (Last year at state). I was still hungry, I wanted first, and I got it and I needed it. (The title match) It was tough and I gave it everything. It just means everything to me that I was able to compete, and also win.”

Luke (44-4) took second place for the second year in a row, with his 7-3 title match loss in 2025 coming against East Alton-Wood River senior Drake Champlin in the 215 finals, to conclude a 45-6 season. This was the first Illinois loss for the three-time state qualifier, who had two defeats to individuals from Wisconsin and one to an athlete from Iowa, with two of those being decisions settled by two points or less. He won all three of the Illinois tournaments that he competed in, at Erie/ Prophetstown, the Stillman Valley Regional and the Byron Sectional. One of seven qualifiers, four medalists and two finalists for the PantherHawks, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Milder, he opened with a 13-1 major decision over Bishop McNamara’s Kian Bramer and followed with a fall in 4:58 over East Alton-Wood River’s Michael Soto before pulling out a 4-3 decision over Richmond-Burton’s Breckin Campbell in the semifinals. He and the PantherHawks qualified for the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the first time since 2023 and for the fifth time overall and they lost in the final match to suffer a 39-35 defeat to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op to just miss out on claiming a fifth state trophy. Comments from Luke about being a state runner-up will appear in the 1A Dual Team story.

In the third-place match between first-time state qualifiers, Erie/ Prophetstown co-op junior Caleb Reymer (42-9) captured an 11-0 major decision over Olympia senior Darian Holloway (45-7). Reymer and Deerfield’s Adrian Cohen were the only two individuals in the Finals who recorded four falls while Holloway tied five other individuals for third place, including two in 1A, who finished with three pins. And for fifth place, Richmond-Burton junior Breckin Campbell (34-11) won by fall in 4:33 over Murphysboro senior Julien Tanner (48-6) in a meeting between a pair of two-time qualifiers and first-time medalists. Falling one win shy of medals in their first trips to state were Dixon senior Dylan Bopes (33-8) and Effingham senior Jeremiah Lorton (40-10), with the latter just missing out on becoming his school’s initial IHSA medalist.

“I have to practice every day, even though I’m sick or my body’s just not feeling the greatest and battling through injuries and making sure that I get my quality time with my coaches,” Reymer said. (Competing for a co-op team) It expands us more and fills out more zones of our team that would be empty if we weren’t a co-op. I’ve been here to watch before, but never competed. If you would have told me before the season that I’d be the state’s third-place finisher, I would not have believed you.”

106 – Connor Collins, Olympia

Connor Collins followed in the footsteps of his father and coach, Josh Collins, by becoming an IHSA champion when the Olympia freshman won a 7-3 decision over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op freshman Bentley Fields in the Class 1A 106 championship match. Connor became the first Spartan freshman to win an IHSA title and joins his dad, who took first in Class A at 112 in 2000 and in A at 125 in 2001 after taking second at 103 in 1999, as one of five to win titles, including the second to do so in the last three years, with Bentley Wise taking first at 150 in 2024. Connor’s ultimate goal is to not only join his father as the program’s lone two-time champions, but to surpass that achievement, which is recognized on the gym wall in Stanford.

Collins (40-6), who only lost on one occasion by more than three points, won titles in three other tournaments, at Civic Memorial, Unity and the Deer Creek-Mackinaw Regional. He took second at his own sectional and was third at both Princeton’s Lyle King PIT and Reed-Custer. One of seven qualifiers and three medalists for Olympia, he was the lone finalist for a Spartans team that qualified for the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second year in a row and the 11th time overall and fell 46-27 to eventual champion Coal City. Collins kicked off his run to a title by capturing an 11-3 major decision over Yorkville Christian’s Davin Torza and then won by fall in 2:33 over Benton’s Braxton Tittle. He earned his spot in the 106 title match by recording a fall in 1:11 over Winnebago’s Cam Whitehead in the semifinals. He moved in front for good in the title match with a takedown 24 seconds in and still only owned a 4-2 lead late in the third period before finally sealing the deal with another takedown, this one with 19 seconds remaining.

“It feels so amazing,” Connor Collins said. “I’ve worked so hard this year to get to this moment and to accomplish this goal in my freshman year, it means so much to me. (Competing for his dad) It’s so awesome. Having him in my corner and him being able to be there for practice and motivating me every day is awesome. I’m the first freshman champ at Olympia. My goal is to get more state titles than my dad had, so I’ve got to get at least three. I had goals at the beginning of the season to be this successful, and I knew it was possible from the beginning of the season. I wanted that state title so bad and it feels so incredible. There’s so much pressure relief. I’ve been thinking about it the last three days and how I’m going to be a state champ, and I finally got that goal.”

“It was an incredible honor to coach my son to a state championship in his very first high school season,” Josh Collins said. “Seeing him achieve that goal while wearing the same singlet I wore when I won in 2001 made the moment even more incredible. It’s a memory we’ll always share, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for him.”

Fields (41-11), one of nine qualifiers, three medalists and two second-place finishers for coach Josh Carter’s Falcons, won titles at Plano and the Ridgeview Regional this season. He won his initial match in Champaign with an 11-1 major decision over Coal City’s Jake Munsterman and followed with an 11-3 major decision over Dixon’s Riley Paredes before earning his spot on the 106 title mat by handing Farmington/ Cuba co-op freshman Isaac Showalter his first defeat in 43 matches when got an escape in the second period to account for the only scoring in a 1-0 decision in the semifinals, which avenged a 15-6 setback to Showalter in the semifinals of the Olympia Sectional, where he wound up finishing in fourth place. Fields and his Falcons also participated in the IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Finals for the fourth time and first since 2015 and won in the final match to edge Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op 39-35 to claim their fourth trophy and after falling to 54-21 to Vandalia in the semifinals, they wound up finishing in third place after claiming a 63-16 victory over Dixon. His comments about being a runner-up and also a member of a third-place team will appear in the Class 1A Dual Team story.

In the third-place match, Farmington/ Cuba co-op freshman Isaac Showalter capped his 44-1 freshman season by claiming a 2-1 decision over Winnebago sophomore Cam Whitehead (37-6). Showalter, a winner of five tournaments, won his first 43 matches before falling 1-0 to runner-up Bentley Fields in the semifinals. Whitehead, who also won five tournaments, made his initial state appearance. For fifth place, PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op sophomore Coyt Rademaker (43-9) won a 4-1 decision over Rockridge sophomore Nate Lower (42-6). It was the second trip to state and the first medal for Rademaker and the first appearance for Lower. Missing out on medals by one win in their initial trips to Champaign were Dixon junior Riley Paredes (38-4) and Coal City sophomore Jake Munsterman (46-5).

“It’s a tough lesson,” Showalter said. “I’m pretty proud. So I’ll come back next year and see if I can win it. I learned a lot from my coaches, put in a lot of hard work and just tried my best.”

113 – Landon Near, Newman Central Catholic

Landon Near went 1-2 against Augustus Swanson prior to the two squaring off in the ultimate showdown, the IHSA Class 1A title match at 113. And when it mattered the most, the Newman Central Catholic sophomore used a takedown late in the opening period and then another takedown early in the final period to help him capture a 7-0 decision over the Princeton senior to wrap up a 44-3 season. He became the 27th state champion from the Sterling school and its first IHSA title winner since 2020, when Kyle Tunink claimed first place at 152 in 1A and then in 2021, Will Rude captured the 138 title at the IWCOA’s 1A Open State Championship. He’s also a two-time medalist in his first two seasons after also finishing in fourth place at 106 in 2025.

Near won four other tournaments this season, at Sterling, Erie/ Prophetstown, the Riverdale Regional and the Byron Sectional while taking second at Princeton’s Lyle King PIT and third at Clinton, Iowa. He fell 7-5 to Swanson for the 113 title at the PIT and 4-1 in a dual meet and beat him 7-4 for the title at the Byron Sectional while his other defeat was 4-1 to an Iowan in the semifinals at Clinton, Iowa. He was one of four qualifiers, two medalists and the lone finalist for the Comets, who are coached by an alumni of the school, Brody Ivey, a three-time medalist and 1A champion at 152 in 2019. Near opened with a fall in 1:30 over Bishop McNamara’s Evan Johnson, then he won a 5-1 decision in the quarterfinals over Murphysboro’s Drevan Bramlett before earning his spot on the 113 title mat with a 7-4 decision over Olympia’s Brandon Gaither in the semifinals. All of the scoring in the quarterfinal win was in the second period on a reversal and takedown while yielding an escape. And in the semifinals, Near got a takedown in both the first and second periods to build a 6-0 lead and he held off Gaither following a takedown.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” Near said. “It’s everything that I’ve ever dreamed of. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment, especially for a lot of people and I want to keep Newman’s legacy going. I have a lot of great partners in the room and they’ve helped me and they’ve pushed me and I’ve pushed them. State can be anybody’s game and our sectional is definitely the hardest sectional in the state. Now I know what it feels like to get one, and I want to get another one.”

Swanson, who finished with a 47-3 record, also won titles at LeRoy/ Tri-Valley and his own regional and placed second at Clinton, Iowa, where he fell in the finals to an Iowan, and to Near for top honors at the Byron Sectional. The four-time IHSA qualifier also finished fifth at 106 in his sophomore season. He joined Casey Etheridge (165) as a runner-up and Kane Dauber (fourth at 138) as medalists for the Tigers, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Amy. He won a 10-1 major decision over Yorkville Christian’s Phoenix Senodenos in his opener and then followed that with two falls, winning in 1:38 over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Ian Rotramel in the quarterfinals and the second of those pins came in 0:42 over Mercer County’s Boston Morford in the semifinals. He joined Dauber and Etheridge as one of nine individuals from their school who’ve captured two or more medals in Champaign.

For third place, Murphysboro freshman Drevan Bramlett (43-8) claimed a 14-10 decision over Althoff Catholic junior Jacobi Cobbs (42-4). Bramlett, who was the top finisher among three Red Devils medalists, avenged a 14-0 loss in the 113 title match at Carbondale’s Murdale to Cobbs, who earned his first medal in his second state appearance and was one of four who placed in the top-four for the Crusaders. And for fifth place, Olympia sophomore Brandon Gaither (39-10) captured a 14-4 major decision over Mercer County freshman Boston Morford (35-14). Gaither, who along with Cobbs both competed with their teams at the IHSA Dual Team Finals, made his second trip and earned his second medal, after placing sixth at 106 in 2025, to become one of eight from his school to win two or more medals. Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op junior Steven Uden (41-8), a three-time qualifier who took second at 106 last season, fell one win shy of a medal, as did Reed-Custer sophomore Colton Drinkwine (35-6), who was at state for the second time.

“I’ve worked so hard this season,” Bramlett said. “And I even lost to him before, 14-0. (Coach Shea Baker) He’s amazing, he’s teached me a lot of things throughout the season.”

120 – Wesley Janick, Marquette Academy

Wesley Janick lost his first match at the Byron Sectional in the quarterfinals to Johnsburg’s Chase Vogel and had to win three-straight matches in the consolation bracket to qualify for state, needing to beat a senior who was 40-1 and a state medalist in 2025, Oregon’s Josiah Perez, in order to reach the third-place match, which he lost. But being able to advance to Champaign was the key for the Marquette Academy freshman who came very close to not even qualifying. One week later, he made the most of his opportunity with two one-point wins and a major decision to reach the Class 1A 120 title match, where he won a 10-0 major decision over Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op sophomore Weston Frazier to capture the title and in the process, became the first individual from his school to be an IHSA champion and also was one his program’s initial two medalists.

Janick (35-4) had second-place finishes at Plano and Reed-Custer before winning his first title at Orion in the final week of the regular season. He followed up on that by taking first place at the Princeton Regional before battling for fourth to qualify at the sectional. He opened with a 5-4 decision over Murphysboro’s Paxton Pyatt, followed with a 15-3 major decision over PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op’s Kainin Fillbright in the quarterfinals and then used a second-period takedown to help him capture a 4-3 decision in the semifinals over Chicago Hope Academy’s Nolan Callahan to become the first individual from his program to reach the Grand March. He moved in front for good at 4-0 with an escape and takedown in the middle period and wrapped up his title win with a takedown and nearfall in the third period. He was one of two qualifiers for coach Trent Lyons’ Crusaders, with junior Alex Schaefer securing his medal in Saturday’s wrestlebacks and finishing fifth at 215, The state championship and two medalists are a major milestone for the Ottawa school, which has had a program for only three seasons.

“We had two state placers and one of us won,” Janick said. “(Being a state champion) It’s huge. The program started three years back when (Alex) Schaefer was freshman, so having a state champ this early is pretty uncommon. I won one IK(WF) one, and I was a runner-up. This is a lot different. It was such an adrenaline rush like, ‘I did it’, and I really don’t know how to explain it. It feels good to know that I’m the one that’s setting the foundation kind of for winning for this program. With the support from my teammates and the support from my coaching staff and past teammates and past coaches, it helps a lot to know that you have a lot of people on your side. It was a big dream of mine, actually.”

Frazier (38-5), the lone finalist and one of two medal winners and six qualifiers for coach Mike Glosser’s Comets, turned in an impressive state debut by opening with a major decision and then he got wins by sudden victory in both the quarterfinals and semifinals to reach the 120 title match. After winning 10-1 over Morrison’s Cael Wright in his first match, he got a takedown in overtime to win 7-4 by sudden victory over Canton’s Dyllan Steele, who hadn’t lost before that, in the quarterfinals. Then he won 4-1 over Vogel in the semifinals, after also getting a takedown in overtime. Frazier won tournament titles at Cumberland and the Robinson Regional and took second place at Princeton’s Lyle King PIT and the Vandalia Sectional. Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op has now advanced an individual to the state title match in each season since 2019.

In the third-place match, Morrison sophomore Cael Wright (47-9) won a 3-1 decision over Canton senior Dyllan Steele (32-2). Wright, making his second state appearance, lost his opener to Frazier and then won five-consecutive matches in the wrestlebacks, including a 4-3 decision over Vogel, to assure his first medal and he was also his team’s lone medalist. Steele, who won five tournaments and entered his third Finals with a 28-0 record, picked up his first medal and joined 285 champion Connor Williams as one of two medalists for the Little Giants. Chicago Hope Academy sophomore Nolan Callahan (23-7) received fifth place by medical forfeit over Johnsburg sophomore Chase Vogel (36-9). It was the first medal and second state trip for Callahan, who was one of five medalists for the Eagles, who lost 44-26 to eventual runner-up Vandalia in the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals. Vogel also won his first medal in his second appearance and was of two medalists for his school. Falling one win shy of a first medal while competing in their second trips to state were Murphysboro junior Paxton Pyatt (49-6) and PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op sophomore Kainin Fillbright (40-11). Others who advanced to the quarterfinals and then lost in the consolation bracket were Dixon junior Jack Ragan (40-7) and Seneca junior Raiden Terry (39-5).

“I knew that I had to make up a lot of ground, especially to come back to get third,” Wright said. “I try to give all of it to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (What he likes about Morrison) We have a lot of guys putting in offseason work and a lot of guys working hard during the season. And we have good coaching and parents and the community supporting us.”

126 – Preston Waughtel, Vandalia

Preston Waughtel beat Peoria Notre Dame’s Ian Akers 7-0 in the IHSA Class 1A 113 title match in 2024 to cap a perfect 50-0 season as a freshman competing for Carlyle. But he fell just short of repeating as a title winner in 2025 in his first season at Vandalia when he lost a 2-1 decision in the 120 title match to Marian Central Catholic’s Brayden Teunissen for his second loss in 53 matches. Entering the 2026 1A Finals in Champaign with a 25-0 record, the Vandals junior was determined to capture his second title, and that’s just what he achieved after using a victory by technical fall, a pin and two narrow decisions to take first place at 126 with a 7-4 decision over Chicago Hope Academy freshman Obadiah Willis in the title match. That moved him closer to also doing what his brother Tyson accomplished from 2021 to 2025, when he won two titles and placed second at Carlyle and capped his career with his third title in his only season at Vandalia.

Waughtel (29-0) also played a key role in an historic day for Vandalia as he was joined as a champion by junior Max Philpot, who took first at 132 for his second championship in three trips to the title mat, and senior Dillon Hinton, who won a title at 157 to become a four-time medalist who finished fifth, second, third and first. They were three of the five medal winners for coach Patrick Myers’ Vandals, who had 10 qualifiers. Waughtel opened with a victory by technical fall in 2:12 over Oregon’s Isaiah Perez, got an escape in the third period to claim a 1-0 decision over Coal City’s Owen Petersen and then earned his third-consecutive trip to the Grand March with a fall in 5:24 over Lisle Senior’s Alexander Ferari in the semifinals. He got the first points in the title match with a takedown but Willis responded with a reversal to make it 3-2 after one period. He got an escape and takedown to go up 7-2 after two periods and Willis could only add single points for an escape and for stalling after that. He also won tournament titles at Civic Memorial, Princeton’s Lyle King PIT, the Auburn Regional and the Vandalia Sectional. Waughtel improved to 134-2 during his career and he and his teammates competed in the IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Finals for the second year in a row. After winning 44-26 over Chicago Hope Academy and 54-21 over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op, Vandalia fell to Coal City 43-23 in the title dual meet, the second year in a row that it finished second to the Coalers.

“Last year I thought I had what it takes, but I didn’t keep my composure and that’s what happens, it bites you in the butt some days,” Waughtel said. (What he likes about his team) “Yeah, we know what it takes to win, and Vandalia just helps build us all to be accountable to winning. (Coming to Vandalia) It taught me what I need to be, what I need to do to be a better person and put me around the right people. (Coach Patrick Myers) He wrestled at the DI level at SIU-E, so he knows what it takes to win and how to build his team the best. (Competing with two-time champion Max Philpot) We’re always fighting every day, being proud of each other, because we know what it takes to win, and we want to win. Sometimes I think he’s just bullying me around because he’s bigger, but it just helps me, and then when he’s down, I pick him up. We’re just perfect for each other. He knows what it takes to win.”

Willis (43-4) was one of five medalists, four finalists and two second-place finishers for the Eagles, who are coached by his father, Dan. Chicago Hope Academy got titles from Chance Woods (138) and Arkail Griffin (175) while Jeremiah Lawrence (132) joined him as a runner-up and Nolan Callahan (120) took fifth place. A winner of the other five tournaments that he was in, Willis recorded a win by technical fall in 2:11 over Olympia’s Tucker Garey in his state debut and then got another victory by technical fall in 3:23 over Richmond-Burton’s Lelan Nelson before winning a 10-2 major decision over Hoopeston Area/ Milford co-op’s Aiden Bell in the semifinals. He and his teammates competed in the IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Finals for the second-straight year and the fourth time overall and lost 44-26 to the eventual runner-up, Vandalia.

“It’s super exciting,” Willis said. “We work hard in the room every day, just growing better for this tournament. My dad’s the head coach and we’ve had five brothers go through this program. (Competing for his dad) I love it, it’s unreal. Yeah, he’s done a great job with me and all my teammates. (Likes about Chicago Hope Academy) It’s something I really love, it’s a Christian school. So not only are we working hard on the mat, but we’re also working hard off the mat, whether it’s our spiritual life or anything else. I love that Christian aspect there. I’m excited to come back the next three years and just raise the intensity every year.”

In the third-place match, Coal City junior Owen Petersen (45-6) won a 5-2 decision over Lisle Senior senior Alexander Ferari (34-5). Petersen won a state medal for the third time, adding to a sixth at 106 in 2024 and a fifth at 113 in 2025. He joined senior Brody Widlowski as one of the 11 Coalers who have won three or more state medals. Petersen also got to compete in his third IHSA Dual Team Finals and helped the Coalers to their third-straight trip to the title dual meet and won their second-straight championship with a 43-23 victory over Vandalia. Ferari, who won four tournament titles, claimed his first medal in his third state trip to become the Lions’ only top-six finisher. For fifth, Hoopeston Area/ Milford co-op senior Aiden Bell (41-3) won a 15-2 major decision over Oregon sophomore Isaiah Perez (39-12). Bell, who won five tournaments, earned a medal in his first appearance while Perez got his initial medal in his second state trip. Coming up one win shy of medals were Richmond-Burton sophomore Lelan Nelson (33-8), who placed fifth at 106 in his debut in 2025, and Morrison freshman Eli Modglin (45-5). Litchfield/ Mt. Olive co-op senior Vincent Moore (37-6), a four-time qualifier, also fell short of a first medal. Also reaching the quarterfinals but then falling in the wrestlebacks was Newman Central Catholic senior Zhyler Hansen (35-9).

“All I knew is I needed one takedown, one takedown to seal the match,” Petersen said. (Finishing third) It feels great. Last year I took fifth and I wasn’t really happy with that. (Losing to Max Philpot) It definitely gave me confidence. (Coal City’s success this season) I’m so excited and I’m happy for everybody.”

132 – Max Philpot, Vandalia

Max Philpot got the opportunity to compete for a state title at 132 right after his teammate Preston Waughtel did so at 126 and both were attempting to capture a second championship in their third appearance on the title mat and had to go against opponents from the same school, Chicago Hope Academy. The similarities didn’t stop there as they both had close matches with Philpot claiming a 5-4 decision over senior Jeremiah Lawrence and Waughtel winning a 7-4 decision over freshman Obadiah Willis. The only difference between the two champions is that Philpot repeated after taking first place at 113 last season with a 10-3 decision over Marian Central Catholic’s Austin Hagevold and second at 106 as a freshman when he lost a 3-1 decision to Johnsburg’s Eric Bush while Waughtel took first at 113 as a freshman competing for Carlyle and lost 2-1 in the finals at 120 in his only season together with his senior brother Tyson with the Vandals, in which the latter finished his career with three titles in four trips to the state title mat. That’s an achievement that the two Vandals juniors hope to duplicate next season. As a bonus, Vandalia also got a championship from senior Dillon Hinton at 157, who placed all four years and won a title in his final attempt. This is the first time the program has had three champions at one Finals, after having two with Philpot and Tyson Waughtel last season. And Philpot also joins Hinton as two of the five Vandals who have won three or more state medals.

Philpot (36-2) was one of 10 qualifiers and five medalists for coach Patrick Myers’ Vandals. He opened with a victory by technical fall in 2:28 over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Camden Brucker and then got a pin in 5:27 over Richmond-Burton’s Wyatt Franckowiak. He advanced to the IHSA 1A title mat for the third time with a fall in 5:24 over Newman Central Catholic’s Landon Blanton in the semifinals. In the championship match, Philpot got a takedown in the first period to take a 3-1 lead. He went up 4-1 with an escape early in the second period but Lawrence got a takedown with time running down and Philpot used a late escape to make it 5-4 after two periods and Lawrence was unable to score any points after that. Philpot won three other titles this season, Princeton’s Lyle King PIT, the Auburn Regional and Vandalia Sectional and took third place in a tournament in Pennsylvania where he suffered one of his two defeats. He and his teammates concluded their season in the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals, which they competed in for the third year in a row. They beat Chicago Hope Academy 44-26 and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op 54-21 before falling to Coal City 43-23 for the title, the second year in a row that two met for top honors and the Vandals again finished in second place.

“I knew going up to 132 pounds was going to be a challenge, but that’s what I wanted,” Philpot said. “I knew that I could do it. I have confidence in my training, my coaches and myself and I got it done. (Support in Vandalia) I’m blessed and grateful that I have what I have. They’re everything that I need and I couldn’t do it without them. I couldn’t do it without my partners and my coaches, my support system, my mom and dad, everyone together. (Appearing on the video before the title matches) It was pretty cool and I thought it was pretty funny. I know one day it’s going to be over with and all said and done. I’m just grateful once again.”

Lawrence (30-3) was one of two second-place finishers, four finalists and five medalists for coach Dan Willis’ Eagles. He was making his fourth trip to state and won a medal for the third time after finishing third at 120 last season and third at 106 in 2024 while competing for De La Salle Institute. He won by fall in 2:27 over Rockridge’s Clayton Blumenstein in his opener and then claimed a 12-6 decision over Althoff Catholic’s Dawson Hawthorne. He advanced to the Grand March for the first time after getting a takedown with 24 seconds left to help him capture a 4-3 decision in the semifinals over Riverdale’s Dean Wainwright, an IHSA champion in 2025 and 2023 and third-place finisher in 2024 who was unable to compete again and wound up taking sixth. Lawrence also won tournament titles this season at Reed-Custer, the Chicagoland Christian Conference, the Sullivan Regional and the Coal City Sectional and was second at Rich Township. He and his teammates lost 44-26 to runner-up Vandalia in the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals. His comments about taking second place will be in the 1A Dual Team story.

For third place, Althoff Catholic junior Dawson Hawthorne (42-3) won a 10-1 major decision over Richmond-Burton freshman Wyatt Franckowiak (42-12). Hawthorne, who won five tournaments and made his second trip to state, took sixth at 126 last year. Newman Central Catholic senior Landon Blanton (42-7) placed fifth by medical forfeit over Riverdale senior Dean Wainwright (46-4). Blanton, a three-time qualifier, was fifth at 132 last season. Wainwright was the IHSA champion at 132 over Unity Christian’s Garrett VerHeecke last year and at 106 over Illini Bluffs’ Hunter Robbins in 2023 and lost to Tyson Waughtel and then placed third at 120 in 2024. He finished with a 192-10 record, a win total that ranks in the top-10 in IHSA history, and he joins 2026 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Joel Stockwell and 2017 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Tyler Hurry as the lone four-time medalists at the Port Byron school. Falling one win shy of medals were Illini Bluffs sophomore Barret Speck (43-5), who took fifth at 120 in 2025, and Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op sophomore Mason Swartz (41-8), who was fourth at 120 last year. Coal City junior Cooper Morris (43-6), who took second place at 126 last year and fifth at 113 in 2024, was unable to claim a third medal. Shelbyville senior Bodee Fathauer (24-9) also wasn’t able to get his first medal in his third state appearance.

“It just all starts in the room,” Hawthorne said. “We have four placers and one in the finals, that’s all that matters. We all compete with each other and don’t want anybody to do better than us.”

“I don’t think it’s fully quite set in yet, but this is my last high school tournament,” Wainwright said. “I know in a couple of years, I’m going to look back and hopefully be proud of what I’ve done. There’s no telling what might have happened, you know. Life comes at you and you’ve just kind of got to roll with the punches. I’m looking to get healed and keep training over the summer and hopefully get my college season off to a good start. I think I’ll look back in a couple of years or even when I’m older, and I’ll be pretty proud of my career.”

138 – Chance Woods, Chicago Hope Academy

Chance Woods qualified for the IHSA Finals in his first three seasons while competing for Evergreen Park, but he was unable to win a state medal there. So as a senior, he finished his career at Chicago Hope Academy and that move not only paid off for him making a fourth visit to Champaign but the senior finally was not only able to get on the awards stand but captured the Class 1A title at 138 in dramatic fashion by winning 5-3 on an overtime tiebreaker over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op sophomore Landen Lage. He opened with two victories by technical fall, taking the first in 2:43 over Johnston City’s Jace Weaver and the second in 2:26 over Unity’s AJ Daly. He earned his spot in the Grand March when he got a takedown with 14 seconds left to win a 6-4 decision in the semifinals over Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op’s Devin Ehler, who led 3-0 after one period and only was still up 4-3 going into the third period. And then in the 138 title match, Woods got a takedown in the first period to go up 3-0 and stayed that way until Lage tied it with a takedown with seven seconds left in regulation. Woods was able to clinch his championship with a reversal with nine seconds remaining in the second overtime.

It was a special day for coach Dan Willis’ Eagles as Woods and senior Arkail Griffin (175) captured championships, senior Jeremiah Lawrence (132) and his freshman son Obadiah Willis (126) took second place and Nolan Callahan (120) finished fifth to give them a program-best five medals, which was four less than they had heading into the competition and it easily surpassed last year’s record of three medal winners, including Roy Phelps becoming their first finalist by taking second at 285 and Griffin placed fifth at 165. Woods won titles in the other five tournaments that he took part in, Rich Township, Reed-Custer, the Chicagoland Christian Conference, the Sullivan Regional and the Coal City Sectional. Chicago Hope Academy competed in the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals for the second year in a row and fourth time overall and it lost 44-26 in the quarterfinals to Vandalia, who finished second to Coal City.

“Really, it gives me the opportunity to compete for God and the glory to God and that’s what we care about the most at Hope,” Woods said. “Even though we care about our wrestling and our academics, we care about God first and the most. Without my faith, I don’t think I would have won. There was a different type of room atmosphere. People are disciplined and cared about it more at Hope, so it made me care about it more. I think this is our best team to come to the state tournament. We might not be the best team dual-wise, but individual-wise, we had five guys in the semis and four guys in the finals, and not a lot of teams can say they did that. Years down the line, I’m not going to remember these matches as much. What I’m going to remember the most is just the feeling of winning the state championship.”

Lage (44-3), who finished fifth at 126 last season, joined freshman Bentley Fields (106) as second-place finishers and top medalists for coach Josh Carter’s Falcons, who had three individuals who placed in the top six. He opened with a win by technical fall in 5:32 over Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op’s Mauricio Glass and then won a 14-3 major decision over Vandalia’s Brody Matthews. Lage earned his spot in the 138 title match with a 7-0 decision over Coal City’s Luke Munsterman in the semifinals. The sophomore already joins eight other Falcons who have won two or more state medals. He won three tournament titles this season, Mahomet-Seymour, the Ridgeview Regional and the Olympia Sectional, took second at Lincoln and was third at Plano. He and his teammates concluded their seasons at the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals, which the Falcons competed in for the first time since 2015 and they won their fourth trophy in their fourth appearance by winning the last match for a 39-35 victory over Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op, before falling 54-21 to Vandalia in the semifinals. They turned in their school’s second-best showing and best since finishing second in 2010 when they beat Dixon 63-16 to finish in third place. Lage’s comments about being a state runner-up and his team’s strong showing one week later will be included in the 1A Dual Team story.

In the third-place match, Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op sophomore Devin Ehler (46-2) captured a 7-1 decision over Princeton sophomore Kane Dauber (29-5). Ehler, who won five tournament titles this season and only had one loss entering the tournament, took fourth at 126 last year and as a sophomore joined Reef Pacot, Gage Reed and Joe Lashuay as the only Comets to claim two or more medals at a state tournament. Dauber also won a medal last season, taking fifth place at 132 in 2025 and joins teammates Augustus Swanson and Casey Etheridge as among the nine Tigers who’ve two or more medals at state. For fifth place, Oregon junior Nelson Benesh (45-6) won an 8-1 decision over Coal City senior Luke Munsterman (43-9). Benesh, who won four tournament titles, placed for the first time in three state appearances while Munsterman earned his first medal in his second trip to Champaign. Falling one win shy of a medal were Vandalia junior Brody Matthews (37-12), who also qualified in 2024, and Unity freshman AJ Daly (40-15).

“It’s been a long season and everyone started the same day, November 10, so it’s a grind,” Ehler said. “All you gotta do is have faith in God, and He’s going to get you through it. And you train as hard as you possibly can every single day. I’ve wrestled with Vince Chambliss since I was eight years old. Huge blessing in my life, and Michael Glosser. Both of those have been able to contrast my style and helped me to win some really big and important matches like this one right here. Everybody works their butt off and everything is earned on our team.”

144 – Garrett VerHeecke, Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op

Garrett VerHeecke and his twin brother Clinton had the special goal of both being able to cap their careers at Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op as unbeaten IHSA champions in their senior seasons. They got ever so close to being able to do just that when Garrett won the 144 championship by recording a fall in 5:09 over Dixon sophomore Charlie Connors to cap a 49-0 season. However, in the next title match at 150, Clinton’s hopes of doing the same thing got dashed in heartbreaking fashion when he lost a 10-9 decision to Sandwich junior Cooper Corder to finish with a 45-1 record. The pair helped to start the program at Lutheran School Association of Decatur, which was renamed as Unity Christian in 2023-2024 and they both won medals in each of their four years with the program that’s coached by Zach Whitsel. Garrett took sixth at 120 as a freshman, third at 126 in 2024 and second at 132 last season before completing his move up the award stand to the top this season. He’s the first champion from a school in Decatur since Stephen Decatur’s Mark Malley claimed titles at 145 in both 1968 and 1969. He was also the first champion from Macon County since 2001 and the 13th individual from that county to win a title. He finished with a 180-10 career record, going 43-7 as a freshman, 44-1 as a sophomore and 44-2 as a junior, losing just three matches in his final three seasons.

Garrett opened with a fall in 0:41 over Lisle Senior’s Johnny Consuegra-Lopez and then won an 11-4 decision over Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op’s Arrison Bauer. He had a battle on his hands in the semifinals against Wheaton Academy’s Lincoln Hoger, grabbing a 4-2 lead in the first period and added an escape early in the third period before claiming a 5-3 decision. In the championship match, he got a takedown in the first period to take a 3-0 lead. He increased his lead to 5-0 late in the second period with a nearfall but Connors responded with a reversal and nearfall to take a 6-5 advantage into the third period. However, Garrett got a reversal and subsequent fall with 51 seconds remaining to cap his career as an unbeaten state champion, joining Preston Waughtel as the only ones in 1A to achieve that feat and St. Charles East’s Dom Munaretto, Belleville East’s Jonathan Rulo and Washington Community’s Wyatt Medlin as one of the unbeaten five title winners. He won six other tournaments this season, at Pontiac, Springfield, Prairie Central, Mahomet-Seymour, the PORTA Regional and the Olympia Sectional.

“I’m just grateful for the opportunity and grateful to be able to go out there and compete and wrestle at the highest level and I’m grateful for the coaches,” Garrett VerHeecke said. (Clinton) “He wrestled that kid earlier in the season and he beat him, but today just wasn’t his day but that’s okay. (Unity Christian) I’m grateful to them. I can’t wait to give back to the program and I want to see it continue to grow. It’s been awesome.”

“Some seasons are remembered for records, others are remembered for moments,” Whitsel said. “Clinton and Garrett’s season will be remembered for both, because what they accomplished went far beyond the mat and etched their names into the history of this program, this city, and this county. Garrett’s career and championship season told a powerful story, one of perseverance, growth and breaking barriers that had stood for generations. Garrett finished his high school career with a remarkable 180-10 record, wrestling in one of the toughest weight classes year after year. His steady climb at the state tournament reflected both resilience and belief. Freshman year, sixth place at state (43–7), sophomore year, third place at state (44–1); junior year, State runner-up (44–2); senior year, State Champion. That senior season didn’t just end with a title, it ended with history. Garrett became the first state champion from Decatur since the 1960s, the first state champion in Macon County since 2001 and the 13th overall state champion in county history. Those numbers represent decades of wrestlers who came close, carried the torch, and passed it on. Garrett was the one who finished the job.

“Clinton’s career and final season were the definition of sustained excellence. A four-time state placer, Clinton finished his high school career with an incredible 178 wins and just seven losses, never dropping a match during the regular season across four years. His postseason résumé speaks for itself. Freshman year, third place at state (48–2); sophomore year, fifth place at state (42–2); junior year, fifth place at state (43–2); senior year, State finalist, runner-up finish (45–1). Clinton’s senior season also produced a moment that will live forever. At the state tournament, he recorded an Illinois High School Association record-setting pin in just 16 seconds, a blink-and-you-miss-it moment that stunned the arena and instantly became part of IHSA history. It wasn’t luck. It was preparation and meeting opportunity at the highest level. Clinton didn’t just compete, he set a standard for consistency, composure, and excellence over four years. As a coach, you hope to win championships, but what you really hope for is athletes who leave the program better than they found it. Clinton and Garrett did that and more. They showed up every day, pushed their teammates, held themselves to a higher standard, and represented this program with humility and class. One etched his name into the state record books in 16 seconds. The other rewrote history that had stood for over half a century. Their legacies aren’t just in banners or record boards, they live in the expectations they set for the next generation. This season will be remembered, but the standard they left behind will last even longer.”

Connors (44-5) was the lone finalist and joined Preston Richards (fourth at 150) as one of two medal winners for coach Micah Hey’s Dukes. This was his first medal in his second state appearance. He got a pin in 3:29 in his first match with Benton’s Kaden Blades and then won a 12-4 major decision over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Nolan Lowe. He was involved in a thriller in the semifinals, winning a 6-5 decision over Roxana’s Brandon Green, Jr., who got a takedown to claim a 3-1 lead after one period. Following a reversal by Green, Connors responded with an escape and takedown to tie it at 5-5 with one period left and he moved in front for good with an escape and held off Green, Jr. the rest of the way. He won four tournament titles this season, at Sterling, West Chicago, the Princeton Regional and Byron Sectional. He and his teammates concluded their seasons by competing in the IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Finals for for the first time since the program’s initial visit in 2017 and they won 44-27 over Althoff Catholic and fell 75-5 to eventual champion Coal City and also 63-16 to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op to take fourth place, which gave the Dukes their second trophy.

“It was definitely good getting to the finals,” Connors said. “I obviously didn’t get what I wanted, but I’m coming for it next year. The season’s not over yet, we’ve got Team State next week. The team’s really excited and I’m excited and hopefully we go down there and place as a team. I think really the team bonding that we had, it’s different than really any other team I’ve been on. I think we’ve just come together so good and that’s really what makes us as good as we are.”

For third place, Roxana senior Brandon Green, Jr. (32-2) captured a 4-1 decision over Wheaton Academy senior Lincoln Hoger (45-8). This was the third medal and fourth state trip for Green, Jr., who had only lost once prior to state. He also took third at 132 last season and was fifth at 132 in 2024 to join senior teammate Lyndon Thies (third at 175) and assistant coach Tommy Hill (2003-2006) as three-time medalists for Roxana. Hoger, who won five tournaments this season, also was a four-time qualifier and won a medal in 2024, when he took fifth at 126, as a result, he becomes the first two-time medalist for his school. For fifth place, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op senior Arrison Bauer (48-6) won a 15-4 major decision over PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op senior Zach Bryant (43-10). Bauer was a three-time qualifier and he won his second medal after taking third at 144 in 2025. Bryant was also a three-time qualifier and two-time medalist, taking sixth at 132 last season and he and classmate Justin Zimmerman (third at 165) join five others who have won two or more medals for PORTA. Coming up one win short of claiming a first medal were Benton senior Kaden Blades (47-9), a two-time qualifier, and Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op senior Tyler Huchel (38-8), a three-time qualifier. Advancing to the quarterfinals and then falling in his next match was Eureka sophomore Finn Hoffman (37-10).

“A lot of memories,” Green, Jr. said. “I’ve had a lot of mean teammates that would beat me up, so that’s what made me tough. Out here, you have to be smart because if you make one mistake, you can lose a match. I am proud, but I am upset. (Semifinals match with Dixon’s Charlie Connors) I threw him with 11 seconds, if I’d thrown him with maybe 12, I could have had three and maybe been in the finals. But I lost 6-5, and that’s okay, I can come back at Fargo-time. (Competing for Roxana) I’ve grown up with all these people and I’ve been at Roxana since I’ve been in third grade, so it’s just like my habitat.”

150 – Cooper Corder, Sandwich

Cooper Corder was able to reach the semifinals of the IHSA 1A Finals as both a freshman and a sophomore, but each time ran into the eventual champion in that match, falling to Benton’s Mason Tieffel at 138 in 2024 and to Richmond-Burton’s Emmett Nelson at 144 last year, settling for fourth place as a freshman and fifth place as a sophomore. So the Sandwich junior was determined to not only get past the semifinal match but also to capture a title in his third state appearance, but that was easier said than done. After reaching his first Grand March with a win in the semifinals by technical fall in 2:16 over Vandalia’s Dade Kleinik, he met Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op senior Clinton VerHeecke, who was attempting to do what his twin brother Garrett had just achieved at 144, which was capping his career as a four-time medalist and an unbeaten champion. In the 150 title match, VerHeecke got a takedown and escape to counter a reversal to go up 4-2 after one period, but Corder responded with two takedowns in the middle period to even it at 8-8 and got a reversal with 29 seconds left and held off VerHeecke after an escape to win a 10-9 decision that wrapped up a 43-1 season and handed his opponent his first loss in 46 matches, and avenged his only defeat of the season, by fall in 5:09, for the title at the Prairie Central Invite.

Corder, who was able to qualify for state as a freshman along with his brother Miles, who fell one victory shy of also getting a medal there, was the first champion for Sandwich since Alphonso Vruno won his second title in 2012, and is one of seven individuals who won three or medals for the program. He and sophomore Joshua Kotalik (sixth at 175), the lone qualifiers for their team, were both medal winners for the Indians, who are coached by Derek Jones. Corder began his run to the championship with a fall in 1:26 over Auburn’s Trey Boston and then won by medical forfeit over Chicago Hope Academy’s Santori Knight in the quarterfinals. He also won tournament titles at Plano, Reed-Custer, the Princeton Regional and the Byron Sectional.

“Clinton’s tough and it was just a blessing for us to go there and compete,” Corder said. “I’m a real big fan of putting points on the board and just wrestling tough, and I know that he is, too. You could see in that score that there was a lot of back-and-forth. Just having such a match like that for everyone to watch was really fun. Obviously, I’ve been thinking about this since I was a freshman and it’s exciting. But this isn’t the goal, I want to get back to work. I’m just constantly trying to better myself and go to these hard tournaments. (His brother Miles) It was super fun to wrestle with him. He’s super unorthodox and fun to watch and I try and replicate some of the stuff, but I can’t do what he does.”

“Cooper is an excellent person, I think that showed at the end of his match,” Jones said. “The coaching staff at Sandwich is incredibly proud of what he has accomplished this season. He represents Sandwich High School and Sandwich Wrestling with honor. We are excited to see him continue his training into the offseason and keep this momentum going all the way through next year. Our message to him and the team is always the same. This is just a moment in time, a percentage of our journey. Cooper has loftier goals than a single State Championship. We will celebrate and enjoy his tournament, but we are ready to get back to work.”

Clinton VerHeecke (45-1) finished with a career record of 178-7 and never lost a match during the regular season. He placed third at 113 in 2023, fifth at 120 in 2024 and fifth at 138 last season. He and his brother Garrett were the first individuals from a Decatur school to be four-time all-staters in the sport, and no one had ever won more than two medals at state. He opened with two falls that totalled 40 seconds, with the first in 0:24 over Seneca’s Chase Rod and the second in a Class 1A tournament record 0:16 over Morrison’s Caleb Modglin in the quarterfinals. His fourth state semifinal match was a memorable one as he won a 2-0 decision over Coal City’s Brody Widlowski, a four-time medalist who finished second in both 2025 and 2024, in a rematch of their 2025 semifinal match at 138 when Widlowski won a 3-2 decision. In this meeting, all of the scoring was in the final period on an escape and a penalty. He won five tournaments, at Pontiac, Springfield, Prairie Central, the PORTA Regional and the Olympia Sectional. The brothers have the rare distinction of starting a new program and they were coached by Zach Whitsel and also by 2003 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Gary Cook since Unity Christian had a co-op arrangement with Argenta-Oreana, where Cook had coached.

“I’m grateful for all of it,” Clinton VerHeecke said. “These past four years have been absolutely amazing wrestling for Unity (Christian) and doing what I love every single day and representing the school, it means a lot, obviously. I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to accomplish. I fell short, but it happens. (Garrett winning the title) Being able to see that was awesome. (Both being all-staters all four years for their ) That’s just a testament to our school and the coaches that we have, the atmosphere that coach Whitsel has built is awesome.”

In the third-place match, Coal City senior Brody Widlowski (38-2) won a 10-2 major decision over Dixon sophomore Preston Richards (45-9). Widlowski, whose only regular season loss was to a 3A opponent at Downers Grove South’s Gassen Duals, won four tournaments. The four-time medalist finished second to Unity’s Taylor Finley at 138 last season and was also a runner-up to Auburn’s Joey Ruzic at 126 in 2024 after taking fourth place at 113 as a freshman. He became just the fifth Coaler to win four medals in Champaign while Richards earned a medal in his first state appearance. For fifth place, Roxana senior Logan Riggs (42-10) captured a win by technical fall in 5:04 over Vandalia junior Dade Kleinik (32-9). Riggs, a four-time qualifier, also took sixth at 144 last season while Kleinik claimed a medal in his first trip to state. Riggs finished with three victories by technical fall, which tied him with six others, including one in 1A, for third in that category. Widlowski, Richards and Kleinik all got the opportunity to conclude their seasons at the IHSA Dual Team Finals and all three were on teams that won trophies with Coal City claiming first, Vandalia placing second and Dixon finishing fourth. Coming up one victory short of medals were two juniors who were making their first state appearances, Olympia’s Austin Kisner (33-13) and Morrison’s Caleb Modglin (43-7). Also falling in the quarterfinals and in the wrestlebacks was Quincy Notre Dame junior Cale Hilbing (36-8).

“ Obviously, I came here for first,” Widlowski “I lost in the semis, so I just wanted to work back and get back to the next thing. We’ve gone back-and-forth and he came out on top. I got third, which is the next best thing. (Coal City’s success) It definitely helps in the practice room when you have really good partners all around. And we’re all close, too. This is the first group we had when my dad started Lil Coalers. Without Lil Coalers, we wouldn’t be at where we are today.”

157 – Dillon Hinton, Vandalia

Dillon Hinton has been able to do a lot of special things during his first three seasons at Vandalia, which included winning a medal each year at the IHSA Individual Finals, being in the Grand Match in Champaign in 2024 and also getting to compete on two-straight top-four teams at the IHSA Dual Team Finals, taking fourth in 2024 and being a runner-up to Coal City a year ago. But something that had eluded the senior was being a state champion and in his fourth try, he finally achieved that goal when he won a 4-0 decision over Coal City senior Aidan Kenney in the 157 title match. As a result, he joined juniors Preston Waughtel (126) and Max Philpot (132) as champions for coach Patrick Myers’ Vandals, which marked the first time that the Vandalia had three title winners at one state finals. Beside becoming one of the eight individuals to win a title for the school, he also is its first four-time IHSA medalist and joins Jarek Wehrle as the only two individuals who have won medals all four years in state finals competition for their program.

Hinton (43-3) opened with a fall in 2:44 over Olympia’s Kaden Collins and then got victory by technical fall in 3:10 over St. Francis’ Chase Siguenza. He earned his second trip to a state title match when he got a nearfall in the second period to account for the only scoring in a 3-0 decision over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Hudson Babb in his fourth appearance in the state semifinals. Then in the title match, Hinton followed an escape with a takedown in the middle period to grab a 4-0 lead and Kenney was unable to close the gap. He took third at 150 last year, was the runner-up to Benton’s Mason Tieffel at 138 as a sophomore and placed fifth at 132 in 2023. He also won titles at the Auburn Regional and his own sectional after suffering his only losses in title matches at Civic Memorial, a tournament in Cresson, Pennsylvania and at Princeton’s Lyle King PIT. He closed out his career as his team made its third-straight trip to the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals, where they defeated Chicago Hope Academy 44-26 and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op 54-21 before falling to Coal City in the title meet for the second year in a row, this time 43-23. He finished with a 198-18 career record to not only make him his school’s all-time wins leader but it also ranks him in the top-10 in IHSA history for victories.

“Like I’ve said so many times, it feels like a dream almost,” Hinton said. “It was incredible to be able to accomplish something that I put so many years into. And I’m glad that I could have everybody help me along the way, my parents, coaches, teammates. Just everybody supporting me, and I really appreciate it. Like I said, it’s just really amazing. I’ve been a four-time placer and I’m really glad to get it done my last year, I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. It’s really amazing just the amount of competition I get in the room, and it helps build us as teammates, not just in practice in competition getting better, but also becoming like brothers, it’s something to fight for. I’m really thankful to be a captain on this team, it’s something that’s truly special.”

Kenney (47-2) joined Brock Finch (175) and Cade Poyner (215) as second-place finishers to lead the way for the eventual 1A champion Coalers, who are coached by 2022 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Mark Masters. Coal City had the most qualifiers of any school in any class with 14 and half of those claimed state medals. After kicking off his third visit to Champaign with a 10-0 major decision over Byron’s Dylan Dach, Kenney won a 4-1 decision over Cumberland’s Owen McGinnis and then captured an 11-5 decision over Althoff Catholic’s Landon Weidler in the semifinals to earn his spot in the Grand March for the first time. The senior captured his second medal after placing fourth at 144 last year. He won tournament titles at the Illinois Central Eight Conference and the Coal City Regional and Sectional and his lone defeat in the regular season was to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Hudson Babb, who finished fifth at 157, by a 6-3 score in the title match at Princeton’s Lyle King PIT. He also got to compete in a state title dual meet for the fourth time and be on his third team title after Coal City capped a 42-0 season with a 43-23 victory over Vandalia, who they also beat in the 2025 title dual meet.

For third place, Cumberland senior Owen McGinnis (41-9) got a win by technical fall in 5:00 over Althoff Catholic sophomore Landon Weidler (39-5). McGinnis, who had lost to Weidler twice before the third-place match, bounced back from his close quarterfinal loss to Kenney by winning four in a row in the consolation bracket to earn his first state medal in his fourth visit to state while Weidler, who won five titles this season, was making his debut in the competition.

In the fifth-place match, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op junior Hudson Babb (47-3) won a 15-8 decision over Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op senior Charlie Wittmer (45-8). Babb, who won six tournaments this season, only lost once prior to state, and that was to an individual from Missouri. This was his first medal in his second state appearance. Wittmer, who won four tournaments, also claimed his first medal in his second trip to state. West Carroll senior Connor Knop (31-2) was unbeaten and had won four tournaments before the weekend but lost his first and last matches to miss a medal in his first state appearance. The last of those losses was 5-4 to Wittmer and the first was to Chicago Hope Academy junior Dylan Galvez (39-10), who also fell one win shy of a first medal while making his second trip to state. Pontiac sophomore Brayden Quas (34-9) also reached the quarterfinals and then lost his next match. Weidler, Babb and Galvez all ended their seasons along with their teams at the Dual Team Finals with Babb the only one on a team that won a trophy as his Falcons took third place.

“I’m real proud,” McGinnis said. “We came up here for four years and I haven’t had any luck but this year, I tried to pull through. I lost in the quarters, but fought back from that. You’ve just got to keep moving. You can lose, but you’ve got to keep the same mentality. You’re going to go out there and destroy this kid and you just can’t get too down on yourself because you’ve still got a whole tournament to go. (About Cumberland) The coaches are there for you. You’re going to have hard practices, but when it comes to stuff like this and you’re in the third-place match and you go out and tech the kid, it’s all worth it. It feels great, it’s something I always wanted to do.”

165 – Pierre Walton, Althoff Catholic

Pierre Walton definitely made a name for himself in last year’s IHSA Class 2A Finals, where he won the 165 title with a fall over Montini Catholic’s Santino Tenuta to cap a 42-4 season and in the process became East St. Louis Senior’s first champion since 1943, which ended one of the longest title droughts in state history. But as a senior, he looked to conclude his education and career in a different setting, at Althoff Catholic, and that move certainly paid off in a big way since he was not only able to repeat as a state champion, he he also got to compete in the IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Finals for the first time for coach Emanuel Brooks’ Crusaders. He won a 12-2 major decision over Princeton senior Casey Etheridge to capture the 165 title and following that victory, he owned a 44-1 record and was unbeaten against Illinois opponents. In his semifinal victory in 6:00 over Wheaton Academy’s Tyler Jones, he set a new IHSA record for the most wins by technical fall in a season with 40, which broke the old record of 39, which had been held by an Althoff Catholic alumni, Danny Braunagel, who also was a two-time IHSA 1A champion in 2017 and 2018. His first three victories in Champaign were by technical fall, which tied him with six other individuals, including one in 1A, for third place in that category.

Walton, the lone finalist and one of four top-four medalists for the Crusaders, got his initial win by technical fall in 4:08 over West Carroll’s Jonner Smith in his opening match of his second appearance at state, followed with a victory in 5:39 over Unity’s Abraham Davidson and earned his spot in the Grand March for the second year in a row with a triumph in 6:00 over Wheaton Academy’s Tyler Jones in the semifinals. He won titles at Parkway West, Missouri, Cumberland, Carbondale, Reed-Custer, the East Alton-Wood River Regional and the Vandalia Sectional and took second place in the Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day, MO tournament, where he suffered his lone defeat, a 4-1 decision in overtime to a Missourian. He and his Crusaders teammates participated in the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals for the first time since 2018 and they suffered their initial defeat in 19 dual meets with a 44-27 setback to Dixon in the quarterfinals.

“Being able to compete for coach Brooks has been a blessing,” Walton said. “He obviously reached out to a lot of coaches and made a lot of connections that I really needed to be able to wrestle and take my game to the next level. And he’s also taught me a lot of life lessons. We’ve got a lot of young guys who are clawing to make their way in the wrestling world. We brought five guys up here, and out of those five guys, we had four placers. This is an historic victory because I set the IHSA tech record this year, at 40 techs, and that beat out Danny Braunagel’s record, also at Althoff. That 40th tech fall happened in the semifinals and I grinded it out, it was a very hard win, but we got it done. It felt amazing knowing that I had coach E.J. Brooks in my corner. And my coach Corey Ford, who walked me out here, I’m very grateful to him, as well.”

“Pierre has had an historic season,” Brooks said. “Pierre has been a great team leader, along with other all-state wrestlers, Dawson Hawthorne and Jacobi Cobbs, and senior captain Stephen Ache. Pierre helped lead our Crusaders wrestling team to back-to-back regional titles. While chasing his second consecutive Individual State title, Pierre broke the Illinois state single-season tech fall record. The record was formerly held by Althoff wrestling alum Danny Braunagel at 39. Pierre gained his 40th tech fall in the State semifinals. Pierre dominated his State Finals match to secure back-to- back Individual State championships.”

Etheridge (46-7) is a senior who joined classmate Augustus Swanson (113) as a runner-up and sophomore Kane Dauber (fourth at 138) as medalists for the Tigers, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Amy. He was a three-time qualifier who took fourth place at 165 last year and won three tournament titles at Central DeWitt, Iowa and LeRoy/ Tri-Valley and the Princeton Regional and took second place at his own Lyle King PIT and in the Byron Sectional. He got a victory by technical fall in 2:14 over Vandalia’s Zayne Zinkgraf in his opener, and then he got a takedown with 32 remaining to move in front for good in a 9-7 decision over PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op’s Justin Zimmerman in the quarterfinals to avenge two earlier defeats, including one in the PIT finals. Etheridge earned a spot in the Grand March for the first time with a 16-9 decision over Coal City’s Mason Garner in the semifinals.

For third place, PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op senior Justin Zimmerman (40-3) was a winner by technical fall in 4:00 over Coal City senior Mason Garner (41-6). Zimmerman, a winner of five tournaments this season who also was the top finisher of three medalists for his team, also took fifth place at 157 when he made his state debut last year. He and classmate Zach Bryant (sixth at 144) joined five others who’ve won two or more medals for the Bluejays, who are coached by Jeff Hill, the IHSA’s all-time leader in dual meet wins and a 2025 recipient of a Lifetime Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Illinois Chapter. Garner, one of seven medalists for the eventual 1A champion Coalers, earned his first medal in his third state trip. In the fifth-place match between two seniors who both claimed their first medals in their second trips to state, Wheaton Academy’s Tyler Jones (45-4), who won six tournaments, claimed a 4-2 decision over Unity’s Abram Davidson (47-10). Falling one win shy of earning a first state medal were Mercer County senior Eli Burns (46-8), a three-time qualifier, and Rochester junior James Escobar (40-7), who was making his initial state appearance.

“In wrestling there’s not many breaks and there’s never an easy practice and I love it that way,” Zimmerman said. “(Competing for PORTA) That’s why they produce champions. It is your choice if you want to expend all of your energy in practice and really absorb the experience. If you don’t take advantage of it, it’s on you. I just like that it’s your choice. It was amazing.”

175 – Arkail Griffin, Chicago Hope Academy

Arkail Griffin capped an historic IHSA Class 1A Individual Finals for Chicago Hope Academy when the junior captured a 12-2 major decision over Coal City senior Brock Finch in the 175 title match to give coach Dan Willis’ Eagles not only their first title winner but two champions, with senior Chance Woods also taking first place at 138. And with senior Jeremiah Lawrence (132) and freshman Obadiah Willis (126) both finishing in second place, they had a record four finalists and sophomore Nolan Callahan claimed fifth place to give the program five medal winners for the first time, which was two more than it had last year and four less than it had in its history. Then one week later, the Eagles competed in the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals for the second year in a row and fourth time in their history and put up a good fight in a 44-26 loss to eventual runner-up Vandalia. And to cap off the two weekends of history, Arkail’s cousin, freshman Demetria Griffin, not only became the program’s first medalist in the Girls Individual Finals, but also their initial champion when she capped a 23-0 season by winning the 115 title.

Griffin (46-1) claimed victories by technical fall in his first two matches, opening with a win in 4:49 over Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op’s John Mensendike and following that with a triumph in just 0:58 over Macomb’s Jeshua McPheeters, which was the quickest victory by technical fall of any competitor in Champaign. He earned his spot as the fourth Eagle to reach the Grand March when he claimed a 16-8 major decision over Byron’s Brody Stien in the semifinals. In the title match against Coal City’s Brock Finch, he took control with a takedown in both the first and second periods to grab a 6-0 lead and then wrapped up his victory with two more takedowns in the third period. He also was a title winner at Rich Township, Reed-Custer, the Chicagoland Christian Conference, the Sullivan Regional and the Coal City Sectional. His lone defeat was against Finch by an 11-10 score and he also defeated the Coalers senior 15-4 in the Coal City Sectional finals. Griffin is a three-time qualifier who also finished in fifth place at 165 last season.

“It feels good to go from three placers to five, and especially to have four in the finals,” Griffin said. “It feels good to be a part of this team and to help it grow and to set a foundation for the next people who are coming in. And to wrestle under God’s glory and to wrestle under Hope. This has always been at the top of my goals list. A long-term goal, especially since last year after my loss in the semis. I used that to push me when things got hard and I wanted to be the best guy in the state. I’d also like to thank my teammates Santori Knight and Chance Woods for pushing me in those hard moments.”

Finch (39-3) joined Aidan Kenney (157) and Cade Poyner (215) as seniors who finished in second place for the Coalers, who also had seven medalists and a state-high 14 qualifiers. He also recorded victories by technical fall in his initial two matches, getting a win in 3:31 over Johnsburg’s Duke Mays and then needing 1:47 to defeat Beardstown’s Gunner Looker. He earned his spot in the championship match by capturing a 4-3 decision over Roxana’s Lyndon Thies in the semifinals, where he received a penalty point with 22 seconds left to secure the win, avenging an earlier 8-5 defeat and his other losses were to Griffin. Finch was a four-time qualifier who captured his first state medal. One week later, he got to compete in the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals for the fourth time and the Coalers, coached by 2022 IWCOA Hall of Fame Mark Masters, were in the title dual meet for the fourth time and won their third title by beating Vandalia in the finals for the second year in a row, capping a 42-0 season with a 43-23 victory. His comments on being a runner-up and another team title will appear in the Dual Team story.

For third place, Roxana senior Lyndon Thies (45-2) won by fall in 0:40 over Byron junior Brody Stien (47-3). Thies, who won five tournament titles this season, earned his third medal in three state appearances. He also was a runner-up at 165 to Tremont’s Bowden Delaney last season and took fourth at 157 in 2024. Thies joined senior teammate Brandon Green, Jr., who took third at 144, and assistant coach Tommy Hill, as the only Shells to be three-time medalists and earlier this season, he passed Hill to become Roxana’s all-time wins leader. Stein also made his third state trip and won his first medal. In the fifth-place match, Johnsburg junior Duke Mays (41-9) claimed a 1-0 decision over Sandwich sophomore Joshua Kotalik (46-9). Mays won a medal in his second state appearance while Kotalik competed at state for the first time. Falling one win shy of a medal were Pinckneyville/ Trico/ Elverado co-op senior Jonathan Ramaker (37-4) and Pontiac sophomore Lucas Maier (42-6). Ramaker made his initial state appearance while Maier took part in the competition for the second time. Heyworth sophomore Tristan Stamp (44-7) lost in the quarterfinals and then right after that in the consolation bracket.

“For me, it really started my sixth-grade year when we had a wonderful junior high team,” Thies said. “That’s when the brotherhood really started for me with the wrestling team and everything. And then in eighth grade, especially with (Brandon) Jr. Green and Logan (Riggs), we’ve been real tight, especially around the sport of wrestling, and other sports, as well. One of our coaches, Tommy Hill, said that if he could trade in his individual medals for team state medal, he would. Back then, I thought that was dumb, but then when we did it sophomore year (Roxana placed third at state in 2024), I understood, because of the team’s camaraderie. I really am proud. I much rather would have come home with a state championship, but not everything’s going to happen the way it’s supposed to.”

190 – Eli Larson, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op

Eli Larson concluded the 2026 IHSA Class 1A Individual Finals in dramatic fashion by capturing an exciting 13-12 decision over Wilmington senior Logan VanDuyne in the 190 championship match. As a result, the senior joined Ty Harmston (2012 to 2014) as a two-time champion and a three-time finalist and Trey Griffin (2010 and 2011), Quincy Kalkbrenner (2013 and 2014) and Harmston (2013 and 2014) as individuals who won two IHSA titles for Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op, which is coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Milder. Last season in the 175 title match, Larson won a 14-7 decision over Richmond-Burton’s Blake Livdahl and in 2024, he lost a 7-2 decision to Manteno’s Carter Watkins in the 175 title match. In this year’s 190 championship match, the PantherHawks senior got a takedown in the first period and a reversal and escape to counter an escape and takedown by VanDuyne, who only trailed 6-4 going into the third period. In that final period, Larson got two reversals but VanDuyne used two takedowns and two escapes to move in front at 12-10 with 22 seconds remaining. However, Larson clinched his second-straight state championship with a takedown with 10 seconds left.

Larson (49-1) led the way for the PantherHawks, who had four senior medal winners with Jeremiah Luke placing second at 285, Oliver McPeek was third at 215 and Arrison Bauer took fifth at 144. Larson opened with a win by technical fall in 2:24 over El Paso-Gridley’s Braden Gibson and then had his closest match prior to the finals, a 4-1 decision over Red Bud’s Daniel Jackson. He advanced to a state title match for the third time when he claimed a 10-1 major decision over Sacred Heart-Griffin’s Casen Lyons in the semifinals. Larson also won tournament titles at Erie/ Prophetstown, River Valley, Wisconsin, the Stillman Valley Regional and the Byron Sectional while suffering his lone loss, a 4-2 decision, to an Iowan at an invite in Clinton, Iowa. He and his teammates took part in the IHSA Dial Team Finals for the first time since 2023 but their quest for a fifth trophy were dashed when Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op rallied and got a pin in the last match to claim a 39-35 win and wound up finishing in third place.

“It’s one of the best feelings ever,” Larson said of being a two-time state champion. “I give a lot of credit to Logan, who’s an incredible wrestler, for pushing me. I bumped up a weight class and it was something that I had to adjust to, but by the end of the season, I think that I really got there. Jeremiah Luke, Oliver McPeek and John Mensendike, I’m so blessed to have the room that I have. We’ve wrestled each other since we were six years old. We’ve all stuck around and I’m super thankful for the guys that I have. It was like a deja vu feeling. When we were little, going to the wrestling meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays was the best part of the week. And then having it come full swing, wrestling one of my last matches for the program, it’s been awesome wrestling under coach Milder, Jered Staver, Jared Hermann, Josh Oates and Seth Milks, a four-time state champ. Our coaching staff is unbelievable.”

VanDuyne (41-4) was the lone qualifier for Wilmington, whose coach, Nick Dziuban, an athlete and 2007 graduate of the school, passed away at age 37 on February 2 following a battle with cancer. The senior opened with two narrow decisions, claiming a 4-2 win over Westville/ Georgetown-Ridge Farm co-op’s Ethan Miller when he got a takedown with 42 seconds left and then he rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the final period and got a takedown with 55 seconds left to claim a 5-4 victory over Byron’s Will Julian. In the semifinals, he needed to win in overtime to advance to the 190 title match by recording a fall in 6:30 over Vandalia’s Ross Miller. The match was tied at 1-1 heading into overtime and VanDuyne got a takedown with 11 seconds left and then a fall as the overtime ended. This was the first medal for the three-time qualifier. He won titles at Pontiac, the Illinois Central Eight Conference, the Coal City Regional and the Coal City Sectional and finished second at Reed-Custer and placed third at Princeton’s Lyle King PIT.

In the third-place match, Vandalia senior Ross Miller (41-8) claimed a 7-0 decision over Byron junior Will Julian (41-9). Miller won his second medal after taking sixth at 175 last year in his first trip to state while Julian was making his state debut. Miller concluded his career with him and his teammates taking second place to Coal City for the second year in a row in the IHSA Dual Team Finals. For fifth place, Red Bud sophomore Daniel Jackson (44-4) won a 7-3 decision over Sacred Heart-Griffin junior Casen Lyons (42-5). Jackson, who won five tournament titles, also took third at 190 as a freshman and became his school’s first two-time medalist. Lyons claimed his first medal in his second state appearance and is his school’s second medalist. Coming up one victory shy of medals were Westville/ Georgetown-Ridge Farm senior Ethan Miller (38-8), who made his second trip to state, and Seneca senior Landen Venecia (36-10), who advanced to Champaign for the first time. Morrison sophomore Noah Stout (44-10) lost in the quarterfinals and then lost his next match in the wrestlebacks.

“My goal coming into the season was to be a state champ,” Miller said. “I lost to a kid that I beat earlier in the season, it hurt me a little bit, it hurt my pride, but that’s the past so there was nothing I could change about it. The only thing I could change was the future, so I just kept grinding. (Competing for Vandalia) Great coaches and great teammates. They all have the same mindset as me and they all want to get better every single day, continue to get better. So surrounding myself with people like that makes you want to strive for your goals even more.”

IHSA Class 1A championship matches

215 – Dane Olmstead (Freeburg) 39-4, Jr. over Cade Poyner (Coal City) 46-4, Sr. (Dec 11-10)

285 – Connor Williams (Canton) 40-1, Sr. over Jeremiah Luke (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 44-4, Sr. (TB 2-1)

106 – Connor Collins (Olympia) 40-6, Fr. over Bentley Fields (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher) 41-11, Fr. (Dec 7-3)

113 – Landon Near (Newman Central Catholic) 44-3, So. over Augustus Swanson (Princeton) 47-3, Sr. (Dec 7-0)

120 – Wesley Janick (Marquette Academy) 35-4, Fr. over Weston Frazier (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 38-5, So. (MD 10-0)

126 – Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) 29-0, Jr. over Obadiah Willis (Chicago Hope Academy) 43-4, Fr. (Dec 7-4)

132 – Max Philpot (Vandalia) 36-2, Jr. over Jeremiah Lawrence (Chicago Hope Academy) 30-3, Sr. (Dec 5-4)

138 – Chance Woods (Chicago Hope Academy) 46-2, Sr. over Landen Lage (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher) 44-3, So. (TB 5-3)

144 – Garrett VerHeecke (Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana) 49-0, Sr. over Charlie Connors (Dixon) 44-5, So. (Fall 5:09)

150 – Cooper Corder (Sandwich) 43-1, Jr. over Clinton VerHeecke (Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana) 45-1, Sr. (Dec 10-9)

157 – Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) 43-3, Sr. over Aidan Kenney (Coal City) 47-2, Sr. (Dec 4-0)

165 – Pierre Walton (Althoff Catholic) 44-1, Sr. over Casey Etheridge (Princeton) 46-7, Sr. (MD 12-2)

175 – Arkail Griffin (Chicago Hope Academy) 46-1, Jr. over Brock Finch (Coal City) 39-3, Sr. (MD 12-2)

190 – Eli Larson (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 49-1, Sr. over Logan VanDuyne (Wilmington) 41-4, Sr. (Dec 13-12)

IHSA Class 1A third-place matches

215 – Oliver McPeek (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 48-3, Sr. over Caybren Hubbard (Murphysboro) 47-10, Jr. (MD 13-1)

285 – Caleb Reymer (Erie/ Prophetstown) 42-9, Jr. over Darian Holloway (Olympia) 45-7, Sr. (MD 11-0)

106 – Isaac Showalter (Farmington/ Cuba) 44-1, Fr. over Cam Whitehead (Winnebago) 37-6, So. (Dec 2-1)

113 – Drevan Bramlett (Murphysboro) 43-8, Fr. over Jacobi Cobbs (Althoff Catholic) 42-4, Jr. (Dec 14-10)

120 – Cael Wright (Morrison) 47-9, So. over Dyllan Steele (Canton) 32-2, Sr. (Dec 3-1)

126 – Owen Petersen (Coal City) 45-6, Jr. over Alexander Ferari (Lisle Senior) 34-5, Sr. (Dec 5-2)

132 – Dawson Hawthorne (Althoff Catholic) 42-3, Jr. over Wyatt Franckowiak (Richmond-Burton) 42-12, Fr. (MD 10-1)

138 – Devin Ehler (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 46-2, So. over Kane Dauber (Princeton) 29-5, So. (Dec 7-1)

144 – Brandon Green Jr. (Roxana) 32-2, Sr. over Lincoln Hoger (Wheaton Academy) 45-8, Sr. (Dec 4-1)

150 – Brody Widlowski (Coal City) 38-2, Sr. over Preston Richards (Dixon) 45-9, So. (MD 10-2)

157 – Owen McGinnis (Cumberland) 41-9, Sr. over Landon Weidler (Althoff Catholic) 39-5, So. (TF 5:00 18-3)

165 – Justin Zimmerman (PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana) 40-3, Sr. over Mason Garner (Coal City) 41-6, Sr. (TF 4:00 21-5)

175 – Lyndon Thies (Roxana) 45-2, Sr. over Brody Stien (Byron) 47-3, Jr. (Fall 0:40)

190 – Ross Miller (Vandalia) 41-8, Sr. over Will Julian (Byron) 41-9, Jr. (Dec 7-0)

IHSA Class 1A fifth-place matches

215 – Alex Schaefer (Marquette Academy) 35-5, Jr. over Jackson Allen (Yorkville Christian) 46-10, Sr. (Dec 10-5)

285 – Breckin Campbell (Richmond-Burton) 34-11, Jr. over Julien Tanner (Murphysboro) 48-6, Sr. (Fall 4:33)

106 – Coyt Rademaker (PORTA/A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana) 43-9, So. over Nate Lower (Rockridge) 42-6, So. (Dec 4-1)

113 – Brandon Gaither (Olympia) 39-10, So. over Boston Morford (Mercer County) 35-14, Fr. (MD 14-4)

120 – Nolan Callahan (Chicago Hope Academy) 23-7, So. over Chase Vogel (Johnsburg) 36-9, So. (M. For.)

126 – Aiden Bell (Hoopeston Area/ Milford) 41-3, Sr. over Isaiah Perez (Oregon) 39-12, So. (MD 15-2)

132 – Landon Blanton (Newman Central Catholic) 42-7, Sr. over Dean Wainwright (Riverdale) 46-4, Sr. (M. For.)

138 – Nelson Benesh (Oregon) 45-6, Jr. over Luke Munsterman (Coal City) 43-9, Sr. (Dec 8-1)

144 – Arrison Bauer (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 48-6, Sr. over Zach Bryant (PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana) 43-10, Sr. (MD 15-4)

150 – Logan Riggs (Roxana) 42-10, Sr. over Dade Kleinik (Vandalia) 32-9, Jr. (TF 5:04 16-0)

157 – Hudson Babb (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher) 47-3, Jr. over Charlie Wittmer (Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth) 45-8, Sr. (Dec 15-8)

165 – Tyler Jones (Wheaton Academy) 45-4, Sr. over Abram Davidson (Unity) 47-10, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

175 – Duke Mays (Johnsburg) 41-9, Jr. over Joshua Kotalik (Sandwich) 46-9, So. (Dec 1-0)

190 – Daniel Jackson (Red Bud) 44-4, So. over Casen Lyons (Sacred Heart-Griffin) 42-5, Jr. (Dec 7-3)

IWCOA FroshSoph Shepard Sectional – Girls and Boys

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:42:00 GMT

By Chris Walker for the IWCOA

Host Shepard is sending eight girls and seven boys to the IWCOA state finals at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield on March 14-15.

The Astros had the most qualifiers at Sunday’s Shepard sectional with 15.

Sandburg is sending 13 boys wrestlers to Springfield, including a pair of sectional champions.

Oak Lawn has 12 (eight girls and four boys), Oak Forest has 10 (five girls and five boys) and St. Laurence also has 10 (eight girls and two boys).

Marist had nine (two girls and seven boys) qualify, and Mt. Carmel, which had seven boys wrestlers in the finals and produced four champions, had eight boys qualify in total to state.

GIRLS

95 – Felix Morales, Oak Lawn

Morales won by fall over someone she knows quite well in her own room, as she defeated teammate Elizabeth Bisonaya in 34 seconds.

Noble ITW Speer’s Adali Cruz won by 6-4 decision over Oak Forest’s Alyssa Lewis for third place and Shepard’s Daniella Almazon won by fall over Oak Forest’s Samantha Lewis (2:12) to take fifth and advance to state as the top five placers in all weight classes moved on.

100 – Sofie Perez, Shepard

There were three wrestlers competing in the 100-pound weight class and Perez pinned the two others, St. Francis de Sales’ Elizabeth Avila (1:51) and Marist’s Claire Stokes (2:23)

Stokes placed second and Avila took third.

Fighting back tears on Sunday, Perez said she thought she had wrestled her last match during the IHSA post-season.

“I didn’t want to do it anymore, I gave up,” she said. “My mom pushed me to keep going and so did Coach Tyler, and here I am, and I took first. I wrestled great with two pins and I’m really hoping to place at IWCOA state. It was hard putting it past me, but you have got to learn to put things past you. I’m happy I made the decision to keep going.”

Finding her mom’s eyes in the stands after her sectional championship victory, Stokes saw they were wet.

“She was in tears, she’s very proud of me,” Perez said. “She said that she was very happy that I decided to keep wrestling.”

Perez has wrestled all four years at Shepard, getting introduced to the sport as a freshman who also had four years of experience in jujitsu.

“I’ve really learned that we can bounce back after being put down,” she said. “I like not being able to be broken down by somebody else. I can get pinned or beaten pretty bad, but I can still get up and win my next match and finish strong every time. I think wrestling has taught me some very important lessons. If you get broken you can come back 10 times stronger.”

Professionally, Perez hopes to someday help others stay strong during tough times. Perhaps these experiences on the mat will help her make an impact in the community.

“I want to go into an EMT program,” she said. “My uncle used to be a firefighter. I for sure sure want to go into the medical field and just want to help people. This interests me a lot.”

105 – Sophia Orcasitas, Oak Forest

Orcasitas pinned her three opponents to capture the 105 title. After receiving a bye to begin, Orcasitas won by fall over De La Salle’s Destiny Hameed (0:35), Ag Science’s Rainie Mack (2:15) and then St. Ignatius’ Lila Vazquez (0:18) in her title match.

Mack rebounded to pin Kelly’s Destiny Hills (1:38) to claim third place and Shepard’s Ariel Sanchez punched her state ticket, winning fifth place after pinning Noble ITW Speer’s Imani Deyoung (1:32).

110 – Alyshae Martinez, Shepard

A year ago at this time, Martinez had never wrestled.

That changed when the freshman entered the halls of Shepard last fall.

“My sister (who doesn’t wrestle) got me involved,” Martinez said,. “She’s a (born in) 2008 and I’m a 2009, but I have a late birthday. She told me I should join wrestling because I have a lot of upper body strength so figured I’d try it. I didn’t think I was going to like it because I’m not good at remembering things, so I didn’t think I’d remember the moves. So ended up really liking it and I think my first match was against Argo and I won. I’ve just been really focused on it ever since. I just really like wrestling a lot.”

She’s liking it so much that she’s not pursuing high school soccer this spring

“I would’ve never thought high school would end up like this,” she said. “I was going to do soccer because I do play soccer. That is the sport I usually go play, but I didn’t end up going to tryouts because I was so busy with wrestling so my main focus is now wrestling so I didn’t try out for soccer. I didn’t do flag football (in the fall). I couldn’t find the sign-ups, but in summer I did do flag football so next year going to try it for sure.”

Martinez pinned all three of her opponents, beginning with a fall at 1:49 over Oak Lawn’s Yanichel Lopez. She proceeded to win by ball in 29 seconds over St. Laurence’s Amelia Pazmino in the semifinal before taking down Oak Lawn’s Allison Nava at 4:57 in the third period in the final.

Practicing with senior Sofie Perez certainly has been a nice benefit for the newcomer.

“For our live matches in the wrestling room we practice a lot,” she said. “She goes hard on me and I go hard back on her. Everyday we go live against each other so she’s kind of my partner. And it’s gone good. I was getting first place in conference and I’ve just been really proud of my coaches. They are the ones who have been helping me in my first year wrestling. I get to prove to myself that I can do stuff by myself instead of going as a team or something. I just like winning.”

Lopez took third with a 4-2 win over St. Laurence’s Amelia Pazmino and Andrew’s Nora Guisinger took fifth after pinning Marist’s Katelyn Drzayich at 4:33.

115 – Piper Booe, Andrew

Booe dominated her four opponents, pinning them all, including the first three in less than a half minute each.

She pinned Solorio’s Nohemi Nuñez (0:24), Tinley Park’s Natalie Hammad (0:19) and Marist’s Meghan Ciukaj (0:29) to advance to the final where she registered a first round pin with 16 seconds to spare to defeat Noble Golder’s Tamya Gates.

Ciukaj rebounded and pinned Hubbard’s Alianna Cobb (2:19) to place third and Westinghouse’s Tatiana Haggard won by fall over Evalin Campos-Cuellar (2:27) to take fifth.

120 – Victoria Serment, De La Salle

As one of four girls to compete from De La Salle, and its lone champion, Serment wore out her three opponents, registering pins in the second period in the quarterfinals over Shepard’s Alexa Valentin (2:32) and in the finals over Andrew’s Makayla Miller (3:30) and in the third period in her semifinal win by fall over Shepard’s Abril Catalan (4:44).

Valentin won by fall over South Shore’s Sydni Sargent (1:28) to take third and Shepard’s Martina Drab earned a 6-0 decision over fellow Astro, Catalan, to take fifth.

125 – Claire McKeon, St. Laurence

A multi-sport athlete, McKeon found herself with not many multiples in her weight class with only three wrestlers total on Sunday. Guaranteed a third-place finish, McKeon went out and won the whole thing, earning a 16-0 tech fall win over Noble ITW Speer’s Sherlin Aguilar and a 10-5 decision against Oak Lawn’s Sophia Goulos.

Goulos took second and Aguilar was third after Goulos pinned her at 4:39.

135 – Amelia Quinlan, Bremen

Quinlan was Bremen’s only wrestler in action and she most definitely represented her program well, winning the 135 title after pinning Tinley Park’s Abigail Harris (2:35) in the final.

Her road to the title match began with a bye. She took down St. Laurence’s Magdalena Roa by fall (1:41) in her quarterfinals match and then won by a 9-3 decision over Westinghouse’s Daniyah Rogers in the semis.

Roa beat Rogers, 8-3, to take third and Reavis’ Katherine Ramirez received a bye to take fifth.

140 – Marlen Morelos, Eisenhower

Morelos and Kelly’s Liliana Vinas had a unique version of one-on-one as the two were the lone wrestlers at 140 in the sectional.

Vinas was able to battle Morelos longer in the final, but the outcome was the same as their first meeting as Morelos pinned her twice. She too her down in 3:17 in what was the semifinal and 4:38 in the final.

145 – Rylee Hernandez, Tinley Park

Hernandez received byes in the opening championship round as well as the quarterfinal before pinning a pair of opponents to punch her ticket to state.

In the semis, Hernandez pinned Curie’s Joselyn Flores (2:59) before making quick work in the finals, winning by fall again over St. Laurence’s Jocelyn Gonzalez-Ruiz (0:33)

Ag Science’s Madison Cruz won by injury default over Noble ITW Speer’s Azucena Luz (1:25) to take third and Flores received a bye to take fifth.

155 – Nataly Romero, Oak Lawn

Romero was one of three champions from Oak Lawn and among eight from her school to advance to state.

Her longest match was in her opener as she pinned Morgan Park’s Ja`leyah Erving (3:23) a little more than midway through the second period. She proceeded to win in similar fashion over teammate Nathalia Vega (1:34) in the semis and over Shepard’s Jocelyn Gabriel-Velazquez (2:10) in the finals. There were four wrestlers competing in the 155 division so Romero pinned the other three.

Erving placed second, Vega was third and Gabriel-Velazquez was fourth.

170 – Phoebe Heyboer, Eisenhower

“I’ve been wrestling for three years now,” Heyboer explained. “I started off the year really strong and then there are tough opponents, and there are good opponents, and I am the team captain of my team and so it’s really nice seeing some of our girls come out and just like enjoy it.”

Heyboer dropped from 190 to 170 early on in the season.

“It was a big change in the middle of it,” she said. “But I think it was a little easier for me to start getting more wins and stuff after the change.”

After opening her day with a bye and then a pin in 47 seconds over St. Francis de Sales’ Annabella Alvarez in the quarterfinals, Heyboer pinned Ag Science’s Eleana Haugh (2:16) to advance to the finals where she earned a 17-5 major decision over St. Laurence’s Delia Humphrey.

“It’s really nice to just have another opportunity, especially because all the really, really good people are really good and they all go to state and stuff so it’s really nice to have kind of a different level over here,” she said. “It’s still tough competition and stuff but it’s around the same level that you are, especially the people who are just trying out and having this opportunity to see what it’s all about and stuff.”

Heyboer role is a captain is like a dream come true, a second family, if you will.

“I think I got really lucky with my team,” she said. “We’re all really friendly people but when we’re on the mat we’re really tough but can also see that everyone is going for everyone’s neck half the time then afterwards it’s ok to be nice to each other, right? And I find it a lot nicer than just if someone like beats you and is all in your face, hahaha, I beat you, it’s nice winning against someone who said you did a great job.”

Swimming is Heyboer’s other sport at Eisenhower, but a post-season tournament after the IHSA series runs its course isn’t a part of the high school swimming schedule. With wrestling, the IWCOA offers something truly unique and special for these kids with the FroshSoph state tournament.

“I enjoy swimming, too, but we don’t have anything like this for our swim season,” she said. “It’s nice that we do it for wrestling so even if I don’t make it to state, I can try again the same year.”

Haugh won by medical forfeit over Noble Golder’s Jasleene Ramos to take third and Oak Forest’s Nihad Abushalbak won by fall over Alvarez (0:54) to take fifth.

190 – Bianca O’Campo, Oak Lawn

Oh what a day it was for O’Campo who pinned her three opponents to take the title at 190.

O’Campo beat Shepard’s Paulina Delgado (2:16), Noble Golder’s Yolianie Hernandez (3:51) and St. Laurence’s Ell Tagler (1:24).

Delgado won by fall over Oak Forest’s Melany Coria (2:11) to take third and Reavis’ Natalie Wilke won by medical forfeit over Hernandez to take fifth.

235 – Hailey Canvin, Reavis

Canvin, a sectional qualifier earlier this season during the IHSA state series, pinned St. Laurence’s Elise Brown (2:40) and dropped a 1-0 tiebreaker to Hope Academy’s Amariah Thomas, but still earned the 235 title amongst a field of just three wrestlers.

Brown won by a 7-4 decision to beat Thomas and place second. Thomas was awarded third place. All three wrestlers advanced to state.

BOYS

101 – Crue Hatchell, Marist

Before defeating fellow RedHawk Rocco Maheras, 6-0, in the final, Hatchell won by a 17-2 tech fall over Shepard’s Christopher Hernandez and a 7-1 decision over Mt. Carmel’s Fran Blake.

Blake won by fall over Juan Ospina (0:37) to take third and Shepard’s Clark Nordwall won by medical forfeit over Ag Science’s Jesse Green for fifth.

106 – Kevin Bisonaya, Mt. Carmel

Bisonaya won by a 17-2 tech fall over Sandburg’s Lucas Vajarsky in the 106 final.

It was the third straight tech fall win for Bisonaya, who didn’t surrender a point in his victories over St. Laurence’s Armani Diaz (15-0) and Stagg’s Daniel Torres (17-0).

Diaz won in sudden victory, 4-1, over Richards’ Ethan Haro to to take third.

King’s Alpha Kamate won by fall over Torres (2:24) for fifth.

113 – Daniel Macatangay, Mt. Carmel

Macatangay won by fall over Brandon Kalman (2:06) to win at 113.

Macatangay also won by fall over Oak Forest’s Jacob Simon (2:17) and earned an 8-1 decision over St. Laurence’s Liam Kissane.

Kissane won by fall over Jacob Simon (2:59) to take third and Shepard’s Matt Ruiz won by fall over St. Rita’s Shamar Jones (1:44) for fifth.

120 – Leonardo Ortiz, Sandburg

Ortiz didn’t allow a point in a 13-0 major decision over Hope Academy’s Indigo Berg in the 120 final.

En rout to the final, Ortiz won by fall over St. Rita’s Brendan Foster (0:26) and Shepard’s Reginald McMillian (2:26).

Marist’s Aiden Weber won 3-0 over McMillian to place third, and St. Ignatius’ Frank Valle won 6-4 over St. Rita’s Zach Brost to take fifth.

126 – Robert Nickson, Leo

Leo’s lone wrestler at the sectional will continue his season at state next weekend after winning at 126.

Nickson followed a bye with a pin of Evergreen Park’s Papa Diallo (1:47) in the quarterfinals. He kept his momentum going with a 17-2 tech fall over Kelly’s Armando Rodriguez in the semis before he pinned Mt. Carmel’s Vincent Richko (2:44) in the final.

“I’m honestly very excited, the tournament was very great and I’m very happy, but I’m not satisfied just yet,” Nickson said. “The key to winning was just the mentality of not letting a single person take me down and having fun. I couldn’t have done it without my coaches (Malik Taylor and Mo).

Nickson expects success. He’s put in the work and believes he’s right smack dab in the middle of the proper path to continuing that success.

“I learned to have fun on the mat and just flow instead of stressing and overthinking on the mat,” he said. “Relaxing on the mat leads to success and that’s the path I want to take. I definitely expected myself to make it down state my first year. I put in those hours of work and extra practice so my spot was well deserved to make it down state. Doesn’t end here though, there’s more to come.”

Sandburg’s Ameer Mohammed won by decision, outscoring Corliss’ Lorenzo Flowers, 12-9, for third, and Rodriguez took fifth with a pin of of Diallo (4:48).

132 – Luke Erwinski, Mt. Carmel

Back-to-back sudden victories in the semifinals and finals allowed Erwinski to become the sectional champ at 132 and earn a trip to state.

He finished with a 7-4 sudden victory win over Sandburg’s Jaylon Coleman. One of the 4-1 variety preceded it against Marist’s William Leen in the semifinals. Erwinski went the distance in all of three of his matches, opening with a 13-2 major decision over De La Salle’s Jayden Carrasco.

Leen won by a 12-3 major decision over Carrasco for third and Oak Forest’s Dion Moreno won by medical forfeit over Curie’s Leland Pulido for fifth.

138 – Vincent Miceli, Brother Rice

Miceli was one of four kids from Brother Rice to compete, and one of three champions. The other took third so they’ll all move on to state.

He pinned Oak Forest’s James Stadtler (4:43) and Oak Lawn’s Carter Shane (4:52) to advance to the title match where he earned an 18-1 tech fall over Chicago Christian’s Isaac Liu.

Stadtler won by 16-0 tech fall over Shane for third and St. Rita’s Joseph Franklin pinned Ag Science’s Jelani Wells (0:54) for fifth.

144 – Khalid Eid, Oak Lawn

One of four state qualifiers on the boys side from Oak Lawn, but the team’s only sectional champion, Eid earned an 18-2 tech fall over Mt. Carmel’s Jaxon Gineris to take the title at 144.

He had tech fall wins before the title match, beating Kenwood’s Dion Cashaw, 17-1, and Sandburg’s Joe Vela, 18-2.

Eid said he stayed in the face of his opponents throughout his matches on Sunday while pushing the pace. Last year he placed fifth while also fasting.

“I did it through the love of the game and through the support from my parents and Allah always,” he said. “They’ve always stood with me through the thick and thin and allowed me to shine to the best of my abilities.”

There were highs and lows throughout the regular season for Eid and they shared the commonality of being teachable moments, and ultimately drivers for the kind of success he’s seeing today through his continued hard work and dedication to the sport.

“The regular season was filled with ups and downs from upsets to injuries but I never let the adversity get to me, but I think coaches and teammates prepared me for the post-season,” he said. “I look at myself as a very humble person but I do think I worked harder then all my opponents this year from start to finish.”

He’s optimistic that he’ll finish strong at state.

“I can say that I am fully ready to shock the rankings,” he said. “And to put myself on the maps hopefully pin/teching my way through the bracket.”

St. Ignatius’ Lucas Sanchez won by a 9-5 decision over Shepard’s Aiden Garces for third and Vela won by fall over Cashaw (0:41) for fifth.

150 – Arturo Balderas, Brother Rice

Balderas won by fall over Argo’s Skylar Arellano-Phipps (2:23) in the title match at 150 after he opened with a pin of St. Ignatius’ Hudson Schupp (1:33) and a 7-2 decision over Shepard’s Brandon Leech.

Leech won by an 18-2 tech fall over Sandburg’s Cruz Arroyo for third and Corliss’ Amaje Long won by fall over Noble UIC’s Kendrian Walker (1:39) for fifth.

Just a freshman, Leech spent the winter on the varsity squad and leaned heavily upon senior Aiden Hill for insight.

“Aiden Hill really helped me this year,” he said. “He taught me a lot of stuff and helped me develop. Overall, my freshman year, everything has been good. People have been nice. Seniors are good, everything is good. Wrestling is my whole thing. I have to go in full. You have to go in full if you want to be real good and to place at state or something. While some people are resting, others are training harder. Some are doing five practices a day. It’s crazy.”

Leech had beaten Arroyo earlier this season.

“Coming back in the third place match I wasn’t really worried about it because I beat the kid last week so it was no sweat,” he said. “I had a little knowledge of (this tournament). I had a really good season. I got all-conference, took second place and won a tournament.”

And now he’s off to state to finish off his freshman year.

“I listened to my coach and was doing clean moves,” he said. “I was not wrestling sloppy and that’s what helped me.”

157 – Jonathan Fields, Marist

Fields wasn’t on the mats for long on Sunday, rolling past his opponents in quick order to earn a trip to state at 157.

Curie’s Santiago Valadez (0:44), Corliss’ Damarion Ambrose (0:41) and Shepard’s John Leech (0:17) all dropped matches to Fields by fall in the opening minute of their respective matches.

Sandburg’s Shafik Yasin won 2-1 over Oak Forest’s Michael Rowe for third and Corliss’ Damarion Ambrose won by fall over Valadez (2:43) for fifth.

165 – Melsyon Vrapi, Sandburg

Wrestling isn’t Vrapi’s thing, but it’s one of many things he’s doing these days as he continues to evolve as a young athlete

“It has been me and my little brother’s dream to get in MMA and my older brother told me to get your name out so you need to do wrestling,” Vrapi, a sophomore, said. “So he forced me to do it so I could get my name out and ever since then I’ve been trying to get good at every marital art to get better and MMA so that’s been a push to get good.

“I’ll probably do MMA after wrestling. I already have had some jujitsu matches. I haven’t had a boxing match yet, because the guy I was supposed to fight dropped out. I’m pretty sure I’m going to want to get into UFC after college and stuff. Jujitsu people say jujitsu and wrestling are cousins, not exactly the same but if you’re decent at jujitsu you’ll be decent at wrestling.”

Last year, Vrapi also advanced to state, dropping his two matches.

“He is just a dog,” Sandburg teammate Ahmad Abdullah said. “He doesn’t give up. He’s only in his second year wrestling and he’ll fight until the end.”

Vrapi opened with a pair of byes before taking down Curie’s Andy Cuevas (1:30) by fall in the semifinals. In the final, Shepard’s Liam Thompson worked into the second period before Vrapi won in similar fashion at 2:28.

Marist’s Ethan Pettis won by fall over Cuevas (2:30) for third and Noble UIC’s Vince Chiorlu received a bye in the fifth-place match and advanced to state in the process.

175 – Mike Starzyk, Argo

Starzyk pinned Mt. Carmel’s Kellan Breen (4:38) early in the third period of the championship match at 175 to become a sectional champ.

After opening with a pin over Ag Science’s David Montes (2:04), Starzyk defeated Sandburg’s Andrew Gutierrez by an 11-3 major in the semifinal.

“I can say winning sectionals was a fun experience but I have my sights on winning state,” Starzyk said. “I did not compete last year, I went to a different tournament.”

Spending the high school regular season mostly battling against upperclassmen, helped prepare Starzyk for a deep run in the IWCOA FroshSoph tournament.

“During my high school season I wrestled mostly with juniors and seniors,” he said. “”I feel like wrestling with older kids helped me get better then if I had wrestled JV. I feel wrestling with older kids helped me the most with this post-season tournament.”

Gutierrez won by fall over Payton/Jones’ Micah Ruiz (2:35) for third and Oak Forest’s Nicholas Pell won by fall over Payton/Jones’ Adam Pietraszek (3:18) for fifth.

190 – Brendan Kalchbrenner, Brother Rice

Pins over Sandburg’s Nimer Alamawi (1:51), Sandburg’s Zayd Hamideh (1:56) and Ag Science’s Sylvester Staples (2:21) pushed Kalchbrenner to the top of the podium as a sectional champion.

Hamideh rebounded to win by fall over Alamawi (1:46) to place third, and Evergreen Park’s Nathan Diaz won by a 9-0 major decision over Payton/Jones’ Hudson Latino for fifth.

215 – Aaron Gallacher, Tinley Park.

After battling into the second and third periods before pinning his opponents in the quarterfinal and semifinal, Gallacher took care of matters in just 41 seconds in the final, pinning Oak Lawn’s Nathan Hernandez (0:41) to win the 215 sectional crown.

Gallacher also won by fall over St. Francis de Sales’ Frank Villella (3:34) and Brother Rice’s Harold Pfeiffer (4:40).

Pfeiffer won by fall over Villella (0:56) to place third and Oak Lawn’s Fahd Lutfi won by a 9-2 decision over St. Rita’s Emilio Lara for fifth.

285 – Timothy Harrison, Mt. Carmel

The fourth and final sectional champion for Mt. Carmel is this freshman, multi-sport athlete, who will look to be an impact performer in football and wrestling for the next few years.

“Since November I’ve kept going to practice and staying consistent and applying pressure every single day no matter if it was stretching or even like taking the trash out,” Harrison said. “It’s about discipline everyday and today I realized what our team really stands for. We stand for supportive brotherhood of family and we go out and do our best in every single position.

Harrison won by fall over Noble UIC’s Isaiah Oviedo (1:40) in the quarterfinals, earned a 5-1 decision to get past Golden’s Zerik Hernandez in the semifinals and pinned Marist’s Luke Malburg (1:58) in the final.

“I was just staying focused and not letting my mind wander into any other nonsense because there is a lot in this world,” he said. “Just staying locked in. I beat (Malburg) in regionals for first place and I can say he’s a good wrestler.”

Rematches can devour an athlete who thinks repeat success comes naturally, especially when a fiery-eyed opponent is looking for redemption. While Harrison is a big kid, he’s still just a freshman, climbing the ranks as a high school athlete.

“That’s mistake a lot of people do after they beat some dude,” Harrison said. “I know a dude who did that. He was like into his own head and he lost to the same dude.”

Like a lot of heavyweights, Harrison is a dual performer. Football is his favorite sport, but he’s digging his time on the mats, too. There’s no doubt, wrestling has improved his football playing abilities.

“This teaches me to use my hands better when I’m blocking or tackling,” he said. “And it makes me be comfortable and establishing dominance and getting into the back as fast as I possibly can.”

Solorio’s Angel Regalado won by fall over Tinley Park’s Alejandro Covarrubias (4:43) to place third and Sandburg’s Ahmad Abdullah won by a 7-1 decision over Hernandez to take fifth.

Abdullah was the 13th kid from Sandburg to advance to state. He needed to dig deep against Hernandez, who he had lost to early in the day. Last year an injury denied Abdullah from advancing.

“I just told myself I had to come back and I had to beat him,” he said. “I couldn’t lose to the same person two times in a row on the same day. I wasn’t going to let that happen. I worked so hard and made it happen to advance.”

The Eagles are a hardworking and successful program, finishing ranked no. 14 in the state.

“We’re always practicing, we’re one of the top programs and we just want to keep it that way,” Abdullah said. “We’re one of the top programs because of how we train and the coaches we have. We have a good structure around us and we’re all confident.

Final 2025-26 IWCOA Boys Rankings

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:59:00 GMT

By Rob Sherrill

The final rankings, as is the case throughout the season, are based on strength of schedule, head to head and common opponent results where applicable, and quality wins. In some cases, the highest-placing wrestler may not be the highest-ranked wrestler.

2025-26 FINAL RANKINGS

Class 1A

Class 2A

Class 3A

IWCOA Frosh-Soph Sectional recaps

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:42:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

The following wrestlers will compete at the IWCOA state finals at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield on March 14-15

Results listed for 1st-, 3rd- and 5th-place matches

EVANSTON SECTIONAL

101

Jacob Macedo (OPRF) d. Andrew Gamba (Maine S) (D 6-2)

Santino Scardina (Fenwick) d. Lincoln Curley (Maine W) (D 7-0)

Grant Fisher (Leyden) d. Tyler Bevan (Evanston) (F 4:18)

106

Jake Pechter (Deerfield) d. Danny Huerta (Leyden) (MD 12-1)

Nicholas Karlesky (Maine S) d. Troy Rotter (Deerfield) (F 2:28)

Dreyton Pedregosa (Taft) d. Logan Ferguson (Addison Trail) (F 2:22)

113

Michael Anguiano (Glenbrook N) d. Maurizio campana (Fenwick) (F 0:47)

Patrick Hanley (Loyola) d. Zachary Goldman (Glenbrook N) (D 1-0)

Chase Pabst (St. Patrick) d. John Barkhoo (Niles W) (F 0:42)

120

Jacob Badal (Niles N) d. Luke Baum (Maine S) (D 11-4)

Michael Uhler (Glenbrook N) d. Ben Couri (Loyola) (TF 27-11)

Jeremy Stani (York) d. Thomas Ireland (OPRF) (TF 18-3)

126

Oliver Michie (Glenbrook N) d. Santiago Trejo (Addison Trail) (MD 11-3)

Donato coloia (Maine S) d. Lj Vazquez (Deerfield) (F 1:00)

Bairon Dejesus (Proviso W) d. Alex Martin (Evanston) (MD 19-11)

132

Benjamin Howard (Deerfield) d. Zander Spatafore (Elk Grove) (MFF)

Charles Brown (York) d. Urban Baum (Maine S) (F 1:39)

Ismail Mehmedovic (Niles W) d. Eli Brown (Glenbrook S) (Inj. 0:00)

138

Kevin Hamilton (Maine S) d. Landon cohen (OPRF) (F 2:46)

Zabiel Lagunas (Leyden) d. David cruz (Evanston) (TF 17-1)

Bryce Oerke (New Trier) d. constantino Palmisano (Ridgewood) (D 11-4)

144

Antonio Reyes ii (St. Patrick) d. Joshua Edelheit (Glenbrook S) (D 8-2)

Sean Smylie (Loyola) d. George Dilorenzo (Maine S) (F 3:29)

Sean campbell (York) d. Kevin Pedersen (Maine S) (D 9-5)

150

Mark Bilek (St. Patrick) d. Angel Martinez (Deerfield) (F 4:25)

Martin Lydon (Maine S) d. Cesar Albnoroz (Evanston) (F 4:09)

Alan Krupinski (Ridgewood) d. Nathan Miller (DePaul) (D 2-0)

157

Aiden Lacoste (Deerfield) d. Quinn Paris (Fenwick) (F 0:27)

Harrison Yankellow (Lane Tech) d. Nathaniel Olivares (St. Patrick) (F 2:42)

Jackson Drane (Loyola) d. Dijon Cotton (Proviso W) (F 3:56)

165

Bryce Kopinski (Glenbrook S) d. Ari Shyovitz (Ida crown) (F 0:36)

Conner O`neill (Leyden) d. Jerry Walsh (York) (D 10-6)

Kingston Upshaw (Intrinsic) d. Ilias Kellikidis (St. Patrick) (F 3:47)

175

Art Bytyqi (Evanston) d. Nicholas Marcus (Niles N) (F 4:44)

Noah Blust (York) d. Drew Sendre (DePaul) (F 1:50)

Julian Vargas (St. Patrick) d. Samuel Thillens (Maine S) (D 5-0)

190

Tommy Tures (New Trier) d. Joseph Valentino (St. Patrick) (TF 17-2)

Musa Amin (Evanston) d. Rafael Baez (St. Patrick) (F 0:49)

Capper Tyler (Proviso E) d. Sean O`Connor (DePaul) (F 0:31)

215

Brooks Tyler (Evanston) d. Josh Dixon (Deerfield) (D 9-2)

Nico Trautman (DePaul) d. Anthony Keating (IC Prep) (F 0:57)

Aaron Corral (Fenton) d. Darren Hayes (St. Patrick) (TF 15-0)

285

Andres Thomas (Evanston) d. Martavion Howard (Proviso E) (F 1:28)

Michael Maddex (Loyola) d. Jhulyan Carter (Notre Dame) (F 2:38)

George Dunn (DePaul) d. Constantine Martinez (Fenton) (F 1:59)

GRANITE CITY

101

Evan Gill (Edwardsville) d. Zander Johnson (Granite City) (D 5-0)

Eli Schaefer (Freeburg) d. William Vincent (Salem) (F 2:27)

Ryan Pelzek (Glenwood) d. Zaiden Turner (Jacksonville) (F 2:03)

106

Bo Allison (Jerseyville) d. Cameron Urbaniak (Herrin) (D 6-5)

Brendan Stewart (Effingham) d. Cooper Galloway (Vandalia) (F 2:09)

Brayden Jackson (Freeburg) d. Karson Fowler (Althoff Cath) (F 2:30)

113

Austin Jones (Alton) d. Jack Welch (camp Point c (MD 18-9)

Griffin Finch (Quincy) d. John Smith (Civic Memorial) (D 7-6)

Eli Quartz (Freeburg) d. Zack Bean (Piasa (Southwestern) (D 5-2)

120

Benjamin Rashman (Edwardsville) d. Charles St. Peters (Alton) (D 11-7)

Isaac Wood (Carterville) d. Aden Farley (Glenwood) (F 2:41)

Kaden Alldredge (Edwardsville) d. David Kinscherff (Troy Triad) (D 19-18)

126

Rylan Moore (Salem) d. Xavier Sonon-hale (Mascoutah) (MD 16-4)

Sean Monroe (Edwardsville) d. Kyler Reisner (Mt. Vernon) (D 2-1)

Cole Pilliard (Troy Triad) d. Cael Taylor (Williamsville) (MFF)

132

Ronin Schmidt (Troy Triad) d. Devon Jensen (Freeburg) (MD 25-16)

Bradley Odell (Carbondale) d. Brendon Jones (Benton) (F 2:59)

Caleb Taylor (Edwardsville) d. Austin Olps (camp Point c (F 2:20)

138

Lukas Quartz (Freeburg) d. Jacob Sutphin (Alton) (D 9-2)

Emmitt Cooley (Mt. Carmel) d. Jackson Parnell (Civic Memorial) (D 6-0)

Matthew Mcdowell (Vandalia) d. Dante Wade (Springfield (Southeast) (D 16-13)

144

Jase Holshouser (Anna-Jonesboro) d. Ethan Paul (Quincy) (F 1:21)

Elijah Thompson (Edwardsville) d. Micheal Goodwin (Mt. Vernon) (F 1:30)

Jaden White (Frankfort) d. Kenyon Matthews (Jacksonville) (F 0:52)

150

Jovonis Lunford (Springfield (Sacred Heart Griffin) d. Braxton Glodo (Sparta) (D 17-14)

Pierce Helm (Glenwood) d. Alonzo Lofton (Civic Memorial) (F 4:06)

Kade Orrell (Salem) d. Tahj Morens (Lanphier) (TF 25-8)

157

Tyler Nolan (Red Bud) d. Phoenix Hickam (Murphysboro) (D 5-0)

Isaiah Hall (Mt. Carmel) d. Elliot Imboden (Carbondale) (F 3:39)

John Marshall (Jacksonville ISV) d. Landyn Seal (Pittsfield) (F 3:26)

165

Roman Lilo (Quincy) d. Dexter Mcclendon (Granite City) (D 5-3)

Titus Dover (Anna-Jonesboro) d. Jeremy Judd (Sacred Heart Griffin) (F 4:53)

Colby Midiri (Pleasant Plains) d. Andrew Regalado (Edwardsville) (D 4-2)

175

Da`kevion Rose (Belleville (East) d. Cohen Albatt (Troy Triad) (Inj. 3:46)

Kenton Rule (Warr-Latham) d. Branson Burnett (Carmi-White Co) (F 4:04)

Owen Alderson (Williamsville) d. Phoenix Pilcher (Salem) (TF 18-2)

190

Ayden Williams (Auburn) d. Nate Page (Marion) (D 8-2)

Jahari Tucker (Cahokia) d. Austin Wilkinson (Althoff Cath) (SV-1 8-5)

Antonio Monroe (Sparta) d. John Haynes (Southwestern) (F 1:29)

215

Liam Heise (Jacksonville) d. Marc Leahy jr (Troy Triad) (D 4-1)

Donnovan Tinnin (Edwardsville) d. Tristin Vail (Marion) (D 3-0)

Jesse Williams (Benton) d. Logan Haverback (Beardstown) (F 0:53)

285

Darrell Bibbs (Belleville (East) d. over Donnie Olmstead (Freeburg) (TB-1 2-1)

Eli Zanger (Quincy) d. carter Pyatt (Mt. Carmel) (D 13-6)

Kevin Gaines (Springfield (Southeast) d. Kamen Anderson (Alton) (D 2-0)

HEYWORTH SECTIONAL

101

Dakota Harmon (Marquette) d. Colton Bevers (Normal Comm) (TF 17-0)

Gabriel Eads (Normal Comm) d. Mateo Anaya (Clinton) (F 2:07)

Levi Lee (St. Joseph Ogden) d. Evan Bierma (Morton) (DQ)

106

Bryce Kuhlman (Normal Comm) d. Connor Eggers (Marquette) (TF 16-1)

Maison Burgard (Washington) d. Julian Rodriguez (GCMS) (F 4:24)

Dylan Warner (Hoopeston) d. Andrew Patino (Prarie Central) (D 9-3)

113

Micah Jackson (Washington) d. creed Cole (Mattoon) (D 8-3)

Hayden Hazel (Olney) d. Ben Marshall (Deer Crk-Mackinaw) (D 8-5)

Sawyer Manning (Ridgeview) d. Mitchell Matigian (Mahomet-Sey) (MD 13-0)

120

Logan Huenefeld (Marquette) d. Liam MDor (Illini Bluffs) (F 2:25)

Gracen Elliott (Robinson) d. Kaden Huster (GCMS) (MFF)

Maxx Jager (Normal (West) d. Alex Reynolds (Mt. Zion) (D 11-7)

126

Isaac Rotramel (GCMS) d. Jack Voigts (Pontiac) (D 4-2)

Nicholas Weber (Tremont) d. Carson Yokel (Normal Comm) (D 15-8)

Zech Chasten (Morton) d. Maison Chandler (Mt. Zion) (MD 13-4)

132

Gavin Stoecker (Tremont) d. Landon Darst (Galesburg) (MD 17-3)

Jaxson Bagwell (Mattoon) d. Martavious Johnson (Eisenhower) (D 15-14)

Kole Vanmiddlesworth (canton) d. Holden Barr (Mattoon) (MFF)

138

Braden Opperman (Pontiac) d. Ogdan Parker (Illini Bluffs) (F 0:58)

Brenner Hayes (Mt. Zion) d. Connor Petrakis (Notre Dame) (F 3:26)

Draven Geltz (Tremont) d. Trevion Murphy (Eisenhower) (MFF)

144

Jshawn Wilson (Notre Dame) d. Johnathan Kirkbride (Shelbyville) (D 5-2)

Samuel Dial (Olney) d. Connor Misner (Mt. Zion) (MFF)

DJ Heatherly (Galesburg) d. Colton Johnson (GCMS) (D 11-8)

150

Jaymion Cunningham (Danville) d. David Wallinger (Illini Bluffs) (D 5-4)

Dorin Coss (Hoopeston) d. Nino Caballero (Mahomet-Sey) (D 12-10)

Keilen Mustread (Mahomet-Sey) d. Caleb Hippen (Metamora) (F 1:43)

157

Daniel Nichols (Cumberland) d. Hayden Smith (Unity) (F 4:53)

Lazzerick Zander (Champaign C) d. Zane Heubi (Washington) (D 5-2)

Cristian Ornelas (Ridgeview) d. Kaedyn McLeish (Richwoods) (F 4:07)

165

Logan Wagoner (Ridgeview) d. Collin Jones (Morton) (D 9-6)

Michael Young (Eisenhower) d. Camden Schoolcraft (Westville) (F 0:46)

Cohen Eubanks (Mt. Zion) d. Draidan Mayfield (Havana) (D 16-9)

175

Sean Martinez (Richwoods) d. Isaac Warnock (Olympia) (D 9-3)

Carter Ludwig (Ridgeview) d. Gaige Hunt (Tremont) (MD 19-8)

Ty Gardner (Bloomington) d. Jaylen Davis (Rantoul) (F 2:25)

190

Caleb Peters (Olympia) d. Ashton Helberg (Eureka) (TF 16-0)

Zavian Turner (Bloomington) d. Anderson Fisher (Shelbyville) (MFF)

Gabe Deltoro (East Peoria) d. Elijah Mowery (Prarie Central) (F 2:53)

215

Bradyn Haynes (Pekin) d. Jude Dausey (Lawrenceville) (F 2:11)

Jackson Ritch (LeRoy) d. Vince King (Bloomington) (F 2:25)

Jayden Williams (Bloomington) d. Amarii Ollie (Normal Comm) (MFF)

285

Reginald Luckett (Normal Comm) d. Landon Petty (Galesburg) (D 14-8)

Remington Bryant (Charleston) d. Kollin Nash (GCMS) (MFF)

Anthony Escobedo (Robinson) d. Jovante Fields (Eisenhower) (F 1:39)

LAKE ZURICH SECTIONAL

101

William Bousk (Fremd) d. Nolan Freely (Lake Zurich) (MD 11-3)

Tommy Katz (Wheeling) d. Sam Ejnik (Buffalo Grove) (D 12-10)

Cain Ramirez (Grant) d. Everett Jancich (Hersey) (D 5-0)

106

Travis Wilgosiewicz (Algonquin (Jacobs) d. Colton Swanson (Grant) (MD 15-6)

Kevin Rosa (Stevenson) d. Diego Ramirez (Barrington) (D 10-9)

Ashton Prather (Antioch) d. Abel Ephrem (Schaumburg) (F 3:27)

113

Carlo Difalco (Prospect) d. Cole Wojtalewicz (Lake Zurich) (UTB 4-4)

Diego Rea (Warren) d. Brian Hoffman (Conant) (D 6-3)

Gabriel Poyer (Zion-Benton) d. Tyson Rivard (McHenry) (D 11-7)

120

Liam Lovelace (Lake Park) d. John Diaz (Lake Zurich) (D 8-1)

Brayden Sroka (Zion-Benton) d. Joel Aragon (Palatine) (D 14-8)

Nathan Flores (St. Viator) d. Owen Thomas (Carmel) (F 3:45)

126

Rielen Hermsen (Carmel) d. Ryder Thompson (Lake Zurich) (F 2:53)

Dino Adamo (Rolling Meadows) d. Niko Marchenko (Stevenson) (D 10-4)

Andrew Stapleton (Prospect) d. Nathan Hunt (McHenry) (D 1-0)

132

Joey Romano (Wheeling) d. Chase Davis (Johnsburg) (TF 21-6)

Kentrell Golladay (Waukegan) d. Breiydyn Hoffman (Grant) (D 7-2)

Kyle Lochner (Hersey) d. MDd Ramadan (Prairie Ridge) (F 3:55)

138

Kiernan Delaney (Carmel) d. Elliott Hibbard (Libertyville) (MFF)

Gabriel Oliveira (Stevenson) d. Kingsley chen (Stevenson) (MFF)

Daniel Zuehlke (Crystal Lake C) d. Xavier Campos (Dundee-Crown) (F 3:27)

144

Mick Skrypek (Carmel) d. Luis Atilano (Stevenson) (D 8-7)

William Guziec (Stevenson) d. Joseph Minogue (Libertyville) (F 1:39)

Demetri Matsas (Fremd) d. Adam Piazza (Jacobs) (D 7-2)

150

Owen Floral (Grayslake C) d. Azam Nabizada (Fremd) (F 1:56)

Austin Slocum (Dundee-Crown) d. Evan Talbot (Hersey) (D 6-5)

Iaroslav Bitarov (Stevenson) d. Ryan Chartouni (Prospect) (F 0:38)

157

Danny Mandujano (Carmel) d. Dominic Sponsel (Fremd) (F 3:00)

Michael Weber (Schaumburg) d. Jordan Sylvanus (Johnsburg) (MFF)

Arthur Borzecki (Hoffman Est) d. Leo Malatos (Lake Zurich) (SV-1 9-6)

165

Joseph Cameron (Carmel) d. Logan Tibbs (Johnsburg) (MD 9-0)

Brendan Weber (Grant) d. Luke Maher (Fremd) (F 1:34)

Brock Bowden (Prairie Ridge) d. Jacob Meade (Prairie Ridge) (D 9-3)

175

Jaxon James (Stevenson) d. Patrick Zdanowski (Prospect) (SV-1 6-3)

Eduardo Albarran (Zion-Benton) d. Jayden Johnson (Bartlett) (F 2:20)

Anthony Castr (Wheeling) d. Franklin Yanes (Buffalo Grove) (MD 12-2)

190

Jackson Hjorth (Johnsburg) d. Phillip Pelts (Stevenson) (TF 16-1)

Alex Williams (Prospect) d. Joey Glass (Fremd) (TF 18-0)

Shaq Scotkelly (Buffalo Grove) d. Gabriel Giamouzis (Hersey) (F 2:43)

215

Pearce Estrada (Warren) d. Henry Mitchell (McHenry) (D 4-2)

Nathan O`Neill (Mundelein) d. Dominic Augustyniak (Schaumburg) (D 7-0)

Avant Cole (Round Lake) d. Kevin Baizabal (Lake Zurich) (D 6-1)

285

Marc Walsh (McHenry) d. Chase Paduch (Bartlett) (D 6-2)

Noah Breckenridge (Carmel) d. Hakeem Coleman (Fremd) (F 0:49)

Ivan Alejandre (Round Lake) d. Franek Lyzwa (Wheeling) (MFF)

NAPERVILLE CENTRAL SECTIONAL

101

Donovan Johnson (Aurora W) d. Dominic Macellaio (Wheaton N) (D 6-1)

Elliot Hardy (W Chicago (Wheaton Academy) d. Timothy Slade (Wheaton N) (TF 16-1)

Cameron Krueger (Naperville N) d. Anthony Aguirre (Yorkville) (F 0:57)

106

Nicholas Greenfield (Glenbard E) d. Caden Morrison (Marmion) (F 0:30)

Alexi Aguinaldo (Naperville C) d. Noah Gilbert (Glenbard N) (MD 18-6)

Bryce Erway (Hinsdale C) d. Leo Salas (S Elgin) (F 2:08)

113

Ben Sallas (Glenbard W) d. Zion Kaunley (Wheaton Academy) (D 5-0)

Joseph Calvillo (Batavia) d. Will DiFatta (St. Charles E) (D 9-4)

Jadiel Castillo (Glenbard N) d. Lucas Dobush (Oswego) (F 1:45)

120

Lukas Thompson (Glenbard N) d. Aidan Ambre (Aurora W) (F 4:00)

Myles Houser (Downers Grove S) d. Chris Jones (Wheaton Warrenville S) (MFF)

Jackson Baumrucker (Glenbard W) d. Hunter Dimailig (Naperville N) (D 10-5)

126

Rj Festerling (Yorkville Christian) d. Eric Castillo (Aurora W) (D 8-1)

Cade Vazquez (Lombard (Montini Catholic) d. Archer Biag (Naperville N) (D 2-1)

Alexander Andel (Yorkville) d. Luis Perez (Downers Grove S) (D 5-4)

132

Dylan Woolsey (Downers Grove S) d. Sebastian Nevarez (Oswego E) (D 7-3)

Mike Riggs (Wheaton Warrenville S) d. Joel Bryan Waggoner (Lombard (Montini Catholic) (D 6-4)

Jack Fitzgerald (Naperville C) d. Mason Seybold (Yorkville) (MD 9-1)

138

Nolan Chrisse (Yorkville) d. Landon Joseph Waggoner (Lombard (Montini Catholic) (TF 17-1)
Jaxson Kocur (Yorkville) d. Joshue Delgado (Aurora E) (MFF)

Langston Norlin (Oswego) d. Marwan Mohammad (Hinsdale S) (D 18-11)

144

Vincent Konecki (Yorkville) d. Myles Monis (Lombard (Montini Catholic) (MFF)

Xavier Morales (Glenbard N) d. Marcus Smith (Oswego E) (MFF)

Angel Garcia (Oswego) d. Amar Franklin (Aurora W) (MD 17-6)

150

Joey Guidi (W Chicago (Wheaton Academy) d. Alex Realmuto (Naperville N) (D 7-1)

Darek Speice (Oswego E) d. Jack Petrie (Wheaton Warrenville S) (F 2:18)

Cris Lopez (Waubonsie Valley) d. Jason Donna (Willowbrook) (FF)

157

Reid Balis (Naperville C) d. Kevin Sanchez (Aurora E) (Inj. 0:00)

Daniel Skura (Marmion) d. Cashton Monroe (Batavia) (TF 19-3)

Trevor Snyder (Wheaton Warrenville S) d. Ronald Lepic (Downers Grove S) (F 2:40)

165

Benjamin Guszkiewicz (St. Charles E) d. Myles-Avery Holland (Yorkville Christian) (MFF)

Benjamin Grunow (Hinsdale C) d. Kal Gonzales (Willowbrook) (F 1:58)

Elefterios Prevett (Downers Grove S) d. Julio Llanos (Aurora W) (D 8-1)

175

Asher Van Der Molen (St. Charles E) d. Erick Rivera (Yorkville) (MD 11-0)

Nicholas Wambangco (St. Charles E) d. Jack Williams (La Grange (Lyons Township) (MD 14-3)

Jake LaScala (Downers Grove N) d. Dominic Burton (Willowbrook) (F 0:44)

190

Jt Hill (Naperville N) d. Hazen Murray (St. Charles E) (TF 16-1)
Sam Freeman (Glenbard W) d. J. Frank Harvey (Naperville N) (D 3-2)

Lucas Maida (Glenbard E) d. Landree Dracousis (S Elgin) (MFF)

215

Andrew Munsen (Waubonsie Valley) d. Wilson Wunder (Lisle (Sr.) (F 2:46)

Jacob Lemire (Oswego) d. Damian Velasquez (Willowbrook) (D 4-1)

Estevan Ramirez (Aurora E) d. Jackson Meier (Yorkville) (MFF)

285

Michael Danial (Downers Grove S) d. Dean Woszczyna (Glenbard N) (F 3:54)

Holden Reible (Oswego) d. Luke Zajicek (Hinsdale C) (D 4-0)

Ricardo Alanis (Glenbard E) d. Joel Ramos (W Chicago) (MD 8-0)

STERLING SECTIONAL

101

Carter Paulson (Stillman Valley) d. Joe Morse (Newman CC) (D 4-1)

David Wesierski (Hampshire) d. Samuel Abotsi (United Twp) (D 11-6)

Brycen Fahnestock (Geneseo) d. Wyatt Crowe (Plano) (MD 13-0)

106

Matthew Frykman (DeKalb) d. Liam Parker (Harvard) (TF 15-0)

Aiden Salo (Byron) d. Coltin Hartman (Fulton) (F 4:28)

Bentley Ahlstrand (Rock Falls) d. Valentin elias Soriano (Central) (F 2:06)

113

Julian Hartwig (DeKalb) d. Matthew Hoss (Moline) (F 2:29)

Logan Harris (Hononegah) d. Tad Moore (Geneseo) (D 4-0)

Isaiah Carreno (Stillman Valley) d. Fabregas Rodriguez (Rock Island) (D 11-8)

120

Gabe Marella (N Boone) d. Griffin Kellett (LaSalle-Peru) (D 7-3)

Olin Wiedel (Woodstock N) d. Angelo Matute (Rock Island) (F 1:45)

Cole Malo (Woodstock (H.S.) d. Sam Howard (DeKalb) (F 1:56)

126

Tennyson Hampton (Alleman) d. Isaiah Martinez (Hononegah) (D 6-0)

Michael Benge (St. Bede) d. Kazmyn Barber (Dixon) (D 9-5)

Javen Reyes (Newman CC) d. Brennan Mccarter (DeKalb) (F 4:48)

132

Carson Benesh (Oregon) d. Henry Miller (Rock Island) (F 4:35)

Camden Spiniolas (Marian CC) d. Jaken Updike (Morrison) (F 2:23)

Max Moreno (St. Bede) d. Virshon Dotson (DeKalb) (TF 19-3)

138

Caleb Flint (United Twp) d. Lowson Jabbah (Rock Island) (TB-1 3-2)

Jack Snook (Geneseo) d. Elijah King (Rock Island) (F 2:38)

Hudson Cline (Sandwich) d. Mschach Bitangimana (Rock Island) (MD 13-3)

144

Zane Mochocki (Marian CC) d. James Brown (DeKalb) (F 1:24)

Rafael Perez (Rock Island) d. Ibrahim Mchimbwa (Rock Island) (D 8-7)

Henry Vanderbleek (DeKalb) d. Logan Funk (Rockford (East) (MD 11-3)

150

Blake Slusser (Freeport) d. Javelle Anderson (Rock Island) (D 2-1)

Jaxson Blanchard (Sandwich) d. Komen Denault (Mendota) (MD 15-4)

Mason Grismore (Morrison) d. Trenton Combs (Woodstock N) (D 9-4)

157

Noah Cerny (Marian CC) d. Josiah Lewis (Newman CC) (F 4:03)

Garrett Carter (Savanna (West Carroll) d. Eli Futrell (Sandwich) (F 0:13)

Elliot Yaklich (Rock Falls) d. Collin Rux (MFF)

165

Gideon Heist (Sherrard) d. David Hendrickson (Belvidere) (D 7-1)

Hunter Wendt (Genoa-Kingston) d. Tyler Bell (Stillman Valley) (D 6-4)

Joseph Scott (Stillman Valley) d. Tim Plote (Newman CC) (F 3:41)

175

Travis Kinkead (United Twp) d. Elijah Boswell (Aledo Mercer County) (F 1:35)

Maxson Ohaver (Sterling) d. Jermaine Jones (Rock Island) (F 2:46)

Bradley Bankes (Stillman Valley) d. Cash Stott (Harvard) (F 1:35)

190

Brooks Auker (Byron) d. Ben Simosky (Geneseo) (F 2:39)

Zander Haskins (Hononegah) d. Brady Mccray (Sterling) (D 6-1)

Stanlee Golden (Moline) d. Levi Pretzsch (Dixon) (MD 14-1)

215

Jacksyn Windham (Oregon) d. Kamron Buehl (United Twp) (F 2:02)

Asher Acevedo (Lena-Winslow Stockton) d. Zach Walker (Rock Falls) (F 0:34)

Vann Olcott (United Monmouth) d. Sean Seibel (Dixon) (F 1:25)

285

Collin Hughes (Sycamore) d. Fernando Sandoval (LaSalle-Peru) (F 0:54)

Jayden Coleman (DeKalb) d. Jaiden Clayborn (Moline) (F 0:53)

Brock Almgren (Central) d. Kareem Odeh (Freeport) (MFF)

THORNTON SECTIONAL

101

Timothy Lorimer (LW (East) d. Julian Godina (Lockport) (MD 9-0)

Julian Paniagua (Bolingbrook) d. Kayden Miller (Thornton) (F 0:41)

Ryder Gill (Coal City) d. Collin Bryant (Reed-Custer) (TF 16-0)

106

Julian Medina (Bolingbrook) d. Michael Scott (LW (West) (F 4:36)

Dante Toures (LW (East) d. Sebastian Rys (LW (West) (F 1:43)

Jeremiah Cuevas (Bolingbrook) d. Eduardo Robles (Joliet C) (D 3-2)

113

Elijah Bell (LW (East) d. Everett Sievers (LW (East) (D 2-1)

Finn Fifer (LW Central) d. carter Kehr (Joliet West) (D 6-0)

John Liam O`Shea (Andrew) d. Joseph Dulce (Lockport) (F 1:37)

120

Noah Rauen (Plainfield N) d. Sullivan Lipscomb (Minooka) (MD 10-2)

Logan Viau (Andrew) d. Anthony Mendez (Providence) (D 9-6)

Nolan Dykshorn (LW (West) d. James Moulton (B-Bourbonnais) (D 8-3)

126

Lincoln Mack (Joliet Cath) d. Drew Ritchie (Plainfield S) (TF 18-2)

Oliver Blackburn (Minooka) d. Ryan Wicks (Lockport) (TF 19-1)

Cameron Hamill (LW (East) d. Joseph Borowski (Joliet C) (D 1-0)

132

Adonis Washington (Joliet Cath) d. Chase Valentine (Morris) (F 0:41)

Lucas Ankarlo (LW (East) d. Jace Vazquez (Lockport) (MD 15-2)

Brendan Bastida (Bloom Twp) d. Kurtz Yeboah (Plainfield N) (MD 10-2)

138

Caleb Rogers (LW Central) d. Evan Lamas (Plainfield N) (MD 14-5)

Jaxon Trofimchuck (Coal City) d. Rylan West (Reed-Custer) (MD 15-2)

Gavin Sonne (LW (West) d. Nathaniel Ruiz (Joliet West) (TF 18-2)

144

Ryker Long (Coal City) d. Aiden Wiggins (Providence) (D 4-0)

Bryce Neville (LW (West) d. Andrew Staab (Joliet Cath) (D 10-4)

Giovanni Baker (Joliet West) d. Zeke Kundinger (LW (West) (D 16-11)

150

Henry Maier (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Sean O`Connor (LW (West) (D 9-7)
Jackson Trotter (LW (West) d. Rylan Benicky (Plainfield (East) (D 3-2)

Andrew Clark (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Blake Bucon (Plainfield S) (D 8-6)

157

Naijier Morris (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Jonathan Wilkey (LW (West) (MD 14-0)

Dandre Franco (Bolingbrook) d. Jimmy Medina (Plainfield S) (TF 20-4)

Amer Salah (LW (East) d. Xavier Feliciano (Homewood-Flossmoor) (D 8-4)
165

Emiliano Ramirez (Plainfield c d. Henry Bohms (LW (East) (SV-1 9-6)

Carter Cullen (LW Central) d. Maurice Burbridge (B-Bourbonnais) (F 2:41)

Michael Ryan (Andrew) d. Luis Rodriguez (Joliet C) (F 3:36)

175

Charlie Morzuch (LW (West) d. Colton Coughlen (Minooka) (F 3:43)

Colton Vaughn (Clifton Central) d. Shaheen Shalash (LW Central) (MFF)

Cullen Bramer (Kankakee (Bishop McNamara) d. Armane Hale (Thornton) (D 15-13)

190

Jonathan Rivera (Romeoville) d. Hunter Radtke (clifton Central) (MD 8-0)

Julius Pierscionek (Plainfield S) d. Cameron Moskos (LW (West) (D 4-2)

Jacob Wagner (LW (East) d. Tomas Taujanskas (Lemont) (SV-1 4-1)

215

Alex Krzeczkowski (LW (West) d. Noah Kirby (Plainfield N) (D 6-1)

Shaun chantome (Manteno) d. Darren Peterson (Plainfield c (F 1:37)

King Jones (Rich Twp) d. Javier Serrano (Joliet West) (D 5-0)

285

Anthony Samanich (Lockport) d. Taron Ramsey (Joliet C) (F 0:52)

Brayden Mrazek (Lockport) d. Elex Mitchell (Homewood-Flossmoor) (F 1:42)

Nate Zeffield (Bolingbrook) d. Giuliano Salazar (Romeoville) (F 2:40)

IWCOA Girls Sectional recaps

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:39:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

The following wrestlers will compete at the IWCOA state finals at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield on March 14-15

Results listed for 1st-, 3rd- and 5th-place matches

EVANSTON SECTIONAL

Evelyn Torres (Maine E) d. Melina Valdez (Addison Trail) (F 2:30)

Mia Moyano (Deerfield) d. Ava Miller (Rickover) (F 4:57)

Valeria Hernandez (Lane Tech) received a bye () (Bye)

100

Isabella Datil (Addison Trail) d. Sophia Almaraz (JS Morton) (F 2:55)

Paola Ocampo (Maine E) received a bye () (Bye)

105

Andie Brown (York) d. Karla Munoz (JS Morton) (F 2:04)

Jordan Rodriguez (JS Morton) received a bye () (Bye)

110

Katelyn Gallegos (Maine S) d. Alyssa Martel (Taft) (F 4:59)

Andrea Reyes (Maine E) d. Orly Brown (Niles N) (D 5-3)

Nayelli Nambo (JS Morton) d. Liza Sarkees (Maine E) (F 1:57)

115

Annika Lee (Maine S) d. Lauren Guerrero (Lane Tech) (F 2:10)

Elizabeth castrejon (Rickover) d. Regina Jones (Proviso E) (SV-1 14-11)

Evangeline Lopez (York) d. Kaden Juarez (Niles N) (F 1:31)

120

Hannah chong (crane Medical) d. Paige Finnegan (Rickover) (F 1:52)

Brianna Berrum (Addison Trail) d. crystalia Psyhogios (Maine S) (F 4:46)

Luissiana Guerrero (JS Morton) d. Yireth Sanchez (Fenton) (F 4:43)

125

Sabrina Bono (Leyden) d. Michelle Kpekpe (OPRF) (F 1:27)

Samantha Gipson (Evanston) d. Molly Zeidler (New Trier) (SV-1 8-7)

Zlata Rybak (Maine E) d. Maileina Reyes (Lane Tech) (D 2-1)

130

Giselle castillo (Fenton) d. Zmorah Izenstark (New Trier) (F 3:47)

Imyjah Jackson (Lane Tech) d. Sophia Kellikidis (Ridgewood) (MD 13-0)

Aileen Trejo (Evanston) d. Norma jean Willard (York) (MD 12-0)

135

Gianna Mezzano (Ridgewood) d. Zariyah Jones (Proviso W) (F 2:53)

Kylie Kowalisyn (Taft) d. Nicole Szafraniec (Glenbrook N) (F 4:17)

Rhysel Anum (JS Morton) d. Mesk Al shammari (Maine E) (D 6-1)

140

Rose Mcfadden (Ridgewood) d. Addison Barnes (Maine S) (F 1:58)

Gabrielle Toney (Niles N) d. Madeleine Mauer (Deerfield) (SV-1 9-6)

Kamila Sosa (Maine E) d. Nora Schinsky (York) (F 1:47)

145

Lexie Hoobler (Highland Park) d. Talifa Khamraeva (Niles (West) (F 2:58)

Madison Mauer (Deerfield) d. Nerissa Blue (OPRF) (F 1:37)

155

Kenaiece Barrett (Lane Tech) d. Liya Sandor (Niles N) (D 8-1)

Emma Dase (Maine S) d. Juliamay Teston (Intrinsic) (MD 11-1)

170

Sylvia Lupa (Addison Trail) d. Emma Wilson (Niles (West) (F 1:33)

Lexi Kirchen (Deerfield) received a bye () (Bye)

190

Ariana Solideo (Fenton) d. Gabriella Smith (Glenbrook N) (F 1:58)

Tiana Fraser (York) d. Elliana Martinez (OPRF) (F 1:29)

Akyah Thomas (Lane Tech) d. Angie Wszolek (Maine E) (F 0:38)

235

Lyirc Walton (Maine E) d. Julia Augello (Rickover) (F 0:33)

Jaezya Gators (Proviso W) received a bye () (Bye)

GRANITE CITY SECTIONAL

Allyah Lopez (Mascoutah) d. Hally Lopez (Mascoutah) (F 1:59)

100

Brielle Becker (Freeburg) d. Remi Taylor (Fairfield) (F 4:42)

Faith Huskey (Johnston City) d. Pakaporn Dunham (Mascoutah) (F 2:02)

Shayla Garner (Mascoutah) d. Kameron Dunn (Granite City) (F 1:51)

105

Aubrey Rutmanis (Freeburg) d. Prudence Snider (Althoff Cath) (F 2:09)

Klaramae Turpin (Mascoutah) BYE
Guaranteed Places

110

Peyton Rutledge (Dupo) d. Leena cavender (Jacksonville) (F 4:38)

Hailey Buckingham (Edwardsville) d. Kenni Lafollette (Johnston City) (D 6-0)

Haydyn Williamson (Anna-Jonesboro) d. Haylee Hooks (Belleville (West) (F 1:51)

115

Jazelle Young (Collinsville) d. Brooklyn Alldredge (Edwardsville) (F 2:23)

Asher Ronan (Virden (N Mac) d. Olivia Jarrett (Glenwood) (F 3:57)

Taytum Cruz (Johnston City) d. Deja Porter (Cahokia) (F 2:18)

120

Lelynn Kelly (Granite City) d. Ruthie Orelly (Sparta) (F 3:00)

Ayda Brow (Waterloo) d. Sammi Suhre (Edwardsville) (F 3:48)

Scarlett Wegener (Waterloo) d. Chloe Simpson (Mascoutah) (F 1:00)

125

Lucy Baldwin (Waterloo) d. Isabella `izzy` Resendez (Glenwood) (D 10-9)

Joelene Nappier-feth (Marion) d. Alliyah Powell (Springfield (Lanphier) (F 4:12)

Dayza Phillips (Alton (Sr.) d. Akira Woods (O`Fon) (MD 14-6)

130

Aubree Murphy (Quincy (Sr.) d. Alana Finney (Salem) (F 1:29)

Chloe Rice (Bethalto (civic Memorial) d. Alexis Hunt (Edwardsville) (F 1:42)

Lauren Richards (Marshall) d. Aden Denoon (Mt. Vernon) (F 4:04)

135

Roxie Royster (Murphysboro) d. Makenna Steele (Troy Triad) (F 1:28)

Tala Asad (Springfield (HS) d. Marriah Jackson (Carbondale) (F 3:58)

Hayden Yelm (Dupo) d. Michaela Wentz (Belleville (West) (F 2:02)
140

Jariyah Powell (E St. Louis) d. Adrianna Lacefield (Granite City) (F 0:46)

Alyssa Hardt (Belleville (West) d. Gabriela Richards (Mascoutah) (F 1:27)

Rylei Whetstone (Freeburg) d. Kora Long (Troy Triad) (MD 19-8)

145
Kyla Ford (Carbondale) d. Elise Byman (Freeburg) (MD 9-0)

Patience Anderson (E St. Louis) d. Macy Mcculley (Fairfield) (F 0:34)

155

Kateryna Pirogova (Murphysboro) d. Bree Hosna (Dupo) (F 2:35)

Ineta Grubbs (Belleville (West) d. Abigail Hayes (Edwardsville) (D 10-5)

Skylee Howell (Jerseyville) d. Addison Mabrey (Benton) (F 4:52)

170
Geetanjali Janardhan (Edwardsville) d. Olivia Monroe (Jacksonville) (F 2:42)

Ella Black (Dupo) d. Abigail Kinison (Springfield (HS) (F 2:10)

190

Kamryn Brown (Cahokia) d. Lillian Browning (Frankfort) (F 1:44)

cori chamness (Mt. Vernon) d. Addison Wilson (Troy Triad) (D 3-0)
Ashlynn Blevins (Fairfield) received a bye () (Bye)

235

Andrea Kirkpatrick (Belleville (West) d. Beckah Burrelsman (Troy Triad) (F 2:05)

Emily Sanders (Jacksonville) d. Angie Nunez (Edwardsville) (MFF)

Nevaeh Hamer (Collinsville) d. Ava Seavers (Frankfort) (F 0:34)

HEYWORTH SECTIONAL

Sierra Tuttle (Mahomet-Sey) d. Dasia Mccracken (Robinson) (F 2:02)

Janelle Willoughby (Mattoon) d. Haley Richter (Heyworth) (F 2:09)

Isabel Gwaltney (Ottawa) BYE

100

Kaci Eller (Midwest C) d. Veronica Mendoza (Rantoul) (TF 16-1)

Charisma Badman (Eisenhower) d. Madison Siler (Robinson) (F 4:09)

Maddy Moore (Midwest C) d. Derricka Bramlett (Eisenhower) (F 1:33)

105

Jaylynn Elmore (Williamsfield) d. carley Gilliam (canton) (F 3:55)

Grace Aeschliman (Metamora) d. Mackenzie Gound (Rantoul) (TF 17-1)

Kaysie Welchel (Deer Crk-Mackinaw) d. Elaina Crowder (Normal Comm) (TF 20-2)

110

Madison Poll (St. Thomas More) d. Marissa Brown (Williamsfield) (MD 12-3)

Ciara Bolf (Ottawa (Marquette) d. Lilyan Daniels (Mahomet-Sey) (F 1:28)

Peace Creath (Richwoods) d. Kaydence Klein (Metamora) (F 3:38)

115

Kiley Knight (Westville) d. Kaia Hale (Limestone) (MD 18-8)

Madison Alsip (St. Joseph Ogden) d. Maribelle Uhe (Normal (West) (F 1:54)

120

Lilyana Malagon (Illinois Valley Central) d. Brynlee Hereford (Olympia) (F 1:45)

Ali Keigley (Mahomet-Sey) d. Lilly Cook (Urbana) (F 1:55)

125

Ainsley Freeman (St. Joseph Ogden) d. Londyn Grant (Champaign C) (F 2:15)

Makiya Baker (Prarie Central) d. Lorrane Tinkman (Knoxville) (F 0:33)

Alexis Inboden (Robinson) d. Leah Wausson (Richwoods) (F 4:17)

130

Rita Grant (Champaign C) d. TauHnisjha Hart (Urbana) (F 0:51)

Candice Wright (St. Joseph Ogden) d. Jaiyden Provance (Ottawa) (TF 15-0)

Olivia Loerger (Washington) d. Sophia Douglas (St. Joseph Ogden) (MD 13-4)

135

Olivia Curtis (Dunlap) d. Maggie Allen (Illini Bluffs) (F 2:29)

Samantha Baker (Notre Dame) d. Leonie Dubson (Mattoon) (MD 14-1)

Lucy Whitman (Dunlap) d. Tenley Wade (Normal Comm) (Inj. 0:00)

140

Leah Brammeier (Olympia) d. Kayla Berkel (East Peoria) (F 1:39)

Makenna Roedl (Westville) d. Alivia Stokes (ROWVA) (F 0:55)

Jocelyn Deedrick (Mahomet-Sey) d. Zaniah Manuel (Eisenhower) (MFF)

145

Cali Fulcher (Heyworth) d. Claire Simons (St. Thomas More) (F 5:00)

Diem Bryan (Mahomet-Sey) d. Adalyn Powell (Knoxville) (F 1:31)

Addisyn Honeyman (Knoxville) received a bye () (Bye)

155

Dezyrae Murray (East Peoria) d. Kaisley Shotkoski (Mahomet-Sey) (F 1:50)

Mallory Feldhaus (East Peoria) d. Alyssa Young (Dunlap) (D 7-3)

Reese Burford (Knoxville) d. Tyanin Patterson (Eisenhower) (D 12-8)

170

Jaycee Weitekamp (Mahomet-Sey) d. Kaleigh Mehrkens (Deer Crk-Mackinaw) (F 0:35)

Sydney Johnson (Richwoods) d. Atalyssa Craig (Dunlap) (F 2:19)

Piper Lambert (Pekin) BYE

190

Marley Clark (Richwoods) d. Madelyn Franklin (Urbana) (F 0:36)

Brooke Knee (East Peoria) d. Joceline Arreola (Urbana) (F 0:20)

235

Violet Porter (Urbana) d. Cailyn Jones (Mahomet-Sey) (F 1:42)

Arabella Spampanato (E Peoria) BYE

LAKE ZURICH SECTIONAL

Addison Sroka (Zion-Benton) d. Eleanor Ecklund (Carmel) (F 2:23)

Sabrina Sleiman (Antioch) d. Caitlin Kilroy (Stevenson) (TF 15-0)

100

Esther Migues-gaytan (Grayslake N) d. Reese Nicolas (Lake Park) (F 2:52)

Esme Grugel (Dundee-Crown) d. catherine Franco (Schaumburg) (D 8-4)

Natasha Flores (Warren) d. Brooklyn Giesel (Schaumburg) (FF)

105

Addison Perez (Dundee-Crown) d. Jazmine Medina (Zion-Benton) (D 9-3)

Adinai Muktarbekova (Hoffman Est) d. Roselyn cornier (Hoffman Est) (F 0:54)

Fiona Brown (Grayslake C) d. Noemi Escobar ayala (Mundelein) (F 0:53)

110

Sherlyn Garcia (Palatine) d. Justice Girod (Schaumburg) (F 2:04)

Evalyn Idzik (St. Viator) d. Nikita Variano (Hersey) (D 3-0)

April Stevens (Wauconda) d. Haelynn Lettieri (Huntley) (D 6-5)

115

Giselle Varelas (Conant) d. Emme Mastropaolo (Fremd) (F 2:44)

Marissa Mayfield (Round Lake) d. Dasia Dantzler (Rolling Meadows) (F 2:07)

Soha Faisal (Hersey) d. Aubree Campos (Schaumburg) (F 0:57)

120

Naleah Parham (Warren) d. Ruby Gavina (Dundee-Crown) (F 4:00)

Haley Ramos (Carmel) d. Brea Hoffman (Conant) (F 0:24)

Veronica Vera (Grant) d. Myla Reyes (Grant) (F 0:55)

125

Aryanna Geiger (Algonquin (Jacobs) d. Fiona Monaco (St. Viator) (F 2:02)

Isabelle Singer (Huntley) d. Jadzie Dominguez (Wauconda) (F 2:55)

Caroline Marogy (Buffalo Grove) d. Katherine Turcios (Waukegan) (F 1:49)

130

Annabelle Melton (Grant) d. Ava Hartman (Schaumburg) (D 9-3)

Delainey Washburn (Buffalo Grove) d. Luana Mafuiana (Antioch) (F 0:34)

Violet Wheatley (Dundee-Crown) d. Silvia Sayadian (Lake Park) (F 1:42)

135

Abby Quirk (Grant) d. Magdelyn Brough (Antioch) (F 2:48)

Kristyanna Apostol (Lake Zurich) d. Jatziry Godoy (Wauconda) (F 1:46)

Evelyn Arreola (Palatine) d. Emily Fowler (Schaumburg) (F 1:11)

140
Grace Ciszek (Warren) d. Meghan Barry (Palatine) (D 11-4)

Liliana Chavez (Bartlett) d. Kimberlyn Diaz (Mundelein) (F 3:46)

145

Janet Brindis (Rolling Meadows) d. Caitlin Ruley (Lake Zurich) (D 3-0)

Ellery Browne (Warren) d. Melanie Nava (Bartlett) (F 2:09)

Serah John (Carmel) d. Ava Tymchyshyn (Huntley) (F 3:45)

155

Myriah Jefferson (Round Lake) d. Susan Bilyal (Conant) (F 3:53)

Maryia Razhkova (Grayslake C) d. Tristine Briscoe (Grayslake C) (F 0:38)

Layla Mchenry (Schaumburg) d. Cynthia Curry (Lake Park) (F 0:26)

170

Claudia Weglarz (Conant) d. Alexis Zitsch (Fremd) (F 1:14)

Leilani Brindis (Rolling Meadows) d. Sonya Preuss (Round Lake) (MD 13-0)

Nastia Haines (Carmel) d. Kaylee Sanchez (Stevenson) (D 6-1)

190

Irma Villa (Palatine) d. Ava Adorni (Conant) (F 0:50)

Ameinah Hill (Lake Park) d. Arianna Dkmann (Johnsburg) (F 0:18)

Paige Washburn (Lake Park) received a bye () (Bye)

235

Tiara Saunders (Lake Zurich) d. Nala Hernandez (McHenry) (F 5:00)

Mackenzie Mansavage (Conant) d. Jacklyn Linares (Waukegan) (F 1:36)

Eleanor Mazzeratti (Vernon Hills) received a bye () (Bye)

NAPERVILLE CENTRAL SECTIONAL

Melissa Melgar (Aurora W) d. Carmen Garcia (Aurora E) (D 8-4)

Andrea Jaimes-Alvarez (Wheaton Warrenville S) d. Kathy Pallares (S Elgin) (F 1:35)

Daisy VillaGonzalez (Glenbard N) d. Hailey Autry (Aurora W) (F 4:29)
100

Ruby Bolanos (Aurora W) d. Sonya Blade Amin (Metea Valley) (F 1:36)

Gianna Storino (Hinsdale S) d. Susan Cruz (Larkin) (MD 12-0)

Ruby Zavala (Larkin) received a bye () (Bye)

105

Keyi Wang (Naperville N) d. Itzel Villa (Aurora E) (F 2:31)

Nayeli Salgado (Willowbrook) d. Leila Ruiz (S Elgin) (F 3:00)

Emily Beck (Yorkville) d. Bayaan Said (Glenbard S) (Inj. 4:13)

110

Joselyn Llanos (Aurora E) d. Vanessa Tesillos (Aurora E) (F 0:54)

Lashuna York (Glenbard S) d. Eliana Landgrebe (Batavia) (D 4-1)

Vanessa Lin (Glenbard E) d. Sophia Liu (Naperville C) (D 6-5)

115

Janiya Moore (Metea Valley) d. Sommer Kibbe (Wheaton Warrenville S) (D 7-2)

Valentina Solorzano (St. Charles E) d. Jelena Coyomani (Aurora E) (F 4:27)

Tessa Yannias (Glenbard E) d. Isa Santellanes (Glenbard N) (F 2:43)

120

Caitlin Miko (Glenbard W) d. Aleta Weigandt (Naperville (Neuqua Valley) (F 2:15)

Valentina Barboza (Aurora E) d. Ezri Incrocci (Glenbard N) (F 0:24)

Alyiana Ortiz (Aurora E) d. Stella Hank (Glenbard N) (F 0:39)

125

Sophie Crescenzo (Lisle (Sr.) d. Adeline Alonzo (Elgin (H.S.) (F 1:30)

Talia Kaiser (Glenbard S) d. Nabiha Khader (Glenbard S) (F 1:43)

Eniko Camberis (Glenbard N) d. Michelle Gallegos (W Chicago) (D 9-3)

130

Melva Gallego-Sugar (Naperville C) d. Isabel Velasco (Aurora E) (F 1:40)

Sophia Contreras (Waubonsie Valley) d. Isabella Smith (Naperville N) (F 1:26)

Belinda Rodriguez (Aurora E) d. Yliana Campos (Larkin) (F 1:32)

135
Evie DeSantis (Glenbard S) d. Joslynn Sheets (Oswego) (F 1:36)

Norah Stoodley (Batavia) d. Rylee Coy (Yorkville) (F 3:33)

Lupita Garcia (Aurora E) d. Ayelen Higuera (Aurora E) (F 2:59)

140

Jackie Martinez (S Elgin) d. Jordyn Slager (Metea Valley) (F 1:57)

Maren Minarcik (Aurora W) d. Nysa S Bilal (Waubonsie Valley) (F 1:20)

Gabriella Giunti (Glenbard N) received a bye () (Bye)

145

Giovanna Cozzani (Glenbard W) d. Caoimhe Mitchell (Batavia) (F 1:41)

Emily Anaya (Riverside Brookfield) d. Darianna Lee-Morales (Larkin) (F 0:39)

Stephanie Vieyra (Larkin) d. Amelia Buenafe (Glenbard S) (F 4:57)

155

Mariana Flores (Larkin) d. Natalia Myers (Downers Grove S) (D 3-0)

Arianna Rico (Naperville C) d. Gianna Edwards (Oswego E) (F 2:07)

Jawan Abumushref (S Elgin) received a bye () (Bye)

170

Makayla Hill (Oswego) d. Julissa Rendon (St. Charles N) (F 0:44)

AnnaLizette Gallegos (Larkin) d. Jazilah Gatlin (Willowbrook) (F 4:16)

Sumaya Wallace delrio (Downers Grove S) d. Melissa Nino (S Elgin) (F 1:27)

190

Jaylene Dealba (Aurora E) d. Jadelin Flores (Larkin) (D 7-3)

Jimena Saenz (Willowbrook) d. Gia Esposito (Riverside Brookfield) (F 3:26)

235

Lilliana Ortiz (Aurora E) d. Sabah Khalil (Glenbard N) (F 2:45)

Brianna McCormick (Lisle (Sr.) d. Jayda Chism (Aurora W) (F 1:08)

Marianna Mendoza (Glenbard E) d. Maryorith Huertas Duarte (Willowbrook) (F 1:29)

STERLING SECTIONAL

Melanie Granda (Burlington-Central) d. Lynorah Hansen (Newman CC) (MD 11-0)

Addison Hadsall (Geneseo) d. Lou lou Splendoria (Woodstock N) (F 2:38)

Taytum Jacobs (Erie) received a bye () (Bye)

100

Kalista Frost (LaSalle-Peru) d. Zoe Smith (Galena) (D 5-2)

Lucy Bawinkel (Polo) d. Amadahy Torres (Kaneland) (F 2:02)

Carly Salgado (Hampshire) d. Evangeline Arroyo (Belvidere N) (F 0:51)

105

Giana Wurslin (Geneseo) d. Nevaeh Delgado (Sterling) (F 2:20)

Jessica Rios (Sandwich) d. Olivia Agajanian (Sandwich) (D 6-0)

Taylor Nevel (Lena-Winslow Stockton) d. Lillian Davis (Belvidere) (F 2:17)

110

Karah Arnold (Lena-Winslow Stockton) d. Lily Olejniczak (Harlem) (F 4:38)

Brea Balles (Freeport) d. Nevada Wells (Erie) (F 3:00)

Lydia Cartwright (Sandwich) d. Kaylee Snow (Belvidere N) (F 4:30)

115

Tessa Fosdick (Fulton) d. Karlie Hardekopf (Sandwich) (F 0:54)

Alexa Herrera (Harvard) d. Adison Stephens (Erie) (F 4:09)

Gabby Mcdivitt (Durand) d. Alyssa Gilmore (Belvidere N) (F 1:33)

120

Kaiya Galindo (Freeport) d. Jadeyn Klingenberg (Princeton) (D 10-6)

Rowan Cello (Belvidere N) d. Tylee D`Agostin (Durand) (F 1:41)

Gabriella Mazzanti (Woodstock N) d. Avea Thompson (Durand) (F 2:21)

125

Breanne Warren (Richmond Burton) d. Clara Ward (Aledo Mercer County) (D 4-0)
Lauren Jalowiecki (Burlington-Central) d. Gianna Figueroa (Dakota) (F 2:09)
Emma Duncan (Galena) d. Robin Stephens (Erie) (F 1:48)

130

Kylie Mathis (Sherrard) d. Hannah Olsen (Woodstock (H.S.) (F 2:06)

Ayla Schultz (Geneseo) d. Brooklyn Peterie (Richmond Burton) (F 1:43)

Izabel Vega (Rock Island) d. Lyla Mckee (Genoa-Kingston) (F 4:10)

135

Madelyn Peterie (Richmond Burton) d. Aubrey Herdon (Polo) (D 5-2)

Winter Beard (Sycamore) d. Abigail Toxqui (Plano) (F 3:48)

Alexia Cather (Sandwich) d. Mila Masny (Woodstock (H.S.) (F 1:21)

140

Caitlyn Manier (Kaneland) d. Mariah Howard (Rock Island) (F 1:42)

Ava Kok (Woodstock (H.S.) d. Keegan Kruse (Woodstock (H.S.) (F 2:04)

Mira Roots (Sycamore) d. Alleah Pennington (Polo) (D 4-2)

145

Jazmin Rios (Sandwich) d. Vivianna Torrez (Sterling) (F 4:23)

Aja Smith (Moline) d. Madison Minson (Hampshire) (MFF)

155

Audriana Plut (LaSalle-Peru) d. Alexis Zahlit (Kaneland) (MD 8-0)

Brooklynn Konczal (Sandwich) d. Allison Sida (Harlem) (F 1:47)

170

Allison Schultz (Richmond Burton) d. Avalena Wunderlich (Princeton) (F 3:27)

Taliyah Shelton (Moline) received a bye () (Bye)

190

Lillian Tunk (Sterling) d. Sincerelyana Deemer (Rock Island) (F 0:34)

235

Allison Hill (Woodstock (H.S.) d. Jakeria Wilson (Moline) (F 2:18)

Aniya House (Rock Island) received a bye () (Bye)

THORNTON SECTIONAL

Lillian O`Brien (Bloom Twp) d. sharleen barrera (Bolingbrook) (F 4:56)

Julia Hernandez (Lockport (Twp.) d. Katrice Ralston (Thornton) (TF 17-1)

100

Ariana Baier (Lemont) d. Georgia Erhardt (LW Central) (D 10-7)

Gemma Breheny (Peotone) d. Amelia Galarza (LW Central) (F 3:32)

Tayonna Fyre (Thornton) BYE

105

Alisa Carter (Joliet C) d. Alaina churnovic (Lockport (Twp.) (F 0:55)

Zoe Zerial (LW Central) d. Rihanna Randall (B-Bourbonnais) (F 1:53)
Abbey Vignali (Morris) d. Dahlila Rodriguez (Joliet West) (F 1:33)

110

Bella Romando (Lockport (Twp.) d. Shaila Aguirre (Joliet C) (F 2:56)

Kamila Torres (Bolingbrook) d. Abigail Lizak (LW Central) (F 2:01)

camila Mendoza (Lockport (Twp.) d. Valerie Ruiz (Joliet C) (D 7-5)

115

Alejandra Flores (Bolingbrook) d. Madysen Meyer (Reed-Custer) (TF 16-1)

Sabryna Banda (Plainfield c d. Aubrie Norgaard (B-Bourbonnais) (D 8-4)

Chloe Perez (Kankakee) d. Alexia Kachiroubas (Plainfield S) (D 16-9)

120

Aubrey Barnes (LW Central) d. Kennedy Mort (Peotone) (F 3:20)

Taniyah Bradley (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Bella Patino (Joliet C) (D 10-7)

Aubrie Porras (Morris) d. Liliana cordva (Lemont) (F 2:49)

125

London Gandy (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Riley Kuder (Coal City) (D 4-3)

Anaya Campbell (Bolingbrook) d. Grace Hansen (LW Central) (TF 18-2)

Amirat Lawal (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Marcella Malczewski (Lockport (Twp.) (F 0:45)

130

Amara Nwoye (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Zara Lugo (Morris) (F 2:49)

Liv clumpner (LW Central) d. Anastasia Dewey (Minooka) (F 4:17)

Briahna Klobnak (Joliet West) d. Heidy castillo (Lockport (Twp.) (D 8-2)

135

Adilynn Avilez (Dwight) d. Aubrianna Rapier (B-Bourbonnais) (F 4:03)

Veronica Klobnak (Joliet West) d. Tamira Welch (Kankakee) (F 3:42)

Gianna Boudonck (Minooka) d. Maelyn chromcak (Bolingbrook) (F 0:55)

140

Madelynn Mcclements (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Savannah Vignali (Morris) (F 0:46)

Ember McGarvey of B-Bourbonnais BYE
145

Kate Bohms (LW Central) d. Vanessa O`Connor (Joliet West) (D 7-0)

Savannah Burns (Bolingbrook) d. Alexandra Hardesty (Lockport (Twp.) (F 1:55)

Olivia Haywood (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Gabriella Morris (B-Bourbonnais) (D 5-4)

155

Kaitlyn Bucholz (Plainfield (East) d. Na`imah LaMon (Homewood-Flossmoor) (F 1:43)

Avery Holeman (LW Central) d. Kylie Rapier (B-Bourbonnais) (F 0:45)

Jaylene Mack (Lockport (Twp.) d. Aryana Moran (LW Central) (F 3:33)

170

Mayra Vicencio (Lockport (Twp.) d. Jermia Moore (Thorton Fractional S) (F 3:00)

Alexis Mccullough (B-Bourbonnais) d. Addison Davis (Minooka) (F 2:38)
190
Jennifer Serna (Plainfield (East) d. Rachel Nugin (Homewood-Flossmoor) (F 5:56)

235
Kaylee Morris (B-Bourbonnais) d. Jalyssa Venegas (LW Central) (F 0:22)

Marmion snares its 2nd straight 3A crown

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:49:00 GMT

By Mike Garofola for the IWCOA

Marmion Academy claimed its second consecutive class 3A state title after its 36-22 defeat of Montini Catholic in Bloomington at this year’s IHSA dual team state finals.

The win inside Grossinger Motors Arena on Feb. 28 also earned Marmion its seventh state trophy in program history.

“The goal for this group since the day we won our first title here a year ago was to repeat as state champions,” Cadets head coach, Anthony Cirrincione said.

“The guys wrestled the toughest schedule an Illinois team has ever faced, and I do not know if that’s even debatable. We snapped multi-year unbeaten streaks from the best team in Wisconsin (Kaukauna), Iowa’s best team (SE Polk) and battled perennial super teams St. Ed’s (Ohio) and Wyoming Seminary.”

The Cadets would win its own prestigious Cadet Classic at the start of the season, the Donnybrook, Jack Mendenhall in Iowa, and the CCL.

“This is the best team that I’ve ever been around, they are so close, and if you could have seen the celebration Saturday night after the finals, you would have seen the entire team sitting and eating at a table for eight,” Cirrincione said. “It epitomized our program – these young men are family, and truly a special group.”

3A QUARTERFINAL ROUND

Marmion 39, Joliet Catholic Academy 24

The knock-out phase of this year’s Elite Eight began in earnest on Friday with two of the four quarterfinals settled quite easily. The marquee match of this first session was easily Marmion versus Joliet Catholic Academy.

No. 1 against No. 2 at the time, this was a quarterfinal that could have been avoided if the IHSA were to seed the final eight, and not use the predetermined schematic that has coaches and fans alike left scratching their heads both at the individual and dual-team tournaments.

Nonetheless, the show must go on – and it did, between two high-powered clubs with too many stars to name. The Cadets have a veteran lineup that featured three state champions, seven others who claimed state medals, and six major team titles on the season.

In contrast, the Hilltoppers (15-2-0) are a much younger side, with just Jason Hampton and Nolan Vogel the lone two seniors.

As expected, this contest would be close through the early stages, although the Hilltoppers never held an advantage, and would be closest (11-9) when Vogel (165) and Vince Skedel (175) nearly erased the t-fall and pin from the Marmion’s opening duo of Zach Stewart (144) and Ashton Hobson at 150.

“We had a lot of respect for them so we all knew we had to be at our best, and do the job we came here for,” said Hobson, second a week ago at state to earn the third state medal of a terrific career.

Joseph Favia (285), Colton Wyller (106) and James Morrison (113) would fuel a 14-0 run by the Cadets to extend Marmion’s advantage to 31-17.

Finn McDermott (120) and Lucas Foster (126) would draw the Hilltoppers closer at 31-18 with a pair of decisions, but Marmion state champions and seniors Nicholas Garcia (138) and Demetrios Carrera (144) were on deck, and that’s where Marmion clinched the dual.

The Garcia-Carrera duo would add eight points on the scoreboard, with junior Adante Washington awarded a forfeit at 150 to end this contest at 39-24.

“It’s too bad we had to meet (Marmion) in the quarterfinals, and really tough to see a terrific season end so soon,” began Hilltoppers head coach, Ryan Cumbee.

“It was 8-6 and maybe there were 1-2 matches we could have won, but bonus points, as always, really came into play, and that’s where they had a decided edge tonight. But we had a wonderful season, met so many of our goals, and enjoyed some memorable individual and team results as well.

“We lost tonight to the better team, a team and program that has a lot of class and shows great sportsmanship.”

Hobson summed up his side in short order:

“Our lineup is built to win, and with each time we go out, we compete for each other, with the expectation to win,” he said.

Oak Park and River Forest 33, Barrington 31

No. 9 Oak Park-River Forest would enjoy a modicum of success during its weekend schedule on the season, saving its best result at its own regional where the Huskies lifted the championship trophy.

Later, the Huskies would thrash Conant to advance in the final weekend of the season for the 14th time in program history.

Awaiting the OPRF was MSL champion Barrington (16-9-0), which advanced downstate for the seventh time, and first since 2020 when the Broncos would finish third overall.

This 64-point thriller had a little bit of everything as its kept the fans on edge, with the lead changing hands on six occasions.

The dual was tied at 4-4, 10-10, and 13-13, before the Huskies would take a 18-13 lead following a tech-fall by Pierre Nelson at 285.

The two clubs would trade wins to make it a 30-22 game after OPRF state champion Jamiel Castleberry recorded a pin at 126-pounds.

However, a key major-decision (13-3) from Barrington’s Saul Ramirez (132) followed by a tech-fall by Ryan Dorn, who placed fifth at 138 in Champaign, allowed the Broncos to go into the final match of the contest with a slim 31-30 advantage.

Trailing 1-0 after the second period, and 2-0 in the waning moments, OPRF’s Zev Koransky would execute a take-down two seconds from time over Barrington’s Jimmy Whitaker.

The dramatic 3-2 triumph would guarantee the ninth team state trophy in OPRF program history in a 33-31 victory.

“It’s the first time in my career that I’ve beaten Whitaker, so this was a perfect time to win,” said an exhausted Koransky, who earlier lost to the Broncos senior, 16-6.

The dramatic ending would dash the hopes of a young Broncos club that sent six to the state tournament, and would return with three state medal winners: Kaleb Pratt (120), Dorn and Daniel Blanke (150) who will all return next season.

“It was an exciting, and great dual – it kind of played out the exact way that we mapped things out leading up to this evening,” began a heart-broken Broncos head coach Dan Keller.

“It was an amazing year for this team, which I hold in a special place because of the terrific group of seniors, and the dedication, commitment to each other, and the incredible work ethic they all had.”

St. Charles East 46, Hononegah 25

With No. 4 St. Charles East and No. 5 Hononegah on the evening schedule, there would be plenty of interest in this Friday quarterfinal.

Three state champions in Dom Munaretto (St. Charles East) and two from the Hononegah club in Rocco Cassioppi and Brody Sendele would ensure some high-scoring matches from this terrific trio.

However, after Munaretto drew the Saints back level at 25-25, teammates Declan Sons (126), Kaden Potter (132), Liam Aye (138) and Gavin Woodmancy (144) broke this match wide open with 21 unanswered points to inspire an eventual 46-25 victory.

“We were worried about what (Hononegah) had in its lineup – three big hammers with Rocco and Bruno (Cassioppi) and (Brody) Sendele,” Saints coach Jason Potter said. “But we managed that pretty well, and slowly got ourselves back into it, before that great finish from our last five guys.”

Aye, a DuKane Conference and regional champion this season, saw his side fight its way through some early adversity this year.

“Early on we lost some matches to Barrington, and Glenbard West, but there was never any panic in our room,” Aye said. “We just got back to working hard, kept our heads up, and knew it was a long season. We knew that we were capable of getting downstate and bringing home a team trophy.”

Hononegah returned to the team finals after placing second to Marmion one season ago.

“We lost a lot of state place winners from last years team, but I always felt that the core we had coming back, along with the rest of the guys in our lineup could make it back down here again, with the chance of getting another state trophy,” said Sendele, this year’s state champ at 175, who will be among 12 returnees to next year’s team.

“This team will be back next year, and I know the result will be much better.”

Sendele, along with the Cassioppi brothers were a combined 134-10, with Rocco Cassioppi (150) earning his second consecutive state title, and Bruno (165) grabbing second place.

Montini Catholic 59, Edwardsville 10

Montini Catholic overpowered No. 11 Edwardsville (12-3-0) 59-10 by scoring the last 31 points and recording seven pins during this quarterfinal

Edwardsville coach Eric Pretto’s club was here for the sixth time in program history, and second straight year, after going 16-3-0 a year ago and losing its quarterfinal dual to eventual fourth-place trophy winner Hersey.

“We beat a great Lincoln-Way West team to get here, and I told the guys before we came to the arena that I was proud of them,” Pretto said. “We continue to be so after we leave here.

“It’s been a great year for us, we qualified seven into the state tournament, came home with four place-winners, and we would finish fourth here in overall team points.

“It all starts with our kids club. All of the guys are on the same page, and we’re just one big family and again – I am so proud of all of these young men,” continued Pretto, now in his third year in charge.

The seven who advance into the state tournament: Michael McNamara (106, 32-7, third), Timothy Swaim (120), Bryson Nuttall (126), Ryan Ritchie (144, 32-9, sixth), Simon Schulte (190), Roman Janek (215, 27-5, third) and Braylon Hill-Lomax (285, 35-9, fifth) were a combined 17-13 on the weekend.

The Saturday morning semifinals would showcase the overall depth of talent on display that both Marmion Academy and Montini Catholic had in their arsenals.

The Cadets would easily go past St. Charles East, 52-18, winning 10 of 14 bouts, while the Broncos sent Oak Park-River Forest into the third place match after claiming 9 of 14 matches en route to a 42-24 win.

3A TEAM STATE TITLE DUAL: MARMION VS. MONTINI

Once on the main stage here in Bloomington, it would be the Broncos who would bust out on top with a major decision from Santino Tenuta (165) and tech-fall by AJ Tack (175) to take an early 9-0 lead over Marmion

Tenuta and Tack were upper weight staples for head coach Sal Annoreno, with a combined seven trips to Champaign, and three state medals.

“I am not at all surprised by the success we’ve had this year,” began Tenuta.

“Everyone on this team put the work in, had made a strong commitment to each other, and we are just a really close group. We’re always doing things together to form a really tight bond among ourselves.”

Vincenzo Testa would swing the momentum in the favor of Marmion with his pin at 190, but Montini’s Sam Swais took it right back with a hard fought 12-6 decision to give the Broncos a 12-6 advantage.

Two-time state runner-up and CCL champion Joseph Favia recorded a 7-5 decision over Montini heavyweight Gavin Ericson, and combined with a forfeit at 106, Marmion would pull ahead for the first time at 15-12.

“We have a great lineup, where everyone pulls their weight, so I was always confident that we would stay with Montini before our hammers came through for us,” Favia said.

The Cadets’ big man would be right, but not before Montini’s Erik Klichurov (113), Allen Woo (120) and Bobby Ruscitti (126) would put a scare into the Marmion faithful when the trio packaged a pair of decisions, and a major decision win rom Ruscitti.

Klichurov and Woo were both state runners-up this year, and Woo is also a two-time state champion.

The 10 points earned gave the Broncos their last lead of the night at 22-15.

The tide would slowly turn for the eventual state champions, who would rule over their rivals in the final five matches, and break open this tightly-played final.

“We were up on our projection for the entire final, and we also knew we would finish with our three state champions, state runner-up, and a secret weapon in Logan Conover to finish out the final five matches – what a spot to be in,” said Cadets head coach Anthony Cirrincione.

Three-time state champion Nicholas Garcia won his 158th career victory with 5-1 decision over Mikey Malizzio at 132, and when 2026 state champion Demetrios Carrera claimed his 171st career victory with a t-fall at 138-pounds, it gave the Cadets a lead (23-22) they would never relinquish.

Logan Conover (144) followed with a 5-3 decision, two-time state champion Zach Stewart brought his career win total to 127 with a tech-fall at 150, before Ashton Hobson put the finishing touches on a 36-22 triumph with his 17-2 tech-fall victory.

“I was ready to go at 144 or 150, whatever the team needed, that’s the way it always is around our team,” said Stewart, who was unable to put into words just how much emotion he felt over the last two weekends of his prep career.

“It’s kind of surreal after winning a second state title last weekend, then another team title here tonight – knowing this is the last time this team will be together,” said Stewart, who will continue to wrestle next season at Purdue.

Montini coach Sal Annoreno enjoyed his first ride to the team state finals as head coach.

“Even with us falling short of a state title tonight, I can say this has been a terrific season for Montini Catholic wrestling, and I am very proud of all of our young men, who gave me my first year as head coach so many great memories,” Annoreno said.

“The guys put in the work this season, and competed with a lot of heart, determination, and grit. Marmion is a great program with a great coaching staff, and we’re not ashamed to lose to a classy program like them.”

The Broncos (20-4-0) will have most of their starting 14 back to give them a head start at having the pole position at the beginning of the 2026-2027 campaign.

The Cadets (16-3-0) on the other hand will say goodbye to what Cirrincione calls his ‘big six’.

“We went out to eat last August, and talked about the goals for the season, and asked each of them to share what they liked, and disliked from the previous season, and wanted their input on what they wanted for this season,” recounted Cirrincione.

“Garcia, Stewart, Carrera, Hobson, Testa and Favia, they are all superstars in my opinion, great leaders, and phenomenal young men, who, as a group, are irreplaceable. This group exceeded expectations coming in as freshmen, and those expectations were through the roof.

“The program is better for having them in it, and although they cannot be replaced, our future is bright with a group of younger guys ready to add to their legacy, and the legacy of Marmion wrestling, and with the absolute best coaching staff in the state, I feel like we’ll be capable of some terrific things next season as well.”

3A THIRD-PLACE DUAL: ST. CHARLES EAST VS. OPRF

It’s always said that nobody likes to play for third place, but if one could witness the excitement generated all throughout the St. Charles East-Oak Park-River Forest contest, it would dispel any doubt of why a third-place dual is wrestled.

Neither side was fully in control as the score went back-and-forth in dizzying fashion, until the Saints (19-6-0) appeared to take charge after a Kaden Potter tech-fall at 132, followed by a major decision victory from Liam Aye gave Jason Potters’ club a 31-21 lead with just three matches remaining.

“Even with our lead, it never feels like it’s over until it’s over,” said a relieved Potter, who lost his voice during a thrilling final match that would decide this contest.

Quarterfinals hero Zev Koransky, who scored a perfect 36 on the ACT and is headed to Johns Hopkins University in the fall, drew OPRF (11-4-0) back closer (31-25) with his 10-2 major decision.

Aiden Noyes would pull the OPRF faithful out of their seats when his tech-fall win at 150 made this a one-point (31-30) affair ahead of the 157-pound finale between the Saints Isaac Lenard and the Huskies Alex Albrecht.

With every match across all three classes completed, all eyes were on this last match of the season.

Albrecht would lead 3-0 after the first period, but Lenard would fight back to grab a 4-3 advantage heading into the third period.

Once there, each escape, take-down, and penalty point brought the decibel level higher and higher until Lenard claimed the final point of a 7-6 contest as time would ran out.

The Lenard victory would send the Saints bench into orbit.

“We were so hyped up about this match, we wanted to finish third so badly, and everyone was really into this dual – what a great way to go out for myself, and the rest of the team,” said Saints senior, Cooper Murray, who one week earlier was state runner-up at 215 pounds.

“Even though we did not have the super-star lineup we’ve had these past few seasons, I always thought this team was capable of getting downstate, and bringing home another team trophy,” added Dom Munaretto, who leaves with three state titles, and an astounding 209 career victories.

“What can I say, but I am so proud of these guys who fought hard to put themselves into position to advance into the second day to guarantee a state trophy,” said Potter.

Oak Park senior David Ogunsanya, who would finish up a remarkable career with a third place finish in Champaign, earned three wins here to push his record to 37-4, to go along with a sixth-place state medal in 2024.

“I’ll take a lot of great memories with me when I leave OPRF,” says Ogunsanya, who will wrestle next season at Cornell.

“I’ve always felt that it was important for me to be a great teammate, leader, and mentor to the rest of my teammates, especially the younger guys, and to be able to contribute during the competition to the best of my abilities I’ve been fortunate to be a part of a program that provides so much to all of us.”

The Huskies left Bloomington with their ninth team trophy in its storied history, and first for head coach Jason Renteria in his first year in charge.

Class 3A individual champions’ stories

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:41:00 GMT

By Mike Garofola for the IWCOA

It’s no surprise that the teams that fought for a dual-team state trophy in Bloomington also flooded the podium in Champaign at the individual state finals a week earlier.

State powers Marmion Academy, Joliet Catholic Academy, and Montini Catholic, the top three all season long in the 3A polls, would flex their collective muscle in accounting for 25 top six medal winners.

Marmion Academy brought ten to Champaign and all ten would go home with a state medal, including three state champions in Nicholas Garcia, Zach Stewart and Demetrios Carrera, who combined for a record of 115-10 this season,

The story of in Champaign was not only about the reigning class 3A state champion Cadets, but also the memorable and eye-catching efforts from a trio of programs who would each celebrate two of their men grabbing championship trophies.

Continuing the numbers game, Marmion Academy would advance eight into the semifinals, followed closely by Joliet Catholic (5), Montini Catholic (4), with Hononegah, Oak Park-River Forest, and Warren next up with three each.

There were 29 clubs that sent at least one of their men into the semifinals, again, underlining just how deep most of the weight divisions were.

This annual showcase of talent would not disappoint, particularly in the semifinals where 15 matches were decided by decision.

106- Niko Odiotti (Loyola Academy)

Just 12 minutes after his teammate Kai Calcutt won his second state title, Niko Odiotti (35-2) captured his first. In doing so, he instantly became part of Loyola Academy wrestling lore.

“It was disappointing coming so close last season, but it made me put in all the extra work to make sure if I reached the final once again, the result would be different,” said the super sophomore after his 10-3 decision over Colton Wyller (Marmion Academy, 36-10) to give the Ramblers program its fourth state title, and 10th state medal.

“Coach (Matt) Collum is a big reason for my success, and our team,” began Odiotti, who will add another championship bracket to the family trophy case to go along with the state title his older brother (Massey) captured in 2023.

“(Collum) finds a way to push all of us further than we feel we’re capable of, and he is always finding new ways for us to fine tune, and improve our game.”

Odiotti is also quick to throw praise towards his brother – who wrestles at Northwestern.

“He (Massey) has so much experience, so he’s been able to get me to be better prepared for each match and tournament, while helping me with a lot of the little things.”

The 2025 state runner-up would start slow, but would improve with each outing, including a workmanlike masterful effort that saw him increase his advantage to 7-2 near the edge at 4 1/2 minutes, before putting the finishing touches on his victory with his last take-down of the night six seconds from time.

Michael McNamara (Edwardsville, 35-7) whom Odiotti would defeat in his semifinal, came back to nab third place after a 4-1 decision over No. 6 Aidan Ortega (45-3) from Glenbard West.

Sebastian Gracia (Mt. Carmel, 28-11) was fifth, Kane Robles (Joliet Catholic Academy, 37-13) sixth.

113- Caleb Noble (Warren)

Caleb Noble will be the first to admit his game is about pins, tech falls and style, and the Warren junior has backed up his claims with some near perfect work on the mats during his first three years on the prep scene.

The No. 1 man at 113-pounds proved once again he is deserving of that honor after a superb three-day effort en route to a third consecutive state title.

“When I go out there I am always looking to wrestle more of a collegiate style, frustrate my opponents in as many ways possible – and go after as many pins, and tech-falls as I can,” said Noble following his 4-0 decision over a stubborn Erik Klichurov (37-3) from Montini Catholic

This would be the closest contest of the postseason for Noble (46-1) who in his nine matches over the last three weeks recorded five tech-falls, and a trio of pins.

While the 4-0 final did not give the Blue Devils yet another bonus point victory, it did not stop the Arizona State-bound Noble from treating the fans with an impressive flying forward flipping handspring, before sticking his landing to cap a memorable weekend.

Klichurov would stun No. 2 Michael Rundell (Oak Park-River Forest, 41-4) in his semifinal to advance, defeating the 2025 106-pound state champion, 4-0.

Rundell would later tech-fall Colton Schultz (Joliet Catholic Academy, 35-11), with Preston Morrison (Marmion Academy, 40-9) earning fifth place with a tech-fall victory over Jack Koenig (44-8) from St. Patrick.

Rundell, Klichurov, and Morrison are now two-time place winners.

120- Dom Munaretto (St. Charles East)

Dom Munaretto arrived in the St. Charles East room with about as much fanfare possible for a wrestler new to the prep scene, and would quickly live up to the hype.

He became the ultimate, first-class leadoff man for a potent Saints lineup that produced 17 state medals, and seven state champions during his first three seasons, plus a dual-team state title and third place team trophy as well.

Twice a world champion, and now a three-time state champion, Munaretto survived an intense, fierce final with two-time state champion Allen Woo (Montini Catholic, 41-9) whose coaching staff put together a superb tactical plan in an effort to slow the high-scoring star to a crawl.

“It’s tough to be the top dog each year, everyone is always looking to beat the No. 1 guy, but today, Dom stayed composed, and did what he had to do in order to win a well deserved third state title,” said a proud Saints head coach, Jason Potter.

“I’ve been fortunate to have a bunch of personal highlights: world champion twice, Ironman champion, three-time state champion, winning a team state title with my friends, but I will always remember having the best coaching staff in the state of Illinois right there for me,” said Munaretto.

“Coach Potter, and our staff have changed the culture, have brought the best out of each and everyone one of us, and made us believe in ourselves.

“It’s hard to believe my four years are just about over, but it has been just an amazing time for me.”

This season Munaretto would finish with a perfect 50-0 overall record, giving him a stunning 209-4 overall record for his career.

Of his 50 victories on the season, (45) would come via combined pins, and tech-falls. Munaretto will join former Saints teammate, and four-time state champion Ben Davino in the fall at Ohio State University.

No. 3 Kaleb Pratt (Barrington, 48-6) would earn his second state medal after his 7-1 defeat of 2025 (class 2A) Ray Long (45-7) from Notre Dame.

Pratt would defeat another former 2A star, No. 5 Danny Goodwin (St. Patrick, 43-4) a state runner-up a year ago with a 4-2 decision in quarterfinal play.

Marmion Academy freshman Brody Page (34-17) would pick up his first state medal following his 8-1 defeat of Jayce Glauser (Grant, 33-9) in the fifth place match.

Glauser would transfer from Richmond-Burton during the offseason, and quickly made his mark in the Bulldogs room as he earned a sixth place state medal.

126- Jamiel Castleberry (Oak Park and River Forest)

There were plenty of surprises in this weight class leading up the state final between No. 2 Oleksandr (Sasha) Havrylkiv (Hersey, 41-5) and No. 4 junior, Jamiel Castleberry (33-3) from Oak Park and River Forest.

No. 8 Lukas Foster (Joliet Catholic Academy) would bring the crowd to attention when the Hilltoppers junior bounced No. 1 Bobby Ruscitti (Montini Catholic) from the unbeaten ranks with an impressive 10-2 quarterfinal victory.

Later, Havrylkiv would finally find his form after struggling early on – sending Foster into wrestle-backs with a 11-2 win in his semifinal.

Further down the bracket, Castleberry would outlast No. 3 Chazz Robinson (Homewood-Flossmoor) 5-4 to advance into the final.

“(Sasha) wasn’t himself in his first two matches here, so the hope was he would get himself back, and ready for his semifinal, and when he did, we figured he was ready for his state final,” said Hersey’s interim head coach, Chris Riley.

Havrylikv may have been ready, but so was Castleberry.

“He (Havrylikiv) pinned me in our final the Washington tournament early in the season, so (coach Jason Renteria) and my brother and put together a plan, and I stuck with it – and to be honest, I feel like I really was able to frustrate him,” opined Castleberry.

The Huskies star kept the high octane attack of Havrylkiv under wraps – building a modest 4-0 advantage through two periods.

It was 4-1 when Havrylkiv was hit with a penalty point when he shoved Castleberry far off the edge 11 seconds from time – ending this contest at 5-1.

“This was my third state tournament, so to win a state championship means a lot to me, and our program,” said a proud Castleberry, who began his prep career at Proviso West.

Foster (42-7) would enjoy a wonderful tournament, coming back to claim third place over Robinson (35-6).

Ruscitti (47-2) earned his first state medal when he recorded a 4-0 decision over Aidan McClure (32-13) from Marmion Academy.

132- Nicholas Garcia (Marmion Academy)

In the rich wrestling history of Marmion Academy, there has been 24 state champions, led by four-time state champ Johnny Jimenez.

No others have come close to that brilliant four-year run by Jimenez, who would continue to wrestle on a collegiate level at Wisconsin.

Nicholas Garcia (50-2) would add his name to the Cadets record book when he claimed his third state title when the No. 1 man in the state beat No. 2 Jason Hampton (Joliet Catholic Academy, 43-4) for the third time this season, outlasting Hampton in overtime.

After Hampton drew level with the Cadets’ star (5-5) in the fifth minute – sending this contest into overtime – Garcia would execute a perfect take-down 30 seconds into extra time to secure his third consecutive title.

“Being on a big stage here in Champaign, the college that I’ll be wrestling at next year, and having a chance to win for a third time is something that I find almost impossible to find the words to describe how I feel,” opined Garcia, who was fourth at 106 in 2023.

“We have the best coaching staff in the state, and I put all of my trust in them. Along with my teammates, who are like family to me, it makes winning another title very special.”

The aforementioned Jason Hampton has enjoyed a marvelous career under Hilltoppers head coach Ryan Cumbee, who says it will impossible to replace his captain next season.

“Jason is a tremendous young man, student-athlete, and a great leader in, and away from our room.”

Hampton is a four-time state place winner, won five majors this season, including at the Dvorak, and is twice, a state runner-up, with nearly (165) career victories.

Another four-year star, Shawn Kogan (Stevenson, 38-7) fought back the tears after taking home his first state medal in three attempts following his hard fought 4-3 victory over Mikey Malizzio (38-13) from Montini Catholic.

“I am just overcome with emotion right now – it was my third, and last trip to state, and it could have never ended as amazing as it did today,” said Kogan, who gave Garcia a valiant effort in a 4-1 defeat in a quarterfinal affair.

“I’ve overcome a variety of injuries, and other setbacks during the last couple of years, but it’s like it never happened after my third place finish.”

No. 3 Ryan Dorn (Barrington, 41-7) claimed his first state medal, with Maddox Tindal (Minooka, 32-9) sixth overall.

138- Zach Stewart (Marmion Academy)

There were some championship dynamic duos in Champaign: Odiotti-Calcutt (Loyola Academy), Noble-Stewart (Warren) and Cassioppi-Sendele from Hononegah.

However, this talented bunch could not rival the lethal and powerhouse trio from Marmion Academy: Garcia, Stewart and Carrera — who would give the Cadets three consecutive state titles at day’s end.

Zach Stewart (25-3) is right in the middle of this dangerous triple threat.

The Purdue-bound Stewart would defeat No. 2 Griff Powell (Lyons Township, 44-5) for the second consecutive week – using a late first period take-down near the edge – followed by another as the second period drew to close to secure a 7-3 victory.

“That first take-down really helped set the tone, and another late in the second period put a lot of pressure on Griff,” said Stewart, who was anointed as the No. 1 man at 138-pounds at the start of the season, and would never relinquish that spot.

Stewart, who won his first state crown two years ago at 138, was runner-up a year ago to Evan Gosz, now at the University of Michigan, will go into dual-team state play with 124 career victories.

“Since last year, I worked on ‘tweaking’ a few little things – grips, wrists, hands – while making sure that mentally I was ready for my last season at Marmion.

“One of the reasons that I would attend Marmion is that I like the small school environment, and always feeling like it’s family that I am around, plus, of course, the wrestling program, and unbelievable coaching staff that we have.”

Powell, who will wrestle in Champaign for the University of Illinois next season, finished a marvelous career with two state medals, four major titles, and just five losses on the year, two of which were to Stewart, the other three to out-of-state opponents.

Adante Washington (Joliet Catholic Academy) a state qualifier in 2024, turned in a terrific junior season for the Hilltoppers, arriving here as the No. 3 rated man, and leaving with a third place medal after his 10-1 major decision victory over No. 4 Erik Rodriguez (Grant, 41-8) who is on his way to Central Michigan University with a pair of state medals on his resume.

Alejandro Aranda (Glenbard West, 38-13) claimed fifth place, and his first state medal of his career after Nadeem Haleem (24-4) from Andrew conceded to a medical forfeit.

144- Demetrios Carrera (Marmion Academy)

Demetrios Carrera made it three straight for Marmion Academy with a six minute stellar performance to defeat to Vince Jasinski (Grant, 45-6) who held the No. 1 spot all season long.

A first period take-down would be all Carrera (40-5) would need en route to a hard fought 3-1 decision to give the four-year veteran his first state title of his career, second state medal, and sixth major title of the season after securing his 90th victory with the Cadets.

“It seems like just yesterday that I was down here as a freshman at South Elgin – it’s kind of hard to believe this will be my last visit here,” admitted Carrera, who has amassed 171 victories, 81 coming from his first two seasons at South Elgin.

I wanted to keep the momentum going after Garcia and Stewart won their state titles – that’s the way its been all season long following both of those guys, and having Ashton (Hobson) doing an amazing job coming up after me at 150,” added Carerra, who is still sifting through his collegiate opportunities, knowing that wherever he lands, it will be a degree in sports marketing that he will pursue.

The aforementioned Jasinski would finish a brilliant career at Grant where he earned a spot in the state bracket as a sophomore at 113-pounds, fourth a year ago (126) before rising up to a second-place finish this season – delivering one victory after another, most with bonus point endings, while becoming a shining example of what a first class leader, and captain is all about.

“There is not enough words to describe just how much Vince has meant to our program, he, along with Erik (Rodriguez) have been the key figures in the rebirth of wrestling here at Grant, and it’s been their great work, and results on the mats, as well as the role of mentors, and leaders that has made a big difference in, and out of the room,” said Grant head coach Mark Jolcover.

Jasinski, who wrestle next season at Northern Iowa, takes with him 156 career victories.

Oliver Davis (Brother Rice, 38-8) would defeat Justin Williamson (Mt. Carmel, 23-10) for third place, giving him his second state medal, while Williamson leaves with three.

Zev Koransky (Oak Park-River Forest, 32-11) who will attend Johns Hopkins in the fall, earned his first state medal after his defeat of Ryan Ritchie (Edwardsville, 35-10) in the fifth place match.

150- Rocco Cassioppi (Hononegah)

Rocco Cassioppi is yet another who had a firm grip on the No. 1 spot in the polls from the very beginning of the year, and never let go.

The Hononegah junior proved to be in top form from his opening match here in Champaign, recording the first of two straight tech-falls.

Using his customary high work rate, and non-stop pace to throw his opponents off their game, Cassioppi followed up his first two victories with a well deserved 11-3 semifinal victory over No. 5 Cohen Weber (Joliet West) to advance into his second straight state final.

Once there, Cassioppi (46-2) would take a 4-0 second period lead with a near fall – then extend his advantage to 6-0 over No. 2 Ashton Hobson (Marmion Academy with just two minutes remaining.

Cassioppi would ride the talented Cadets senior hard until a stall warning forced a whistle with 30 seconds from time.

Cassioppi would finish off his 6-0 victory with more quality work on top.

“I felt like I could have opened things up a little more, and maybe should have done so with a turn or two in the third period but at that point, it was all about having control of the match, and not allowing (Hobson) anything in order to preserve the win,” said Cassioppi.

The Hononegah star won his first state crown a year ago at 132 with a record of 49-3, and was a key figure in the Indians best finish ever at the dual-team state tournament which resulted in a second place trophy.

“We lost a lot of guys from last year’s team, but I always felt like we had a good core coming back, and a bunch of other guys who were capable of helping us make another run at making it back to dual-team state,” said Cassioppi.

The Indians did indeed qualify after its dual-team sectional semifinal over Grant to book its ninth appearance in program history.

Hobson (28-3) would edge No. 3 Donovan Rosauer (Yorkville) in their Friday night semifinal, 1-0 with a second period escape.

Rosauer went home with his second state medal in as many years when he won his 50th of the season in a 7-1 decision over Weber in the third place match.

No. 6 Daniel Blanke (Barrington, 44-12) picked the perfect time to collect his 100th career victory when the Broncos junior recorded a pin of Tommy Fidler (40-13) of Marist to earn fifth place, and first state medal in two tries.

157- Ethan Sonne (Marist)

You would be hard pressed to find a more exciting final in class 3A than this 29-point thriller between Ethan Sonne and Justin Wardlow.

Wardlow ended his career for Lockport with three consecutive second-place finishes, his first in his rookie season particularly heart-breaking with Wardlow advancing to face Massey Odiotti (Loyola Academy) in the 120-pound final, but forced out of action due to an elbow injury suffered in his semifinal victory.

Fast forward three years and the Lockport star faced Sonne for the title, and when the dust cleared, it would be Sonne withstanding a wild final minute to claim a 15-14 triumph.

“That was a pretty crazy ending,” admitted a relieved Sonne.

The Marist (38-3) junior raced out to a surprising 7-0 advantage to bring the crowd up, and off of its seats just 45 seconds into the first period.

Wardlow (40-6) would find his form in the second period – drawing close (8-5) – before he would concede a late take-down to send this contest in the third period in the favor of Sonne, 11-5.

“Obviously Justin is a great wrestler, and one that I had to always be aware of,” said Sonne.

The final sixty seconds would insure Marist fans of severe heart palpitations, while the Lockport faithful held the hope of a memorable finish.

When Wardlow drew level at 14-14 with 14 seconds remaining – Sonne found the match-winning escape as the clock would near triple zeroes.

“It was an amazing match – super fun but also a little scary towards the end, but that’s what what everyone wants,” Sonne would say with a wry smile.

No. 5 David Ogunsanya (OPRF, 34-4) has enjoyed another marvelous season for himself, a year in which he won four majors, and a third state medal following his pin of Nolan Vogel (Joliet Catholic Academy, 47-10) to claim third place.

The three-time state qualifier is now a two-time state medal winner (6th, 2024) who has been a key figure in back-to-back dual team state appearances, is approaching 125 career victories

Brady Ritter (Sandburg, 45-8) in his third visit to Champaign, takes home his first state medal after his t-fall victory over Will Konder (Montini Catholic, 34-23) in the fifth place match.

165- Liam Kelly (Mt. Carmel)

Most Illinois wrestling fans know of the court battle Liam Kelly would go through in order for the IHSA to allow the Mt. Carmel senior to compete, after being denied the opportunity to do so by regional tournament officials despite having in his possession a doctor’s note clearing him.

The non-contagious skin condition, known as ‘granuloma annulare’ found on his upper arms since his rookie season, nearly ended his season far too soon.

Once the courts delivered a temporary injunction, Kelly went to work, taking apart the competition at the Hinsdale Central sectional before dashing the hopes of four others here in Champaign, including those of No. 2 Bruno Cassioppi (Hononegah, 41-5) during his 8-1 victory in extra time, where a well-executed cradle with four seconds remaining put the Caravan star up for good.

“It was the kind of final that I expected. I could have opened things up a little more, but I did what I came here to do,” said Kelly after claiming his second straight state title, and the 45th in his program’s history, two of which belong to his older brother (Colin) who he will join here at Illinois in the fall.

“My faith has gotten stronger during these last couple of weeks, and it was very exciting to be here one more time, and to have that one last match for coach (Alex) Tsirtis, a guy I would do anything for,” said a gracious Kelly.

During the season, Kelly would defeat the top six medal winners here at least once.

Royce Lopez (Warren, 42-4) on his way to wrestle at Northwestern in the fall was third, Hersey senior Frank Tagoe (40-7) fourth, Max Herman (Lincoln-Way West, 38-11) and Santino Tenuta (Montini Catholic, 25-10) fifth and sixth respectively.

175- Brody Sendele (Hononegah)

It would be true grit, determination and desire that Brody Sendele used to find a way to overcome ACL surgery a year ago to find his way back to earning a well deserved second place trophy at 165-pounds.

“Brody wasn’t anywhere near being a hundred percent after coming back from missing so much time last year but he’s the type of young man you can never count out, he just works, and works and last year, he never stopped,” began Hononegah head coach Tyler DeMoss.

“This year you can see what a healthy Brody Sendele looks like, and he is just about untouchable.”

“It feels good to be healthy this year,” said Sendele, who lost his 2025 final to Will Denny, now starring at North Carolina State.

After his dominating three-day performance where he delivered the type of attacking depth that few can match, Sendele would defeat No. 3 Dayne Serio (West Aurora, 42-4) who was using the second place finish by his brother (Dominic) here last year as inspiration.

Sendele now has a top three state medal in his first three seasons, and with his victory in the final, claimed his sixth major title of the season.

His only loss in the state came to two-time class 2A champion Brody Kelly (IC Catholic) with the other two from out-of-state opponents.

“For me, wrestling is a 365-day a year sport, and that’s how I manage my workouts, and training, and since last year, I really feel like my composure during the match has made a big difference in the way that I compete,” said Sendele.

Seniors would dominate the third through sixth place place winners, beginning with AJ Tack (Montini Catholic, 35-12) who claims his first state medal in three trips here.

The Broncos’ veteran, who lost to No. 4 Jalen Byrd (Lincoln-Way Central, 51-5) in quarterfinal action, came back to avenge that defeat with a 9-4 decision for third place.

Byrd, a two-sport star (football) takes home his first state medal after three visits to Champaign.

Ilya Dvoriannikov (Warren, 29-11) who hopes to one day be a pilot, captured his third state medal in a sensational career, which began at class 2A Vernon Hills, where he earned a second, and third place medal.

Van Grasser becomes only the third in program history to earn three state medals, tying former star, and 2022 graduate, Sean Conway.

Grasser, who will wrestle next fall at McKendree University, will take with him three-sixth place state medals.

190- Aaron Stewart (Warren)

By the time the postseason would roll around, we all learned it was already a fete accompli that Aaron Stewart, Kai Calcutt and Jonathan Rulo were as close to being named state champions than any other in their respective weight divisions.

And why not.

With all due respect to their rivals, this tremendous trio were anointed the top seeds from the very beginning – never falling below the top spot – nationally ranked all throughout the 2025-2026 season.

No. 11 in the nation, Stewart is a true two-sport star, who will play football, then wrestle at the University of Illinois.

Stewart (39-4) would be the first of three to flex his muscle by unleashing an attack that would demolish the field at 190-pounds on his way to a third consecutive state crown.

“I have some great memories wrestling for Warren – great teammates, and a great coaching staff, but it’s amazing that it’s coming to an end. It happened so fast,” said Stewart, who with Noble winning his third title gives the Blue Devils nine state champions, and 25 state medals.

Stewart ran wild on the football field during three varsity seasons, scoring 101 touchdowns and amassing over 7000 yards rushing.

Here in Champaign, Stewart recorded a pair of tech-falls, and one pin in a little over four minutes time, his last coming in the final against Wheaton North senior Ryan Rosch.

Rosch would finish with four major titles this year and was seeking Wheaton North’s first individual title since Jason Vincens won the crown at 189 in 2000.

“No doubt Ryan’s strong work ethic, toughness, commitment to improve, and his improved wrestling IQ, and ability to control his matches with his pace, strength, and pressure is a big reason for his success this year,” said a proud Wheaton North head coach, Tim Walker.

The next men in line in order of finish after Rosch: Lucas Nance (Fremd, 40-7), Vincenzo Testa (Marmion Academy, 26-6), Colton Zvonar (Lincoln-Way East, 39-8) and Joseph Fitak (Glenbard North, 28-18) are all first time place winners.

“Lucas is just an exceptional young man, a great leader, fabulous student, and someone we’ll miss dearly in the room,” said Fremd head coach of the University of Chicago-bound Nance.

Zvonar, an all-SWSC inside linebacker dropped a heart-breaking 11-8 loss in overtime to Nance in their quarterfinal.

215- Kai Calcutt (Loyola Academy)

Following his arrival in the Loyola Academy room, Kai Calcutt almost instantly transformed a program still looking to find its way from mid-table contention in the CCL to a regional champion for the first time in decades.

Calcutt, along with then-teammate Massey Odiotti, were instrumental in changing the culture and performance level under head coach Matt Callum, and on Saturday night here at State Farm Arena, Calcutt would win his second state title, to go along with a pair of second place state medals.

“There’s a lot of family history associated with me going to Loyola Academy, obviously a big reason why I chose to be a Rambler,” began Calcutt, who finishes with a 38-2 record this season, and 146-16 overall.

“To be honest, I could have easily chosen Loyola because of the great academic environment, football, and, of course, wrestling for an unbelievable coach like Matt Collum. He instills all the things that I like to follow, work ethic, hard work, dedication, and commitment to your teammates – everything that I believe in.”

Calcutt who would train at Izzy Style, and has since moved on to Relentless Training, led by Jordan Blanton, where he can train with two-time state champion Jaxon Penovich (St. Viator) has endured a couple of setbacks along the way during his prep career.

“I guess I was the favorite to win a state title last year, but I fell just short, just like I did my freshman year. Those were just life lessons to be learned,” admitted Calcutt, who was a key figure in the three state football championships won by the Ramblers.

“I had given some thought to playing football in college, but ultimately, wrestling is my No. 1, and I am looking forward to doing just that at North Carolina State.”

Calcutt, who had been nursing an injured shoulder sustained during the football season, would pop a bursa sac in his knee just before heading downstate, but still managed to roll over all four of his opponents here with four bonus point victories, including his 21-3 tech-fall (6:00) victory over No. 2 Cooper Murray from St. Charles East.

Murray, who has been a staple in the upper weights for the Saints, would continue to advance, albeit in dramatic style – using a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Sam Swais (Montini Catholic) then an ultimate 3-2 triumph against No. 3 Roman Janek (Edwardsville) in a fierce semifinal.

Murray (43-8) was part of the Saints run to a third place team trophy in 2024, the same year his older brother (Brody) captured a third place trophy at 175-pounds with a 44-9 record.

Murray went over 100 career victories earlier in the season, and proved to be the second best at this weight with a sensational season which included three major titles, plus a third place finish at the Dvorak.

Brother Rice junior Dan Costello (26-8) was third, and sophomore Ryker Czubak (Joliet Catholic Academy, 29-15)

Thirty years ago, Chris Janek claimed his second state medal at Granite City: fast forward all those years and Roman Janek (30-5) would earn grabbed his second state medal after his hard fought 4-2 decision over senior Tavfik Ibragimov (38-3) from Naperville North.

2 85- Jonathan Rulo (Belleville East)

The sport of football has always been the main focus for Jonathan Rulo – and why not?

At 6-foot-1 and 305 pounds, the Belleville East senior has been a destroyer along the defensive line where he has recorded over 200 tackles in his career, nearly 90 solo, and an impressive 55 tackles for a loss.

Enter Rashad Riley.

The former Conant star, third at state in 2004, has been a mentor, friend, and coach to Rulo since he was six years old.

“It’s been a long journey for the both of us, he’s had just one wrestling coach in his life, and that’s me,” begins Riley. “Being able to see him rise from a kid to a man is something that I am very proud of.

“Wins and titles are great, but the journey, and bumps along the way is what holds special meaning to me, because I’ve been able to see him when things were not alway so great for him.”

Rulo is grateful for Riley’s presence.

“Coach (Riley) is a good man — he doesn’t sugar coat anything, but he’s an honest, hard working person, and someone who has always been there for me,” says Rulo.

The Belleville East big man collected his second straight state title after thrashing all four of his opponents with a variety of tech-falls, and major decision victories, including his 14-4 triumph over No. 2 Joseph Favia (41-6) from Marmion Academy.

“Coach and I work out and train every morning and afternoon for football, which is my first love,” Rulo said. “We lift, do speed work, technique, and work on wrestling so I can perform at the highest level possible.”

Rulo, who will play football in the fall at the University of Cincinnati, will leave with an astounding 134-3 overall record, and 21 pins in a season in which he finished at a perfect 29-0.

Two of the three losses in Rulo’s career came during his rookie season, the first to the-then No. 1 heavyweight in the country, Dillan Johnson (Joliet Catholic Academy) at the Geneseo Invite.

Weeks later, Rulo dropped a 5-2 decision in the state final against Ben Bielawski (Downers Grove North) and No. 3 during his sophomore season to three-time state place winner, Marko Ivanisevic (Hinsdale Central) in the state semifinals.

“That loss to Bielawski still bothers me,” admitted Rulo.

Rulo was 35-0 a year ago.

“I know a strong motivating factor for Jonathan is his cousin Rozell Baker, who I coached from his early days through high school, where he won a state title while at Cahokia in 2018 at 170-pounds.

“Jonathan has always wanted to win a second state title in order to have the bragging rights at the dinner table,” jokes Riley.

Aiden Hennings (Lincoln-Way Central, 49-6) would pin Gavin Ericson (Montini Catholic, 34-13) for third place, with Braylon Hill-Lomax (Edwardsville, 40-11) using a 7-2 decision over Hampshire sophomore, Knox Homola (39-7) for fifth.

Oswego East Frosh/Soph Champions’ features

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:54:00 GMT

By Chris Walker for the IWCOA

Rolling up mats on Sunday afternoon, Oswego East assistant boys wrestling coach Zack Clancy stopped for a moment and talked about the efforts of his staff and their friends and families to ensure the IWCOA’s Oswego East Frosh/Soph regional was a successful experience for the wrestlers, as well as those who took time to come out and root the kids on.

“It definitely takes a lot of effort,” Clancy said, “(Oswego East boys wrestling head coach) Paul (Coy) has got six kids and all six of his kids were here setting up, and my wife was here. It takes not only a family, but it’s a family effort, I mean, it’s a lot, but it’s worth it in the end to see all the smiles on the kids’ faces and things like that.”

While the IHSA state individual tournament was held two weeks ago in Champaign, the IWCOA FroshSoph 2026 State tournament began with regionals, such as Oswego East, while the IHSA team duals and girls individual tournament was completed in Bloomington.

“We want to keep it in the area,” Coy said. “Instead of having to travel all over the place.”

Oswego East hosted two tournaments during the girls regular season, including the inaugural Break the Silence tournament which had an impactful debut and will return next year raising awareness for another cause.

Naperville Central led the way at the Oswego East regional with four kids winning titles, including Alexi Aguinaldo (106), Jack Fitzgerald (132), James Ball (138) and Reid Balis (157).

Downers Grove South, Naperville North and Wheaton Academy produced a pair of champions each and Downers Grove North, Hinsdale Central, Oswego, Oswego East and Wheaton North had one.

101 – Dominic Macellaio, Wheaton North

Macellaio won by a 12-4 major decision over Wheaton Academy’s Elliot Hardy to capture the 101 title.

Earlier, Macellaio picked up tech falls wins over Willowbrook’s Siraj Dissi and Oswego’s Dominic Gerace.

Wheaton North’s Timothy Slade won by fall over Naperville North’s Cameron Krueger for third.

106 – Alexi Aguinaldo, Naperville Central

After opening with a tech fall win over Oswego’s Patrick O’Grady, Aguinaldo pinned Lyons’ Declan Driscoll and earned an 11-1 major over Glenbard East’s Nicholas Greenfield to get to the finals.

In his finals match, Aguinaldo survived Hinsdale Central’s Bryce Elway, 10-8.

Greenfield won by a 5-4 decision over Downers Grove North’s Elliot Grucella for third.

113 – Zion Kaunley, Wheaton Academy

Pins against Willowbrook’s Joseph Perez (4:19) and Lyons’ Patrick Raddatz (3:00) propelled Kaunley into the finals where he doubled up Oswego’s Lucas Bobush, 12-6.

Naperville Central’s Holden Greene won by a 14-5 major decision over Perez to take third.

120 – Myles Houser, Downers Grove South

After going 30-1 during his freshman season a year ago, Houser took his lumps as a sophomore competing for the varsity squad this winter.

“I didn’t have the best record, I think I was 12 and 20-something losses,” Houser said. “Not the best so I came in here not qualifying for sectionals last year and just came in here to win that.”

Houser pinned Wheaton North’s Gage Fitzenreider (0:53), earned a 10-5 decision over Lyons’ Jake Wolf and pinned Naperville North’s Hunter Dimailig (2:55) to get to the finals.

Houser blanked Lyons’ Matthew Becker, 5-0, in his championship.

“I didn’t make it to state or anything in my middle school years so it would be nice to do it now,” Houser said. “When I first came into high school I was very offensive based and realized that that type of stuff doesn’t work in high school so I worked a lot on the defense and well rounded myself out a little bit more to become a way better wrestler.”

Adjusting to the pace of varsity has taken some time.

“When you’re wrestling freshmen guys, they get tired fast, they’ll give up,” he said. “Varsity dudes, they’re going to the whistle and running, they’re going fast. The pace is a lot different. You got to really keep conditioning and work harder in the room to keep up with these guys.”

Houser will find himself as an upperclassmen when wrestling returns next winter and he’s excited about what’s brewing with the Mustangs.

“I’m liking all the middle school guys coming in, sad to see the seniors leave,” he said. “But we have a really young team and I see us growing a lot and think we’ll be a really dominant team next year.”

Naperville North’s Andrew Hernandez pinned Dimailig (3:36) to take third.

126 – Archer Biag, Naperville North

Biag’s path to the title match at 126 included a pin of Wheaton Academy’s Jasper Hardy (1:39), followed by a 6-3 win over Downers Grove South’s Luis Perez and a pin of Oswego East’s Austin Crawford (1:51). Biag’s dominance continued into the final where he recorded a 17-0 tech fall over Willowbrook’s Braden Byrne.

Crawford won in sudden victory, 8-5, over Perez for third.

132 – Jack Fitzgerald, Naperville Central

Fitzgerald was in a tech falling mood, taking down Lyons’ Ayden Gutierrez (18-0), Hinsdale Central’s Ali Memom (16-1) and Naperville Central’s Luke Moore (19-2), outscoring his foes (53-3).

Downers Grove South’s Dylan Woolsey wouldn’t suffer the same fate in the final, but would be held scoreless as Fitzgerald prevailed, 9-0.

Oswego East’s Sebastian Nevarez won by fall over Glenbard East’s Danny Delgado (4:24) to take third.

138 – James Ball, Naperville Central

Ball was having one on Saturday, pinning all three of his opponents to win the 138 title.

Ball took down Oswego’s Langston Norlin (3:34), Downers Grove South’s Logan Montano (1:43) and Hinsdale South’s Marwan Mohammad (1:45).

Norlin won by a 11-4 decision over Downers Grove South’s Logan Montano to take third.

144 – Marcus Smith, Oswego East

As a freshman this winter for the Wolves, Smith went 14-19, which included going 1-2 at the Class 3A Moline regional on the final day of January.

Since that time, Smith has been practicing a few times a week as well as lifting weights and working out at home.

“It felt good to be back, I had a break but not that big of a break,” he said. “After my first match I felt really good and I just did my own stuff. It’s mostly my confidence and my faith with God.”

Smith knew there would be an opportunity to compete in this tournament, one of the blessings of high school wrestling thanks to the IWCOA.

“This is all new to me, but I had an idea that this tournament was something I could look forward to,” he said. “I think I’ve made a lot of progress throughout the year and my teammates helped me at times. I didn’t think they’d be this friendly. This is probably my favorite team in all the years I’ve wrestled. My goal next year is to qualify for state and I’m definitely going to win it the next three years.”

Smith pinned Downers Grove South’s Bayron Garcia (3:54) in his title match.

Smith opened with a bye, won a 7-4 crosstown match over Oswego’s Angelo Rivera in the quarterfinal and then drew another Panther, scoring an 11-0 major against Oswego’s Angel Garcia in the semifinal.

Garcia earned an 8-1 decision to battle back at take third over Hinsdale Central’s Marco Guisto.

“It was pretty fun, I had a great time,” Garcia said. “I didn’t do my best, but last match I did pretty well. I should’ve did good in the semifinals like I did for third, but I’ll learn from it. I’ve got to keep grinding in the practice room and try to get better every day and try to get to my goal.”

Last year, Garcia placed sixth at 132 at the regional.

“I told myself I was not going to get sixth,” Garcia said. “I was going to get first or second or place or go to sectionals. That was my goal – going to sectional, going to state, going to push myself everyday in practice lift weights every day.”

150 – Joey Guidi, Wheaton Academy

Guidi opened with a 15-0 tech fall win over Hinsdale South’s Ardit Useini and finished with a similar 15-0 decision over Willowbrook’s Jason Donna in his final.

In between those bookends, Guidi pinned Oswego East’s Darek Speice (3:58) and earned a 9-4 decision over Oswego’s Andrew Griffin.

Naperville North’s Alex Realmuto won by a 7-5 decision over Speice to take third.

157 – Reid Balis, Naperville Central

Balis won by fall over Downers Grove South’s Ronald Lepic (1:42), earned a 14-2 major over Oswego’s Angelo Garcia, and then pinned Willowbrook’s Jeramiah Jepson (0:46) in his final match to take home the 157 title.

Lepic won by an 11-9 decision over Garcia to place third.

“I was struggling a lot today, it was not my best,” Garcia. “I was out for the past month with a knee problem and a kidney and back problem. I only had one time to practice and that was really yesterday so this was really really hard for me today.”

165 – Benjamin Grunow, Hinsdale Central

Grunow finished his day with a pin against Willowbrook’s Kal Gonzales (2:11) after opening win a pin over Lyons’ Arthur Schaffer (3:54) followed by a 16-3 major decision over Naperville North’s Faris Pesto in the semis.

Pesto rebounded to earn a 3-1 win in his third-place match versus Downers Grove South’s Elefterios Prevett.

175 – Jake LaScala, Downers Grove North

LaScala had a lighter day, getting a bye in the quarterfinals and only having to wrestle twice. He made it even quicker by pinning Oswego’s Sam Kajtsa (0:59) in the semis before getting to Lyons’ Jack Williams in the final with another pin (2:56).

Sam Kajtsa won by decision over Willbrook’s Dominic Burton, 7-2, to place third.

“This is one of my first meets back because I was out with an ankle injury and then with a skin problem for a while, so my first week back, I’ve only had two or three practices,” Kajtsa said. “It feels amazing. I get tired a lot easier because I haven’t been conditioned all year, but it felt amazing.”

He was able to get to his moves.

“I do a lot of tap and go, tap and go shooting so I’ll lock up and break away, lock up and break away and then fake a lock up and just shoot and that works pretty well,” Kajtsa said. “I’m pretty good at the sliding out or like sliding out in bottom position and then reversing from there, those are two main moves really good at those.”

190 – JT Hill, Naperville North

Hill picked up four victories, including a 7-2 decision over Glenbard East’s Lucas Maida in his 190 title match.

To get there, Hill won by a 21-5 tech fall over Oswego’s Xavier Pagan, pinned Willowbrook’s Max Salinas (0:50) and piled on the points in an 18-1 tech fall over Downers Grove South’s Porter Briggs.

Naperville North’s J. Frank Harvey won by medical forfeit over Downers Grove South’s Blake Gantner to take third.

215 – Jacob Lemire, Oswego

Impetigo had sidelined Lemire, and while it plagued his efforts it didn’t keep him from walking away as a champion.

“It was really hard because I had impetigo for a week, so only got one day of practice before coming in here,” he said. “But then when I woke up I was very sick so it made it even harder on me. It’s just a long process, very hard matches, but pulled through and was able to get it done.”

It’s not the first time Lemire has had to dig deep.

“I had another match, something similar to this where I had flu,” he said. “I went and wrestled and was out for like three days of school and just put it all there, similar situation so I knew what to do. It’s just real tough but with my partner (Holden Reible) he’s really pushing me because he’s just way bigger and stronger and has helped me a lot.”

285 – Michael Danial, Downers Grove South

After placing fifth in the FroshSoph tournament a year ago, Danial is eyeing a title this year.

“Last year I won this and got to sectionals, which didn’t go my way,” he said. “I got fourth but did qualify for state and ended up losing in the state semis, 7-5 by two points, and fought back for fifth place.”

As a young heavyweight, Danial has battled mostly upperclassmen the past two seasons.

“It’s a great opportunity because, for example, me as a heavyweight as a sophomore, I’m wrestling a lot of juniors and seniors and it’s tougher to punch my ticket to the IHSA tournament,” he said. “So this is another chance to keep me going.”

Danial pinned Hinsdale South’s Kalon Kirkendall (1:34) in the quarterfinals and received a victory just 41 seconds into his semifinal match against Glenbard East’s Teague Maloney who was injured.

In the final, Danial denied Oswego’s Holden Reible, 6-4.

“The key today was just wrestle, have fun and that’s all I did out there, try to do things that I’ve been working on,” Danial said. “I do a lot of offseason, in-season work. My biggest fear is that if I’m not working someone else is going to pass me because I only started wrestling in sixth grade, I’m already behind so I just want to keep succeeding and going higher and higher.”

Reible hadn’t wrestled in a while, during a season that was delayed at the start since he was helping Oswego take second the state in Class 8A football

“It’s been a while since I’ve actually wrestled since I took a significant break before this,” he said. “I’ve been weightlifting in between so it’s been getting into the weight room, now getting into the wrestling room. I started the season off with being three weeks late because I was on the football team for varsity and coming in three weeks late I went 3-0 for that first tournament and after that tournament it really locked into my head that I was able to completely just go through this season like I was 100% me that I could 100% do this. So that experience with football and having no break that actually kept my mentality locked in throughout the season.”

Frosh/Soph Regional Results

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:25:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Regionals feeding the IWCOA Sterling and Lake Zurich Sectionals on March 8

Qualifiers listed by first- and third-place matches

STERLING SECTIONAL

DeKalb/Huntley Regionals

101

Carter Paulson (Stillman Valley) d. David Wesierski (Hampshire) (D 3-1)

Wyatt Crowe (Plano) d. Chase Cook (Sycamore) (F 2:08)

106

Liam Parker (Harvard) d. Matthew Frykman (DeKalb) (D 4-3)

Aiden Salo (Byron) d. Valentin Elias Soriano (Burlington-Central) (D 8-6)

113

Julian Hartwig (DeKalb) d. Isaiahs Carreno (Stillman Valley) (F 2:53)

Noah Simonson (DeKalb) d. Logan Dailing (Machesney Park (Harlem)) (F 1:36)

120

Gabe Marella (North Boone) d. Sam Howard (DeKalb) (SV-1 8-5)

Olin Wiedel (Woodstock (North)) d. Cole Malo (Woodstock) (MD 12-0)

126

Brennan McCarter (DeKalb) d. Jacob Martin (DeKalb) (F 4:13)

Dominick Urbanski (Sandwich) d. Logan Torrance (Sandwich) (F 0:09)

132

Carson Benesh (Oregon) d. Virshon Dotson (DeKalb) (F 2:31)

Jordan Bradley (Woodstock (North)) d. Eric Juchimowicz (Belvidere North) (TF 22-3)

138

Hunter Heath (Belvidere) d. Hayes Halstead (DeKalb) (F 1:37)

Isaac Brunoehler (Sandwich) d. Hudson Cline (Sandwich) (F 0:08)

144

James Brown (DeKalb) d. Henry Vanderbleek (DeKalb) (D 5-1)

Logan Funk (Rockford (East)) d. Jason Pierce (Rockford (East)) (F 0:09)

150

Jaxson Blanchard (Sandwich) d. Trenton Combs (Woodstock (North)) (F 2:35)

Jonathan Holder (Machesney Park (Harlem)) d. Ben Schmerse (Durand) (F 1:53)

157

Collin Rux (Machesney Park (Harlem)) d. Mason Meinert (Durand) (F 0:52)

Eli Futrell (Sandwich) d. Liam O`Connor (Woodstock) (F 2:24)

165

Tyler Bell (Stillman Valley) d. David Hendrickson (Belvidere) (F 2:58)

Hunter Wendt (Genoa-Kingston) d. Joseph Scott (Stillman Valley) (TF 19-3)

175

Cash Stott (Harvard) d. Bradley Bankes (Stillman Valley) (MD 14-3)

Xander Luangphakdy (Rockford (East)) d. Griffin Wandtke (Belvidere North) (F 0:58)

190

Brooks Auker (Byron) d. Daniel Arriola (Sandwich) (F 3:29)

Kendrick Thomas (Woodstock) d. Justin Cheeseman (Stillman Valley) (MD 9-0)

215

Jacksyn Windham (Oregon) d. Darius Russell (DeKalb) (FF)

Ej Kennedy (Genoa-Kingston) d. Ayden Rosado (Burlington-Central) (F 4:15)

285

Collin Hughes (Sycamore) d. Benjamin Prochnicki (Belvidere) (F 0:33)

Jayden Coleman (DeKalb) d. Brock Almgren (Burlington-Central) (F 2:26)

Morrison Regional

101

Joe Morse (Sterling (Newman Central Catholic)) d. Samuel Abotsi (East Moline (United Township)) (D 6-2)

Cameron Geigle (Riverdale) d. Ryan Conway (Kewanee) (F 2:27)

106

Coltin Hartman (Fulton) d. Bentley Ahlstrand (Rock Fs) (MD 14-2)

Chase Coyle (Sterling) d. Vance Arling (Galena) (F 2:26)

113

Matthew Hoss (Moline) d. Fabregas Rodriguez (Rock Island) (D 6-0)

Aidan Eads (Sherrard) d. Logan Henson (East Moline (United Township)) (D 9-4)

120

Griffin Kellett (LaSalle-Peru) d. Angelo Matute (Rock Island) (TF 20-4)

Tavian Straus (Sherrard) d. Aiden Foley (West Carroll) (F 1:38)

126

Tennyson Hampton (Rock Island (Alleman)) d. Michael Benge (St. Bede) (MD 11-0)

Javen Reyes (Sterling (Newman Central Catholic)) d. Connor Higgins (Galena) (D 9-3)

132

Henry Miller (Rock Island) d. Jaken Updike (Morrison) (F 4:08)

Max Moreno (St. Bede) d. Corbin Brown (Princeton) (F 3:55)

138

Elijah King (Rock Island) d. Lowson Jabbah (Rock Island) (F 1:00)

Caleb Flint (East Moline (United Township)) d. Mschach Bitangimana (Rock Island) (D 5-3)

144

Rafael Perez (Rock Island) d. Ibrahim Mchimbwa (Rock Island) (F 0:21)

Jayson Fry (Rock Island) d. Noah Fassler (Sterling) (F 0:51)

150

Blake Slusser (Freeport) d. Javelle Anderson (Rock Island) (D 7-3)

Mason Grismore (Morrison) d. Komen Denault (Mendota) (Inj. 0:00)

157

Elliot Yaklich (Rock Fs) d. Garrett Carter (Savanna) (D 10-6)

Josiah Lewis (Sterling (Newman Central Catholic)) d. Collin Handel (West Carroll) (MD 14-4)

165

Tim Plote (Sterling (Newman Central Catholic)) d. Gideon Heist (Sherrard) (D 5-3)

Koa Thew (Galena) d. Nicholas Del Pilar (St. Bede) (F 0:17)

175

Travis Kinkead (East Moline (United Township)) d. Elijah Boswell (Aledo Mercer County) (F 1:27)

Maxson Ohaver (Sterling) d. Jermaine Jones (Rock Island) (F 1:26)

190

Stanlee Golden (Moline) d. Brady McCray (Sterling) (UTB 2-2)

Ehlyeuss Tamez (Moline) d. Elijah Hare (East Moline (United Township)) (MD 12-1)

215

Zach Walker (Rock Fs) d. Vann Olcott (United Monmouth) (TF 15-0)

Kamron Buehl (East Moline (United Township)) d. Gillermo Guzman (Rock Island) (TF 17-1)

285

Kareem Odeh (Freeport) d. Henry Schradeya (Riverdale) (D 7-3)

Fernando Sandoval (LaSalle-Peru) d. Jaiden Clayborn (Moline) (D 4-2)

LAKE ZURICH SECTIONAL

Lake Zurich Regional

101

William Bousk (Fremd) d. Nolan Freely (Lake Zurich) (TF 18-2)

Everett Jancich (Hersey) d. Akdanni Marsel (Hoffman Estates (Conant)) (F 2:01)

106

Travis Wilgosiewicz (Algonquin (Jacobs)) d. Jj Loizzi (Lake Zurich) (MFF)

Abel Ephrem (Schaumburg) d. Colin Booth (Lake Park) (F 0:56)

113

Cole Wojtalewicz (Lake Zurich) d. Carlo Difalco (Prospect) (D 7-2)

Brian Hoffman (Hoffman Estates (Conant)) d. Tyson Rivard (McHenry) (MD 10-2)

120

John Diaz (Lake Zurich) d. Joel Aragon (Palatine) (D 7-0)

Nathan Flores (St. Viator) d. Liam Lovelace (Lake Park) (D 9-5)

126

Ryder Thompson (Lake Zurich) d. Nathan Hunt (McHenry) (D 4-0)

Andrew Stapleton (Prospect) d. Cruz Votruba (Lake Park) (D 1-0)

132

Kyle Lochner (Hersey) d. Sebastian Londono (Lake Zurich) (TF 19-2)

Luis Mercado (Prospect) d. MDd Ramadan (Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge) (F 4:00)

138

Daniel Zuehlke (Crystal Lake Central) d. Xavier Campos (Dundee-Crown) (MD 11-0)

Everett Georgacakis (Hersey) d. Sonny Franciose (Bartlett) (TF 15-0)

144

Jeremy Ryba (Huntley) d. Demetri Matsas (Fremd) (D 9-5)

Adam Piazza (Algonquin (Jacobs)) d. Ali Mohammadi (Prospect) (F 1:43)

150

Azam Nabizada (Fremd) d. Austin Slocum (Dundee-Crown) (F 1:28)

Ryan Chartouni (Prospect) d. Evan Talbot (Hersey) (D 10-4)

157

Dominic Sponsel (Fremd) d. Michael Weber (Schaumburg) (F 2:58)
Leo Malatos (Lake Zurich) d. Arthur Borzecki (Hoffman Estates) (MD 17-5)

165

Luke Maher (Fremd) d. Jacob Meade (Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge) (TF 19-3)

Brock Bowden (Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge) d. Jack Brogan (Prospect) (TF 17-0)

175

Patrick Zdanowski (Prospect) d. Jesus Reyes Jr. (Algonquin (Jacobs)) (F 4:39)

Jayden Johnson (Bartlett) d. Nicholas Wasniowski (Fremd) (F 2:05)

190

Gabriel Giamouzis (Hersey) d. Joey Glass (Fremd) (F 1:17)

Alex Williams (Prospect) d. Julian Segarra (Crystal Lake Central) (MD 11-1)

215

Henry Mitchell (McHenry) d. Dominic Augustyniak (Schaumburg) (F 3:24)

Kevin Baizabal (Lake Zurich) d. Ashton Frieders (Fremd) (D 5-1)

285

Chase Paduch (Bartlett) d. Marc Walsh (McHenry) (F 1:00)

Jackson Copelin (Crystal Lake Central) won by forfeit over Hakeem Coleman (Fremd) (FF)

Lakes Regional

101

Sam Ejnik (Buffalo Grove) d. Cain Ramirez (Grant) (D 11-5)

Temuujin Uuganbaatar (Stevenson) d. Noe Figueroa (Zion-Benton) (MD 20-7)

106

Colton Swanson (Grant) d. Kevin Rosa (Stevenson) (D 6-2)

Ashton Prather (Antioch) d. Adrian Stolper (Stevenson) (D 11-7)

113

Diego Rea (Gurnee (Warren)) d. Gabriel Poyer (Zion-Benton) (F 2:14)

Andrew Goldstein (Stevenson) d. Bryan Morales (Rolling Meadows) (D 13-8)

120

Brayden Sroka (Zion-Benton) d. Liam Perkins (Carmel Catholic) (MFF)

Owen Thomas (Carmel Catholic) d. Jakobe Williams (Stevenson) (F 0:57)

126

Rielen Hermsen (Carmel Catholic) d. Rudy Garcia (Carmel Catholic) (TF 16-1)

Dino Adamo (Rolling Meadows) d. Niko Marchenko (Stevenson) (D 1-0)

132

Breiydyn Hoffman (Grant) d. Chase Davis (Johnsburg) (F 2:05)

Jaiden Lopez (Grant) d. Kentrell Golladay (Waukegan) (D 5-1)

138

Kiernan Delaney (Carmel Catholic) d. Elliott Hibbard (Libertyville) (TF 18-0)

Gabriel Oliveira (Stevenson) won by forfeit over Kingsley Chen (Stevenson) (FF)

144

Mick Skrypek (Carmel Catholic) d. William Guziec (Stevenson) (D 8-6)

Joseph Minogue (Libertyville) d. Luis Atilano (Stevenson) (F 4:21)

150

Owen Floral (Grayslake Central) d. Iaroslav Bitarov (Stevenson) (F 2:19)

Jesiah Hatch (Zion-Benton) d. Brendan Dodd (Buffalo Grove) (F 0:35)

157

Danny Mandujano (Carmel Catholic) d. Noah Green (Grayslake North) (F 2:37)

Jordan Sylvanus (Johnsburg) d. Christopher Zander (Grant) (D 5-4)

165

Joseph Cameron (Carmel Catholic) d. Aldo Salgado-Benitez (Buffalo Grove) (F 3:20)

Brendan Weber (Grant) d. Logan Tibbs (Johnsburg) (D 2-0)

175

Jaxon James (Stevenson) d. Franklin Yanes (Buffalo Grove) (MD 15-4)

Eduardo Albarran (Zion-Benton) d. Gavin VanDyck (Johnsburg) (D 8-2)

190

Jackson Hjorth (Johnsburg) d. Phillip Pelts (Stevenson) (F 2:48)

Shaq Scott-kelly (Buffalo Grove) d. Jonathan Yilmaz (Zion-Benton) (MD 10-2)

215

Nathan O`Neill (Mundelein) d. Caleb Gregg (Gurnee (Warren)) (F 2:20)

Pearce Estrada (Gurnee (Warren)) d. Avant Cole (Round Lake) (F 2:54)

285

Nolan Lopez (Gurnee (Warren)) d. Allen Lopez (Wauconda) (MD 17-5)

Noah Breckenridge (Carmel Catholic) d. Ivan Alejandre (Round Lake) (D 5-0)

Regionals feeding the IWCOA Thornton and Shepard Sectionals on March 8

Qualifiers listed by first- and third-place match results

THORNTON SECTIONAL

Hillcrest Regional

101

Timothy Lorimer (Lincoln-Way (East)) d. Paxton De La Vega (Tinley Park (Andrew)) (F 0:31)

Jimmy O’Connor (Peotone) d. Kayden Miller (Thornton) (F 2:49)

106

Dante Toures (Lincoln-Way (East)) d. Michael Scott (Lincoln-Way (West)) (D 7-4)

Eduardo Robles (Joliet (Central)) d. Sebastian Rys (Lincoln-Way (West)) (F 1:29)

113

Elijah Bell (Lincoln-Way (East)) d. Everett Sievers (Lincoln-Way (East)) (MD 13-2)

John Liam O`Shea (Tinley Park (Andrew)) d. Carter Webber (Manteno) (F 2:23)

120

Logan Viau (Tinley Park (Andrew)) d. Nolan Dykshorn (Lincoln-Way (West)) (MD 17-7)

Charlie Tustin (Lincoln-Way (West)) d. James Moulton (Bradley-Bourbonnais) (F 0:28)

126

Cameron Hamill (Lincoln-Way (East)) d. Joseph Borowski (Joliet (Central)) (MD 9-1)

Jayce Marcano (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Jesus Novas (Thornton) (TF 21-5)

132

Lucas Ankarlo (Lincoln-Way (East)) d. Brendan Bastida (Bloom Township) (TF 16-0)

Cooper Cox (Lincoln-Way (West)) d. Ethan Punzalan (Manteno) (D 6-5)

138

Gavin Sonne (Lincoln-Way (West)) d. Alex Uloswceh (Tinley Park (Andrew)) (F 1:00)

Chase LaGesse (Bradley-Bourbonnais) d. Cody Truong (Tinley Park (Andrew)) (F 1:27)

144

Bryce Neville (Lincoln-Way (West)) d. Zeke Kundinger (Lincoln-Way (West)) (D 9-3)

Coldyn Holba (Lincoln-Way (West)) d. Anthony Holder (Lincoln-Way (East)) (F 3:31)

150

Henry Maier (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Sean O`Connor (Lincoln-Way (West)) (F 4:17)

Andrew Clark (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Jackson Trotter (Lincoln-Way (West)) (MD 19-6)

157

Naijier Morris (Homewood-Flossmoor) d. Jonathan Wilkey (Lincoln-Way (West)) (MD 11-3)

Amer Salah (Lincoln-Way (East)) d. Xavier Feliciano (Homewood-Flossmoor) (D 6-5)

165

Henry Bohms (Lincoln-Way (East)) d. Maurice Burbridge (Bradley-Bourbonnais) (F 2:59)

Luis Rodriguez (Joliet (Central)) d. Michael Ryan (Tinley Park (Andrew)) (F 4:54)

175

Charlie Morzuch (Lincoln-Way (West)) d. Cullen Bramer (Kankakee (Bishop McNamara)) (TF 16-1)

Armane Hale (Thornton) d. Zach Chenoweth (Peotone) (F 1:48)

190

Cameron Moskos (Lincoln-Way (West)) d. Jacob Wagner (Lincoln-Way (East)) (D 5-1)

Harrison Joiner (Kankakee) d. David Day (Kankakee) (TF 21-5)

215

Kendrick Crite (Kankakee) d. Alex Krzeczkowski (Lincoln-Way (West)) (F 3:24)

King Jones (Rich Township) d. Shaun Chantome (Manteno) (D 9-4)

285

Taron Ramsey (Joliet (Central)) d. Elex Mitchell (Homewood-Flossmoor) (F 0:14)

James Price (Tinley Park (Andrew)) d. Brayden Shaub (Lincoln-Way (West)) (MD 10-2)

Joliet West Regional

101

Julian Paniagua (Bolingbrook) d. Collin Bryant (Reed-Custer) (TF 16-1)

Julian Godina (Lockport (Twp.)) d. Evan Jacobsen (Lemont) (F 1:41)

106

Logan Hileman (Plainfield (North)) d. Julian Medina (Bolingbrook) (FF)

Jeremiah Cuevas (Bolingbrook) d. Brayden Hunt (Morris) (TF 18-0)

113

Finn Fifer (Lincoln-Way Central) d. Rick Berger (Plainfield (Central)) (F 0:56)

Carter Kehr (Joliet West) d. Joseph Dulce (Lockport (Twp.)) (F 4:25)

120

Sullivan Lipscomb (Minooka) d. Najeeb Ejaidi (Lincoln-Way Central) (MD 10-0)

Noah Rauen (Plainfield (North)) d. Dylan Tobin (Lemont) (F 1:10)

126

Ryan Wicks (Lockport (Twp.)) d. Oliver Blackburn (Minooka) (MD 10-2)

Nathan Kuntz (Reed-Custer) d. Drew Ritchie (Plainfield (South)) (D 18-15)

132

Chase Valentine (Morris) d. Samuel Sabo (Plainfield (North)) (F 4:10)

Jace Vazquez (Lockport (Twp.)) d. Kurtz Yeboah (Plainfield (North)) (TF 17-2)

138

Caleb Rogers (Lincoln-Way Central) d. Evan Lamas (Plainfield (North)) (TF 15-0)

Rylan West (Reed-Custer) d. Nathaniel Ruiz (Joliet West) (TF 16-0)

144

Giovanni Baker (Joliet West) d. Griffin Elder (Lockport (Twp.)) (F 1:51)

Aaron Pulido (Joliet West) d. Colin Boyer (Lincoln-Way Central) (D 7-3)

150

Rylan Benicky (Plainfield (East)) d. Blake Bucon (Plainfield (South)) (MD 14-0)

Connor McKinney (Lockport (Twp.)) d. Jordyn Ervins (Plainfield (North)) (D 10-4)

157

Dandre Franco (Bolingbrook) d. Jimmy Medina (Plainfield (South)) (F 1:39)

Ernesto Diaz (Bolingbrook) d. Kase Ludwig (Lincoln-Way Central) (F 3:46)

165

Emiliano Ramirez (Plainfield (Central)) d. Calvin Huizinga (Lincoln-Way Central) (FF)

Carter Cullen (Lincoln-Way Central) d. Kymari Mansheck (Plainfield (South)) (F 1:48)

175

Colton Coughlen (Minooka) d. Colton Vaughn (Clifton Central) (F 0:46)

Shaheen Shalash (Lincoln-Way Central) d. Anthony Aparicio (Bolingbrook) (TF 22-2)

190

Jonathan Rivera (Romeoville) d. Hunter Radtke (Clifton Central) (D 7-6)

Julius Pierscionek (Plainfield (South)) d. Tomas Taujanskas (Lemont) (TF 20-5)

215

Noah Kirby (Plainfield (North)) d. Romeo Ruiz (Joliet West) (F 2:57)

Darren Peterson (Plainfield (Central)) d. Javier Serrano (Joliet West) (D 7-1)

285

Anthony Samanich (Lockport (Twp.)) d. Brayden Mrazek (Lockport (Twp.)) (F 3:47)

Giuliano Salazar (Romeoville) d. Nate Zeffield (Bolingbrook) (F 1:56)

SHEPARD SECTIONAL

Oak Lawn Regional

101

Crue Hatchell (Marist) d. Rocco Maheras (Marist) (F 2:21)

Fran Blake (Chicago (Mt. Carmel)) d. Clark Nordwall (Shepard) (F 0:38)

106

Kevin Bisonaya (Chicago (Mt. Carmel)) d. Lucas Vajarsky (Orland Park (Sandburg)) (TF 15-0)

Daniel Torres (Palos Hills (Stagg)) d. Ethan Haro (Richards) (D 3-0)

113

Daniel Macatangay (Chicago (Mt. Carmel)) d. Matt Ruiz (Shepard) (TF 18-0)

Liam Kissane (St. Laurence) d. Brandon Kalman (Orland Park (Sandburg)) (SV-1 4-1)

120

Leonardo Ortiz (Orland Park (Sandburg)) d. Aiden Weber (Marist) (D 7-2)

Reginald McMillian (Shepard) d. Jaden Floyd (Shepard) (TF 17-1)

126

Ameer Mohammed (Orland Park (Sandburg)) d. Christian Flores (Orland Park (Sandburg)) (D 4-0)

Vincent Richko (Chicago (Mt. Carmel)) d. Papa Diallo (Evergreen Park) (F 0:37)

132

William Leen (Marist) d. Jaylon Coleman (Orland Park (Sandburg)) (TB-1 6-1)

Luke Erwinski (Chicago (Mt. Carmel)) d. Zain Falhi (Oak Lawn) (F 0:33)

138

Vincent Miceli (Brother Rice) d. Isaac Liu (Palos Heights (Chicago Christian)) (F 2:44)

Carter Shane (Oak Lawn) d. Daniel Ramirez (Oak Lawn) (MD 10-2)

144

Jaxon Gineris (Chicago (Mt. Carmel)) d. Khalid Eid (Oak Lawn) (D 6-5)

Aiden Garces (Shepard) d. Joe Vela (Orland Park (Sandburg)) (F 3:26)

150

Arturo Balderas (Brother Rice) d. Skylar Arellano-Phipps (Argo) (F 1:38)

Brandon Leech (Shepard) d. Cruz Arroyo (Orland Park (Sandburg)) (MD 13-3)

157

Shafik Yasin (Orland Park (Sandburg)) d. Jonathan Fields (Marist) (Inj. 0:00)

John Leech (Shepard) d. Beckam Smith (Tinley Park (HS)) (F 4:42)

165

Liam Thompson (Shepard) d. Melsyon Vrapi (Orland Park (Sandburg)) (F 2:36)

Ben Adcock (Richards) d. Ethan Pettis (Marist) (F 4:32)

175

Michael Starzyk (Argo) d. Kellan Breen (Chicago (Mt. Carmel)) (F 4:42)

Andrew Gutierrez (Orland Park (Sandburg)) d. Ernesto Castaneda (Shepard) (F 1:30)

190

Brendan Kalchbrenner (Brother Rice) d. Nathan Diaz (Evergreen Park) (F 1:36)

Zayd Hamideh (Orland Park (Sandburg)) d. Zaid Said (Oak Lawn) (F 0:40)

215

Nathan Hernandez (Oak Lawn) d. Harold Pfeiffer (Brother Rice) (F 2:48)

Fahd Lutfi (Oak Lawn) d. Aaron Gallacher (Tinley Park (HS)) (F 2:01)

285

Timothy Harrison (Chicago (Mt. Carmel)) d. Luke Malburg (Marist) (F 2:43)

Ahmad Abdullah (Orland Park (Sandburg)) d. Alejandro Covarrubias (Tinley Park (HS)) (F 4:22)

Sarah Goode Regional

101

Jesse Green (Ag Science) d. Juan Ospina (Solorio) (MD 22-9)

106

Alpha Kamate (King) d. Zachary Thomas (Ag Science) (TF 18-0)

Zachary Thomas (Ag Science) d. Jayden Robles (Kelly) (D 13-10)

113

Shamar Jones (St. Rita) d. Eduardo Garcia (Sarah Goode) (D 11-8)

Alonso Gomez (Payton/Jones) d. Fabian Munoz (Hubbard) (F 1:29)

120

Frank Valle (St. Ignatius) d. Zach Brost (St. Rita) (D 6-5)
Alexandar Tovar (St. Rita) d. Brendan Foster (St. Rita) (F 1:56)

126

Robert Nickson (Leo Catholic) d. Mateo Villanueva (De La Salle) (TF 25-9)

Armando Rodriguez (Kelly) d. Lorenzo Flowers (Corliss) (MD 14-6)

132

Leland Pulido (Curie) d. Jayden Carrasco (De La Salle) (D 15-11)

Francisco Ambriz (Hancock) d. Marco Del Toro (St. Francis de Sales) (D 12-7)

138

Joseph Franklin (St. Rita) d. Bryce Moore (Ag Science) (MD 14-2)

Deontae Anderson (King) d. Jelani Wells (Ag Science) (D 10-6)

144

Lorenzo Harris (Marshall) d. Lucas Sanchez (St. Ignatius) (D 6-5)

Dion Cashaw (Kenwood) d. Mark Styles (Payton/Jones) (D 9-3)

150

AMDe Long (Corliss) d. Kendrian Walker (Noble UIC) (F 3:57)

Ayende Franklin (Kenwood) d. Hudson Schupp (St. Ignatius) (F 0:55)

157

Damarion Ambrose (Corliss) d. Deonte Thomas (Noble UIC) (D 3-2)

Charlie Perek (St. Rita) d. Santiago Valadez (Curie) (F 2:59)

165

Andy Cuevas (Curie) d. Vince Chiorlu (Noble UIC) (F 4:45)

Adrian Gutierrez (De La Salle) d. Dennis Divinity (Ag Science) (F 1:33)

175

Micah Ruiz (Payton/Jones) d. Ethan Jones (King) (F 0:26)

Adam Pietraszek (Payton/Jones) d. David Montes (Ag Science) (F 2:34)

190

Sylvester Staples (Ag Science) d. Michael Carillo (St. Francis de Sales) (F 0:19)

Hudson Latino (Payton/Jones) d. Daniel Kenerson (Ag Science) (F 1:29)

215

Martayvion Wilson (Curie) d. Frank Villella (St. Francis de Sales) (F 1:40)

Emilio Lara (St. Rita) received a bye () (Bye)

285

Angel Regalado (Solorio) d. Zerik Hernandez (Golder) (F 2:48)

Joel Delgado (Solorio) d. Isaiah Oviedo (Noble UIC) (F 2:35)

Regional feeding the IWCOA Granite City and Heyworth Sectionals on March 8

Qualifiers listed by first- and third-place match results

GRANITE CITY SECTIONAL

Belleville West Regional

101

Zander Johnson (Granite City) d. Curtis Johnson (Cahokia) (F 2:24)

Eli Schaefer (Freeburg) d. William Vincent (Salem) (MFF)

106

Brendan Stewart (Effingham) d. Bo Allison (Jersey) (D 6-3)

Cameron Urbaniak (Herrin) d. Brayden Jackson (Freeburg) (TF 18-0)

113

Austin Jones (Alton (Sr.)) d. Logan Lott (Mascoutah) (TF 17-0)

John Smith (Bethalto (Civic Memorial)) d. Eli Quartz (Freeburg) (D 11-9)

120

Charles St. Peters (Alton (Sr.)) d. Isaac Wood (Carterville) (F 0:36)

Dominic Goodman (Waterloo) d. David Kinscherff (Troy Triad) (TF 17-1)

126

Xavier Sonon-Hale (Mascoutah) d. Rylan Moore (Salem) (MD 16-8)

Kyler Reisner (Mt. Vernon) d. Cole Pilliard (Troy Triad) (MD 13-0)

132

Bradley Odell (Carbondale) d. Brendon Jones (Benton) (TF 17-0)

Ronin Schmidt (Troy Triad) d. Devon Jensen (Freeburg) (MD 21-11)

138

Lukas Quartz (Freeburg) d. Jacob Sutphin (Alton (Sr.)) (MD 15-4)

Jackson Parnell (Bethalto (Civic Memorial)) d. Emmitt Cooley (Mt. Carmel) (D 9-3)

144

Jase Holshouser (Anna-Jonesboro) d. Gavin Phillips (Salem) (F 0:40)

Jaden White (Frankfort) d. Micheal Goodwin (Mt. Vernon) (F 2:03)

150

Braxton Glodo (Sparta) d. Alonzo Lofton (Bethalto (Civic Memorial)) (F 1:59)

Kade Orrell (Salem) d. Dominic Miller (Johnston City) (F 2:14)

157

Tyler Nolan (Red Bud) d. Elliot Imboden (Carbondale) (TF 19-3)

Isaiah Hall (Mt. Carmel) d. Phoenix Hickam (Murphysboro) (D 7-5)

165

Dexter McClendon (Granite City) d. Titus Dover (Anna-Jonesboro) (F 1:50)

Cole Evans (Carmi-White County) d. Bryson Aaron (Frankfort) (D 4-3)

175

Cohen Albatt (Troy Triad) d. Phoenix Pilcher (Salem) (TF 19-3)

Branson Burnett (Carmi-White County) d. Da`Kevion Rose (Belleville (East)) (F 0:27)

190

Jahari Tucker (Cahokia) d. Paul-Ray Garrett (Mt. Carmel) (F 3:32)

Nate Page (Marion) d. Antonio Monroe (Sparta) (TF 19-2)

215

Marc Leahy Jr (Troy Triad) d. Mlyk Berry (Cahokia) (D 7-4)

Jesse Williams (Benton) d. Tristin Vail (Marion) (F 2:09)

285

Darrell Bibbs (Belleville (East)) d. Donnie Olmstead (Freeburg) (F 0:22)

Carter Pyatt (Mt. Carmel) d. Kamen Anderson (Alton (Sr.)) (F 4:27)

Springfield Regional

101

Jordan Friday (Camp Point (Central)) d. Jacob Borchers (Beardstown) (TF 16-1)

Zaiden Turner (Jacksonville) d. Braycen Douglas (Pittsfield) (F 0:18)

106

Braylon Maggio (Williamsville) d. D`andre English (Springfield (Lanphier)) (F 3:32)

Tilman O`Connell (Springfield (H.S.)) d. Noah Barnes (Taylorville) (F 1:40)

113

Jack Welch (Camp Point (Central)) d. Zack Bean (Piasa (Southwestern)) (MD 13-3)

Griffin Finch (Quincy (Sr.)) d. Austin Barr (Rochester) (D 6-1)

120

Greyson Steele (Camp Point (Central)) d. Jude Hoehn (Marshall) (F 0:53)

Alex Woudenberg (Springfield (H.S.)) received a bye () (Bye)

126

Cael Taylor (Williamsville) d. Sebastian Adams (Rochester) (MD 13-1)

Elijah Harris (Springfield (H.S.)) d. Gary Fitzjarrell (Springfield (Sacred Heart Griffin)) (TF 20-4)

132

Austin Olps (Camp Point (Central)) d. Logan Borrowman (Pittsfield) (TF 17-0)

Ariel Lopez Banderas (Warrensburg-Latham) d. Kaden Presnell (Taylorville) (F 2:41)

138

Hector Vasquez Morales (Jacksonville) d. Dante Wade (Springfield (Southeast)) (D 9-2)

Lucas Coggins (Piasa (Southwestern)) d. Nolan Komnick (Auburn) (D 9-3)

144

Jace Bodine (Petersburg PORTA) d. Zyan Stoeff (Springfield (Southeast)) (D 2-0)

Ethan Paul (Quincy (Sr.)) d. Kenyon Matthews (Jacksonville) (F 0:14)

150

Jovonis Lunford (Springfield (Sacred Heart Griffin)) d. Wes Ortiz (Jacksonville) (F 4:05)

Kendall Boward (Petersburg PORTA) d. Tahj Morens (Springfield (Lanphier)) (D 10-7)

157

John Marshall (Illinois United) d. Lucas Frieden (Pittsfield) (F 0:30)

Vincent Edmondson (Quincy (Notre Dame)) d. Landyn Seal (Pittsfield) (F 4:31)

165

Roman Lilo (Quincy (Sr.)) d. Colby Midiri (Pleasant Plains) (F 1:56)

Jeremy Judd (Springfield (Sacred Heart Griffin)) d. Lukus Barnes (Springfield (Southeast)) (MD 10-0)

175

Rocco Giannavola (Marshall) d. Owen Alderson (Williamsville) (D 8-4)
Kenton Rule (Warrensburg-Latham) d. Hayden Greenia (Jacksonville) (F 2:58)

190

Ayden Williams (Auburn) d. Thomas Stafford (Marshall) (F 2:13)

John Haynes (Piasa (Southwestern)) d. Aiden Wallis (Springfield (Southeast)) (F 1:38)

215
Logan Haverback (Beardstown) d. Dylan Leonard (Pittsfield) (F 0:56)

Liam Heise (Jacksonville) d. Jeffery Orrill (Quincy (Sr.)) (SV-1 4-1)

285

Eli Zanger (Quincy (Sr.)) d. Kevin Gaines (Springfield (Southeast)) (F 1:59)

Liam Davis (Taylorville) d. Arion Sneed (Springfield (H.S.)) (F 5:49)

HEYWORTH SECTIONAL

Clinton Regional

101

Levi Lee (St. Joseph Ogden) d. Ashtyn Copley (Colfax (Ridgeview)) (F 2:42)

Noah Cothern (Clinton) d. Mateo Anaya (Clinton) (MD 12-1)

106

Dylan Warner (Hoopeston) d. Andrew Patino (Prarie Central) (D 7-0)

Treyton Zimmerman (Prarie Central) d. Kason Cramer (Westville) (F 3:42)

113

Hayden Hazel (Olney) d. Sawyer Manning (Colfax (Ridgeview)) (MD 10-1)

Creed Cole (Mattoon) d. Jake Baughman (LeRoy) (F 3:40)

120

Gracen Elliott (Robinson) d. Clayton Fisher (Mt. Zion) (F 1:45)

Austin Pacha (LeRoy) d. Alex Reynolds (Mt. Zion) (D 10-7)

126

Jack Voigts (Pontiac) d. Maison Chandler (Mt. Zion) (MD 11-0)

Aiden Komnick (Monticello) d. Jamir Woods (St. Thomas More) (F 1:54)

132

Martavious Johnson (Datur (Eisenhower)) d. Holden Barr (Mattoon) (D 13-10)

Jaxson Bagwell (Mattoon) d. Edwin Rutledge (Heyworth) (F 4:40)

138

Braden Opperman (Pontiac) d. Ty Lytle (Mattoon) (F 1:56)

Trevion Murphy (Datur (Eisenhower)) d. Brenner Hayes (Mt. Zion) (D 10-7)

144

Johnathan Kirkbride (Shelbyville) d. Samuel Dial (Olney) (D 4-3)

Connor Misner (Mt. Zion) d. Elijah Rockey (Mt. Zion) (MD 16-4)

150

Jaymion Cunningham (Danville) d. Dorin Coss (Hoopeston) (D 7-3)

Deven Tutwiler (Westville) d. Keagan Reed (St. Joseph Ogden) (F 4:07)

157

Daniel Nichols (Cumberland) d. Hayden Smith (Tolono (Unity)) (F 1:45)

Cristian Ornelas (Colfax (Ridgeview)) d. Lazzerick Zander (Champaign (Centennial)) (MD 18-6)

165

Camden Schoolcraft (Westville) d. Cohen Eubanks (Mt. Zion) (D 11-10)

Logan Wagoner (Colfax (Ridgeview)) d. Michael Young (Datur (Eisenhower)) (D 10-3)

175

Carter Ludwig (Colfax (Ridgeview)) d. Tucker Hoyt (Shelbyville) (F 2:03)

Jaylen Davis (Rantoul) d. Roland Chambers (Westville) (D 12-5)

190

Anderson Fisher (Shelbyville) d. Elijah Mowery (Prarie Central) (F 0:14)

Mathias Araya-Romero (Urbana) d. Alex Mager (Rantoul) (D 6-2)

215

Tucker Hill (Robinson) d. Connor Stockton (Shelbyville) (F 0:53)

Jude Dausey (Lawrenceville) d. Jackson Ritch (LeRoy) (D 8-4)

285

Remington Bryant (Charleston) d. Ethan Sexton (Heyworth) (F 0:55)

Anthony Escobedo (Robinson) d. Jovante Fields (Datur (Eisenhower)) (F 2:05)

Normal Community Regional

101

Dakota Harmon (Ottawa (Marquette)) d. Colton Bevers (Normal (Community)) (F 0:59)

Gabriel Eads (Normal (Community)) d. Evan Bierma (Morton) (TF 17-1)

106

Bryce Kuhlman (Normal (Community)) d. Connor Eggers (Ottawa (Marquette)) (F 2:04)

Maison Burgard (Washington) d. Dawson Ohl (Deer Creek Mackinaw) (TF 17-0)

113

Micah Jackson (Washington) d. Jesus De La Cruz (Peoria (Notre Dame)) (TF 16-0)

Ben Marshall (Deer Creek Mackinaw) d. Braxton Shemansky (Pekin) (F 1:20)

120

Logan Huenefeld (Ottawa (Marquette)) d. Liam Major (Illini Bluffs) (Maj 12-0)
Elliot Grove (Metamora) d. Maxx Jager (Normal (West)) (TF 17-1)

126

Nicholas Weber (Tremont) d. Carson Yokel (Normal (Community)) (TF 18-2)

Logan Keller (Limestone) d. Zech Chasten (Morton) (F 2:55)

132

Gavin Stoecker (Tremont) d. Landon Darst (Galesburg) (F 0:29)

Kole Vanmiddlesworth (Canton) d. Braden Hartnett (Washington) (Maj 13-5)

138

Draven Geltz (Tremont) d. Connor Petrakis (Peoria (Notre Dame)) (MFF)

Ogdan Parker (Illini Bluffs) d. Joseph Nelson (Richwoods) (F 2:08)

144

Jshawn Wilson (Peoria (Notre Dame)) d. Lucas Darmer (Knoxville) (TF 30-15)

Cayden Park (Washington) d. Dj Heatherly (Galesburg) (F 4:22)

150

David Wallinger (Illini Bluffs) d. Caleb Hippen (Metamora) (D 11-5)

Ray Carey (Bloomington) d. Dylan Allen (Galesburg) (F 0:29)

157

Zane Heubi (Washington) d. Dayson Williams (Normal (West)) (F 3:14)

Kaedyn McLeish (Richwoods) d. Corbin Holzhauer (Normal (West)) (F 2:51)

165

Collin Jones (Morton) d. Jayden Hermacinski (Richwoods) (F 4:06)

Levi Pearson (Knoxville) d. Draidan Mayfield (Havana) (TF 15-0)

175

Sean Martinez (Richwoods) d. Gaige Hunt (Tremont) (Maj 13-5)

Ty Gardner (Bloomington) d. Owen Weiss (Tremont) (F 3:47)

190

Gabe Deltoro (East Peoria) d. Ashton Helberg (Eureka) (TB-1 2-1)

Tucker Mosbach (Normal (West)) d. Zavian Turner (Bloomington) (D 7-1)

215

Bradyn Haynes (Pekin) d. Jayden Williams (Bloomington) (F 2:37)

Vince King (Bloomington) d. Amarii Ollie (Normal (Community)) (F 2:14)

285

Reginald Luckett (Normal (Community)) d. Landon Petty (Galesburg) (F 4:13)

Peyton Henderson (Eureka) d. Andrew Abernathie (Morton) (F 0:21)

Regionals feeding the IWCOA Naperville Central and Evanston Sectionals on March 8

Qualifiers listed by first- and third-place match results

NAPERVILLE CENTRAL SECTIONAL

Glenbard South Regional

101

Donovan Johnson (Aurora (West)) d. Anthony Aguirre (Yorkville) (F 1:49)

Jose Garcia (Aurora (Metea Valley)) d. Leo Raitano (Glenbard West) (TF 19-4)

106

Leo Salas (South Elgin) d. Leo Richmond (Yorkville) (F 0:40)

Noah Gilbert (Glenbard North) d. Oliver Ponce Gomez (Glenbard West) (D 7-3)

113

Ben Sallas (Glenbard West) d. Joseph Calvillo (Batavia) (D 6-2)

Jadiel Castillo (Glenbard North) d. Devin DiSilvestro (Geneva) (Inj. 0:00)

120

Aidan Ambre (Aurora (West)) d. Lukas Thompson (Glenbard North) (SV-1 10-7)

Jackson Baumrucker (Glenbard West) d. Chris Jones (Wheaton Warrenville South) (SV-1 10-7)

126

Rj Festerling (Yorkville Christian) d. Eric Castillo (Aurora (West)) (D 4-2)

Alexander Andel (Yorkville) d. Baiel Taalaibekov (Wheaton Warrenville South) (F 4:14)

132

Mike Riggs (Wheaton Warrenville South) d. Jace Serpa (West Chicago) (Inj. 0:00)

Zaid Lupian (Aurora (East)) d. Mason Seybold (Yorkville) (D 11-7)

138

Nolan Chrisse (Yorkville) d. Jaxson Kocur (Yorkville) (TF 15-0)

Joshue Delgado (Aurora (East)) d. Connor Ignacio (South Elgin) (D 6-2)

144

Vincent Konecki (Yorkville) d. Amar Franklin (Aurora (West)) (F 3:49)

Xavier Morales (Glenbard North) d. Logan Kremitzki (Aurora (Waubonsie Valley)) (F 0:34)

150

Doug Mejdrich (St. Charles (North)) d. Martese Owens (Glenbard South) (F 2:30)

Cris Lopez (Aurora (Waubonsie Valley)) d. Jack Petrie (Wheaton Warrenville South) (F 0:55)

157

Kevin Sanchez (Aurora (East)) d. Cashton Monroe (Batavia) (D 6-5)

Trevor Snyder (Wheaton Warrenville South) d. Aidan Delahanty (Glenbard West) (F 2:55)

165

Myles-Avery Holland (Yorkville Christian) d. Navruz Allasov (Aurora (West)) (TF 22-7)

Lucas Ouimet (Glenbard North) d. Julio Llanos (Aurora (West)) (D 9-6)

175

Erick Rivera (Yorkville) d. Kevin Grigler (Aurora (Metea Valley)) (F 1:44)

Dallin Ames (Glenbard South) d. Diego Mondragon (Aurora (East)) (F 0:19)

190

Landree Dracousis (South Elgin) d. Sam Freeman (Glenbard West) (SV-1 14-7)

Darius Lee Morales (Larkin) d. Daniel Thawng (Glenbard North) (F 1:46)

215

Andrew Munsen (Aurora (Waubonsie Valley)) d. Nathan Hurtado (Aurora (Waubonsie Valley)) (D 5-2)

Estevan Ramirez (Aurora (East)) d. Jackson Meier (Yorkville) (F 2:40)

285

Dean Woszczyna (Glenbard North) d. Joel Ramos (West Chicago) (F 1:18)

Adam Mokelke (Yorkville) d. Angel Ruiz (Glenbard North) (F 2:46)

EVANSTON SECTIONAL

Glenbrook South Regional

101

Lincoln Curley (Maine West) d. Andrew Gamba (Maine South) (D 10-5)

Nurmukhamet Taiirov (Maine East) d. Tyler Bevan (Evanston) (MD 8-0)

106

Jake Pechter (Deerfield) d. Troy Rotter (Deerfield) (TF 20-3)

Nicholas Karlesky (Maine South) d. Nicholas Farrell (Glenbrook South) (TF 17-1)

113

Michael Anguiano (Glenbrook North) d. Zachary Goldman (Glenbrook North) (MD 9-1)

Jairo Kish (Maine East) d. Patrick Hanley (Loyola Academy) (F 0:56)

120

Luke Baum (Maine South) d. Jacob Badal (Niles (North)) (TB-1 2-1)

Michael Uhler (Glenbrook North) d. Ben Couri (Loyola Academy) (D 8-2)

126

Oliver Michie (Glenbrook North) d. Sonor Munkhbat (Glenbrook South) (F 4:12)

Lj Vazquez (Deerfield) d. Donato Coloia (Maine South) (F 4:44)

132

Benjamin Howard (Deerfield) d. Urban Baum (Maine South) (F 3:39)

Roman Ocampo (Glenbrook South) d. Eli Brown (Glenbrook South) (FF)

138

Kevin Hamilton (Maine South) d. David Cruz (Evanston) (F 4:17)

Bryce Oerke (New Trier) d. Jovan Nozinic (Maine South) (D 5-3)

144

Joshua Edelheit (Glenbrook South) d. Sean Smylie (Loyola Academy) (MD 11-2)

George Dilorenzo (Maine South) d. Kevin Pedersen (Maine South) (F 3:24)

150

Angel Martinez (Deerfield) d. Martin Lydon (Maine South) (D 13-7)

Cesar Albnoroz (Evanston) d. Nathan Miller (DePaul (F 0:56)

157

Harrison Yankellow (Lane Tech) d. Jackson Drane (Loyola Academy) (D 11-7)
Aiden Lacoste (Deerfield) d. Eitan Spolter (Ida Crown) (F 1:55)

165

Bryce Kopinski (Glenbrook South) d. Logan Stave (New Trier) (FF)

Ari Shyovitz (Ida Crown) received a bye () (Bye)

175

Art Bytqui (Evanston) d. Nicholas Marcus (Niles (North)) (F 2:43)

Drew Sendre (DePaul d. Samuel Thillens (Maine South) (F 1:46)

190

Tommy Tures (New Trier) d. Logan Nesbitt (Deerfield) (TF 21-5)

Musa Amin (Evanston) d. Sean O`Connor (DePaul (F 2:08)

215

Brooks Tyler (Evanston) d. Josh Dixon (Deerfield) (D 9-5)

Nico Trautman (DePaul d. Gregory Hudgins (Maine South) (F 0:58)

285

Andres Thomas (Evanston) d. George Dunn (DePaul (F 0:26)

Michael Maddex (Loyola Academy) d. Jonathan Shimota (New Trier) (F 2:46)

Notre Dame College Prep Regional

101

Grant Fisher (Leyden) d. Angelo Alcantar (Berwyn Cicero (Morton)) (F 3:00)
Santino Scardina (Fenwick) d. Alex Barkhoo (Niles (West)) (TF 16-0)

106

Danny Huerta (Leyden) d. Daniel Barganski (Niles (Notre Dame) (TF 22-4)

Logan Ferguson (Addison Trail) d. Dreyton Pedregosa (Taft) (D 12-8)

113

Maurizio Campana (Fenwick) d. Chase Pabst (Chicago (St. Patrick)) (D 9-3)

John Barkhoo (Niles (West)) d. Braulio Ortega (Addison Trail) (D 8-7)

120

Alezander Bautista (Addison Trail) d. Micah Machin (Clemente) (TF 16-0)

Leonardo Rodriguez (Taft) d. Jeremy Stani (Elmhurst (York)) (D 6-2)

126

Santiago Trejo (Addison Trail) d. Bairon Dejesus (Provise (West)) (F 3:46)

Lucas Goldman (Niles (Notre Dame) d. Joseph Villazana (Elmhurst (York)) (F 0:54)

132

Zander Spatafore (Elk Grove) d. Ismail Mehmedovic (Niles (West)) (D 7-1)

Charles Brown (Elmhurst (York)) d. Gabriel Shamie (Chicago (St. Patrick)) (D 5-0)

138

Zabiel Lagunas (Leyden) d. Constantino Palmisano (Ridgewood) (MD 8-0)

Benjamin Skinkys (Elmhurst (York)) d. Connor Mullins (Elk Grove) (F 0:49)

144

Antonio Reyes ii (Chicago (St. Patrick)) d. Sean Campbell (Elmhurst (York)) (F 1:23)

Evan Umana (Fenton) d. Stephen Gryglas (Elmhurst (York)) (F 2:28)

150

Mark Bilek (Chicago (St. Patrick)) d. Alan Krupinski (Ridgewood) (MD 15-4)

Cole Jenkinson (Niles (Notre Dame) d. Kiernan Mccann (Chicago (St. Patrick)) (F 2:37)

157

Quinn Paris (Fenwick) d. Dijon Cotton (Provise (West)) (D 4-3)

Nathaniel Olivares (Chicago (St. Patrick)) d. Derion Davis (Proviso East) (F 0:29)

165

Conner O`neill (Leyden) d. Kingston Upshaw (Intrinsic Downtown Charter) (D 4-0)

Jerry Walsh (Elmhurst (York)) d. Damian Alonso (Fenton) (F 3:33)

175

Noah Blust (Elmhurst (York)) d. Julian Vargas (Chicago (St. Patrick)) (TF 20-3)
Joe Hanley (Chicago (St. Patrick)) d. Cash Gunn (Niles (Notre Dame) (F 1:00)

190

Joseph Valentino (Chicago (St. Patrick)) d. Nathan Chalabi (Niles (West)) (F 1:37)

Rafael Baez (Chicago (St. Patrick)) d. Capper Tyler (Proviso East) (F 2:45)

215

Aaron Corral (Fenton) d. Xavier Velazquez (Berwyn Cicero (Morton)) (F 1:49)

Isaiah Alfaro (Berwyn Cicero (Morton)) d. Darren Hayes (Chicago (St. Patrick)) (MD 21-11)

285

Martavion Howard (Proviso East) d. Constantine Martinez (Fenton) (F 2:35)

Jhulyan Carter (Niles (Notre Dame) d. Jayden Gomez (Berwyn Cicero (Morton)) (F 2:21)

IHSA Girls Individual State Finals preview

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 02:04:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

The IHSA will hold its fifth Girls Individual State Finals this Friday and Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

Friday’s session begins with round 1 at 9 a.m. with round 1, while the quarterfinals and round 1 wrestlebacks start at 11 a.m. and the round 2 wrestlebacks are set for 1:30 p.m.

Saturday’s session features the semifinals and round 3 wrestlebacks at 9 a.m. and the consolation semifinals are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. The placement matches are at 12:15 p.m. with the Grand March at 1:45 p.m. and the championship matches, beginning at 190, are set ti begin at 2 p.m.

A total of 224 girls representing 145 teams will be on hand for the two-day competition and those who finish in the top-six at their weight classes receive all-state honors.

The top-scoring team wins the IHSA championship and the second- and third-place teams also get trophies.

Three-time medalists in the field include Lockport Township senior Claudia Heeney, a champion at 135 last season and at 130 in 2024 after taking second at 125 in 2023.

Other three-time medalists are Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon (2nd at 115 in 2025, 4th at 115 in 2024, 3rd at 110 in 2023), Batavia’s Lily Enos (5th at 100 in 2025, 3rd at 100 in 2024, 5th at 100 in 2023), Wheeling’s Jasmine Rene (4th at 190 in 2025, 3rd at 190 in 2024, 4th at 190 in 2023) and Glenbard East’s Nadiia Shymkiv (2nd at 105 in 2025, 3rd at 105 in 2024, 4th at 105 in 2023).

Kaneland’s Angelina Gochis is another two-time defending champion, placing first at 110 last and first at 105 in 2024. Cumberland’s Natalie Beaumont took first at 145 last season and was second at 135 in 2024.

Heeney and Gochis look to become three-time IHSA champions and join Hononegah’s Angelina Cassioppi (2022 to 2025, 4 titles), Freeport’s Cadence Diduch (2022 to 2024, 3 titles), Glenbard North’s Gabby Gomez (2022 to 2024, 3 titles) and Batavia’s Sydney Perry (2022 to 2024, 3 titles) as the only individuals who have won three or more state championships.

Other defending state champions are Hinsdale South’s Callie Carr (155), Rockford East’s Saya Hongmoungkhoune (100) and Roxana’s Chloe Skiles (105).

Additional two-time medalists are Lincoln-Way co-op’s Zoe Dempsey, Glenbrook North co-op’s Ariella Dobin, DeKalb’s Alex Gregorio-Perez, Unity’s Phoenix Molina, Huntley’s Janiah Slaughter and Ottawa Township’s Juliana Thrush and Litchfield/ Mt. Olive co-op’s Rilynn Younker.

Lincoln-Way co-op (Lincoln-Way Central/ Lincoln-Way East/ Lincoln-Way West) has the most qualifiers with seven while Edwardsville ranks second with six qualifiers.

Five other teams advanced four individuals to state, Collinsville, DeKalb, Hampshire, Lane Tech and Schaumburg.

District 230 co-op (Andrew/ Carl Sandburg/ Stagg) won last year’s IHSA title with 66 points while Hampshire took second with 51 points and Kaneland was third with 45.5 points.

Here’s a look at the 14 weight classes at the 2026 IHSA Girls Individual State Finals:

190

Returning medalists (from 2025): Samantha Diehl, Hampshire (36-3) 3rd at 190; Nadia Razzak, Schaumburg (42-2) 5th at 190

Sectional champions: Victoria White, Edwardsville (32-0); Courtney Walls, Rock Island (29-0); Valiere Franco, Fenwick (20-4); and Samantha Diehl

Others: Brooke Stellhorn, Belleville West (22-2); Anjanne Haywood, Guilford (18-4); Kimyra Patrick, Plainfield South (43-5); Addison Briggs, Westville/ Georgetown-Ridge Farm co-op (25-5), Izabell McBride, Waterloo (21-6); Joslyn Coon, Lakes Community (17-6); Lucia Terrazas, Thornton Fractional South (30-9); Sadie Kinsella, Kaneland (28-9); Sophie Kelner, Lockport Township (40-10); Karsyn Robinson, Normal Community West (30-11); Kendra Hayden, Homewood-Flossmoor (31-13)

235

Returning medalists: Phoenix Molina, Unity (34-0) 3rd at 235; Jasmine Rene, Wheeling (34-1) 4th at 190; Lilly Disanto, Urbana (40-7) 4th at 235; Juliana Thrush, Ottawa Township (28-4) 6th at 235

Sectional champions: Sophia Fortis, Maine South (23-2); Rebekah Ramirez, Lockport Township (39-5); Phoenix Molina and Juliana Thrush

Others: Esmeralda Bustamante, Noble/ ITW Speer (40-2), Henessis Villagrana, Romeoville (38-4); Karrine Jenkins, Shepard (37-5); Jasmine Enriquez, Sycamore (31-5); Madeleine Cooley, Jacksonville (14-7); Asreilla Wallace, Glenbard North (40-8); Aarianna Bloyd, DeKalb (32-8); Olivia Rosine, Charleston (24-8); Omowonoula Fajimolu, Evanston Township (23-9); Savannah Trevino, Belvidere (24-10)

100

Returning medalists: Riley Kongkaeow, Round Lake (19-3) 4th at 100; Lily Enos, Batavia (37-3) 5th at 100; Alex Gregorio-Perez, DeKalb (36-3) 6th at 105

Sectional champions: Alexandra Sebek, Oak Forest (30-0); Janiah Slaughter, Huntley (33-2); Madelyn Murphy, Roxana (22-5); Alex Gregorio-Perez

Others: Andaira Marron, J Sterling Morton (35-2); Kendra Ege, Oregon (12-2); Kali Declercq, Hononegah (28-4); Sofia Guerrero, Lane Tech (43-5); Abella Brown, Canton (31-5); Chloe Collins, Olympia (29-5); Eva Hermansson, Woodstock co-op (39-7); Kadi Wilbern, Glenwood (30-8); McKenzie Steinke, Lincoln-Way co-op (40-9); Jhayla Lawson, Mascoutah (20-11)

105

Returning medalists: Saya Hongmoungkhoune, Rockford East (24-1) 1st at 100; Nadiia Shymkiv, Glenbard East (35-3) 2nd at 105; Emma Rogers, Edwardsville (31-6) 6th at 100

Sectional champions: Giselle Arambula, Curie (30-1); Charlotte Nold, Saint Viator (17-1); Saya Hongmoungkhoune; Emma Rogers

Others: Tessa Donaldson, Pekin (27-2); Lily Deibel, Marquette Academy (23-4); J Colbert, Lake View (21-4); Annabelle Mueller, Hampshire (37-5); Larisza Gomez Guevara, DeKalb (38-6); Phoenix Criss, Springfield co-op (27-8); Karsynn Vogel, Quincy Senior (24-8); Dakodia Kelly, Thornton Fractional South (41-9); Emmy Hoselton, Lincoln-Way co-op (40-9); Alexia Glover, PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op (27-9); Tatum De La Vega, District 230 co-op (29-10)

110

Returning medalists: Chloe Skiles, Roxana (25-1) 1st at 105; Jade Hardee, District 230 co-op (41-6) 3rd at 100; Zoey Dodgers, Leyden (29-0) 5th at 105

Sectional champions: Blair Grennan, Newman Central Catholic (32-2); Chloe Skiles; Jade Hardee; Zoey Dodgers

Others: Carmen Jackson, Chicago Agricultural Sciences (25-2); Valeria Pesantes, Elk Grove (23-3); Sunny Aitzemkour, New Trier (33-5); Annalee Haschmeyer, Canton (31-5); Ariel Woodfin, Thornton Township co-op (26-5); Rozlyn Mosher, Erie/ Prophetstown co-op (34-5); Adleigh DeWerff, Edwardsville (31-5); Lily Gwaltney, Ottawa Township (34-6); Angelina Nettey, Plainfield East (20-7), Norah Cwik, Bartlett (35-10); Ivana Torres, Collinsville (35-11); Riley Weems, Belleville West (29-11)

115

Returning medalists: Annalee Aarseth, Crystal Lake South (26-3) 2nd at 110; Zoe Dempsey, Lincoln-Way co-op (45-2) 3rd at 110; Rilynn Younker, Litchfield/ Mt. Olive co-op (35-11) 5th at 110

Sectional champions: Demertria Griffin, Chicago Hope Academy (19-0); Chloe Hedges, Canton (33-3); Zoe Dempsey; Rilynn Younker

Others: Stella Piazza, Hampshire (25-1); Athena Zappas, Stevenson (36-2); Laila Vaughn, Streator Township/ Woodland co-op (41-3), Genevieve Dykstra, Edwardsville (31-3); Baileigh Self, Althoff Catholic (33-4); Angelina Manlapaz, Willowbrook (17-4); Yazmine Garcia, Kelly (28-6); Lyndzey Brewer, Farmington/ Cuba co-op (16-6); Autumn Starr, Bloomington (25-8); Kate Wochner, Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op (22-10); Aaliyah Vazquez, Warren Township (37-11)

120

Returning medalists: Angelina Gochis, Kaneland (27-2) 1st at 110; Amelia Nidelea-Polanin, Hampshire (22-0) 3rd at 115; Lydia King, Geneseo (42-6) 4th at 120

Sectional champions: Nina Nesci, St. Laurence (36-1); Alauni Muex, Marion (44-2); Angelina Gochis; Amelia Nidelea-Polanin

Others: Ashley Basmajian, Metea Valley (8-1); Karolina Konopka, Glenbard West (41-3); Aiyanah Sylvester, West Aurora (31-4); Natasia Kobets, Stevenson (16-4); Ava Mayer, Pekin (26-6); Allie Chong, Edwardsville (24-6); Delaney Ledbetter, Lawrence County co-op (14-6); Ava Enright, Marist (37-7); Catelyn Reese, Frankfort Community/ Christopher co-op (25-9); Amyah Pruitt, Galesburg (21-12); Brynnley Krauchun, District 230 co-op (28-16)

125

Returning medalists: Ariella Dobin, Glenbrook North co-op (35-1) 2nd at 120; Kiely Domyancich, LaSalle-Peru (33-3) 5th at 115; Mary Minogue, Libertyville (12-2) 6th at 120

Sectional champions: Yariah Shaw, Danville (15-0); Rain Scott, Oak Forest (18-1); Charlie Dolan, York (30-2); Samantha Greisen, Seneca (41-4)

Others: Londyn Long, Collinsville (46-5); Isabella Rivas, Schaumburg (40-5); Grace Eiland, Chicago Hope Academy (18-6); Calliope Willman, Metamora (45-8); Olive Linhorst, Edwardsville (23-8), Molly O’Connor, Lemont (41-9), Ryleigh Eriks, Rock Falls (42-9); Aryanna Jones, Alton Senior (21-9); Caleigh Nicholson, Lincoln-Way co-op (37-12)

130

Returning medalists: Sydney Cannon, Mt. Zion (37-0) 2nd at 115; Gianna Arzer, Grayslake Central (12-0) 3rd at 125

Sectional champions: Kerby Germann, Fulton (38-1); Lilly White, Bartlett (36-3); Sydney Cannon; Gianna Arzer

Others: Te’Aja Young, Cahokia (25-3); Keagan Edwards, Glenbard North (47-4); Catherine Diehl, Wheaton Academy (36-4); Alena Oshana, Maine East (45-6); Journey Jackson, Oak Lawn (28-6); Dai Driana Wilford, Galesburg (27-6); Jasmine Zavaleta, Conant (37-7); Sabina Charlebois, Minooka (36-7); Ava Beldo, Unity (34-7); Lamia Irby, Belleville East (21-7); Madison Heneks, Harlem (30-8); Mila Rocush, Shepard (34-11)

135

Returning medalists: Claudia Heeney, Lockport Township (38-3) 1st at 135; Avery Crouch, Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op (29-1) 4th at 135; Bella Castelli, Hononegah (24-2) 5th at 135; Michelle Naftzger, Erie/ Prophetstown co-op (31-4) 5th at 130

Sectional champions: Zabby Badru, Lane Tech (46-1); Jacee Mardirosian, Carterville (35-3); Claudia Heeney; Michelle Naftzger

Others: Karina Lojowski, Stevenson (34-3); Izabel Barrera, Joliet Central (34-4); Mercedes Carrassoco, De La Salle Institute (29-4); Sharon Olorunfemi, Schaumburg (38-6); Jane Kelly, Warren Township (35-11); Kara Zimmerman, DeKalb (31-11); Grecia Garcia, Huntley (36-12); Tamya Terry, Urbana (26-12); Madelyn Edler, Waterloo (33-13); Addyson Bailey, Collinsville (33-14)

140

Returning medalist: Ema Durst, Sycamore (31-1) 4th at 140

Sectional champions: Ricky Ivy, Urbana (44-1); Tyanna Jackson, Warren Township (41-2); Ezra Rodriguez, Minooka (39-4); Nicole Dziura, Barrington (32-4)

Others: Maria Green, Glenbard East (42-2); Audrey Barnes, Granite City (31-2); America Cabrera, Phoenix Military Academy (25-3); Isabella Miller, Oak Park and River Forest (24-4); Alketa Picari, Metea Valley (47-5); Zoe Bloyd, Quincy Senior (28-7); Sophia Domont, Bradley-Bourbonnais (18-7); Abby Kunz, Lincoln-Way co-op (41-8); Sasha Johnson, Antioch (40-9); Annibelle Juarez, Geneseo (36-9); Kimoreyee Ballard, Springfield co-op (25-10)

145

Returning medalist: Natalie Beaumont, Cumberland (20-1) 1st at 145

Sectional champions: Natalie Corona, McHenry (35-0); Giancarla Garduno, Saint Ignatius College Prep (26-2); Emily Taylor, Belvidere (27-5); Natalie Beaumont

Others: Iyobosa Odiase, Oak Forest (35-3); Aaliyah Swearingen, Kewanee (21-4); Leann Cory, Collinsville (42-5); Eila Barbour, Lane Tech (32-5); Miranda Tellez, Grayslake Central (28-6); McKenzie Miller, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op (27-6); Ella Giertuga, Lincoln-Way co-op (36-7); Louisa Enslen, Wheaton Warrenville South (31-7); Macee Hammond, Robinson (23-7); Taylor Sutton, East Peoria (25-8); Ella Cooper, Oswego East (31-9); Paytyn Dykes, Washington Community (25-10)

155

Returning medalists: Callie Carr, Hinsdale South (35-1) 1st at 155; Allison Garbacz, South Elgin (38-0) 4th at 145

Sectional champions: Taylor Owens, Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op (17-5); Arian Sabu, Normal Community West (34-8); Layla Moreland, Lane Tech (38-9); Allison Garbacz

Others: Grace Stratton, Freeburg (37-1); Maddie Wells, St. Joseph-Ogden (26-3); Lily Fish, Reavis (32-4); Cait Jones, Crystal Lake Central (20-4); Alyssa Artman, Pekin (28-7); Kaitlin Wood, Triad (27-7); Ariyah Bradford, Thornton Fractional North (20-8); Suzanne Stalley, Glenbard North (40-9); Lauryn Trotter, Yorkville (38-9); NaJeyah Wallace, Freeport (31-9); Melissa Nance, Hillcrest (25-10)

170

Returning medalists: Payton Temple, Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op (34-0) 2nd at 190; Sara Martinez Lopera, Kelly (31-4) 4th at 170

Sectional champions: Layla Spann, Plainfield South (44-0); Demi Barnes, Granite City (29-2); Caliyah Campbell, Oak Park and River Forest (23-6); Payton Temple

Others: Kira Thompson, O’Fallon (11-2); Anali Wilson, J. Sterling Morton (39-3); Kylie Eilken, Jefferson (27-3); Iy`Jah Grant, Champaign Central (18-3); Grace Mordhorst, Washington Community (29-5); Janylah Holman, Cahokia (28-6); Riley DePolo, Lincoln-Way co-op (37-7); Frankie McMurtry, Sycamore (31-9); Brianna Crown, Woodstock co-op (40-10); Sarah Parker, Marist (37-13); Maja Brzosko, Schaumburg (36-14)

Class 2A individual boys state finals

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:01:00 GMT

By Chris Walker for the IWCOA

IC Catholic Prep and Providence Catholic reigned supreme at the IHSA’s Class 2A boys wrestling individual state finals at State Farm Center in Champaign, Feb. 19-21.

Max Cumbee (132), Frank Nitti (144), Aiden Arnett (150) and Brody Kelly (175) won state titles for IC Prep and the four were the most from any team among the three classes.

Providence was right behind the Knights with three champions as Max Mandac (126), Tommy Banks (138) and Justus Heeg (157) won titles to lead the Celtics.

In Class 3A, Marmion Academy also produced three state champions and in Class 1A, Vandalia had three as well. IC Prep, Providence, Marmion and Vandalia were the only four teams to make the bus ride back home with three or more recently crowned state champions.

IC Prep had 10 wrestlers medal to lead the 2A field while Providence had eight kids standing at the awards podium, relishing in the limelight one final time while dozens of fans held up their phones, snapping photos of their beloved high school wrestlers.

Sammy Durante (126) was one of five Knights to advance to the finals as IC Prep and Providence both had five wrestlers move onto the finals. Durante was the lone Knight to face a Celtic in the finals, dropping an 8-3 decision to Mandac.

All but five of the 2A title matches had a Knight or Celtic battling for it as the two schools accounted for 64% representation in the finals.

While IC Prep and Providence combined for half of the 2A state titles, the remaining seven champions had the distinct honor of being their team’s lone champ.

Marian’s Jimmy Mastny (215) and Washington’s Wyatt Medlin (165) each won their third state title and Saint Viator’s Jaxon Penovich (190) won his second, after winning at 190 in Class 3A while competing for Prospect in 2024.

Antioch’s Owen Shea (285), Batavia’s Kai Enos (120), Freeport’s Treyden Diduch (106) and Grayslake Central’s Vince DeMarco (113) etched their names in the IHSA history books as the four joined select company as state champions.

IC Prep’s Foley Calcagno (190) and Anthony Sebastian (285) finished strongly, picking up victories in their third-place matches while Drew Murante (113) and Kannon Judycki (120) took fourth and Mike Bird (106) placed fifth.

Providence’s Christian Corcoran (113) and Jasper Harper (165) took second place, Lucas Forsythe (132) and Ameer Khalil (175) were third and Luke Banas (144) was fourth.

106 – Treyden Diduch, Freeport

A year ago in Champaign, Diduch opened with a loss against Providence’s Christian Corcoran at 106. He finished 1-2 and didn’t advance.

This year, Corcoran took second place at 113 for the Celtics while Diduch won it all at 106, earning a 6-3 decision over Glenwood’s Cooper Clarke in his title match.

“It feels good, no other way to really describe it other than it feels good, it’s like a dream come true,” Diduch said. “I went up against very hard competition and I just battled through, faced adversity. Just the people here are tough people, tough matches. All of them were tough in their own way.”

He got stronger in the course of a year.

“This year I put on weight since last year,” he said, “And learned a lot this year.”

Grayslake Central freshman Dominic DeMarco earned a tech fall against Washington senior Symon Woods to take third place, and IC Prep’s Mike Bird beat fellow sophomore, St. Viator’s Thomas Emery, by a 12-2 major, for fifth.

113 – Vince DeMarco, Grayslake Central

After taking second place at 106 last season, DeMarco was itching to get back to the state finals for unfinished business. The junior took care of it, defeating Providence sophomore Christian Corcoran, 4-2.

“It hasn’t really set in, feels like I just won another match, but I know pretty soon it’ll feel pretty good,” DeMarco said. “It’s a really long tournament, a long weekend, a lot of sitting and waiting around, and I think I worked a lot on my mental game and I really think that helped because I could stay composed and calm and wrestle how I needed to and stay confident the whole weekend.”

DeMarco earned a 15-9 decision over Crystal Lake South’s Logan Aarseth, got a 16-1 tech fall against Bloomington’s Cooper Bye and earned an 11-2 major decision over Sycamore freshman Liam Schroeder in the semifinal.

“They were all really tough wrestlers, tough guys,” DeMarco said. “I just knew I needed to get to my attacks and my offense.”

Now it’s time for celebration and respite.

“I’ll probably take one or two weeks off just to rest my body,” he said. “I’m kind of beat up, and then I’ll get back at it and get ready for freestyle.”

DeMarco’s younger brother Dominic was among the four Grayslake Central wrestlers who medaled, taking third at 106. Krish Sahu (126) and Warren Nash (157) both placed sixth.

Marian freshman Hogan Rice earned a 16-6 major decision over IC Prep sophomore Drew Murante to take third, and Schroeder upended Deerfield freshman Jayme Cohen, 10-6, to take fifth.

120 – Kai Enos, Batavia

Enos became Batavia’s first IHSA state champion, joining Mikey Caliendo, as the only other champion in Batavia history. Caliendo won the IWCOA’s 3A individual state championship at 160 in 2021, an event that was developed out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caliendo had back-to-back fourth place finishes in Class 3A at 138 in 2019 and 145 in 2020 during the IHSA’s annual state tournament.

Enos surpassed three Bulldogs who placed second at IHSA state over the years, which includes Matt Weight (215 in 2000), Logan Arlis (112 in 2009) and Kaden Fetterolf (138 in 2022).

“It’s a lot of hours, it’s a lot of hard work form him and his teammates,” Batavia coach Seth Winkle said. “And, you know during sectionals he really felt for a lot of his teammates who came real close to getting here, and he was carrying them throughout this tournament and representing them and it’s just really a whole community effort: parents, family, coaches, kids, teammates.”

Wrestling against Morris’ Paxton Valentine for the third time after the two had split their previous two matches, Enos prevailed over the junior, 4-2.

“I knew it was going to come down to the last 10 seconds of the match, like it did,” Enos said. “Honestly, he’s a great opponent. I love wrestling every match with him. He gets me pumped up, because this is what I come here for, it’s for these good matches, these learning moments.”

Enos had earned a 10-1 major decision over Glenwood’s Jaxon Ferguson in his semifinal on Friday.

“After that match I felt really confident and it kind of hit me (Saturday) morning where I was just oh wow, I really got to wrestle today,” Enos said. “And you just got to get over it, it’s going to happen at some point, going to have to go after that and honestly been training for so long that I just wanted to get to that moment, I just was waiting for it, it’s been a long time.”

Enos did it for The Windmill City.

“This is for B-town, baby,” he said. “It’s inspiring. I don’t think I’d be into wrestling as much if Mikey Caliendo wasn’t a state champ. I just want to match his level. I just want to be one of the greats.”

With a state championship already, and two more years remaining at Batavia, Enos is already in select company and has an opportunity for much more.

“My mindset the next two years is just keep working harder everyday,” he said. “And just remember that this feeling, it’s great, and you’ve got to work hard to get it so I just got to keep going at it.”

Last year Enos got to state but didn’t place, losing to Warren’s Caleb Noble in the 113 semifinals. Noble went on to win a state title last year, as well as this year and the year before it, as he became a three-time champion. Perhaps Enos is on a similar path.

Crystal Lake Central junior Jackson Marlett defeated IC Prep’s Kannon Judycki, who succumbed to an injury at 2:54 for third place, while Mt. Vernon freshman Dalton St. Angelo placed fifth in his debut state series appearance, earning a 6-2 win over Glenwood senior Jaxon Ferguson.

126 – Max Mandac, Providence

A year ago, Providence had nine wrestlers advance to state, but Mandac wasn’t one of them. Mandac lost in the Class 2A Hinsdale South sectional quarterfinals to St. Rita’s Jack Hogan, who would take third at 144 at state this year. After fighting through the sectional wrestlebacks, his season came to a close at 16-22 after he got pinned by Kennedy’s Victor Alvarado at 120.

What a difference a year can make.

“It’s amazing,” the Elwood resident said. “I was just keeping consistent, practicing every single day, never getting in my head, always keeping on open mind, always learning new stuff and just keep working throughout it.”

He kept on working, eyeing the prize that was attainable through such efforts.

“I’d say I got better at everything,” he said. “Most of the mental part. I used to always get down and ‘Aw, I’m going to lose,’ and now I know I can win. I believe, and I have God with me to help so I can get it done. I just kept wrestling. Just no breaks and I knew I was going to get better some way, somehow so I just kept at it and now it’s finally paying off.”

Mandac, who placed fifth in the Chicago Catholic League Conference, pinned IC Prep senior Sammy Murante in consolation round three to stay alive. He would see Murante again in the state final on Saturday, collection an 8-3 victory.

“I’d say after I pinned him at conference that I thought I could actually win state now,” he said. “I was confident. I learned to stay on my fight and get to my attacks so I could win the match.”

Mattoon senior Tristan Porter beat Sycamore senior Tyler Lockhart, 11-5, to take third, and Mahomet-Seymour junior Gideon Hayter doubled up Grayslake Central junior Krish Sahu, 8-4, to place fifth.

132 – Max Cumbee, IC Prep

Cumbee, a junior, became a two-time champion after scoring a 13-4 major decision over Morton’s Harrison Dea. Last year in Champaign, Cumbee won a 1-0 nail-biter over Rochelle senior Xavier Villalobos to win the title at 126.

“It feels great doing it again, there’s nothing better than that except winning it in 3A next year, I can’t wait for that,” Cumbee said. “I actually thought it was kind of easier. I’ve been here before. I didn’t have as much nerves and I was really confident in all my techniques, and I was confident in my training. I felt like I made a big jump from last year to this year so, you know, I was prepared for this one.”

Upon considering how the Cumbee of today would far against the Cumbee from last year?

“I think I would tech myself,” Cumbee said. “That would be my goal to tech myself, to whoop on my last year’s self. And I’m just trying to make the leap to be top in the country, I’m kind of bouncing around that top 40 in country right now. I want to break into that Top 5, Top 10 next year, that’s my goal.”

Like his peers, Cumbee could feed off the atmosphere at the State Farm Center with packed seats and screaming fans.

“Such an amazing atmosphere,” he said. “All your fans people cheering with you, people cheering against you. You can take all that energy and wrestle a good match. I love that pressure.”

Providence sophomore Lucas Forsythe shut out Washington senior Logan Makiney, 4-0, to capture third place, and Riverside-Brookfield senior Izaiah Gonzalez defeated Morris sophomore Parker Barry, 10-4.

138 – Tommy Banas, Providence

Trust.

Banas believed in Providence when he chose to attend the New Lenox school three years ago. Today, he’s one of its three state champions.

“I knew they had a plan for me at Providence,” the junior said. “And I knew there was something special here. I believed in it.”

Banas placed fifth at state at 132 last year, and believed he was capable of more.

Showing no fear, Banas earned tech falls over Freeport’s Thomas Olson and Champaign Central’s Talon Baker before battling to a 3-0 decision over St. Ignatius’ Colton Huff in the semifinals.

“Don’t be scared, you’ve got to be a fearless warrior,” Banas said. “Go out there and have some fun and score some points, and that’s what I did.”

Crystal Lake South senior Nathan Randle awaited in the finals. Banas ended the senior’s bid for a state title with the 7-4 victory.

“It feels amazing,” Banas said. “It’s the best feeling in the world. It took three years of hard work and dedication. I trusted the process and this is where it got me.”

Deerfield junior Adrian Cohen pinned Huff at 2:29 to place third and Civic Memorial’s Avery Jaime beat Morris junior Brock Claypool, 6-4 to take fifth.

144 – Frank Nitti, IC Prep

After going 2-2 at state while representing York the past two seasons, Nitti not only placed, but captured the 144 state title after defeating Crystal Lake Central junior Nicholas Marchese, 4-2.

“That was sick, that was something I’ve been working my butt off to get to,” Nitti said. “I visualized it for so long, crazy it became a reality and it did.”

Last year, Nitti lost to Marist’s Donavon Allen, who would go on to take fourth in the state at 144. The prior year, Nitti went 2-2 at 138.

Now just a hop, skip and a jump to another school in Elmhurst, Nitti was one of IC Prep’s state-best four champions.

“We push each other hard, we’re held to a high standard and every day is a joy to be in the room,” he said. “I don’t think it would’ve been possible without making the move, around this community and doing what’s best for me and being around my teammates.”

For Marchese, he’ll look to get back to Champaign for his swan song as a senior a year from now. He had a great experience as a junior only to be cut short by Nitti.

“It’s an awesome thing to be a part of and I’m friends with the majority of my opponents,” Marchese said. “So much respect, so much appreciation for everyone who comes out here and just wrestles as hard as they can. It’s just an awesome experience. Thank you to the University of Illinois for hosting. I don’t think any other place could do it the same.”

Last winter Marchese was wrestling for Marian, going 1-2 in the Class 1A state tournament for the Hurricanes at 126. On Friday night, Marchese got a match away from a coveted state title, winning a wild 16-10 match over Deerfield’s Alexander Shvartsman in the semifinal.

St. Rita senior Jack Hogan blanked Providence sophomore Luke Banas, 4-0, to take third and Shvartsman received a medical forfeit in the fifth-place match versus Antioch junior Dominic Garcia.

150 – Aiden Arnett, IC Prep

All you need is one.

A year ago after losing 1-0 in the state title match at 144, Arnett won 1-0, defeating Civic Memorial sophomore Knox Verbais in this year’s 150 final.

“It feels so good, especially not getting it done last year, I really had to go out there and get it done,” Arnett said. “There was no way I was getting second again.”

That would go to Verbais who took third last season at 150. Verbais has had back-to-back fantastic seasons (44-7 and 46-7) come to an end against a couple of state champions. Last year he lost to Providence’s Justus Heeg in a semifinal.

Arnett’s path to the title included a 55-second pin of Ag Science’s Maurice Bush to get started, followed by a 19-4 tech fall over Morris’ Carter Skoff in the quarterfinals and a 16-4 major decision against Oak Forest’s Austin Perez in a semifinal.

Now, as one of four champions from his school, Arnett is turning his focus on the team dual state title which will be determined next weekend.

“I already know we’re going back to-back,” he said. “It’s how much we’re winning by.”

Oak Forest senior Austin Perez pinned Rockford East senior Dana Wickson with one-second remaining in the third period to take third place. Perez, who lost to Arnett in the semifinals, had previously beaten Wickson, by a 14-6 major decision, in the quarterfinals. Last year, Perez also took third, but at 144.

“This is my fourth time facing that kid so we’re both very familiar with each other’s styles,” Perez said. “I beat him yesterday by a pretty good amount, but today, a little tired, a bit more gassed and more sore. Anyways, I knew what I had to do and I was comfortable with that latch out so I let it fly.”

Last year, Perez needed a tiebreaker to win his third-place match.

“It means a lot to me,” Perez said. “Obviously, you always root for the best. Had tough opponent (in semis) and couldn’t fight (Arnett) off so third place was on my mind and I was ready to take it. It means a lot to me, the love I have for this sport. It’s a great feeling to win. Nothing better than that.”

Marian freshman Brendan Nardin, who has been plagued by injuries for a good chunk of the season, took fifth after a 1-0 decision over Antioch junior Dominic Garcia.

157 – Justus Heeg, Providence

Heeg isn’t just making history, he’s on a path to travel where no athlete has ever traveled before in Illinois high school wrestling

As an eighth grader in 2024, Heeg won a 2A title at 139 in Minnesota as he was afforded the rare opportunity to be a varsity athlete before freshman year even arrived.

Last winter as a freshman, Heeg won the 2A title at 150, earning a 20-5 tech fall over Mascoutah’s Brock Ross.

On Saturday, it was like déjà vu as Heeg once again went head-to-head with Ross, and once again beat him by tech fall, nearly by the same tally, 21-5, as Ross suffered his lone defeat of the season.

Still just an underclassman, but with three state titles already to his athletic resume, Heeg holds the distinct possibility of becoming the state’s first five-time champion if he can duplicate the same success he’s had in Champaign the next two years as he’s had in his first two.

“It feels good to do it three times in a row,” Heeg said. “Not as great as my eighth grade year because, I mean, I faced a little harder competition, but it still feels awesome. Feels good to get these two states titles in Illinois under my belt.”

Heeg tells himself he can accomplish great things and then goes out and gets it done.

“To get here from where I was last year, I’m just continuing to wake up everyday, talk to myself and then just talk myself throughout the day and just keep pushing myself,” he said. “I go into the room and push myself. In school, that’s the most important thing. If I’m not doing good in school I can’t wrestle and that would not be good.”

Facing Ross again, his mindset didn’t change.

“I had the same mindset to go out there and score a lot of points and put on a show for the crowd,” he said. “And that’s what I did.”

Ross has had a phenomenal season.

After opening with a win by fall over Galesburg’s Jack Bernardi, Ross extended his unbeaten record to 42 straight matches after a 19-10 major decision over IC Prep’s Joey Pontrelli and a 10-3 win over Metamora junior Grady Neal in the semis.

“I was only focused on my semis there (tonight on Friday), nothing else,” Ross said. “I have wrestled (Neal) in the past this season and did win there so it gave me a little confidence booster that I know that I can win against people like that so I just did my thing and it turned out to be good.”

But then he ran into Heeg again.

“It’s a long journey to get back here, it’s very hard but you just got to push through it and see what happens,” Ross said. “It’s super nerve-wracking here with tons of people watching, and your teammates and your coaches that are here, too. It’s definitely intense when you’re on the mat and trying to advance and not lose. Really nerve-wracking when you’re out there.”

At Providence, the Celtics focus on consistency and it’s paying off with excellent results on the state’s biggest stage.

“Consistency – we all show up everyday after school and go into the room and get our work in,” Heeg said. “And then after practice we’re going in and getting recovery and doing our homework and moving onto the next day.”

Neal bounced back from his defeat to Ross in the semifinals and earned an 11-1 major against Wauconda junior Brian Hart to take third, and Springfield junior Bryce Bryant defeated Grayslake Central, by a 14-2 major, to take fifth.

After winning, Neal ran towards head coach Jake Godinez and assistant coach Al Durst and leapt into the arms of Godinez.

“My head coach Jake Godinez and assistant Al Durst have been in my corner a long time,” Neal said. “Al, since I started wrestling, and Jake I’ve known for years now. I kind of had an idea (that I was going to do it) but I was just like caught up in the moment. You know, a lot of hard work, spending time with them.”

165 – Wyatt Medlin, Washington

Medlin was one of four wrestlers from Washington to place. Josh Hoffer (215) placed second and Symon Woods (106) and Logan Makiney (132) took fourth.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Medlin said. “If you would have told me when I was a freshman that I would end it all with a state championship and an undefeated record, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

Medlin was dominant as he finished off an undefeated season to win his third state title.

After opening with a pin in 52 seconds over Lakes’ Michael Flatley, Medlin rattled off three consecutive tech falls to win. The final one, over Providence’s Jasper Harper, 19-3, gave him three titles in three different weight classes. Quite a finish in Champaign for someone who will wrestle here next year for the Illini.

Last year Medlin had four consecutive tech falls to win at 157.

As a sophomore in 2024, he won at 138.

Medlin finished 16-1 lifetime at the state finals. His only loss came as a freshman at 126 when he lost to Triad’s Colby Crouch in the semifinals before rebounding to place third.

Geneseo junior Izaac Gaines took third as his opponent, Civic Memorial junior James Wojcikiewicz, did not compete due to injury. St. Rita senior Micah Spinazzola earned an 18-6 major decision over Sycamore’s Cooper Bode to take fifth.

175 – Brody Kelly, IC Prep

Kelly has another week to compete as he’ll travel with his team to Bloomington to attempt to win another Class 2A team dual title.

He’s already won his second consecutive individual title after he pinned Geneseo senior Kye Weinzierl at 3:12.

“That is the goal this year, I mean, trying to put all our pieces together and win this thing as a team now,” Kelly said. “All my great coaches and great teammates make it a lot easier. Having those great resources and my parents are always there for me which helps a lot.”

Last year, Kelly ended Weinzierl’s season with a 21-6 tech fall victory in the state title match at 175. The rematch was one of two in Class 2A this season and Heeg beat Kelly at 157 for the second straight time.

“It’s always pretty hard to win, but I enjoyed it more this year definitely because I wasn’t as worried about winning,” Kelly said. “It was more the experience out there and it definitely helped me prepare.”

Weinzierl pinned Danville’s Josiah Williams, and earned tech falls over Oak Forest’s Jason Janke and Mascoutah’s Jordan Sonon-Hale to return to the title match.

“It’s something I’ve had my eyes on since last year and I set the goal of making it again,” Weinzierl said. “I’ve been working really hard for it in the off-season with an amazing coaching staff and a great room of wrestlers, great practice partner, and all that has driven me to this point. It’s just work ethic. Me and Izaac Gaines (165) get after it everyday and coaches push us really hard to get better and try to separate yourself from everyone else.”

After debuting at state as a freshman in 2023 and going 0-2 at 145, Weinzierl came back to Champaign as a sophomore, going 2-2 at 157. He’s spent his upperclassmen years as the runner-up at 175.

“Being here four years in a row it never gets easier, but having a great support staff helps,” he said. “And just kind of coming out here with one goal, one goal only, and taking it one match at a time. It’s the kind of a tactic we use in our room and something we believe in.”

Kelly was one of four IC Prep state champions.

“I think it just shows how well our coaching staff operates and how hard they push us,” he said. “It obviously works very well.”

Hard work, great fun.

“I think if you love the sport you’re always going to have fun when you do it,” Kelly said. “I definitely love this sport and I always have fun when I’m going and honestly I have more fun when it’s harder. I like the hard matches. I like having to grind out a good win.”

Providence freshman Ameer Khalil rallied past Sonon-Hale, 9-6, to take third place.

“I was down 6-1 and I know my work ethic is the best work ethic,” Khalil said. “I push myself everyday for this and I knew I broke him. I was after him. I go after them. Whoever it is I’m going to push my pace and get to my spots.”

He may be a freshman, but like any of the many underclassmen who were in Champaign competing this weekend, year in school is nothing more than a number when the talent, skill and drive are paramount.

“It’s been great, especially as a freshman,” he said. “My goal wasn’t going to come down here, it was to go and place. I’m not an ordinary freshman, I work hard, I know I can compete with any senior in the country.”

That Celtics room is special.

“I know I have the best room in the state, in the country,” Khalil said. “I get punched everyday by all my coaches, all my teammates to have the best gas tank and push the pace on these kids because I know no one in the state works as hard as us Celtics so I knew I was ready to go, I was ready to push the pace on him.

Janke finished with a win, earning a 4-1 decision over Prairie Ridge sophomore Aiden Rodriguez to take fifth.

190 – Jaxon Penovich, Saint Viator

It had been 40 years since Saint Viator had a state champion before Saturday.

Penovich, who won the 190 title in Class 3A while competing for Prospect in 2024, earned a 5-3 decision in this year’s 2A 190 final over Mahomet-Seymour sophomore Marco Casillas.

Penovich joined Paul Ducato as the only two St. Viator wrestlers to win a state title. Ducato won at 98 pounds in 1986. When Penovich won at Prospect, it had been just seven years since Matt Wroblewski went undefeated to win a title at 220 in 2017.

“I’m not too sure of the exact date but it’s been a damn while,” Penovich said. “I think it was a little harder (than his previous one) but a lot of respect to my opponent, a very tough kid. I’m grateful. Again, it’s just been an amazing journey all four years of wrestling and I’m going to continue to wrestle at Illinois and it’s just a a very exciting time.”

Doing it at his soon-to-be new home made it extra special.

“I’m wrestling here at the University of Illinois so it feels great and I’m going to be right back here and wrestling on this floor and it’s extremely exciting and a lot of fun,” he said. “Now it’s just fine tuning a lot of small little technique things and just keep pushing really pushing myself. I didn’t want to take any breaks. I had a really tough schedule this year and it’s been just one little piece at a time.”

Penovich had company from Arlington Heights as Thomas Emery (106) and Wynn Philippi (285) each placed sixth for St. Viator.

IC Prep senior Foley Calcagno had to get past a former state champion to take third place, earning a 12-1 major over Lemont senior Judah Heeg, who won the 190 title a year ago. Heeg’s bid to repeat was thwarted when Penovich earned a tech fall against him in Friday’s semifinals.

“The tournament shows how hard we train because there is so much more on the line and we still do the basics that we were taught to do, we still do that every day no matter how big or small the tournament,” Calcagno said. “I think the difference is just our training. We train so much harder than these guys. Our coaches just push us to get better and in better shape everyday. I think that is the biggest difference is our training.”

In a battle of seniors for fifth place, Marian’s Dan French, who earned his 100th win during the team’s dual state sectional win over Sycamore, picked up another with a 1-0 victory against Marion’s Evan Francis.

215 – Jimmy Mastny, Marian Central Catholic

Mastny joined select company as he won his third state title in as many seasons, and first in 2A after winning the Class 1A title last year at 190 and at 157 as a freshman in 2024.

“It feels great that I could show all of my hard work, especially for my coaches,” Mastny said. “It definitely shows that wrestling a national schedule helps. Classes don’t really matter when we’re wrestling all of the best people. I knew I could get to my attacks.”

Mastny had to get past the Class 2A defending state champion at 215, Washington senior Josh Hoffer in the final, and the Iowa State recruit defeated the University of Illinois recruit on his future home turf, with a 17-1 tech fall victory.

Mastny had just earned a tech fall against Hoffer on Feb. 5, when Marian bested Washington to advance the team to state during the Class 2A Sycamore Team Duals Sectional.

“I just had to execute,” Mastny said. “It felt like all the other matches I was working well on top and my offense on my feet was working well.”

In addition to those two tech fall wins, Mastny pinned Hoffer twice this season.

Marian had three others in the finals. Hogan Rice (113) took third and Brendan Nardin (150) and Dan French (190) placed fifth.

Wauconda sophomore Finn Loomis won by fall at 3:41 over Rock Island junior Rowan Stockwell to take third place, and East Peoria senior Alec Del Toro pinned Morton senior Benjamin Chaffer at 2:39 for fifth.

285 – Owen Shea, Antioch

Fuel was free of charge for Shea in Champaign and the senior filled up his tank, using that to inspire him to a state title before his full attention turns to football.

“I love being doubted,” Shea said. “I felt like I was doubted a little bit this weekend. I didn’t hear my name mentioned once as a possible state champion. Not many people believed in me. I loved it. I used it as fuel.”

The Drake football recruit overcame a knee injury late in the season and won four matches to capture the 285 title after an 8-4 victory against Glenwood’s Cody Moss.

With his knee injury persisting, Shea took a break after sectionals to recover in time to compete at state. He may not have been 100% but he got 100% of the result he wanted after not wrestling the entire week after sectionals.

At state, Shea had an 8-0 major decision over Washington’s Sean Thornton to start, earned a 15-0 tech fall over Mattoon’s Mitchell Clapp in the quarterfinals and squeezed past DePaul College Prep’s Hunter Wahtola, 5-3, in the semis.

As luck would have it, Shea’s first-ever heavyweight opponent in high school proved to be the same kid who he’d beat to win the state title.

“I lost to him in my first tournament as an official heavyweight,” he said. “I was a little nervous going into that match against him the first time. I think that the nerves were what got me to make that mistake and get reversed. But today I walked in confident and knew what I was going to do.”

Shea’s teammates, Chase Nobiling (144) and Dominic Garcia (150), battled their way back from losses in Thursday’s quarterfinals to find their way to the award podium. Both fell short in their fifth-place matches, taking sixth each respectively.

IC Prep junior Anthony Sebastian, who dropped his third-place match last season, 4-0, to Wahtola, got the junior back this time, earning a 4-3 decision to take third. Over on the fifth-place mat, Clapp doubled up St. Viator’s Wynn Philippi, 8-4.

Boys State Tournament by the numbers, 2026

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 03:33:00 GMT

By Rob Sherrill

For the IWCOA

Top 10 individual team scores, by classification

Class 3A

Marmion Academy, 187
Montini, 119
Joliet Catholic Academy, 108.5
Warren, 92
Oak Park-River Forest, 83.5
Rockton Hononegah, 77
Loyola Academy, 66.5
Edwardsville, 61.5
Grant, 52
St. Charles East, 51.5

Class 2A

IC Catholic, 213
Providence, 177
Washington, 90
Marian Central Catholic, 74
Grayslake Central, 60.5
Chatham Glenwood, 60
Civic Memorial, 57
Deerfield, 52
Geneseo, 50.5
Antioch, 49

Class 1A

Coal City, 125.5
Hope Academy, 115
Vandalia, 114.5
Lena-Winslow/Stockton, 85.5
Belleville Althoff, 77
Olympia, 65
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher, 62.5
Princeton, 59.5
Roxana, 52.5
Dixon and Oakwood/Salt Fork (tie), 50.5

State placewinners by sectional

Class 3A

Barrington 6 – 3 – 4 – 2 – 3 – 2 – 20

Conant 2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 3 – 13

Edwardsville 1 – 2 – 6 – 5 – 3 – 5 – 22

Hinsdale Central 5 – 7 – 2 – 5 – 6 – 4 – 29

Class 2A

Antioch 7 – 1 – 5 – 5 – 2 – 7 – 27

Geneseo 4 – 5 – 4 – 4 – 3 – 4 – 24

Granite City 0 – 6 – 1 – 3 – 6 – 3 – 19

Hinsdale South 3 – 2 – 4 – 2 – 3 – 0 – 14

Class 1A

Byron 4 – 4 – 3 – 7 – 7 – 6 – 31

Coal City 2 – 6 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 15

Olympia 3 – 3 – 2 – 2 – 4 – 4 – 18

Vandalia 5 – 1 – 7 – 3 – 2 – 2 – 20

State placewinners by grade

Class 3A

Freshman 0 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 1 – 0 – 2

Sophomore 1 – 2 – 1 – 0 – 1 – 6 – 11

Junior 5 – 3 – 5 – 7 – 8 – 3 – 31

Senior 8 – 9 – 8 – 6 – 4 – 5 – 40

Class 2A

Freshman 0 – 0 – 3 – 0 – 3 – 1 – 7

Sophomore 5 – 5 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 18

Junior 4 – 2 – 5 – 6 – 5 – 2 – 24

Senior 5 – 7 – 4 – 6 – 5 – 8 – 35

Class 1A

Freshman 2 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 0 – 1 – 8

Sophomore 1 – 3 – 2 – 4 – 5 – 4 – 19

Junior 5 – 0 – 3 – 4 – 4 – 2 – 18

Senior 6 – 9 – 7 – 5 – 5 – 7 – 39

State placewinners by sectional placing

Class 3A

Champion 14 – 13 – 7 – 7 – 3 – 3 – 47

2nd 0 – 1 – 5 – 5 – 7 – 7 – 25

3rd 0 – 0 – 1 – 2 – 4 – 3 – 10

4th 0 – 0 – 1 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 2

Class 2A

Champion 13 – 11 – 7 – 8 – 5 – 2 – 46

2nd 0 – 2 – 2 – 3 – 6 – 3 – 16

3rd 0 – 1 – 5 – 2 – 2 – 7 – 17

4th 1 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 1 – 2 – 5

Class 1A

Champion 12 – 9 – 8 – 4 – 4 – 4 – 41

2nd 1 – 4 – 3 – 6 – 3 – 3 – 20

3rd 0 – 0 – 3 – 4 – 6 – 5 – 18

4th 1 – 1 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 2 – 5

Team breakthroughs

Four schools crowned their first state champion, three in 1A: Freeburg, Marquette Academy and Unity Christian. For the first two, it was also their first state placewinner. In their first year down a classification in 2A, Batavia also earned its first IHSA state champion. (Current Iowa standout Mikey Caliendo won a title for Batavia in the IWCOA state tournament in 2021.)

The longest title droughts were snapped by St. Viator, which earned its first champion since 1986, and Sandwich, with its first champion since 2012. Vandalia crowned three state champions for the second year in a row, after not having had a state champion for 18 years prior to 2025. But all three classifications were loaded with familiar names and places, particularly 3A. Every 3A school that crowned a champion in 2026 also crowned a champion in 2025, except for Loyola Academy. And the Ramblers hadn’t been away for long – they had champions in 2023 and 2024 before missing out on both 2025 finalists.

The report card

To close out this review of last weekend’s excitement, we’ll take a look at how the state placewinners fared in comparison to their pre-state tournament ranking. Remember that I didn’t do state tournament predictions, and no longer do – I now let the rankings speak for themselves. This list includes the six placewinners at each weight class in each classification, along with the two blood round losers – every wrestler still alive to reach the podium at the start of Saturday’s matches. The number in parentheses is the wrestler’s ranking prior to the start of the state tournament.

Class 3A

106 pounds

1st – Niko Odiotti, Loyola Academy (1)

2nd – Colton Wyller, Marmion Academy (2)

3rd – Michael McNamara, Edwardsville (4)

4th – Aidan Ortega, Glenbard West (6)

5th – Sebastian Gracia, Chicago Mount Carmel (3)

6th – Kane Robles, Joliet Catholic (9)

BR – Noe Hernandez, Lockport (10)

BR – Elio Gil, Marist (7)

113 pounds

1st – Caleb Noble, Warren (1)

2nd – Erik Klichurov, Montini (3)

3rd – Michael Rundell, Oak Park-River Forest (2)

4th – Colton Schultz, Joliet Catholic (6)

5th – James Morrison, Marmion Academy (4)

6th – Jack Koenig, St. Patrick (5)

BR – Nathan Berdich, Stevenson (7)

BR – Gabriel Richmond, West Aurora (14)

120 pounds

1st – Dom Munaretto, St. Charles East (1)

2nd – Allen Woo, Montini (3)

3rd – Kaleb Pratt, Barrington (2)

4th – Ray Long, Niles Notre Dame (4)

5th – Brody Page, Marmion Academy (12)

6th – Jayce Glauser, Grant (7)

BR – Daniel Goodwin, St. Patrick (5)

BR – Nikolas Duarte, Addison Trail (6)

126 pounds

1st – Jamiel Castleberry, Oak Park-River Forest (4)

2nd – Oleksandr Havrylkiv, Hersey (2)

3rd – Lukas Foster, Joliet Catholic (8)

4th – Chazz Robinson, Homewood-Flossmoor (3)

5th – Bobby Ruscitti, Montini (1)

6th – Aidan McClure, Marmion Academy (6)

BR – Gavin Pardilla, Loyola Academy (9)

BR – Saul Ramirez, Barrington (11)

132 pounds

1st – Nicholas Garcia, Marmion Academy (1)

2nd – Jason Hampton, Joliet Catholic (2)

3rd – Shawn Kogan, Stevenson (5)

4th – Mike Malizzio, Montini (4)

5th – Ryan Dorn, Barrington (3)

6th – Maddux Tindal, Minooka (6)

BR – Brady Glynn, Lincoln-Way West (7)

BR – Isaac Zimmerman, Lockport (8)

138 pounds

1st – Zach Stewart, Marmion Academy (1)

2nd – Griff Powell, Lyons Township (2)

3rd – Adante Washington, Joliet Catholic (3)

4th – Erik Rodriguez, Grant (4)

5th – Alejandro Aranda, Glenbard West (9)

6th – Nadeem Haleem, Andrew (6)

BR – Patrick Hulne, St. Patrick (7)

BR – Axel Rodriguez, Marist (5)

144 pounds

1st – Demetrios Carrera, Marmion Academy (2)

2nd – Vince Jasinski, Grant (1)

3rd – Oliver Davis, Brother Rice (5)

4th – Justin Williamson, Chicago Mount Carmel (3)

5th – Zev Koransky, Oak Park-River Forest (12)

6th – Ryan Richie, Edwardsville (6)

BR – Nicholas Merola, Lake Park (13)

BR – Gavin Woodmancy, St. Charles East (10)

150 pounds

1st – Rocco Cassioppi, Hononegah (1)

2nd – Ashton Hobson, Marmion Academy (2)

3rd – Donovan Rosauer, Yorkville (3)

4th – Coehn Weber, Joliet West (5)

5th – Daniel Blanke, Barrington (6)

6th – Tommy Fidler, Marist (4)

BR – James Hemmila, Loyola Academy (7)

BR – Leo Rosas, West Chicago (9)

157 pounds

1st – Ethan Sonne, Marist (2)

2nd – Justin Wardlow, Lockport (1)

3rd – David Ogunsanya, Oak Park-River Forest (5)

4th – Nolan Vogel, Joliet Catholic (3)

5th – Brady Ritter, Sandburg (4)

6th – Will Konder, Montini (12)

BR – Max Mularz, Lincoln-Way East (8)

BR – Daniel Malan, Loyola Academy (7)

165 pounds

1st – Liam Kelly, Chicago Mount Carmel (1)

2nd – Bruno Cassioppi, Hononegah (2)

3rd – Royce Lopez, Warren (3)

4th – Frank Tagoe, Hersey (4)

5th – Max Herman, Lincoln-Way West (7)

6th – Santino Tenuta, Montini (5)

BR – Kaden Meyer, Minooka (6)

BR – Otis Davis, Brother Rice (13)

175 pounds

1st – Brody Sendele, Hononegah (1)

2nd – Dayne Serio, West Aurora (3)

3rd – AJ Tack, Montini (6)

4th – Jalen Byrd, Lincoln-Way Central (4)

5th – Ilia Dvoriannikov, Warren (2)

6th – Van Grasser, St. Patrick (5)

BR – Joseph Quirk, Prospect (12)

BR – Chris Miller, Lockport (7)

190 pounds

1st – Aaron Stewart, Warren (1)

2nd – Ryan Rosch, Wheaton North (3)

3rd – Lucas Nance, Fremd (2)

4th – Vincenzo Testa, Marmion Academy (5)

5th – Colton Zvonar, Lincoln-Way East (4)

6th – Joseph Fitak, Glenbard North (13)

BR – John Rappa, Rolling Meadows (7)

BR – Simon Schulte, Edwardsville (10)

215 pounds

1st – Kai Calcutt, Loyola Academy (1)

2nd – Cooper Murray, St. Charles East (2)

3rd – Roman Janek, Edwardsville (3)

4th – Tavkif Ibragimov, Naperville North (4)

5th – Dan Costello, Brother Rice (8)

6th – Ryker Czubak, Joliet Catholic (6)

BR – Jacob Tyderek, Joliet West (17)

BR – Samuel Swais, Montini (7)

285 pounds

1st – Jonathan Rulo, Belleville East (1)

2nd – Joseph Favia, Marmion Academy (2)

3rd – Aiden Hennings, Lincoln-Way Central (3)

4th – Gavin Ericson-Staton, Montini (4)

5th – Braylon Hill-Lomax, Edwardsville (6)

6th – Knox Homola, Hampshire (9)

BR – Pierre Nelson, Oak Park-River Forest (un)

BR – Sean Cook, Niles Notre Dame (8)

Class 2A

106 pounds

1st – Treyden Diduch, Freeport (1)

2nd – Cooper Clarke, Chatham Glenwood (8)

3rd – Dominic DeMarco, Grayslake Central (2)

4th – Symon Woods, Washington (4)

5th – Mike Bird, IC Catholic (3)

6th – Thomas Emery, St. Viator (5)

BR – Angelo Parker, Rock Island (13)

BR – Cole Lemberg, Providence (7)

113 pounds

1st – Vince DeMarco, Grayslake Central (1)

2nd – Christian Corcoran, Providence (3)

3rd – Hogan Rice, Marian Central Catholic (5)

4th – Drew Murante, IC Catholic (2)

5th – Liam Schroeder, Sycamore (4)

6th – Jayme Cohen, Deerfield (6)

BR – Jaxton Howell, Mattoon (un)

BR – Pierce Bultmann, Chatham Glenwood (11)

120 pounds

1st – Kai Enos, Batavia (2)

2nd – Paxton Valentine, Morris (3)

3rd – Jackson Marlett, Crystal Lake Central (4)

4th – Kannon Judycki, IC Catholic (1)

5th – Dalton St. Angelo, Mount Vernon (9)

6th – Jaxon Ferguson, Chatham Glenwood (5)

BR – Nathan Ortiz, Providence (6)

BR – Alex Schuetz, Hinsdale South (11)

126 pounds

1st – Max Mandac, Providence (1)

2nd – Sammy Murante, IC Catholic (2)

3rd – Tristan Porter, Mattoon (6)

4th – Tyler Lockhart, Sycamore (5)

5th – Gideon Hayter, Mahomet-Seymour (9)

6th – Krish Sahu, Grayslake Central (11)

BR – Rylan Poeta, Champaign Central (8)

BR – Jacob Sebek, Oak Forest (13)

132 pounds

1st – Max Cumbee, IC Catholic (1)

2nd – Harrison Dea, Morton (2)

3rd – Lucas Forsythe, Providence (4)

4th – Logan Makiney, Washington (8)

5th – Izaiah Gonzalez, Riverside-Brookfield (3)

6th – Parker Barry, Morris (10)

BR – Jeremy Powell, Agricultural Science (19)

BR – Victor Onofre, Rockford East (un)

138 pounds

1st – Tommy Banas, Providence (1)

2nd – Nathan Randle, Crystal Lake South (3)

3rd – Adrian Cohen, Deerfield (6)

4th – Colton Huff, St. Ignatius (7)

5th – Avery Jaime, Civic Memorial (4)

6th – Brock Claypool, Morris (2)

BR – Talin Baker, Champaign Central (5)

BR – Landen Vincent, Geneseo (9)

144 pounds

1st – Frank Nitti, IC Catholic (3)

2nd – Nicholas Marchese, Crystal Lake Central (2)

3rd – Jack Hogan, St. Rita (1)

4th – Luke Banas, Providence (7)

5th – Alexander Shvartsman, Deerfield (6)

6th – Chase Nobiling, Antioch (4)

BR – Jin Tai, Glenbard South (17)

BR – Landon Van Acker, Belvidere (8)

150 pounds

1st – Aiden Arnett, IC Catholic (1)

2nd – Knox Verbais, Civic Memorial (2)

3rd – Austin Perez, Oak Forest (3)

4th – Dana Wickson, Rockford East (6)

5th – Brendan Nardin, Marian Central Catholic (4)

6th – Dominic Garcia, Antioch (9)

BR – Nino Capuano, St. Ignatius (un)

BR – Carter Skoff, Morris (5)

157 pounds

1st – Justus Heeg, Providence (1)

2nd – Brock Ross, Mascoutah (3)

3rd – Grady Neal, Metamora (5)

4th – Brian Hart, Wauconda (4)

5th – Bryce Bryant, Springfield (9)

6th – Warren Nash, Grayslake Central (13)

BR – Nicholas Hartley, Jerseyville (8)

BR – Cruise Brolley, Washington (6)

165 pounds

1st – Wyatt Medlin, Washington (1)

2nd – Jasper Harper, Providence (3)

3rd – Izaac Gaines, Geneseo (2)

4th – James Wojcikiewicz, Civic Memorial (5)

5th – Micah Spinazzola, St. Rita (4)

6th – Cooper Bode, Sycamore (8)

BR – Talon Decker, Mahomet-Seymour (6)

BR – Nicholas Montesinos, Wheeling (11)

175 pounds

1st – Brody Kelly, IC Catholic (1)

2nd – Kye Weinzierl, Geneseo (2)

3rd – Ameer Khalil, Providence (4)

4th – Jordan Sonon-Hale, Mascoutah (6)

5th – Jason Janke, Oak Forest (10)

6th – Aiden Rodriguez, Prairie Ridge (5)

BR – Colton McKee, Morton (8)

BR – Elijah Smith, Chatham Glenwood (7)

190 pounds

1st – Jaxon Penovich, St. Viator (1)

2nd – Marco Casillas, Mahomet-Seymour (4)

3rd – Foley Calcagno, IC Catholic (2)

4th – Judah Heeg, Lemont (3)

5th – Dan French, Marian Central Catholic (5)

6th – Evan Francis, Marion (6)

BR – Wes Weatherford, Ottawa (7)

BR – Mark Aeschliman, Metamora (8)

215 pounds

1st – Jimmy Mastny, Marian Central Catholic (1)

2nd – Josh Hoffer, Washington (2)

3rd – Finn Loomis, Wauconda (13)

4th – Rowan Stockwell, Rock Island (5)

5th – Alec Del Toro, East Peoria (4)

6th – Benjamin Chaffer, Morton (8)

BR – Kevahn Flanagan, Civic Memorial (15)

BR – Yaree Sandifer, Lake Forest (12)

285 pounds

1st – Owen Shea, Antioch (5)

2nd – Cody Moss, Chatham Glenwood (1)

3rd – Anthony Sebastian, IC Catholic (3)

4th – Hunter Wahtola, DePaul (2)

5th – Mitchell Clapp, Mattoon (7)

6th – Wynn Philippi, St. Viator (8)

BR – Brady Mullens, Peoria Notre Dame (9)

BR – Sean Thornton, Washington (4)

Class 1A

106 pounds

1st – Connor Collins, Olympia (2)

2nd – Bentley Fields, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher (10)

3rd – Isaac Showalter, Farmington (1)

4th – Cam Whitehead, Winnebago (3)

5th – Coyt Rademaker, Petersburg PORTA (7)

6th – Nate Lower, Rockridge (5)

BR – Riley Paredes, Dixon (4)

BR – Jake Munsterman, Coal City (6)

113 pounds

1st – Landon Near, Sterling Newman (1)

2nd – Augustus Swanson, Princeton (2)

3rd – Drevan Bramlett, Murphysboro (6)

4th – Jacobi Cobbs, Belleville Althoff (4)

5th – Brandon Gaither, Olympia (5)

6th – Boston Morford, Mercer County (9)

BR – Colton Drinkwine, Reed-Custer (8)

BR – Steven Uden, Oakwood/Salt Fork (3)

120 pounds

1st – Wesley Janick, Marquette Academy (6)

2nd – Weston Frazier, Oakwood/Salt Fork (10)

3rd – Cael Wright, Morrison (5)

4th – Dyllan Steele, Canton (2)

5th – Nolan Callahan, Hope Academy (12)

6th – Chase Vogel, Johnsburg (4)

BR – Kainin Fillbright, Petersburg PORTA (11)

BR – Paxton Pyatt, Murphysboro (9)

126 pounds

1st – Preston Waughtel, Vandalia (1)

2nd – Obadiah Willis, Hope Academy (2)

3rd – Owen Petersen, Coal City (4)

4th – Alexander Ferari, Lisle (5)

5th – Aiden Bell, Hoopeston Area (3)

6th – Isaiah Perez, Oregon (12)

BR – Eli Modglin, Morrison (7)

BR – Lelan Nelson, Richmond-Burton (8)

132 pounds

1st – Max Philpot, Vandalia (1)

2nd – Jeremiah Lawrence, Hope Academy (3)

3rd – Dawson Hawthorne, Belleville Althoff (4)

4th – Wyatt Franckowiak, Richmond-Burton (10)

5th – Landon Blanton, Sterling Newman (6)

6th – Dean Wainwright, Port Byron Riverdale (2)

BR – Mason Swartz, Oakwood/Salt Fork (5)

BR – Barret Speck, Illini Bluffs (7)

138 pounds

1st – Chance Woods, Hope Academy (1)

2nd – Landen Lage, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher (3)

3rd – Devin Ehler, Oakwood/Salt Fork (2)

4th – Kane Dauber, Princeton (6)

5th – Nelson Benesh, Oregon (5)

6th – Luke Munsterman, Coal City (4)

BR – A.J. Daly, Tolono Unity (9)

BR – Brody Matthews, Vandalia (11)

144 pounds

1st – Garrett VerHeecke, Unity Christian (1)

2nd – Charlie Connors, Dixon (2)

3rd – Brandon Green, Roxana (4)

4th – Lincoln Hoger, Wheaton Academy (7)

5th – Arrison Bauer, Lena-Winslow/Stockton (3)

6th – Zach Bryant, Petersburg PORTA (9)

BR – Tyler Huchel, Oakwood/Salt Fork (6)

BR – Kaden Blades, Benton (14)

150 pounds

1st – Cooper Corder, Sandwich (3)

2nd – Clinton VerHeecke, Unity Christian (2)

3rd – Brody Widlowski, Coal City (1)

4th – Preston Richards, Dixon (6)

5th – Logan Riggs, Roxana (7)

6th – Dade Kleinik, Vandalia (4)

BR – Caleb Modglin, Morrison (5)

BR – Austin Kisner, Olympia (10)

157 pounds

1st – Dillon Hinton, Vandalia (1)

2nd – Aidan Kenney, Coal City (3)

3rd – Owen McGinnis, Toledo Cumberland (12)

4th – Landon Weidler, Belleville Althoff (7)

5th – Hudson Babb, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher (2)

6th – Charlie Wittmer, Warrensburg-Latham (6)

BR – Dylan Galvez, Hope Academy (11)

BR – Connor Knop, West Carroll (5)

165 pounds

1st – Pierre Walton, Belleville Althoff (1)

2nd – Casey Etheridge, Princeton (4)

3rd – Justin Zimmerman, Petersburg PORTA (2)

4th – Mason Garner, Coal City (10)

5th – Tyler Jones, Wheaton Academy (3)

6th – Abram Davidson, Tolono Unity (6)

BR – James Escobar, Rochester (11)

BR – Eli Burns, Mercer County (7)

175 pounds

1st – Arkail Griffin-Edwards, Hope Academy (2)

2nd – Brock Finch, Coal City (3)

3rd – Lyndon Thies, Roxana (1)

4th – Brody Stien, Byron (4)

5th – Duke Mays, Johnsburg (6)

6th – Joshua Kotalik, Sandwich (8)

BR – Lucas Maier, Pontiac (5)

BR – Jonathan Ramaker, Pinckneyville (18)

190 pounds

1st – Eli Larson, Lena-Winslow/Stockton (1)

2nd – Logan VanDuyne, Wilmington (5)

3rd – Ross Miller, Vandalia (2)

4th – Will Julian, Byron (4)

5th – Daniel Jackson, Red Bud (3)

6th – Casen Lyons, Sacred Heart-Griffin (8)

BR – Landon Venecia, Seneca (9)

BR – Ethan Miller, Westville (6)

215 pounds

1st – Dane Olmstead, Freeburg (8)

2nd – Cade Poyner, Coal City (2)

3rd – Oliver McPeek, Lena-Winslow/Stockton (1)

4th – Caybren Hubbard, Murphysboro (13)

5th – Alex Schaefer, Marquette Academy (5)

6th – Jackson Allen, Yorkville Christian (4)

BR – Shane Falasca, Richmond-Burton (7)

BR – Keller Stocks, Mount Zion (3)

285 pounds

1st – Connor Williams, Canton (3)

2nd – Jeremiah Luke, Lena-Winslow/Stockton (1)

3rd – Caleb Reymer, Erie/Prophetstown (6)

4th – Darian Holloway, Olympia (4)

5th – Breckin Campbell, Richmond-Burton (8)

6th – Julien Tanner, Murphysboro (2)

BR – Dylan Bopes, Dixon (7)

BR – Jeremiah Lorton, Effingham (17)

A total of 672 wrestlers qualify for the state tournament across the three classifications. In 2026, 594 (88.4%) were already in the rankings prior to the start of the sectionals; 78 previously unranked wrestlers qualified for state by finishing in the top four at their sectional. That total does not include alternates who were added to the brackets on Thursday morning at the State Farm Center, since they did not finish in the top four.

All new state qualifiers, and their records (plus alternates who competed in the state tournament), will be added to the final rankings. A wrestler who competes in the state tournament remains in the rankings for the rest of his high school career.

Here’s how the 78 previously unranked state qualifiers shook out, by classification, sectional and sectional placing.

Class 3A – 29 (15 from Conant, 6 from Edwardsville, 5 from Barrington, 3 from Hinsdale Central); 17 finished fourth, 9 finished third, 3 finished second

Class 2A – 31 (10 from Granite City, 10 from Hinsdale South, 8 from Antioch, 3 from Geneseo); 19 finished fourth, 7 finished third, 5 finished second

Class 1A – 18 (9 from Coal City, 4 from Olympia, 3 from Vandalia, 2 from Byron); 11 finished fourth, 4 finished third, 3 finished second

Total – 78 (47 finished fourth, 20 finished third, 11 finished second)

All 168 sectional champions were already in the rankings before the sectionals began, as were all 252 of the state placewinners. Four previously unranked wrestlers, one in 3A and three in 2A, remained alive for medal contention as the Saturday morning matches began, but all four lost in the blood round.

Nevertheless, they beat the odds and punched their tickets to the brand-new mats at the State Farm Center. Congratulations to all who competed!

IHSA Boys State photos from Gary Larsen

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 23:59:00 GMT

The IWCOA’s premier sports writer Gary Larsen is sharing photos from the IHSA Individual State Wrestling Championships!

Click the links below to access his shared folders:

Quick look at title matches for tonight’s IHSA Finals

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:05:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

Here’s a breakdown of the winners of the semifinals matches at Friday’s IHSA Individuals Finals at State Farm Center in Champaign.

We hope to put together a quick summary of the champions for Sunday and then a story will appear on each of three classes and will feature pictures from the Finals.

Winning semifinal matches for Marmion Academy in Class 3A were Colton Wyller (106, 36-9), Nicholas Garcia (132, 49-2), Zach Stewart (138, 24-3), Demetrios Carrera (144, 39-5), Ashton Hobson (150, 28-2) and Joseph Favia (285, 41-5).

Advancing to the championship matches in Class 2A for IC Catholic Prep were Sammy Murante (126, 30-10), Max Cumbee (132, 42-7), Frank Nitti (144, 41-9), Aiden Arnett (150, 40-10) and Brody Kelly (175, 48-4).

Semifinals winners for Providence Catholic in Class 2A were Christian Corcoran (113, 35-9), Max Mandac (126, 37-14), Tommy Banas (138, 43-7), Justus Heeg (157, 49-1) and Jasper Harper (165, 34-11).

Others in Class 3A who were winners in the semifinals were:

106: Niko Odiotti, Loyola Academy (34-2)

113: Caleb Noble, Warren Township (45-1); Erik Klichurov, Montini Catholic (37-2)

120: Dom Munaretto, St. Charles East (48-0); Allen Woo, Montini Catholic (41-8)

126: Oleksandr Havrylkiv, Hersey (41-4); Jamiel Castleberry, Oak Park and River Forest (35-3)

132: Jason Hampton, Joliet Catholic Academy (43-3)

138: Griff Powell, Lyons Township (44-4)

144: Vince Jasinski, Grant (45-5)

150: Rocco Cassioppi, Hononegah (45-2)

157: Justin Wardlow, Lockport Township (40-5); Ethan Sonne, Marist (37-3)

165: Bruno Cassioppi, Hononegah (41-4); Liam Kelly, Mount Carmel (33-2)

175: Brody Sendele, Hononegah (43-3); Dayne Serio, West Aurora (42-3)

190: Aaron Stewart, Warren Township (38-4); Ryan Rosch, Wheaton North (34-2)

215: Cooper Murray, St. Charles East (43-7), Kai Calcutt, Loyola Academy (37-2)

285: Jonathan Rulo, Belleville East (28-0)

Additional Class 2A semifinal winners were:

2A 106: Treyden Diduch, Freeport (42-2); Cooper Clarke, Glenwood (40-4)

2A 113: Vince DeMarco, Grayslake Central (40-7)

2A 120: Paxton Valentine, Morris (37-5), Kai Enos, Batavia (34-7)

2A 132: Harrison Dea, Morton (46-1)

2A 138: Nathan Randle, Crystal Lake South (39-3)

2A 144: Nicholas Marchese, Crystal Lake Central (41-4)

2A 150: Knox Verbais, Civic Memorial (46-6)

2A 157: Brock Ross, Mascoutah (42-0)

2A 165: Wyatt Medlin, Washington Community (42-0)

2A 175: Kye Weinzierl, Geneseo (36-1)

2A 190: Marco Casillas, Mahomet-Seymour (48-3), Jaxon Penovich, Saint Viator (47-5)

2A 215: Jimmy Mastny, Marian Central Catholic (52-1); Josh Hoffer, Washington Community (34-5)

2A 285: Cody Moss, Glenwood (44-3); Owen Shea, Antioch (34-5)

Additional Class 1A semifinal winners were:

1A 106: Bentley Fields, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op (41-10); Connor Collins, Olympia (39-6)

1A 113: Augustus Swanson, Princeton (47-2); Landon Near, Newman Central Catholic (43-3)

1A 120: Weston Frazier, Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op (38-4); Wesley Janick, Marquette Academy (34-4)

1A 126: Obadiah Willis, Chicago Hope Academy (43-3), Preston Waughtel, Vandalia (28-0)

1A 132: Max Philpot, Vandalia (35-2); Jeremiah Lawrence, Chicago Hope Academy (30-2)

1A 138: Chance Woods, Chicago Hope Academy (45-2); Landen Lage, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op (44-2)

1A 144: Garrett VerHeecke, Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op (48-0); Charlie Connors, Dixon (44-4)

1A 150: Clinton VerHeecke, Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op (45-0); Cooper Corder, Sandwich (42-1)

1A 157: Aidan Kenney, Coal City (47-1); Dillon Hinton, Vandalia (42-3)

1A 165: Casey Etheridge, Princeton (46-6); Pierre Walton, Althoff Catholic (43-1)

1A 175: Arkail Griffin, Chicago Hope Academy (45-1); Brock Finch, Coal City (39-2)

1A 190: Eli Larson, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op (48-1); Logan VanDuyne, Wilmington (41-3)

1A 215: Cade Poyner, Coal City (46-3); Dane Olmstead, Freeburg (38-4)

1A 285: Jeremiah Luke, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op (44-3); Connor Williams, Canton (39-1)

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher qualifies nine at 1A Olympia Sectional

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:05:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

STANFORD – This has been a very special season for the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op team. Coach Josh Carter’s Falcons have gone 26-2 with their only losses to top-ranked and unbeaten defending Class 1A champion Coal City and Class 2A Dual Team qualifier Mahomet-Seymour. The team also won championships at Plano, Lincoln and the Ridgeview Regional, took second place at Mahomet-Seymour and placed fifth at Princeton’s Lyle King PIT.

They also will be making their fourth appearance in the IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Finals in Bloomington and their first visit in that event since 2015, when a team coached by Carter beat Shelbyville then lost in the semifinals to Mercer County and took fourth place after falling to Coal City, the third time it won a trophy in the competition. The state’s sixth-ranked team earned their spot in next Friday’s 7 p.m. quarterfinals with second-ranked Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op after claiming a 57-20 victory over the host team in the Class 1A Canton Dual Team Sectional.

The Falcons figure to go into that competition on a high note after its showing at the Class 1A Olympia Sectional in Stanford. GCMS/F sent five individuals to the title mat and finished with three champions, two individuals who placed second and four others who were in the top-four to give it a sectional-high nine qualifiers for this weekend’s IHSA Individual Finals in Champaign.

Champions for the Falcons were freshman Ian Rotramel (113, 34-13), sophomore Landen Lage (138, 41-2) and junior Hudson Babb (157, 44-1) while junior Nolan Lowe (144, 39-10) and sophomore Hunter Brandon (150, 40-11) both finished in second place.

Senior Gage Martin (126, 35-12) claimed third place while freshman Bentley Fields (106, 38-10), sophomore Camden Brucker (132, 38-11) and junior Cooper Miller (165, 40-11) finished in fourth place while freshman Kaden Huster (120, 24-8) and senior Jaxon Wright (215) fell one victory shy of making state appearances.

The nine state qualifiers GCMS/ F had ranked third in Class 1A behind Coal City (14) and Vandalia (10). Only Providence Catholic (13) and IC Catholic Prep (12) in 2A and Joliet Catholic Academy (10), Marmion Academy (10) and Montini Catholic (9) in 3A sent as many to state.

Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op’s VerHeecke brothers, seniors Garrett (144, 45-0) and Clinton (150, 42-0) were two of the four unbeaten champions in the sectional. The three-time all-staters hope to conclude their careers with their first state championships.

Two other champions who are unbeaten heading to state are Canton senior Dyllan Steele (120, 28-0) and Farmington/ Cuba co-op freshman Isaac Showalter (106, 40-0). Canton also has a champion with just one defeat, senior Connor Williams (285, 36-1) and another champion with just one loss is Hoopeston Area/ Milford co-op senior Aiden Bell (126, 38-1).

Sectional title winners with only two losses are PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op senior Justin Zimmerman (165, 35-2), Sacred Heart-Griffin junior Casen Lyons (190, 40-2) and Mt. Zion senior Keller Stocks (215, 44-2).

The other two sectional champs also have impressive records, Illini Bluffs sophomore Barret Speck (132, 41-3) and Beardstown senior Gunner Looker (175, 41-4).

Coach Josh Collins’ host Spartans had seven state qualifiers. Finishing in second place were were freshman Connor Collins (106, 36-6) and senior Darian Holloway (285, 41-5) while sophomores Brandon Gaither (113, 36-8) and Kenzer Burrell (138, 36-15) finished third and sophomore Tucker Garey (126, 36-8), junior Austin Kisner (150, 31-11) and sophomore Kaden Collins (157, 40-10) took fourth place.

Also finishing in second place were Rochester junior James Escobar (165, 38-5) and senior Connor Broughton (215, 31-10), St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore Ben Wells (113, 42-7), PORTA co-op sophomore Kainin Fillbright (120, 38-9), Canton senior Maddux Steele (126, 31-5), Riverton junior Harrison Lott (132, 35-2), Unity freshman AJ Daly (138, 38-13), Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op senior Charlie Wittmer (157, 42-5), Macomb junior Jeshua McPheeters (175, 38-10) and Williamsville senior Sam Shaw (190, 23-7).

Additional third-place finishers were PORTA sophomore Coyt Rademaker (106, 39-7) and senior Zach Bryant (144, 40-7), Quincy Notre Dame junior Cale Hilbing (150, 35-6) and senior Bradi Lahr (157, 43-4), Heyworth sophomore Tristan Stamp (175, 43-5) and junior Jarrod Fulcher (215, 41-9), Clinton junior Briley Carter (120, 13-3), Canton junior Jacob Hardesty (132, 33-5), Unity senior Abram Davidson (165, 44-7), Knoxville freshman James Long (190, 39-9) and Deer Creek-Mackinaw junior Joey Humphries (285, 42-6).

Others who took fourth place were El Paso-Gridley sophomore Kole Petta (113, 37-7) and junior Braden Gibson (190, 25-8), Heyworth sophomore Emmett Roeder (120, 35-11), Monmouth-Roseville sophomore Landon Peterson (138, 36-3). Eureka sophomore Finn Hoffman (144, 36-8), Unity senior Josh Heath (175, 39-13), Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op sophomore Graham Blackwell (215, 33-17) and St. Joseph-Ogden junior Cam Wagner (285, 31-8).

Here are the champions and their weight classes from the Class 1A Olympia Sectional:

106 – Isaac Showalter, Farmington/ Cuba co-op

Isaac Showalter has won all 40 matches that he’s been in during his freshman season for the Farmington/ Cuba co-op and he won his fifth tournament with a 4-2 decision over Olympia freshman Connor Collins in the 106 title match. Showalter was the first of four unbeaten champions at the sectional and is the only unbeaten individual at 106 in Class 1A. The lone qualifier for coach Jacob Durbin’s Farmers, he opened with a fall before claiming a 15-6 major decision over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op freshman Bentley Fields in the semifinals.

“It feels good,” Showalter said. “There were a lot of kids here. I’ve known Connor for a long time and he’s a really good guy and I’ve wrestled him many times and it goes back-and-forth. And I had another close match, so it just feels good to be able to come out on top. I’ve been at it ever since I was three years old practicing in the room and four years old, when I started wrestling in some competitions. I know it’s a lot harder and it’s a big jump from junior high and it makes feel good to know that I can still compete. I’m just going to try to keep it rolling through the state series and see what I can do there. I’m ready to get there and see how I can do and hopefully make some noise. There’s a lot of good kids that I practice with and I like them a lot. I love my coaches, they’ve helped me through this and have been there ever since I was young.”

Collins (36-6) was one of two second-place finishers and seven state qualifiers for the host Spartans, who are coached by his father, Josh Collins. He followed a win by technical fall with a 7-3 decision in the semifinals over PORTA co-op sophomore Coyt Rademaker (39-7), a two-time qualifier who took third place by recording a fall in 4:00 over Fields (38-10). Falling one victory shy of advancing to state were Hoopeston Area/ Milford co-op freshman Dylan Warner (23-13) and Camp Point Central/ Brown County co-op freshman Jordan Friday (31-14).

113 – Ian Rotramel, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op

Ian Rotramel achieved something special that not many freshmen do, and that is to claim his first tournament title in a sectional. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Rotramel (34-13) captured a win by technical fall in 4:36 over St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore Ben Wells in the 113 title match, avenging a loss one week earlier. Rotramel was one of three champs, five finalists and nine qualifiers for coach Josh Carter’s Falcons. He opened with a victory by technical fall, followed with a pin and won 11-0 over El Paso-Gridley sophomore Kole Petta in the semifinals.

“I think just coming in as a freshman was hard for me,” Rotramel said. “I’ve had to bump up to 120 some times because it’s better for the team. It’s just those different, harder matchups that can get to you sometimes. You just have to keep your head up, even those losses can be really hard on you. I think we jell really good together as a team, especially in the practice room. Just having all of these good kids who are just helping each other and push each other to be better. I’ve been wrestling since kindergarten, about 12 years. It’s going to be great seeing the great competition at state. I really like that we have a great coaching staff. Coach Carter is really good at knowing where to put everyone in different places and just knows the sport of wrestling, which is great.”

Wells (42-7), who qualified for the first time, was the lone finalist and one of two qualifiers for coach Bill Gallo’s Spartans. He opened with a victory by technical fall and then claimed a 10-7 win by sudden victory over Olympia sophomore Brandon Gaither in the semifinals. For third place, Gaither (36-8), who took sixth place at 106 last season, won by fall in 1:06 over Petta (37-7), a first-time qualifier. Falling one win shy of state trips were Beardstown senior Bryan Islas (31-11) and Camp Point Central/ Brown County co-op freshman Jack Welch (37-9).

120 – Dyllan Steele, Canton

Dyllan Steele improved to 28-0 and will be making his third-straight trip to the 1A Finals and the Canton senior hopes that his first medal is for an IHSA championship. He was one of two title winners, joined his twin brother Maddux as a finalist and also one of four qualifiers for coach Zach Crawford’s Little Giants. He won a 4-0 decision over PORTA co-op sophomore Kainin Fillbright in the 120 title match for his fifth tourney championship. Steele opened with a fall and got a win by technical fall in 5:36 over Heyworth sophomore Emmett Roeder in the semifinals.

“We’ve trained together for years,” Steele said of Maddux. “I was part of the state team (2023) with Joe (Norton) and over the years, we’ve just built and built and became a better program under our coaches. I’ve dedicated so much time over the past year with AAU, and coach Crawford has pushed and pushed me and my practice partners have also pushed me and made me better than I was last year. (Maddux) He’s having a great season, he just needs to step it up for the state series. I have so much confidence that I’m going to get there this year.”

Fillbright (38-9) was one of two finalists and four qualifiers for the Bluejays, who are coached by Jeff Hill, the state’s all-time leader in dual meet wins. A two-time qualifier who won two titles this season, he opened with a fall and won a 5-2 decision in the semifinals over Clinton junior Briley Carter (13-3), a two-time qualifier who took third with a 3-2 decision over first-time qualifier Roeder (35-11). Falling one victory shy of advancing to state were Illini Bluffs freshman Liam Major (29-10) and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op freshman Kaden Huster (24-8).

126 – Aiden Bell, Hoopeston Area/ Milford co-op

Aiden Bell is headed to the Class 1A Finals for the first time as a senior for Hoopeston Area/ Milford co-op and owns a 38-1 record after winning a 7-0 decision over Canton senior Maddux Steele in the 126 title match. He won his fifth tournament to become the lone qualifier for Chris Kelnhofer’s Cornjerkers. He got wins by technical fall in his other two matches, needing 3:59 in the semifinals over Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op sophomore Zayden Mansfield. His lone loss was 6-4 to Chicago Hope Academy’s Obadiah Willis in the finals at Reed-Custer.

“It feels really good to finally get my name out there and prove myself after all of the work that I’ve done during the offseason,” Bell said. “I think the key to the postseason is that you’ve got to be on your ‘A’ game every day. I’ve felt pretty good and think I’ve had a lot of good, neutral defense and I haven’t given up many takedowns. I’m just looking to score points and get to my offense. My dad, John Bell, and my head coach, Chris Kelnhofer, are great and they’re always pushing me to do my best and they’re putting in time with me before and after practice.”

Steele (31-5), a senior and twin brother of 120 champ Dyllan Steele, was one of four qualifiers for coach Zach Crawford’s Little Giants. He opened with a pin and won 14-4 over Olympia sophomore Tucker Garey (36-8) in the semifinals. A fifth-place finisher at 106 in 2023, this his third state trip after missing out last year. For third, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op’s Gage Martin (35-12) won by medical forfeit over Garey and both are first-time qualifiers. Falling a win shy of state were Illinois Valley Central junior Hunter Tolliver (19-7) and Mansfield (35-11).

132 – Barret Speck, Illini Bluffs

Barret Speck took fifth place at 120 last season as a freshman at Illini Bluffs and hopes to improve on that finish in his second state trip. The sophomore improved to 41-3 after winning by fall in 1:20 over Riverton junior Harrison Lott in the 132 title match. Speck edged Monticello senior Nick Litchfield 3-0 and then won 11-5 over Canton junior Jacob Hardesty in the semifinals to help him capture his fourth tourney title. He was the lone qualifier for coach Juan Cibrian’s Tigers and hopes to become the seventh individual from his school to collect two IHSA medals.

“I feel ecstatic,” Speck said. “Last year, I had a rough go and I lost by one in the semis at sectionals to a person I lost to three times, so that was tough. Just being a sectional champ and making it to state feels so much better and just puts me in a better spot. I came out pretty good and got about 15 to 20 wins and went up against a tough opponent at ABE’s, Max Philpot. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been watching Cameron Clark, Paul (Ishikawa), Hunter (Robbins) and Jackson (Carroll) and it makes me a better wrestler knowing that I’m a very competitive person and I like to break records, so I’m currently on a quest to beat Jackson Carroll’s record of wins. Being a sectional champ makes me feel great and puts me in a great position, since I have one of the toughest brackets in 1A. It puts me in a good spot to possibly go all the way.”

Lott (35-2), who qualified for state for the first time, was the lone qualifier for coach Marcus Durrett’s Hawks, A winner of four tournaments this season, he opened with a victory by technical fall before claiming a 10-0 major decision over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op sophomore Camden Brucker in the semifinals. For third place, Hardesty (33-5), a two-time qualifier, won 7-2 over Brucker (38-11), who’ll make his first trip. Mt. Zion sophomore Sammy Toth (25-9) and Eureka junior Henry Watson (39-10) both fell one victory shy of state trips.

138 – Landen Lage, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op

Landen Lage claimed fifth place at 126 as a freshman for Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op and now hopes to move up on the awards stand in Champaign after improving to 41-2 following his 7-0 decision over Unity freshman AJ Daly in the 138 championship match. One of three title winners, five finalists and nine qualifiers for coach Josh Carter’s Falcons, the sophomore captured his third tournament title after getting two victories by technical fall, with the second of those coming in 5:06 over Olympia sophomore Kenzer Burrell in the semifinals.

“The team is doing really well and everyone is competing,” Lage said. “Especially in practice, we’re trying to stay healthy and get after it every day and the partners are amazing and we’re all good role models for each othe r.Even stuff outside of the room like eating healthy and going to get another workout. We talk about it at practice and every kid is trying to level up to the next level. Coach Carter is an amazing influence on me through my everyday life as a role model. And coach (Logan) Deacetis from Prairie Central has been coaching me offseason for about three years and was a Division I wrestler at Bucknell and is phenomenal and he pushes me every day. From 106 to heavyweight, we all get along. I can tell them anything that’s going on and they’ll be there for me. And if I’m not doing what I’m supposed to do, they’ll get on me for that. We’re always cheering and just having fun and laughing and there’s not a dull moment.”

Daly (38-13) was the lone finalist and one of three qualifiers for coach Logan Patton’s Rockets. He recorded pins in his first three matches, capped by a fall in 3:00 over Monmouth-Roseville sophomore Landon Peterson in the semifinals to assure himself of a state appearance as a freshman. For third place, Burrell (36-15) won by fall in 1:39 over Peterson (36-3) in a matchup of first-time qualifiers. Falling one win shy of state were Mt. Zion senior Vincent Baker (37-12), who was a state qualifier last season, and PORTA co-op sophomore Jaxen Feagans (37-12).

144 – Garrett VerHeecke, Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op

Garrett VerHeecke enters the final week of his high school career needing three wins to cap an unbeaten season for Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op, the program he and his brother Clinton helped start that’s coached by Zach Whitsel. He’s 45-0 and 176-10 for his career and the brothers were two of four unbeaten champions at the sectional. Garrett took first at 144 with a win by technical fall in 4:49 over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op junior Nolan Lowe. The three-time IHSA 1A medalist was second at 132 to Riverdale’s Dean Wainwright in 2025, third at 126 in 2024 and sixth at 120 in 2023. He got a pin and a 13-3 win over Farmington/ Cuba co-op senior Bradlee Ellis in the semifinals enroute to his sixth tourney title this season.

“Being back-to-back undefeated state champs is really a goal that we’ve had since we were little kids,” Garrett VerHeecke said of him and Clinton. “So capping that off next week at State Farm Center would be awesome. We started Unity Christian wrestling four years ago and they didn’t have a program before. When we came as freshmen and asked if we could start a team, we had eight kids, so it’s just been awesome to see it build with more kids, more success and more growth. Going from placing third at sectionals my freshman year to winning it the past few years has been awesome. Hopefully kids in the future will look at us as a representation of what Unity Christian wrestling is. It’s exciting and I’m just looking forward to it. I’m coming to practice, excited to work and seeing everything as an opportunity. It’s been a really mindset switch that I’ve had. I don’t have to do this, I get to do this and that’s been a big change for me and just trusting in my coaches and practice partners and my brother.”

Lowe (39-10), a two-time qualifier and one of five finalists and nine qualifiers for coach Josh Carter’s Falcons, won 2-1 on a tiebreaker over PORTA co-op senior Zach Bryant before claiming a 5-0 decision over Eureka sophomore Finn Hoffman in the semifinals. For third place, Bryant (40-7), a three-time qualifier who was sixth at 132 in 2025, won a 4-2 decision over Hoffman (36-8), who’s making his state debut. Ellis (37-3) lost two in a row to be denied a fourth state trip and Unity freshman Hayden Smith (39-14) lost by sudden victory to fall a bit short.

150 – Clinton VerHeecke, Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op

Clinton VerHeecke hopes that he and his brother Garrett close their careers at Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op for coach Zach Whitsel with them both becoming four-time medalists and unbeaten IHSA 1A champions. Clinton improved to 42-0 and 175-6 in his career after winning the 150 title by fall in 3:04 over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op sophomore Hunter Brandon. He followed a pin with a win by technical fall in 4:30 over Quincy Notre Dame junior Cale Hilbing in the semifinals to capture his fifth tournament title this season. The three-time IHSA 1A medalist took fifth at 138 last season, fifth at 120 in 2024 and third at 113 as in 2023.

“Being able to start our own program at Unity Christian with me and Garrett and coach Whitsel and the kids that are seniors now was great,” Clinton VerHeecke said. “And we get a lot of help from our school and from our co-op school, Argenta-Oreana. And we have coach Gary Cook, a guy known statewide, and he’s been around here a couple of years now and he’s awesome and helps us a lot. And coach Whitsel is day in and day out and has been there since day one. All of our teammates work their butts off and we wouldn’t be here without them. My partners helping me day in and day out and my brother pushing me at home to do the right things. I have a support system with my parents, going out and doing Freestyle and Greco stuff. Those things are all huge steps for my success. This is an awesome opportunity and it’s really a blessing.”

Brandon (40-11), who’s a two-time qualifier, was one of five finalists and a sectional-high nine qualifiers for coach Josh Carter’s Falcons. He opened with a win by technical fall before getting a pin in 1:15 over Mt. Zion freshman Connor Misner in the semifinals. In the third-place match, first-time qualifiers met and Hilbing (35-6) captured a 3-0 decision over Olympia junior Austin Kisner (31-11), who won three in the wrestlebacks after losing to Hilbing 8-2 in the quarterfinals. Falling one win shy of state trips were Canton junior Grady Smith (18-11) and Misner (29-22).

157 – Hudson Babb, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op

Hudson Babb won his sixth tournament title and stayed unbeaten against Illinois opponents to clinch a second-straight appearance at the IHSA 1A Finals. The Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op junior improved to 44-1 after winning the 157 title match by technical fall in 5:32 over Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op senior Charlie Wittmer. Babb was one of three champions, five finalists and nine qualifiers for coach Josh Carter’s Falcons. He followed a fall in his opener with an 8-6 decision over Quincy Notre Dame senior Bradi Lahr in the semifinals.

“I’m definitely really happy with the team,” Babb said. “Even the guys that didn’t qualify for state, they went out there and put their foot on the line and worked really hard all season and just left it all on the mat, so I’m just really proud of those guys. And I’m proud of the guys who made it to state, they’ve worked really hard for this and they’ve definitely earned it. Our team has limited options, considering we’re in Class 1A. But all of our guys are quality guys who’ve worked in the offseason and been working on the mat, every practice, every single day. We’re doing the right things and working together. After last year, when I went 1-2 at state, I didn’t forget that and kept it at the back of my head and I didn’t take any breaks. Everyone is pushing each other to be the best. And everyone’s a lot of fun and we all get along really well.”

Wittmer (42-5), who won four tournament titles, is back at state for a second time. He was the lone finalist and one of two qualifiers for coach Garrett Knock’s Cardinals. He opened with a major decision and won 9-3 over Olympia sophomore Kaden Collins in the semifinals. For third place, two-time qualifier Lahr (43-4) won by fall in 1:37 over Collins (40-10), a first-time qualifier. Falling shy of advancing were PORTA co-op senior Logan Baker (38-11), with sectional-highs of three wins by technical fall and 56 total match points, and Canton junior Alex Carrier (31-12).

165 – Justin Zimmerman, PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op

Justin Zimmerman took fifth place at 157 in the 2025 IHSA 1A Finals so the PORTA co-op senior hopes to become the sixth individual from his school to win two or more IHSA medals this weekend. Zimmerman (35-2) won by fall in 3:00 over Rochester junior James Escobar in the 165 title match. The lone champ and one of four qualifiers for the Bluejays, who are coached by 2024 IHSA Grand Marshal Jeff Hill, he opened with a victory by technical fall and then won 5-3 in the semifinals over Unity senior Abram Davidson to help him claim his fifth tournament title.

“Just watching your weight and being disciplined all week factors into how you wrestle and how you practice every day,” Zimmerman said. “We have state placers come in, former alumni come in and you have state qualifiers all around you, so it’s never an easy practice. When we have someone who comes in from the junior high, he (coach Hill) just develops them from the first practice and every day they get better and all of the practices are purposeful. If I just take it one match at a time, I think I should be able to do pretty well.”

Escobar (38-5), who’s making his state debut and looks to be his program’s third medalist, was one of two qualifiers for coach Brad Alewelt’s Rockets. He won a major decision and then had a victory by technical fall before getting a pin in 0:41 over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op junior Cooper Miller in the semifinals. For third, Davidson (44-7) won by medical forfeit over Miller (40-11), and both are two-time qualifiers. Falling a win shy of state trips were Beardstown junior Maddox Medrano (42-7) and Quincy Notre Dame junior Abram Zanger (25-11).

175 – Gunner Looker, Beardstown

Gunner Looker would like to end his career at Beardstown by becoming the sixth individual from his school to win a state medal and just the second to try to compete for an IHSA title while also making his initial appearance in the IHSA 1A Finals. The senior improved to 41-4 after winning by technical fall in 4:24 over Macomb junior Jeshua McPheeters in the 175 title match. The lone qualifier for coach Joe Kolb’s Tigers, he followed a fall with a 6-5 win over Heyworth sophomore Tristan Stamp in the semifinals to help him to capture his fourth tournament title of the season.

“I looked at some of the other sectionals and maybe one that I thought was harder than this and I knew coming in, that I was the highest-ranked and I knew I had to wrestle good,” Looker said. “I had a little bit of an injury last week that I was trying to nurse. I think next week I’ll be able to open up and we’ll see what happens at state. I lost to (Pontiac’s) Lucas Maier before I won the Prairie Central tournament, and that was the second time I lost to him. So I knew then that I had to change my style, and that’s what I’ve done. Competing for Beardstown is pretty awesome. The head coach is great, the assistant coach has been here for just two years, but he’s great and tries to get everyone hyped up. And we have very good middle school program coaches, and they help a lot. I just think that it’s a great place to wrestle. This means I’m one of the best in the state. That’s something I kind of lacked the mentality of, but now I know that I belong.”

McPheeters (38-10), the lone qualifier for coach Luke Ladd’s Bombers, got a pin in his first match, followed that with a major decision and then claimed an 8-6 decision over Unity senior Josh Heath in the semifinals to assure himself of qualifying for the first time. In the third-place match, Stamp (43-5) claimed an 8-5 decision over Heath (39-13) in a meeting between two first-time state qualifiers. And coming up one victory short of advancing to state were Deer Creek-Mackinaw senior Caleb Greer (26-11) and Mt. Zion senior Carson Thornton (29-5).

190 – Casen Lyons, Sacred Heart-Griffin

Casen Lyons used to play football for one of the state’s top programs, Sacred Heart-Griffin, but he gave up on that sport so he could focus all of his energies on wrestling. The junior improved to 40-2 and won his fourth tournament by getting a pin in 1:37 over Williamsville senior Sam Shaw in the 190 title match. He’ll make his second state trip as the lone qualifier for coach Myles Alexander’s Cyclones. Lyons, who hopes to become his program’s second medalist, also won two major decisions, beating El Paso-Gridley junior Braden Gibson 11-2 in the semifinals.

“It’s a great feeling, I’ve been waiting for this my whole life,” Lyons said. “Last year, I lost in the (sectional) finals so it was amazing just to get back and wrestle. Summer wrestling was probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done. I quit football and quit all the other sports. They have (Sacred Heart-Griffin) a big football team and I love them and they work hard but if I can’t give 100 percent to a sport, I can’t do it. Wrestling’s where my heart is. I went from a C student to a straight-A student so Sacred Heart’s academics are incredible and all of our sports are absurdly good, so it’s an honor to go there. I’m just going to wrestle. Literally just prepare as best as I can. Eat right, train right, stay away from injuries. I plan on placing and doing my best.”

Shaw (23-7), the only qualifier for coach Josh Scranton’s Bullets, used two wins by technical fall and a pin to advance, beating St. Teresa freshman Brody York by technical fall in 2:37 in the semifinals to assure himself of his first trip to state, where he’d like to become the school’s first medalist. In the third-place match, Knoxville freshman James Long (39-9) won by fall in 1:11 over Gibson (25-8), which made him the only individual in the field to record five pins. York (16-9) also fell in the consolation semifinals, as did Olympia freshman Caleb Peters (28-12).

215 – Keller Stocks, Mt. Zion

Keller Stocks feels fortunate that he’s been able to compete for Mt. Zion and learn from coach Dave Klemm, a 2012 Lifetime Service Award recipient from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Illinois Chapter. The Braves senior improved to 44-2 and was his team’s lone qualifier after five others lost in the semifinals or consolation semifinals. A three-time qualifier who took fourth at 215 last year, he won his fourth title with a fall in 2:55 over Rochester senior Connor Broughton. He had two other pins, including in 2:33 over Heyworth junior Jarrod Fulcher in the semifinals.

“We’ve got a lot of hard workers and a lot of people who are trying to push me to be better and push themselves, and that allows me to reach my full potential,” Stocks said. “I’m very lucky. He (coach Klemm) motivates me very much and pushes me. He’s an inspirational figure and he coached my dad. He’s really a great coach. I think I have the ability and I have the confidence. I’m just real excited.”

Broughton (31-10), one of two runners-up and qualifiers for coach Brad Alewelt’s Rockets, won his first three matches with pins, with the third in 1:31 over Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op sophomore Graham Blackwell in the semifinals to earn his initial state trip. Both he and James Escobar hope to become their school’s third medalist. For third, Fulcher (41-8) got a pin in 5:25 over Blackwell (33-17), both first-time qualifiers. Falling a win shy of state were GCMS/F co-op senior Jaxon Wright (26-11) and LeRoy/ Tri-Valley co-op freshman Jackson Ritch (29-16).

285 – Connor Williams, Canton

Connor Williams placed fifth at 285 last season and is looking for much better as he heads to the IHSA 1A Finals with a 36-1 record and titles in all five of his tournaments with his lone defeat by ultimate tiebreaker. The Canton senior took first at 285 at the Olympia Sectional with a 7-1 decision over Olympia senior Darian Holloway. He was one of two champs, three finalists and four qualifiers for coach Zach Crawford’s Little Giants. The three-time qualifier opened with two falls, with the second of those in 2:57 over Mt. Zion senior Evan Ashmore in the semifinals.

“I’m extremely fortunate and I’m so grateful that I get to do it (compete for Canton),” Williams said. “It was a culture change. Everyone was not so adamant about wrestling and then everyone just started loving it. I just don’t think about losing and focus on winning. You don’t think about the negatives, only the positives. (Canton’s Steele brothers) They will push you and the whole room pushes each other. I like that we’re a family and not just wrestlers.”

Holloway (41-5) was one of two second-place finishers and seven qualifiers for coach Josh Collins’ host Spartans. He had two pins and a decision to advance to the 285 finals, assuring his first state appearance with a fall in 5:33 over Pleasant Plains’ senior Cash Thomas in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Deer Creek-Mackinaw junior Joey Humphries (42-6) won by fall in 3:25 over St. Joseph-Ogden junior Cam Wagner (31-8). The two seniors who got beaten in the semifinals, Ashmore (25-10) and Thomas (13-2), also fell in the consolation semifinals.

Class 1A Olympia Sectional championship matches

106 – Isaac Showalter (Farmington/ Cuba co-op) 40-0, Fr. over Connor Collins (Olympia) 36-6, Fr. (Dec 4-2)

113 – Ian Rotramel (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) 34-13, Fr. over Ben Wells (St. Joseph-Ogden) 42-7, So. (TF 4:36 15-0)

120 – Dyllan Steele (Canton) 28-0, Sr. over Kainin Fillbright (PORTA/ A-C Central/ Greenview/ Havana co-op) 38-9, So. (Dec 4-0)

126 – Aiden Bell (Hoopeston Area/ Milford co-op) 38-1, Sr. over Maddux Steele (Canton) 31-5, Sr. (Dec 7-0)

132 – Barret Speck (Illini Bluffs) 41-3, So. over Harrison Lott (Riverton) 35-2, Jr. (Fall 1:20)

138 – Landen Lage (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) 41-2, So. over AJ Daly (Unity) 38-13, Fr. (Dec 7-0)

144 – Garrett VerHeecke (Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op) 45-0, Sr. over Nolan Lowe (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) 39-10, Jr. (TF 4:49 17-1)

150 – Clinton VerHeecke (Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana co-op) 42-0, Sr. over Hunter Brandon (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) 40-11, So. (Fall 3:04)

157 – Hudson Babb (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher op) 44-1, Jr. over Charlie Wittmer (Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op) 42-5, Sr. (TF 5:32 15-0)

165 – Justin Zimmerman (PORTA co-op) 35-2, Sr. over James Escobar (Rochester) 38-5, Jr. (Fall 3:00)

175 – Gunner Looker (Beardstown) 41-4, Sr. over Jeshua McPheeters (Macomb) 38-10, Jr. (TF 4:24 16-0)

190 – Casen Lyons (Sacred Heart-Griffin) 40-2, Jr. over Sam Shaw (Williamsville) 23-7, Sr. (Fall 1:37)

215 – Keller Stocks (Mt. Zion) 44-2, Sr. over Connor Broughton (Rochester) 31-10, Sr. (Fall 2:55)

285 – Connor Williams (Canton) 36-1, Sr. over Darian Holloway (Olympia) 41-5, Sr. (Dec 7-1)

Class 1A Olympia Sectional third-place matches

106 – Coyt Radamaker (PORTA co-op) 39-7, So. over Bentley Fields (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) 38-10, Fr. (SV 7-4)

113 – Brandon Gaither (Olympia) 36-8, So. over Kole Petta (El Paso-Gridley) 37-7, So. (Fall 1:06)

120 – Briley Carter (Clinton) 13-3, Jr. over Emmett Roeder (Heyworth) 35-11, So. (Dec 3-2)

126 – Gage Martin (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) 35-12, Sr. over Tucker Garey (Olympia) 36-8, So. (M. For.)

132 – Jacob Hardesty (Canton) 33-5, Jr. over Camden Brucker (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) 38-11, So. (Dec 7-2)

138 – Kenzer Burrell (Olympia) 36-15, So. over Landon Peterson (Monmouth-Roseville) 36-3, So. (Fall 1:39)

144 – Zach Bryant (PORTA co-op) 40-7, Sr. over Finn Hoffman (Eureka) 36-8, So. (Dec 4-2)

150 – Cale Hilbing (Quincy Notre Dame) 35-6, Jr. over Austin Kisner (Olympia) 31-11, Jr. (Dec 3-0)

157 – Bradi Lahr (Quincy Notre Dame) 43-4, Sr. over Kaden Collins (Olympia) 40-10, So. (Fall 1:37)

165 – Abram Davidson (Unity) 44-7, Sr. over Cooper Miller (Gibson City.-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op) 40-11, Jr. (M. For.)

175 – Tristan Stamp (Heyworth) 43-5, So. over Josh Heath (Unity) 39-13, Sr. (Dec 8-5)

190 – James Long (Knoxville) 39-9, Fr. over Braden Gibson (El Paso-Gridley) 25-8, Jr. (Fall 1:11)

215 – Jarrod Fulcher (Heyworth) 41-9, Jr. over Graham Blackwell (Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth co-op) 33-17, So. (Fall 5:25)

285 – Joey Humphries (Deer Creek-Mackinaw) 42-6, Jr. over Cam Wagner (St. Joseph-Ogden) 31-8, Jr. (Fall 3:25)

Like state champions? You’ll love this state tournament

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:24:00 GMT

By Rob Sherrill

For the IWCOA

You’ll see just about everything in the 2026 Illinois state tournament.

You’ll see plenty of outstanding wrestlers. The six brand-new mats on the floor of the State Farm Center in Champaign will be home to 24 returning state champions – 10 in Class 3A, nine in Class 2A, and five in Class 1A. Of those 24, 20 were victorious a year ago as well.

You’ll see brother combinations. Will Justus Heeg of Providence and Judah Heeg of Lemont match what they did last year and repeat as 2A champions? Will Bruno Cassioppi of Rockton Hononegah beat the odds and join twin brother Rocco as a 3A champion? Will twins Garrett and Clinton VerHeecke of Decatur Unity Christian both take home gold in their final shots on the 1A state mats? Those are just a few of the stories behind the matches.

One thing you won’t see is a wrestler closing his career as a four-time state champion in 2026, as Seth Mendoza of Chicago Mount Carmel did last year in 3A. But four wrestlers are on track to take another step to becoming four-time state champions a year from now.

Three of them are juniors, Caleb Noble (113) of Gurnee Warren and Allen Woo of Lombard Montini in 3A and Jimmy Mastny (215) of Woodstock Marian Central Catholic in 2A. Noble is back for a second straight run at 113 after winning his first title at 106 in 2024. Woo and Mastny are both up a classification this season. Woo, who won 2A titles at 113 last year and at 106 in 2024, is now in 3A. Mastny, the 1A champion at 190 last year and at 157 in 2024, is now in 2A.

The fourth, Justus Heeg (157), is still just a sophomore. His title at 150 last year as a freshman was his second. As an eighth-grader in 2024, he was the 139-pound 2A champion at powerful Simley High School in Minnesota, a state that allows seventh- and eighth-grade wrestlers to compete on high school varsity teams. Should he win this weekend, in 2027 and in 2028, Heeg would become the first five-time state champion in Illinois high school wrestling history.

Noble, Woo, Justus Heeg and Mastny headline eight wrestlers bidding for a third state title. The others are Dom Munaretto (120) of St. Charles East, Nicholas Garcia (132) of Aurora Marmion Academy and Aaron Stewart (190) of Warren in 3A, Wyatt Medlin (165) of Washington in 2A and Dean Wainwright (132) of Port Byron Riverdale in 1A. All five are seniors.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights around the three classifications.

Class 3A

Back-to-back finals matches, at 113 and at 120, could feature defending champions. The 113-pound final is likely to match the wrestlers who won the 106-pound title the previous two seasons, Noble and Michael Rundell of Oak Park-River Forest, the champion at 106 last year. Both are juniors. The two have not met since the finals of the Marmion Cadet Classic in November, where Noble won by a 7-1 decision. It is one of three championship matches – one in each classification – projected to match defending champions.

At 120, in what could be a battle between two-time champions, Woo will need to find a way to beat Munaretto to keep his bid for four titles alive. Munaretto has won both their meetings this year by major decision – 10-2 in the Dvorak Tournament final in December and 13-5 in the Cheesehead Tournament semifinals in Wisconsin last month.

Munaretto and Kai Calcutt (215) of Wilmette Loyola Academy could become four-time state finalists this weekend, the only wrestlers in any classification with the chance to do so. Munaretto’s only loss in the State Farm Center came in the 2024 finals to Garcia, also bidding for his third title this weekend. Calcutt will try to add a second title to the one he won in 2024; he was second in 2023 and 2025.

Junior Rocco Cassioppi (150) and seniors Zach Stewart (138) of Marmion Academy, Liam Kelly (165) of Chicago Mount Carmel and Jonathan Rulo (285) of Belleville East are the other returning champions in 3A. Like Calcutt, Stewart lost in the finals a year ago.

Marmion Academy and Joliet Catholic Academy, projected to square off in a dual-team quarterfinal for the ages a week from now, led 3A with 10 state qualifiers each. The Cadets had seven champions at the Hinsdale Central sectional; the Hilltoppers had four at the Edwardsville sectional. Montini and St. Charles East each earned nine state qualifiers, Oak Park-River Forest eight, and Edwardsville seven; all four are also in next week’s Elite Eight.

In all, 17 3A schools had five state qualifiers or more. Barrington, Fox Lake Grant and Loyola Academy each qualified six, and Carol Stream Glenbard North, Chicago Mount Carmel, Glen Ellyn Glenbard West, Lincolnshire Stevenson, Park Ridge Maine South, Warren and West Aurora each qualified five.

Class 2A

With the championship finals starting at 215 pounds, we’ll find out right away whether Mastny is successful in his bid for a third state title. He’ll likely face the defending champion at the weight, senior Josh Hoffer of Washington, in what would be the only final matching defending champions. The two have wrestled three times in the past month, with Mastny dominating their series by scoring a technical fall and two pins.

A hoped-for second final matching returning champions, which would have closed the championship final round, will instead take place in the semifinals. That’s when Judah Heeg is expected to take on Jaxon Penovich of Arlington Heights St. Viator, the 3A champion in 2024 while wrestling at Mount Prospect Prospect. Penovich, who did not compete as a junior, was given the fourth seed, which put him on Heeg’s side of the bracket.

IC Catholic returns a pair of defending champions, junior Max Cumbee (132) and senior Brody Kelly (175). The defending 285-pound champion, senior Cody Moss of Chatham Glenwood, also returns.

Providence edged IC Catholic for the most individual qualifiers. The Celtics advanced 13 to the State Farm Center from the Hinsdale South sectional – at every weight class but 285 – and their eight sectional champions led all teams in any classification. The Knights advanced 12 from the Antioch sectional, at every weight but 165 and 215, and had six champions. Bethalto Civic Memorial and Deerfield were next, with seven qualifiers.

In all, 15 2A schools had five state qualifiers or more. Antioch, Bloomington, Chicago St. Rita, Grayslake Central, Oak Forest and Washington each qualified six, and Glenwood, Geneseo, Mahomet-Seymour, Mascoutah and Marian Central Catholic each qualified five.

Class 1A

For the second time in school history, Coal City, one of the most dominant teams in the history of the classification, qualified its entire lineup of 14 wrestlers to the State Farm Center, the only team in any classification to do so in 2026. The Coalers, who went 39-0 in duals with wins over a 3A Top 25 team and four 2A Top 25 teams, advanced 11 to the finals of their own individual sectional, with six champions. They enter next week’s dual-team state tournament as the heavy favorite to repeat.

But ither teams will play starring roles this weekend, too. A year after crowning three state champions, Vandalia advanced 10 from its own individual sectional, with five sectional champions, both marks second to Coal City. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher capped the best season in program history by qualifying nine wrestlers from the Stanford Olympia sectional, placing a strong third in the qualifier count. And Chicago Hope Academy and Yorkville Christian, the latter back in the classification after two seasons in 2A, also had impressive showings at Coal City with eight qualifiers each.

The final most have an eye on is the 132-pound showdown, which matches a pair of defending champions. Two-time champion Wainwright, back at the same weight class he won in 2026, is expected to meet junior Max Philpot of Vandalia, up three weight classes from his championship performance at 113 a year ago. The two met in the finals of the iconic Princeton Tournament in January, with Philpot winning a 10-9 classic. Wainwright was also the 106-pound champion as a freshman in 2023. Philpot’s junior teammate, Preston Waughtel, will try to add a second state title of his own in the preceding final at 126. The 113-pound champion in 2024 at Carlyle, Waughtel lost in overtime in last year’s finals.

A year after becoming the first East St. Louis wrestler to win a state title in 82 years – the longest gap between state champions in Illinois high school wrestling history – senior Pierre Walton will try to win the same weight, 165, down a classification at Belleville Althoff. The three upper weights appear to belong to three Lena-Winslow/Stockton seniors, Eli Larson (190), Oliver McPeek (215) and Jeremiah Luke (285). McPeek and Luke could start the Pantherhawks 2-for-2, and Larson, the lone defending champion of the trio, could bring down the curtain on another great state tournament.

The balance in the classification was evident, with just 11 1A schools amassing as many as five state qualifiers. Lena-Winslow/Stockton (7) and fellow Elite Eight qualifier Dixon (5) were the only schools from the deep Byron individual sectional to reach that mark, and only GCMSF and the host school (7) accomplished the feat at Olympia. Murphysboro and Oakwood/Salt Fork (6) and Althoff (5) completed the list of 11.

We set them up. You knock them down. Let the matches begin!

1A Sectional recaps: Vandalia, Byron, Coal City

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:07:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

Class 1A Vandalia Sectional recap

Vandalia qualified 10 individuals for the IHSA Finals from the Class 1A sectional tournament that it hosted, which made it one of only six teams in all classes that will be sending that many to Champaign and only one other team in 1A had more qualifiers, Coal City, with 14.

Other teams in the sectional who had the next-highest total of qualifiers were Murphysboro and Oakwood/ Salt Fork co-op with six apiece, Althoff Catholic with five and Benton with four. There were two 2025 state champions who will compete in this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Finals and there are 11 other 2025 state medalists who also will be back in Champaign.

State qualifiers for coach Pat Myers’ Vandalia Vandals included champions Preston Waughtel (126, 25-0), Max Philpot (132, 32-2), Dade Kleinik (150, 30-6), Dillon Hinton (157, 39-3) and Ross Miller (190, 37-7) and runner-up Kaden Daugherty (106, 32-11). Also advancing were third-place finishers Brody Matthews (138, 35-10), Eli Mabry (144, 35-7) and Zayne Zinkgraf (165, 20-6) as well as Riley Hinton (120, 21-9), who claimed fourth place.

Advancing to state for coach Shea Baker’s Murphysboro Red Devils were title winners Paxton Pyatt (120, 47-4) and Julien Tanner (285, 46-3) and runners-up Logan Tanner (190, 30-10) and Caybren Hubbard (215, 43-8). Finishing in third place and also qualifying for state were Drevan Bramlett (113, 38-7) and Sergio Garcia (126, 43-9).

Qualifying for the state finals for coach Mike Glosser’s Oakwood/ Salt-Fork co-op Comets were champions Steven Uden (113, 39-6) and Devin Ehler (138, 42-1) and second-place finishers Weston Frazier (120, 35-4) and Tyler Huchel (144, 36-6). Also advancing were third-place finisher Mason Swartz (132, 39-6) and fourth-place finisher Pedro Alberto Rangel (126, 27-14).

State qualifiers for coach Emanuel Brooks’ Althoff Catholic Crusaders were title winner Pierre Walton (165, 40-1) and second-place finishers Jacobi Cobbs (113, 38-2), Dawson Hawthorne (132, 37-2) and Landon Weidler (157, 36-3) and also Nathan Fisher (120, 21-8), who took third.

Advancing to state for coach Aaron Robinson’s Benton Rangers were champion Braxton Tittle (106, 45-2) and fourth-place finishers Kaden Blades (144, 45-7), Derek Wilkey (157, 40-8) and Kobe Cali (175, 30-6).

The other three sectional champions were Roxana’s Brandon Green, Jr. (144, 28-1) and Lyndon Thies (175, 41-1) and Freeburg’s Dane Olmstead (215, 35-4).

Additional second-place finishers were Litchfield/ Mt. Olive co-op’s Vincent Moore (126, 37-4) and Braxton Kieffer (165, 34-5), Robinson’s Broady Kelly (138, 43-4), Breese Central’s Matthew Walsh (150, 40-6), Pinckneyville’s Jonathan Ramaker (175, 35-2) and East Alton-Wood River’s Michael Soto (285, 23-10).

Some of the closest championship matches included Uden edging Cobbs 7-6 at 113, Pyatt getting past Frazier 4-2 at 120, Ehler prevailing over Kelly 8-6 at 138, Olmstead defeating Hubbard 4-2 at 215 and Miller beating Logan Tanner 3-0 at 190.

Others who claimed third-place finishes were Auburn/ Pawnee co-op’s Eli Hill (106, 33-9), Cumberland’s Owen McGinnis (157, 36-8), Lawrence County co-op’s Nick Morehead (175, 31-11), Red Bud’s Daniel Jackson (190, 40-2), Pinckneyville/ Trico/ Elverado co-op’s Wade Rees (215, 33-8) and Freeburg’s Jack Amann (285, 41-5).

Additional fourth-place finishers were Effingham’s Jonah LeDuc (106, 33-11) and Jeremiah Lorton (285, 38-8), Shelbyville’s Bodee Fathauer (132, 23-7) and Hayden Mudgette (215, 31-7), Robinson’s Landon Cornwell (113, 35-13), Johnston City’s Jace Weaver (138, 34-9), Auburn/ Pawnee co-op’s Trey Boston (150, 32-10), Paris’ Joshua Lamour (165, 28-2) and Westville/ Georgetown-Ridge Farm co-op’s Ethan Miller (190, 36-6).

2025 state champions who qualified for this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Finals from the Vandalia Sectional are: Max Philpot, Vandalia (1st at 113) and Pierre Walton, Althoff Catholic (1st at 165 in 2A).

2025 state medalists who qualified for this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Finals from the Vandalia Sectional are: Steven Uden, Oakwood/ Salt Fork (2nd at 106); Preston Waughtel, Vandalia (2nd at 120); Lyndon Thies, Roxana (2nd at 165); Brandon Green, Jr., Roxana (3rd at 132); Dillon Hinton, Vandalia (3rd at 150); Daniel Jackson, Red Bud (3rd at 190); Mason Swartz, Oakwood/ Salt Fork (4th at 120); Devin Ehler, Oakwood/ Salt Fork (4th at 126); Dawson Hawthorne, Althoff Catholic (6th at 126); Logan Riggs, Roxana (6th at 144) and Ross Miller, Vandalia (6th at 175).

Individuals who lost narrow decisions in the semifinals and then were beaten in their next match included Murphysboro’s Lemar Treshansky, who fell 3-0 to Tyler Huchel at 144 and Sparta/ Steeleville co-op’s Braxton Glodo, who was edged 3-2 by Matthew Walsh at 150

Consolation semifinals matches that were decided by narrow margins included Pedro Alberto Rangel edging Salem’s Rylan Moore 5-4 by ultimate tiebreaker at 126, Jack Amann getting past Vandalia’s Dominic Swyers 4-1 in overtime at 285, Joshua Lamour beating Pinckneyville/ Trico/ Elverado co-op senior Trevor Fath 7-5 at 165 and Ethan Miller prevailing over Oakwood/ Salt Fork’ co-op’s Jamison Chambliss 4-2 at 190.

Benton’s Kobe Cali and Effingham’s Jeremiah Lorton were the only two individuals to record four falls. Vandalia’s Preston Waughtel and Althoff Catholic’s Pierre Walton both claimed three wins by technical fall to lead in that category and Walton beat out Waughtel 58-55 for the most total match points.

Vandalia Sectional championship matches

106 – Braxton Tittle (Benton) 45-2, Jr. over Kaden Daugherty (Vandalia) 32-11, Fr. (TF 3:50 21-5)

113 – Steven Uden (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 39-6, Jr. over Jacobi Cobbs (Althoff Catholic) 38-2, Jr. (Dec 7-6)

120 – Paxton Pyatt (Murphysboro) 47-4, Jr. over Weston Frazier (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 35-4, So. (Dec 4-2)

126 – Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) 25-0, Jr. over Vincent Moore (Litchfield/ Mt. Olive) 37-4, Sr. (TF 3:44 19-3)

132 – Max Philpot (Vandalia) 32-2, Jr. over Dawson Hawthorne (Althoff Catholic) 37-2, Jr. (Dec 15-8)

138 – Devin Ehler (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 42-1, So. over Broady Kelly (Robinson) 43-4, Sr. (Dec 8-6)

144 – Brandon Green, Jr. (Roxana) 28-1, Sr. over Tyler Huchel (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 36-6, Sr. (Dec 7-3)

150 – Dade Kleinik (Vandalia) 30-6, Jr. over Matthew Walsh (Breese Central) 40-6, Sr. (Dec 7-3)

157 – Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) 39-3, Sr. over Landon Weidler (Althoff Catholic) 36-3, So. (Fall 3:49)

165 – Pierre Walton (Althoff Catholic) 40-1, Sr. over Braxton Kieffer (Litchfield) 34-5, Sr. (TF 4:08 16-1)

175 – Lyndon Thies (Roxana) 41-1, Sr. over Jonathan Ramaker (Pinckneyville/ Trico/ Elverado) 35-2, Sr. (MD 13-0)

190 – Ross Miller (Vandalia) 37-7, Sr. over Logan Tanner (Murphysboro) 30-10, Jr. (Dec 3-0)

215 – Dane Olmstead (Freeburg) 35-4, Jr. over Caybren Hubbard (Murphysboro) 43-8, Jr. (Dec 4-2)

285 – Julien Tanner (Murphysboro) 46-3, Sr. over Michael Soto (East Alton-Wood River) 23-10, Sr. (Dec 4-0)

Vandalia Sectional third-place matches

106 – Eli Hill (Auburn/ Pawnee) 33-9, So. over Jonah LeDuc (Effingham) 33-11, Fr. (TF 3:48 (21-5)

113 – Drevan Bramlett (Murphysboro) 38-7, Fr. over Landon Cornwell (Robinson) 35-13, Sr. (Fall 3:05)

120 – Nathan Fisher (Althoff Catholic) 21-8, Jr. over Riley Hinton (Vandalia) 21-9, Fr. (MD 13-3)

126 – Sergio Garcia (Murphysboro) 43-9, Sr. over Pedro Alberto Rangel (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 27-14, So. (TF 1:49 16-1)

132 – Mason Swartz (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 39-6, So. over Bodee Fathauer (Shelbyville) 23-7, Sr. (Dec 6-5)

138 – Brody Matthews (Vandalia) 35-10, Jr. over Jace Weaver (Johnston City) 34-9, Sr. (Fall 3:35)

144 – Eli Mabry (Vandalia) 35-7, Jr. over Kaden Blades (Benton) 45-7, Sr. (Fall 1:10)

150 – Logan Riggs (Roxana) 38-8, Sr. over Trey Boston (Auburn/ Pawnee) 32-10, So. (Fall 2:33)

157 – Owen McGinnis (Cumberland) 36-8, Sr. over Derek Wilkey (Benton) 40-8, Jr. (Fall 1:20)

165 – Zayne Zinkgraf (Vandalia) 20-6, So. over Joshua Lamour (Paris) 28-2, Sr. (Dec 13-12)

175 – Nick Morehead (Lawrence County) 31-11, Jr. over Kobe Cali (Benton) 30-6, Sr. (Dec 8-6)

190 – Daniel Jackson (Red Bud) 40-2, So. over Ethan Miller (Westville/ Georgetown-Ridge Farm) 36-6, Sr. (MD 17-5)

215 – Wade Rees (Pinckneyville/ Trico/ Elverado) 33-8, Fr. over Hayden Mudgette (Shelbyville) 31-7, So. (TF 5:02 18-2)

285 – Jack Amann (Freeburg) 41-5, Jr. over Jeremiah Lorton (Effingham) 38-8, Sr. (TF 4:07 15-0)

Class 1A Byron Sectional recap

Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op had a tournament-high seven qualifiers for the IHSA Finals from the Class 1A Byron Sectional while Dixon advanced five individuals to Champaign and Morrison, Richmond-Burton and Newman Central Catholic all had four state qualifiers.

There were two 2025 IHSA champions who advanced from the Byron Sectional to this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Finals and there were nine other IHSA medalists who also qualified from the Byron Sectional and will be competing this weekend in Champaign.

Leading the way for the Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op PantherHawks, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Milder, were champions Eli Larson (190, 45-1), Oliver McPeek (215, 44-2) and Jeremiah Luke (285, 41-3). Also advancing were second-place finishers Arrison Bauer (144, 44-4) and Sam Sikora (157, 37-12) and two individuals who claimed fourth place, Mauricio Glass (138, 35-13) and John Mensendike (175, 40-9)

Advancing to state for coach Micah Hey’s Dixon Dukes are title winners Jack Ragan (120, 38-5) and Charlie Connors (144, 40-4) while Riley Paredes (106, 35-2) finished second and Preston Richards (150, 40-7) and Dylan Bopes (285, 30-6) both claimed third place.

Qualifying for state for coach Tom Drosopoulos’ Morrison Mustangs were champion Eli Modglin (126, 43-3) and runner-up Caleb Modglin (150, 41-5) while Cael Wright (120, 42-8) and Noah Stout (190, 43-8) both finished in third place.

Moving on to state for coach Tony Nelson’s Richmond-Burton Rockets were third-place finishers Lelan Nelson (126, 31-6) and Wyatt Franckowiak (132, 38-10) and also Shane Falasca (215, 29-10) and Breckin Campbell (285, 31-9), who both finished in fourth place.

State qualifiers for coach Brody Ivey’s Newman Central Catholic Comets were champion Landon Near (113, 40-3) and runners-up Zhyler Hansen (126, 34-7) and Landon Blanton (132, 39-5), as well as fourth-place finisher Tyler Greenan (106, 28-12).

Additional sectional champions were Winnebago’s Cam Whitehead (106, 34-4), Riverdale’s Dean Wainwright (132, 44-3), Oregon’s Nelson Benesh (138, 41-4), Sandwich’s Cooper Corder (150, 39-1), West Carroll’s Connor Knop (157, 29-0), Wheaton Academy’s Tyler Jones (165, 42-2) and Byron Brody Stien (175, 44-1),

Princeton received second-place finishes from Augustus Swanson (113, 44-2), Kane Dauber (138, 25-3) and Casey Etheridge (165, 43-6). Also finishing in second place were Johnsburg’s Chase Vogel (120, 34-7), Sandwich’s Joshua Kotalik (175, 43-6), Byron’s Will Julian (190, 37-7), Marengo’s Owen Bills (215, 20-6) and Erie/ Prophetstown co-op’s Caleb Reymer (285, 37-8).

In some of the closest title matches, Wainwright edged Blanton 4-2 at 132, Near got past Swanson 7-4 at 113, Luke prevailed over Reymer 4-1 at 285, Eli Modglin beat Hansen 8-4 at 126 and Connors defeated Bauer 4-0 at 144.

Third-place finishes were also turned in by Rockridge’s Nate Lower (106, 39-3) and Thomas Sowards (157, 39-7), Mercer County’s Boston Morford (113, 33-11) and Eli Burns (165, 44-6), Marengo’s Mitchell Aukes (138, 42-4), Wheaton Academy’s Lincoln Hoger (144, 42-6), Johnsburg’s Duke Mays (175, 37-7) and Marquette Academy’s Alex Schaefer (215, 31-3).

The other fourth-place finishers were North Boone’s Drew Patel (113, 29-11), Marquette Academy’s Wesley Janick (120, 31-4), Oregon’s Isaiah Perez (126, 36-9), Rockridge’s Clayton Blumenstein (132, 38-9), Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op’s Caiden Heath (144, 26-10), Johnsburg’s Tanner Hansen (150, 35-13), Byron’s Dylan Dach (157, 25-17), West Carroll’s Jonner Smith (165, 35-3) and Marengo’s Frankie Solis (190, 39-9).

2025 state champions (with their finishes from last year) who qualified for this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Finals from the Byron Sectional are: Dean Wainwright, Riverdale (1st at 132) and Eli Larson, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op (1st at 175).

2025 state medalists (with their finishes from last year) who qualified for this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Finals from the Byron Sectional are: Jeremiah Luke, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op (2nd at 215); Arrison Bauer, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op (3rd at 144); Landon Near, Newman Central Catholic (4th at 106); Casey Etheridge, Princeton (4th at 165); Oliver McPeek, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op (4th at 190); Lelan Nelson, Richmond-Burton (5th at 106); Kane Dauber, Princeton (5th at 132); Cooper Corder, Sandwich (5th at 144) and Eli Burns, Mercer County (6th at 165).

Dixon’s Doolan Long lost 5-4 to Zhyler Hansen in the 126 semifinals and then fell 2-1 by ultimate tiebreaker to Lelan Nelson in his next match. Individuals who lost tight semifinal matches and then lost in the next round included Oregon’s Josiah Perez, who took sixth at 113 last season, fell 3-1 by ultimate tiebreaker to Jack Ragan at 120 and Polo/ Forreston/ Eastland/ Milledgeville co-op’s Micah Stringini, who lost 9-8 to Will Julian at 190.

Other close calls in the consolation semifinal included Tyler Grennan edging Stillman Valley’s Carter Paulson 5-4 at 106, Isaiah Perez got past Lena-Winslow/ Stockton’s Brandon White 10-9 at 126, Dylan Dach beat Marquette Academy’s Brysen Manly 7-5 at 157 and Dylan Bopes won 1-0 over Wheaton Academy’s Hezzy Garcia at 285.

Dixon’s Preston Richards edged Richmond-Burton’s Wyatt Franckowiak 72-70 for the most total match points, Marengo’s Frankie Solis was the only individual to record four falls and Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op’s Aden Spinell was the lone competitor who had three wins by technical fall.

Byron Sectional championship matches

106 – Cam Whitehead (Winnebago) 34-4, So. over Riley Paredes (Dixon) 35-2, Jr. (Dec 11-5)

113 – Landon Near (Newman Central Catholic) 40-3, So. over Augustus Swanson (Princeton) 44-2, Sr. (Dec 7-4)

120 – Jack Ragan (Dixon) 38-5, Jr. over Chase Vogel (Johnsburg) 34-7, So. (Dec 10-3)

126 – Eli Modglin (Morrison) 43-3, Fr. over Zhyler Hansen (Newman Central Catholic) 34-7, Sr. (Dec 8-4)

132 – Dean Wainwright (Riverdale) 44-3, Sr. over Landon Blanton (Newman Central Catholic) 39-5, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

138 – Nelson Benesh (Oregon) 41-4, Jr. over Kane Dauber (Princeton) 25-3, So. (Fall 5:52)

144 – Charlie Connors (Dixon) 40-4, So. over Arrison Bauer (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 44-4, Sr. (Dec 4-0)

150 – Cooper Corder (Sandwich) 39-1, Jr. over Caleb Modglin (Morrison) 41-5, Jr. (TF 1:23 20-3)

157 – Connor Knop (West Carroll) 29-0, Sr. over Sam Sikora (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 37-12, So. (Fall 1:41)

165 – Tyler Jones (Wheaton Academy) 42-2, Sr. over Casey Etheridge (Princeton) 43-6, Sr. (MD 11-3)

175 – Brody Stien (Byron) 44-1, Jr. over Joshua Kotalik (Sandwich) 43-6, So. (MD 14-4)

190 – Eli Larson (Lena-Winslow’/ Stockton) 45-1, Sr. over Will Julian (Byron) 37-7, Jr. (Dec 10-4)

215 – Oliver McPeek (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 44-2, Sr. over Owen Bills (Marengo) 20-6, Sr. (Fall 3:20)

285 – Jeremiah Luke (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 41-3, Sr. over Caleb Reymer (Erie/ Prophetstown) 37-8, Jr. (Dec 4-1)

Byron Sectional third-place matches

106 – Nate Lower (Rockridge) 39-3, So. over Tyler Grennan (Newman Central Catholic) 28-12, Fr. (Dec 6-0)

113 – Boston Morford (Mercer County) 33-11, Fr. over Drew Patel (North Boone) 29-11, So. (Dec 7-4)

120 – Cael Wright (Morrison) 42-8, So. over Wesley Janick (Marquette Academy) 31-4, Fr. (Dec 7-3)

126 – Lelan Nelson (Richmond-Burton) 31-6, So. over Isaiah Perez (Oregon) 36-9, So. (DQ)

132 – Wyatt Franckowiak (Richmond-Burton) 38-10, Fr. over Clayton Blumenstein (Rockridge) 38-9, Sr. (MD 16-5)

138 – Mitchell Aukes (Marengo) 42-4, Fr. over Mauricio Glass (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 35-13, Sr. (Dec 4-1)

144 – Lincoln Hoger (Wheaton Academy) 42-6, Sr. over Caiden Heath (Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille) 26-10, Jr. (Fall 5:19)

150 – Preston Richards (Dixon) 40-7, So. over Tanner Hansen (Johnsburg) 35-13, So. (TF 5:18 19-4)

157 – Thomas Sowards (Rockridge) 39-7, Jr. over Dylan Dach (Byron) 25-17, So. (Fall 1:11)

165 – Eli Burns (Mercer County) 44-6, Sr. over Jonner Smith (West Carroll) 35-3, Sr. (MD 10-0)

175 – Duke Mays (Johnsburg) 37-7, Jr. over John Mensendike (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 40-9, Sr. (Dec 4-0)

190 – Noah Stout (Morrison) 43-8, So. over Frankie Solis (Marengo) 39-9, Jr. (Fall 1:16)

215 – Alex Schaefer (Marquette Academy) 31-3, Jr. over Shane Falasca (Richmond-Burton) 29-10, So. (MD 12-4)

285 – Dylan Bopes (Dixon) 30-6, Sr. over Breckin Campbell (Richmond-Burton) 31-9, Jr. (Fall 1:20)

Class 1A Coal City Sectional recap

Coal City continued to add to its impressive accomplishments by doing something that it only has achieved once before, and that was qualifying all 14 of its sectional qualifiers to the IHSA Class 1A Finals, which it also did in 2023, the year that it won its first IHSA Dual Team title.

The Coalers achieved the feat at the sectional tournament that they hosted where coach Mark Masters’ team had six champions, five second-place finishers, two who took third place and one more who finished fourth.

Coal City was the only school to have 14 state qualifiers, which was one more than the best total in 2A, which was 13 for Providence Catholic while IC Catholic Prep advanced 12 in 2A. The highest total in 3A was the 10 qualifiers for Joliet Catholic Academy and Marmion Academy. The next-best total in 1A was 10 qualifiers for Vandalia.

Last week, they qualified for Dual Team State for the ninth time in the past 11 seasons and to not only look to capture their ninth trophy in the last 11 seasons but also advance to the Dual Team championship meet for the fourth straight year and repeat as 1A champions and also win their third IHSA title in four years.

Coal City looks to make some more history in several categories at the IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Finals on February 27 and 28 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington by becoming the seventh team in Class A or 1A to finish unbeaten, the sixth A or 1A program to repeat as a champion, the fifth A or 1A program to win three titles in four seasons and the fourth program in A or 1A to have an unbeaten championship team.

Last season, the Coalers beat Vandalia 32-25 in the 1A title meet to finish 33-7 as they won their second title in three years and captured their eighth trophy in 10 seasons, with the latter feat achieved previously by Providence Catholic, Montini Catholic and Washington Community.

Coal City takes a 39-0 record into next weekend’s IHSA Dual Team Finals and this is the first time that the program has headed to state with a perfect record. The Coalers easily won the regional that they hosted by scoring 329 points, which was 186 points ahead of runner-up Bishop McNamara. They also turned in one of the most dominating performances in the history of ABE’s Rumble, only losing 10 matches in nine dual meets while recording four shutouts.

Sectional champions for Coal City were Jake Munsterman (106, 43-3), Max Christensen (144, 42-5), Brody Widlowski (150, 33-1), Aidan Kenney (157, 43-1), Mason Garner (165, 37-4) and Cade Poyner (215, 42-3).

Finishing in second place for the Coalers were Gavin Roudis (113, 27-8), Owen Petersen (126, 39-5), Cooper Morris (132, 41-4), Brock Finch (175, 35-2) and Payton Vigna (285, 34-10). Taking third place were Luke Munsterman (138, 40-6) and Evan Greggain (190, 33-9) while Tyson Price (120, 21-9) took fourth place.

Coach Dan Willis’ Chicago Hope Academy Eagles had four sectional champions, one runner-up, two who took third place and one who claimed fourth place.

Winning titles for the Eagles were Obadiah Willis (126, 40-3), Jeremiah Lawrence (132, 27-2), Chance Woods (138, 42-2) and Arkail Griffin (175, 42-1) while Nolan Callahan (120, 20-5) took second place. Finishing third were Santori Knight (150, 22-4) and Ismael Martinez (165, 30-10) while Dylan Galvez (157, 37-8) took fourth place.

Coach Mike Vester’s Yorkville Christian Mustangs had two second-place finishers, four who claimed third place and two more who took fourth place.

Finishing in second place for the Mustangs were Austin Wadas-Luis (150, 35-15) and Tyler Gleason (165, 35-12). Taking third place were Davin Torza (106, 37-10), Phoenix Senodenos (113, 28-5), Christian Sandoval (120, 28-20) and Adrian Wadas-Luis (144, 38-13) while placing fourth were Ryan Alaimo (138, 18-7) and Jackson Allen (215, 44-7).

Additional sectional champions were Reed-Custer’s Colton Drinkwine (113, 33-4), Seneca’s Raiden Terry (120, 38-3), Wilmington’s Logan VanDuyne (190, 38-3) and Sullivan’s Charles Harris (285, 32-3).

Others who captured second-place finishes were Sullivan’s Mohammed Zia Nadre (106, 22-5), Bishop McNamara’s Alex Kostecka (138, 28-12), Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op’s Evan Cox (144, 37-10), Pontiac’s Brayden Quas (157, 33-7), Seneca’s Landen Venecia (190, 34-8) and Herscher’s Colton Carson (215, 41-12).

Also taking third place were Reed-Custer’s Jayden Sanchez (132, 36-13) and Dominic Alaimo (215, 38-10), Lisle Senior’s Alexander Ferari (126, 31-3), St. Francis’ Chase Siguenza (157, 14-2), Pontiac’s Lucas Maier (175, 40-4) and Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op’s Josh McCurry (285, 33-12).

Individuals who also finished in fourth place were Lisle Senior’s Sebastian Lara (106, 24-11) and Johnny Consuegra-Lopez (144, 26-9), Bishop McNamara’s Evan Johnson (113, 27-11) and Kian Bramer (285, 23-19), Peotone’s Jonah Young (126, 22-10), Westmont’s Ardan Baglaev (132, 34-12), Seneca’s Chase Rod (150, 30-11), Manteno’s Lucas Hetman (165, 30-11), Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op’s Gavin Bafia (175, 34-13) and Horizon Science Academy – Southwest Chicago’s Sami Marrero (190, 18-4).

The closest sectional title match was at 132 where Chicago Hope Academy’s Jeremiah Lawrence won a 7-4 decision over Coal City’s Cooper Morris.

2025 IHSA medalists (with their finishes from a year ago) who qualified from the Coal City Sectional for this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Finals in Champaign were: Cooper Morris, Coal City (2nd at 126); Brody Widlowski, Coal City (2nd at 138); Raiden Terry, Seneca (3rd at 106); Jeremiah Lawrence, Chicago Hope Academy (3rd at 120); Aidan Kenney, Coal City (4th at 144); Owen Petersen, Coal City (5th at 113); Arkail Griffin, Chicago Hope Academy (5th at 165); Cade Poyner, Coal City (5th at 190) and Dominic Alaimo, Reed-Custer (6th at 215).

Coal City’s Gavin Roudis had the most falls in the least time with three in 3:10. Yorkville Christian’s Davin Torza was the only individual who recorded three wins by technical fall. And Torza also edged Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op’s Gavin Bafia 58-55 for the most total match points.

In the closest consolation semifinal matches, Lisle Senior’s Johnny Consuegra-Lopez edged Herscher’s Alexander Mendez 10-7 in sudden victory at 144, Manteno’s Lucas Hetman prevailed over Corliss’ Grant Smith 7-6 at 165 and Chicago Hope Academy’s Santori Knight got past Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op’s Giona Panozzo 10-7 at 150.

Coal City captured its 39th-straight victory when it defeated Yorkville Christian 56-14 at the Coal City Dual Team Sectional, That assured it of its fourth-straight appearance in the IHSA Dual Team Finals and it has qualified for the event for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons.

The No. 1 Coalers meet No. 8 Olympia in the quarterfinals on Friday, February 27 at 5 p.m. at Grossinger Motors Arena with the winner advancing against No. 5 Dixon or No. 9 Althoff Catholic. The semifinals and title and third-place meets are on the next day with the IHSA Girls Finals also being held on those two days at the same site in downtown Bloomington.

Chicago Hope Academy will be back at the 1A Dual Team Finals for the second year in a row and the fourth time since 2017 after winning the other dual meet at the Coal City Sectional 56-9 over Wendell Phillips Academy.

The No. 17 Eagles face No. 3 Vandalia in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. on Friday with the winner meeting No. 6 Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op or No. 2 Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op in the semifinals.

This was the first sectional appearance for coach Carl Clark, Srs.’ Wildcats, who captured their first regional title in their program’s 16th season.

Coal City has captured wins over three Class 1A qualifiers, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op and Chicago Hope Academy and also against three Class 2A qualifiers, No. 3 Glenwood, No. 7 Mahomet-Seymour and No. 9 Oak Forest.

In the matchup between the 2025 and 2023 IHSA 1A champions and the 2022 1A title winners, coach Mike Vesters’ seventh-ranked Mustangs (17-3) lost the opener but then won the next two matches to grab an early 11-5 advantage. But then the top-ranked Coalers claimed wins in the next 10 matches before Yorkville Christian closed the dual meet with its third victory.

In the opener at 106, Coal City’s Jake Munsterman won 18-2 by technical fall over Davin Torza. The Munstangs answered with a pin from Phoenix Senodenos over Ryder Gill in 3:15 and then added to their lead with a victory at 120 when Ryan Festerling, Jr. won 21-3 by technical fall over Tyson Price.

Coal City pulled even at 11-11 when Owen Petersen won by fall in 0:53 over Christian Sandoval and moved ahead at 132 when Cooper Morris got a 21-5 win by technical fall over Jackson Witt.

Luke Munsterman followed with a 12-4 major decision over Ryan Alaimo and Max Christensen made it 24-11 when he captured an 11-3 major decision over Adrian Wadas-Luis at 144.

Brody Widlowski recorded a pin in 0:50 over Levi Wheeler and then Aidan Kenney claimed a 16-4 major decision over Austin Wadas-Luis at 157 to make it 34-11 with six matches left.

Mason Garner captured a 17-3 major decision over Tyler Gleason and Brock Finch won by fall in 1:14 over Henry Fox at 175 to extend Coal City’s advantage to 45-11.

Evan Greggain won by fall in 0:37 over Kenny Fox and Cade Poyner received a forfeit at 215 before the Mustangs got a 7-1 decision from Hayden Wheeler over Payton Vigna in the finale.

In the other dual meet at the Coal City Sectional, the teams double-forfeited in the first two matches and then Chicago Hope Academy won the next 10 before Wendell Phillips Academy claimed victories in the last two matches.

Nolan Callahan got a 19-2 win by technical fall over Oluwatimileyin Ishola at 120 and Indigo Berg prevailed 22-16 over Andrew Price in a match that featured several stoppages.

Obadiah Willis won by fall in 1:26 over Jeremy Catching at 132 and then Jeremiah Lawrence got a pin in 0:51 over Jeremiah Holmes to give the Eagles a 20-0 advantage.

Chance Woods was a winner by fall in 1:08 over Kalvin Moore at 144 and Santori Knight recorded a pin in 1:26 over Maurice Buckner before Dylan Galvez claimed a forfeit win.

Ismael Martinez won by fall in 3:21 over Roderick Johnson at 165, Arkail Griffin followed with a forfeit win and Martin Rodriguez collected Chicago Hope Academy’s final victory at 190 when he won by fall in 1:13 over Trevon Morgan.

Charleston Rice gave the Wildcats their first victory with a 1-0 decision over Mastewal Evely at 215 and Jacob Reames got another win with a pin in 0:51 over Artin Esmaeili in the final match.

Coal City Sectional championship matches

106 – Jake Munsterman (Coal City) 43-3, So. over Mohammed Zia Nadre (Sullivan 22-5, Sr. (Inj. 1:21)

113 – Colton Drinkwine (Reed-Custer) 33-4, So. over Gavin Roudis (Coal City) 27-8, Fr. (MD 18-6)

120 – Raiden Terry (Seneca) 38-3, Jr. over Nolan Callahan (Chicago Hope Academy) 20-5, So. (Dec 7-0)

126 – Obadiah Willis (Chicago Hope Academy) 40-3, Fr. over Owen Petersen (Coal City) 39-5, Jr. (MD 8-0)

132 – Jeremiah Lawrence (Chicago Hope Academy) 27-2, Sr. over Cooper Morris (Coal City) 41-4, Jr. (Dec 7-4)

138 – Chance Woods (Chicago Hope Academy) 42-2, Sr. over Alex Kostecka (Bishop McNamara) 28-12, Sr. (Fall 3:00)

144 – Max Christensen (Coal City) 42-5, Fr. over Evan Cox (Clifton Central/ Iroquois West) 37-10, Sr. (Dec 12-6)

150 – Brody Widlowski (Coal City) 33-1, Sr. over Austin Wadas-Luis (Yorkville Christian) 35-15, Sr. (TF 4:37 22-5)

157 – Aidan Kenney (Coal City) 43-1, Sr. over Brayden Quas (Pontiac) 33-7, So. (Dec 11-5)

165 – Mason Garner (Coal City) 37-4, Sr. over Tyler Gleason (Yorkville Christian) 35-12, Sr. (Dec 9-3)

175 – Arkail Griffin (Chicago Hope Academy) 42-1, Jr. over Brock Finch (Coal City) 35-2, Sr. (MD 15-4)

190 – Logan VanDuyne (Wilmington) 38-3, Sr. over Landen Venecia (Seneca) 34-8, Sr. (TF 3:00 215 – Cade Poyner (Coal City) 42-3, Sr. over Colton Carson (Herscher) 41-12, Fr. (Fall 2:25)

285 – Charles Harris (Sullivan) 32-3, Sr. over Payton Vigna (Coal City) 34-10, Sr. (Dec 7-1)

Coal City Sectional third-place matches

106 – Davin Torza (Yorkville Christian) 37-10, So. over Sebastian Lara (Lisle Senior) 24-11, Jr. (TF 5:00 23-8)

113 – Phoenix Senodenos (Yorkville Christian) 28-5, Fr. over Evan Johnson (Bishop McNamara) 27-11, So. (Inj. 0:00)

120 – Christian Sandoval (Yorkville Christian) 28-20, Sr. over Tyson Price (Coal City) 21-9, Jr. (Dec 19-18)

126 – Alexander Ferari (Lisle Senior) 31-3, Sr. over Jonah Young (Peotone) 22-10, Fr. (Dec 6-3)

132 – Jayden Sanchez (Reed-Custer) 36-13, Sr. over Ardan Baglaev (Westmont) 34-12, So. (Fall 3:23)

138 – Luke Munsterman (Coal City) 40-6, Sr. over Ryan Alaimo (Yorkville Christian) 18-7, Jr. (Dec 7-0)

144 – Adrian Wadas-Luis (Yorkville Christian) 38-13, Sr. over Johnny Consuegra-Lopez (Lisle Senior) 26-9, Jr. (Dec 6-3)

150

1st – Brody Widlowski (Coal City) 33-1, Sr. over Austin Wadas-Luis (Yorkville Christian) 35-15, Sr. (TF 4:37 22-5)

3rd – Santori Knight (Chicago Hope Academy) 22-4, Sr. over Chase Rod (Seneca) 30-11, So. (Dec 12-11)

157 – Chase Siguenza (St. Francis) 14-2, Jr. over Dylan Galvez (Chicago Hope Academy) 37-8, Jr. (Dec 13-9)

165 – Ismael Martinez (Chicago Hope Academy) 30-10, Sr. over Lucas Hetman (Manteno) 30-11, So. (Fall 4:00)

175 – Lucas Maier (Pontiac) 40-4, So. over Gavin Bafia (Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington) 34-13, Sr. (MD 15-4)

190 – Evan Greggain (Coal City) 33-9, Sr. over Sami Marrero (Horizon Science Academy – Southwest Chicago) 18-4, Sr. (Fall 4:47)

215 – Dominic Alaimo (Reed-Custer) 38-10, Sr. over Jackson Allen (Yorkville Christian) 44-7, Sr. (Inj. 0:00)

285 – Josh McCurry (Clifton Central/ Iroquois West) 33-12, Jr. over Kian Bramer (Bishop McNamara) 23-19, Sr. (Dec 8-1)

Class 1A Coal City Class Dual Team Sectional Results

Coal City 56, Yorkville Christian 14

100 – Jake Munsterman (CC) TF 18-2 Davon Torza (YC)

106 – Phoenix Senodenos (YC) F 3:15 Ryder Gill (CC)

113 – Ryan Festerling, Jr. TF 21-3 Tyson Price (CC)

126 – Owen Petersen (CC) F 0:53 Christian Sandoval (YC)

132 – Cooper Morris (CC) TF 21-5 Jackson Witt (YC)

138 – Luke Munsterman (CC) MD 12-4 Ryan Alaimo (YC)

144 – Max Christensen (CC) MD 11-3 Adrian Wadas-Luis (YC)

150 – Brody Widlowski (CC) F 0:50 Levi Wheeler (YC)

157 – Aidan Kenney (CC) MD 16-4 Austin Wasas-Luis (YC)

165 – Mason Garner (CC) MD 17-3 Tyler Gleason (YC)

175 – Brock Finch (CC) F 1:14 Henry Fox (YC)

190 – Evan Greggain (CC) F 0:37 Kenny Fox (YC)

215 – Cade Poyner (CC) FFT

285 – Hayden Wheeler (YC) D 7-1 Payton Vigna (CC)

Chicago Hope Academy 56, Wendell Phillips Academy 9

106 – Double forfeit

113 – Double forfeit

120 – Nolan Callahan (CHA) TF 19-2 Oluwatimileyin Ishola (WPA)

126 – Indigo Berg (CHA) D 22-16 Andrew Price (WPA)

132 – Obadiah Willis (CHA) F 1:26 Jeremy Catching (WPA)

138 – Jeremiah Lawrence (CHA) F 0:51 Jeremiah Holmes (WPA)

144 – Chance Woods (CHA) F 1:08 Kalvin Moore (WPA)

150 – Santori Knight (CHA) F 1:26 Maurice Buckner (WPA)

157 – Dylan Galvez (CHA) FFT

165 – Ismael Martinez (CHA) F 3:21 Roderick Johnson (WPA)

175 – Arkail Griffin (CHA) FFT

190 – Martin Rodriguez (CHA) F 1:13 Trevon Morgan (WPA)

215 – Charleston Rice (WPA) D 1-0 Mastewal Evely (CHA)

285 – Jacob Reames (WPA) F 0:51 Artin Esmaeili (CHA)

Stars shine at 3A Barrington sectional

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:54:00 GMT

By Mike Garofola for the IWCOA

The Barrington sectional may have not had the depth of Edwardsville or Hinsdale Central, but there’s no denying how many men of its state qualifiers will be candidates to fill the guest list on the floor Saturday night at State Farm Arena.

Hinsdale Central, thanks to the presence of state powers Marmion Academy and Montini Catholic, would lead the four sectionals with 100 state ranked men; Edwardsville was next with 99, followed by Barrington and its 88, including an impressive murderers’ row that would stretch from 106-215.

Four regional team champions: Barrington, Grant, Hononegah, and Loyola Academy advanced 40 into this sectional, and will send 22 wrestlers downstate, with a multitude of potential state finalists.

For the tournament, Barrington, Grant, and Loyola Academy would all sent six each downstate, Stevenson and Warren were next with five.

The six that Grant will bring to Champaign ties the program record set but IWCOA Hall-of-Fame head coach Ryan Geist, according to head coach Mark Jolcover, whose terrific coaching staff includes former Bulldogs Anthony Johnson and John Dineen. Before going on to Illinois to continue wrestling, Dineen was a two-time state place winner for Geist.

Five teams would dominate the top of the podium with Hononegah leading the way with a trio of individual champions, while Barrington, Grant, Loyola Academy and Warren all earned two first place trophies.

At the dual team state finals in Bloomington, No. 17 Barrington (15-8-0) will face No. 8 Oak Park-River Forest (10-2-0) in quarterfinal play at the 3A dual-team state tournament on Friday, February 27 at 5:00, followed by the No. 4 St. Charles East (17-5-0) versus No. 5 Hononegah (13-6-0) contest at 7:00.

106- Niko Odiotti (Loyola Academy)

For a team that stands a chance at success, it is important to have a strong presence at the start of its lineup, and in Niko Odiotti, Loyola Academy has the best there is.

The No. 1 man at 106-pound easily won his second consecutive sectional crown here with a pair of pins, and a superb effort in his final with Brady Myatt (Grant, 34-10) that would end with a 18-3 tech-fall for the Ramblers sophomore.

“My second place finish at state last year put everything into perspective, and although it was disappointing, it did provide me with the extra motivation you need to work harder, and push yourself to be the best,” said Odiotti, now 31-2 on the season.

The super-soph was thrilled to be a part of the Ramblers first regional title, and appearance in a dual-team sectional since 1997.

“I am really happy for my teammates, and our coaching staff that have been part of making this such a great season,” added Odiotti.

Myatt is on his way to his first state appearance, as is Stevenson freshman Stefan Vihrov (38-9) and another freshman, Luthor Rajcevich (Hampshire, 29-14) who finished third and fourth.

113- Caleb Noble (Warren)

It did not take long for Caleb Noble to establish himself as the best at his weight since entering the prep scene three years ago, while at the same time, working his way into national polls as well.

The junior from Warren, ranked No. 1 in the state once again and found in the top 10 nationally — most recently No. 6 by Sports Illustrated — now has three straight sectional crowns after his fall at 2:33 over No. 8 Lucas Crandall (34-11) of Fremd.

“One of my biggest developments since last year at this time is that I am making my game to be more (college-like), including improving my riding skills, which will be so important at the next level,” says Noble.

The Arizona State-bound Noble, now 42-1, and 121-6 on his way to Champaign, where he’ll chase a third state title.

No. 7 Daniel Berdich (Stevenson, 34-5) who has enjoyed a marvelous season thus far, finished third over Larry Quirk (Grant, 30-17) to earn his second trip downstate.

“Watching Larry punch his ticket to Champaign was truly one of the most exciting moments in program history. His dad has coached the Fox Lake Wrestling Club for 15 years, and Larry has done everything right during the four years that he has been with us,” said Jolcover.

120- Kaleb Pratt (Barrington )

After striking early and quick in order to build insurmountable leads in his first two matches, both ending with tech-fall victories, No. 2 Kaleb Pratt, needed a little more time to dash the hopes of No. 7 Jayce Glauser.

The two finalist in the 120-pound contest played to a 0-0 draw after two minutes, before Pratt (44-5) grabbed a 3-0, then 3-1 advantage midway through the second period. A near fall at the end of the period increased his lead that would eventually end in a 10-1 major decision.

“It was all about just being patient, letting things come to me, defending, and hitting my shots, and wrestling error-free and smart the rest of the way,” said Pratt, now a two-time sectional champion, whose methodical approach would stand out during his six minutes on the mat.

The three-time state qualifier now has four major titles for the season, and one state medal earned in 2024.

Glauser has been fantastic since his transfer from Richmond-Burton, where he was sixth at state a year ago at 106 pounds.

No. 8 Daniel Myint (Loyola Academy, 32-12) is now a first time state qualifier after his third place victory over Colin Abordo (Huntley, 40-8) who is making his second visit downstate.

126- Oleksandr (Sasha) Havrylkiv (Hersey)

There’s little doubt as to who was the biggest surprise last season in the 113-pound weight class in Champaign.

Although many knew of the talents of rookie Oleksandr (Sasha) Havrylkiv, it was from far away as his club from Buffalo Grove did not travel to high-profile tournaments.

Once on the floor of State Farm Arena, Havrylkiv would stun No. 2 Rocco Hayes (6-5) in his quarterfinal, push-then undefeated, and No. 2 Caden Correll (Normal) during a hard fought semifinal defeat.

Havrylkiv would come back later to earn a well deserved fourth place state medal, and, after his transfer to Hersey over the summer, found himself as the No. 2 man at 126-pounds behind Bobby Ruscitti from Montini Catholic.

“I am still the person who never stops working out – lifting, running, and pushing myself in the room all of the time,” said Havrylkiv, now 38-4 after his tech-fall victory (19-4) over No. 9 Gavin Pardilla (33-8) from Loyola Academy.

“Sasha is a tremendous leader, and just a great teammate, who we sometimes have to chase out of the room, and send him home because his work rate, and work ethic is off the charts,” added Hersey coach Chris Riley.

Pardilla is now a three-time state qualifier, third place medal winner, Saul Ramirez (Barrington, 31-14) earned his second trip downstate, and did Jackson Olson (Hononegah, 29-10) who was fourth a year ago.

132- Ryan Dorn (Barrington)

The connection between No. 3 Ryan Dorn (Barrington, 38-5) and No. 5 Shawn Kogan (Stevenson, 33-6) this season brought these two long-time friends together for a third time this season when the 132-pound final was called to mat

No. 1.

The ‘third time is a charm’ was not in favor of Kogan, who would concede a first period take-down that would lead to a 4-0 victory for Dorn, now a two-time sectional champ, and three-time state qualifier.

“We know each other so well from the regular season, and as training partners at Relentless (operated by Jordan Blanton and Ryan Prater), so there’s little we don’t know about each other. It kind of explains why our match was played so conservatively,” admitted Dorn.

The first time these two met, the Barrington junior recorded a 5-4 victory, and in the regional final at Harper Community College, Dorn earned a 12-4 triumph.

Alexander Osborne (Libertyville, 30-13), and Ayden Shuey (DeKalb, 27-10) are first time state qualifiers.

138- Erik Rodriguez (Grant)

No. 4 Erik Rodriguez has done nothing but improve with each season that he’s spent under head coach Mark Jolcover and this year has been his best thus far.

Rodriguez has a 37-6 record, with four of those defeats to out-of-state opponents. He has won three straight major titles, including the first sectional title of his career, sending him to Champaign for the third straight season.

“I got off to a little bit of a slow start in my final, but (Dylan) Solesky (Zion-Benton) is a good wrestler, and someone that I didn’t take lightly even though I beat him before,” began Rodriguez.

Rodriguez would open up a 8-1 first period with a nicely played single, extend to a 11-2 advantage as the period came to an end – however Solesky (29-8) drew closer at 12-5 at three minutes.

The Bulldogs’ captain would explode in the third period en route to a 24-10 major decision victory.

“I feel great right now, and I am excited about heading to state, and look forward to putting some extra time in before we head downstate,” said Rodriguez, third last year at state, and headed to Central Michigan University in the fall.

Mikey Polyakov (Stevenson, 23-5) who missed some time earlier in the season with an injury, garnered a well deserved third place medal, and first trip downstate, as did fourth place Colin Huminsky (35-16) from Huntley.

144- Vince Jasinski (Grant, 42-5)

The rise to the top for Vince Jasinski has been nothing short of astonishing from his rookie season at 106 pounds, right on up to his current spot at 144 pounds, where the Grant star is currently the No. 1 man in the state polls.

Jasinski (42-5) and Bulldog teammate Erik Rodriguez have combined for nearly 320 victories. Jasinski, fourth a year ago at state, also holds the program record for pins in one season, and for a career with 105.

“Vince, and Erik lead the charge for us, and have changed the culture and standard of our program ever since they stepped into the room,” says Jolcover.

Jasinski pinned his way to regional, and sectional titles to take a firm hold on that No. 1 spot in the polls.

“Being ranked No. 1 at any time of the year doesn’t mean a thing to me, it’s all about being there at the end of the season,” said Jasinski, who will wrestle next fall at Northern Iowa University.

Jasinski’s top-8 finish at Fargo in freestyle helped the four-year star earn All-American honors.

Jasinski would need just 1:38 minutes to pin Valentin Vihrov (36-8), who has enjoyed a wonderful senior year at Stevenson, helping the Patriots capture the Lake County Invite title.

Vihrov, along with Barrington senior Jimmy Whitaker (42-8) who finished third here, are now both two-time state qualifiers.

McHenry junior Ryan Johnston (41-10) will be making his first visit to Champaign.

150- Rocco Cassioppi (Hononegah)

No. 1 Rocco Cassioppi has just one loss in the state of Illinois this season, with his two losses coming at the prestigious Ironman to Joe Bachmann in a 2-1 tie-breaker, and class 2A star Justus Heeg (Providence Catholic) when the Hononegah junior bumped to 157.

Bachmann and Cassioppi (42-2) are No.’s 5 and 6 in national polls, and on Saturday afternoon here in Barrington, the affable Hononegah junior appeared ready to add another state championship trophy to his resume.

Two pins in his first two matches in just 3 1/2 minutes sent Cassioppi into his final with No. 6 Daniel Blanke (40-10) from Barrington, who despite already enjoying a marvelous junior season, was unable to keep up with a non-stop attack that would end at 3:50 (17-2) and tech-fall victory.

“I feel really good right now, working hard, keeping things sharp, fine-tuning every part of my game in order to be ready when things start for all of us this Thursday in Champaign,” said Cassioppi, a state champion a year ago at 132, and runner-up at 106 in his rookie season.

No. 7 James Hemmila (Loyola Academy, 25-5) is now a two-time state qualifier following his pin of Cam Matthews (DeKalb, 31-12) who is making his first appearance of his career.

157- Ethan Banda (Mundelein)

The perseverance displayed by Ethan Banda is what stands out most for the Mundelein star, who endured a double ‘whammy’ of sorts last season when he somehow found a way to his first state appearance after a major injury nearly ended his season for good.

The then-junior would suffer a vertebrae fracture at the Mustangs’ opening tournament, but returned six weeks later to earn a trip downstate at 144-pounds, only to be diagnosed with bronchitis the week of the state tournament.

“I guess I didn’t have a lot of luck on my side last year,” deadpanned Banda with the obvious.

“The (C7) fracture was a big injury. Fortunately it was right at the start of the year, which gave me a lot of time to get healthy, rehab, and get myself ready for the postseason,” continued Banda, who lost to eventual state champion Evan Gosz (Fremd) in his sectional final here.

“I didn’t have a lot of energy at state, so I was done really quick, but I feel great this season, and really excited with this sectional title, and another chance at the tournament this weekend,” continued Banda, now 36-5 after his 12-9 decision over No. 7 Daniel Malan (Loyola Academy, 27-5). Malan will be making his first trip downstate, as is third-place Michael Brannigan (Hampshire, 33-9) and Buffalo Grove junior Anthony Klikas (26-8) who won three major title this season.

165- Bruno Cassioppi (Hononegah, 38-4)

The pendulum swung during an intense rivalry between No. 2 Bruno Cassioppi (Hononegah, 38-4) and No. 3 Royce Lopez (Warren, 38-3) in the highly anticipated 165-pound final.

In the first meeting between these two giants, Lopez was victorious in a 2-1 tie-breaker in late November at the Marmion Academy Cadet Classic.

With considerably more at stake one week in advance of the state tournament, it would be Cassioppi coming out ahead with a hard fought 4-1 victory in extra time with the Hononegah junior recording a well designed takedown with 16 seconds remaining in the first extra period.

“I always felt in our match that I would be able to score more than I did, but Royce is really athletic, and a tough opponent. But when I saw that opening in overtime, I was confident I could get in and get the take-down,” said Cassioppi after claiming his fourth major title of the season.

Cassioppi, now a three-time state qualifier, and 2023 state place winner (third place) would trade an escape with the Northwestern-bound Lopez, before his game-winning take-down.

Lopez is a four-time state qualifier, fifth a year ago at 165.

No. 4 Frank Tagoe (Hersey, 36-5) is on his way to a second consecutive trip downstate after his 15-1 major decision over Michael Vincic (Mundelein,37-7) who will making his first ever state appearance.

175- Brody Sendele (Hononegah, 40-3)

Brody Sendele (40-3) will join teammates Rocco and Bruno Cassioppi as strong favorites to come home with the big prize from Champaign, after his brilliant three-match effort on Saturday, culminating with his sensational tech-fall (17-2) victory over No. 8 Sam Cushman (34-11) from host Barrington.

“Brody is at a whole other level right now at every level of his game,” began Hononegah head coach Tyler Demoss.

“He was injured (ACL) last season, and even when he returned, he wasn’t close to being a hundred percent . He worked really hard to get himself back to finish second at state, which was an incredible accomplishment, but he’s healthy this year and we’re getting to see just how dangerous he can be.”

The No. 1 junior unloaded on No. 2 Ilya Dvoriannikov (Warren) in their semifinal (16-3 major) to advance.

Dvoriannikov (23-9) is a three-time state qualifier in class 2A while at Vernon Hills, finishing second last year at 165.

Prospect senior Joe Quirk (32-8) is now a two-time state qualifier.

190- Aaron Stewart (Warren)

No. 1 Aaron Stewart (35-4) has the look of a state champion once again.

The Warren senior appears to be on his way to a third consecutive state title this weekend after he destroyed the competition at 190-pounds with a lethal, devastating attack that produced two super quick pins, and an impressive tech-fall victory over No. 2 Lucas Nance (Fremd, 36-6) in his semifinal match.

“I feel like I’m in a good spot right now. I’ve been staying with my training to get myself ready for this weekend,” said Stewart, who is on his way to the University of Illinois in the fall where he will play football, before turning in his pads for an Illini singlet.

Always around the top 10 in national polls since stepping into the Blue Devils room, Stewart was the No. 1 guy in preseason polls at 175, until moving up a weight that has been his from the start.

Stewart will arrive in Champaign with a 169-10 record in his career.

The aforementioned Nance would come back wrestle-backs to easily qualify for his second trip downstate after his decision over James Scanio (Libertyville, 33-10) in the third place match.

Three-sport star (football, baseball), No. 7, John Rappa (31-2) from Rolling Meadows earned a well deserved second state appearance despite his pin at the hands of Stewart in 18 seconds.

215- Kai Calcutt (Loyola Academy, 34-2)

Kai Calcutt claimed a rare fourth sectional crown Saturday afternoon following his third pin of the tournament – this one coming at the expense of Lake Zurich sophomore Rocco DiCanio, who heads to his first state tournament with an impressive 39-5 overall record.

“I give a lot of credit for what I’ve been able to accomplish to (coach) Matt Collum, who has turned the culture around at Loyola Academy, and has made it one for all of us to be proud of,” began Calcutt (34-2) – twice a state runner-up, and state champion in 2024.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have a person like (Collum) as well as Jordan Blanton at Relentless, whose technical expertise and ‘chill’ personality has taught me a lot also.”

The North Carolina State-bound Calcutt will arrive in Champaign with a stunning 144-16 overall record.

After back-to-back blood round sectional defeats, Dundee-Crown senior Teigen Moreno (40-3) roared into his first, and well deserved state appearance after blood-round pin, and 9-2 decision to capture third place.

Caleb VanLeer (Warren, 14-8) was fourth.

285- Knox Homota (Hampshire)

The personality of No. 9 Knox Homota is worth the price of admission, and so is the way in which the Hampshire sophomore can navigate his way through a weight class in which he gives away so many pounds to his opponents.

Weighing in at just 205, and standing at 6-1, Homota combines terrific speed, and quickness, along with ability to put plenty of points on the board to offset the extra girth he gives away each time he goes out.

Homota (36-4) would use a six-point explosion to break open a close match with Prospect senior James Brouilette (39-7) in the third period to go from a four-point advantage (9-5) to a near insurmountable 12-6 lead en route to a 15-7 triumph.

“Yeah, I’m just a ‘few’ pounds less than the rest of the guys here,” said Homola with a wry smile. “But I feel like the weight that I give away is made up for with the type of quickness a lot of heavyweights might not have, which I use to my advantage as often that I can.”

Homola, who lost in the blood round here a year ago, and would finish with a 29-9 overall record, opened tournament play with a pin (2:48) and followed up with a 9-0 major decision victory over No. 10 Jeremy Marshall (45-3) from Evanston, who placed third and is now a two-time state qualifier.

Homola is a middle-linebacker, running back, and tight end for the Whip-Purrs football team.

Regional champion Ajani Williams (Grant, 29-16) only in his second year in the sport was fourth overall.

IC Catholic leads the pack at Antioch

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 02:26:00 GMT

By Mike Garofola for the IWCOA

Wherever No. 1 IC Catholic goes it takes home plenty of hardware, as well as countless individual trophies.

The Knights (16-2-0), favored to win a second consecutive class 2A team title at the end of the month, claimed six individual titles and advanced 12 into the state tournament.

The Knights, who, along with Antioch had 13 pins in the tournament, will face No. 4 Geneseo (14-6-0) in its dual-team quarterfinal on Friday, February 27 (7:00) in Bloomington at the Grossinger Motors Arena.

Grayslake Central would celebrate a program best six to Champaign, including its terrific DeMarco brothers (Dominic and Vince) who would enjoy a memorable weekend of wrestling

Deerfield, with a tourney-best 18 pins recorded over the two days, will have seven in Champaign. Antioch (6), Wauconda (4) and Wheeling (12-4-0) who is on its way to Bloomington later this month all had three state qualifiers.

106- Dominic DeMarco (Grayslake Central, 31-2)

An early season appendectomy might have slowed Dominic DeMarco for a short while, but the Grayslake Central freshman, No. 2, has been on fire of late, including during his well deserved 7-1 victory over No. 3 Mike Bird (IC Catholic, 31-14) to thrill the crowd during the opening match of the final session.

The 106-pound title is the third major title for DeMarco (31-2), who begins his training day early in the morning, and never slows down, much like his older brother Vince, who is a two-time state medal winner, and the No. 3 man at 113-pounds.

“It’s great having Vince in the room, we’re great friends, and he’s a great partner, and someone that I always look forward to training with,” said DeMarco.

DeMarco opened his tournament with his 11th pin of the season, went past Thomas Emery, 12-5, then prepared for a second meeting of the year with Bird.

“(Bird) is very good, he’s got a strong attack, and shot, so it was important for me to stay in good position, and just be ready for whatever he throws at me,” opined DeMarco, who earned a 10-8 decision over Bird earlier.

“Dominic wrestled a hard fought match with Bird, who he caught with a six point throw with ten seconds remaining in the second period to go up 6-1,” recounted head coach Matt Joseph.

An escape would extend his lead to the eventual 7-1 result.

Thomas Emery (40-9), who transferred from nearby Hersey during the offseason, and Fargo top 12 guy in Greco, is on his way to his first state tournament with a third place medal, while Antioch senior Haydren Gomez (28-19) is making his first trip to Champaign as well.

113- Vince DeMarco (Grayslake Central)

Two previous top-four state medals only made Vince DeMarco put the extra work in during the offseason to fine tune technically, while keeping it all in perspective as to the trials and tribulations of the sport.

“You just go and do the best that you can, and, for me, I don’t look back, and say I should have done something different,” DeMarco would say just before he won his regional crown two weeks ago.

DeMarco (37-7) would finish second a year ago at state, fourth two years ago, but after his magnificent two days here that would end with his 11-3 major decision victory over No. 2 Drew Murante (IC Catholic, 32-12) it appears the Rams junior is ready for the final weekend of the season.

“Vince was dominating today, avenging an early season loss (11-5) to Murante, and he set the tone with three first period take-downs, then would just control the rest of the way,” said a proud Matt Joseph.

DeMarco, a 2025 Junior Greco-Roman National champion at 106 pounds during the summer in Fargo, has successfully averted three early season losses to Murante, Daniel Berdich (Stevenson) and Lucas Crandall from Fremd.

No. 6 Jayme Cohen (Deerfield, 37-11) came back from his quarterfinal loss to Murante to earn his first trip downstate with a third place medal, while No. 10 Frankie Katz (Wheeling, 25-14) joins Cohen after his fourth place medal.

120- Kannon Judycki (IC Catholic)

Kannon Judycki would start a four-match championship run for his club when he finished off his third opponent of the weekend with a third consecutive pin, this one at the expense of Deerfield junior Jorey Becker (37-11) at 1:50.

The Knights junior, now 26-8, has come long way fast since his rookie season when he was a state qualifier with 25 wins, one of which came in Champaign at 113 pounds.

Last season, Judycki won his first two state matches, before a heart-breaking sudden death loss to eventual state runner-up Mikey Malizzio from Montini Catholic ended his time in the front draw.

Judycki would fight his way back to earn a sixth place state medal.

This season Judycki will enter the tournament as the No. 1 man at 120-pounds, with a CCL, regional, and now sectional title to his claim

Alex Gudgeon (23-8) from Highland Park qualifies after his third place victory over Harrison Brown (30-16) of Fenwick.

126- Sam Murante (IC Catholic)

No. 2 Sam Murante will begin his chase towards a state championship with a sectional title to inspire his quest following an impressive second day of work that would include his pin over Danny Martinez (Deerfield, 40-12) who is making his first state appearance of his career.

“My goal all along was to get downstate, and on the top of the podium, and the extra work I put in during the offseason to improve my work on (legs) and being better prepared for each opponent is the reason that I feel like I have a good chance of getting in the state final next weekend,” said Murante.

The Knights senior, who is now 27-10, is planning on wrestling next season at a D-1 college, where he will pursue a degree in business.

Murante will be chasing No. 1 Max Mandac (Providence Catholic) and the two are 1-1 against each other, with Murante owning a 15-3 major to his credit.

Krish Sahu (Grayslake Central, 39-8) turned in a valiant six minute effort with Murante in their semifinal, that eventually ended in a 7-1 decision.

“Krish won a crazy blood round match (2-0) with a reversal with 27 seconds remaining, then beat Mason Porten (Wauconda, 33-17) for the third time this season to earn a third place medal,” said Matt Joseph.

132- Max Cumbee (IC Catholic)

No. 1 Max Cumbee, the reigning 126-pound state champion, is on his way to a third straight state appearance, and the Knights junior appears primed and ready to add another piece of hardware to the family trophy case.

Cumbee tech-falled his way to his 132-pound title, needing just a tick under 5 1/2 minutes to dispatch his opponents, including junior Rene Reyna (35-7) from Fenton, who was a regional champ two weeks ago.

“It’s been all about just fine tuning things, staying sharp, and being a lot more aggressive in my shots and attack compared to last year,” says Cumbee, who lost four matches in out-of-state competition, and another to No. 1 (class 3A) Nicholas Garcia (Marmion Academy) in a 2-1 tie-breaker at the CCL finals.

Josh Kubicki (23-21) gave the home town fans something to cheer with his third place finish over Jack Jensen (32-16) from Deerfield.

138- Adrian Cohen (Deerfield)

No. 5 Adrian Cohen (Deerfield) makes it sound so simple when

asked about his latest exploits, which would include his sixth major title of the season – his latest, of course, a sectional title.

“I just go out there and do my thing and just let it happen, and when I am feeling it like I did today, everything comes together for me,” said Cohen, now 44-2 after he pinned his way to the 138-pound crown over No. 8 Jack Hanrahan (IC Prep, 31-15).

Cohen, twice a state qualifier, needed just three minutes on the dot to finish off his three opponents over the two days here.

St. Ignatius junior Colton Huff (33-5) will make his second straight trip to Champaign, while Cary-Grove junior Jacob Turner (37-10) makes his maiden voyage.

144- Frank Nitti (IC Catholic)

Frank Nitti was none too pleased with his semifinal contest with Trevor Hengle (Grayslake Central, 40-13) – but he put that match behind quickly in order to defeat No. 3 Chase Nobiling (Antioch, 30-6) in the 144-pound final by a 8-5 decision.

“The effort wasn’t where it needed to be in my semifinal, I should have attacked more, and just open things up right from the start,” said Nitti (38-9) now a three-time state qualifier, the first two coming when he starred at nearby York High School.

“My move to IC has gotten me closer to God, and that has been important to me as a person, and has helped me with all parts of my life, including the sport that I love so much,” added Nitti, now with four major titles on the season.

The aforementioned Nobiling has been on a terrific run of late, fueled by his pin over the No. 1 man in 3A, Vince Jasinski in the finals of the Lake County Invite.

“Vince is an amazing wrestler, so that pin really would help boost my confidence, and help me realize that I can compete with the best,” said Nobiling, who was fourth a year ago at state.

No. 6 Alex Shvarstman (Deerfield, 39-9) is on his way to a second consecutive state appearance, while for Hengl, it will be his first ever.

“Trevor was a state alternate last year, and today, he got it done with a really tough second round wrestle-back match, before beating a scrappy opponent from St. Ignatius in the blood round,” said Grayslake Central head coach, Matt Joseph.

150- Aiden Arnett (IC Catholic)

When talking about the overall look of their starting lineup, both Max Cumbee and Brody Kelly go right to the man who impresses both IC Catholic stars.

“(Aiden) Arnett is an absolute beast, someone who takes a lot of pride in what he does, and has an incredible work ethic,” began Cumbee.

“Arnett is at another level when it comes to intensity, and the desire to dominate people in his matches,” adds Kelly.

The No. 1 man at 150 (Arnett) might have ten losses on his season, however six have been to all-world stars Justus Heeg and Wyatt Medlin when he moved up, and the other four to out-of-state competition at the Doc Buchanan.

“I’ve stepped up my training from a year ago (Arnett was state runner-up at 144) and if I am up by five points, I want it to be ten points, and if it’s ten then I’ll got after a 15-point lead. It’s all about never allowing my opponents to feel like they have any type of advantage in our matches,” opined Arnett, now 37-10 after his tech-fall (17-2) victory over No. 7 Antonio Hinojosa (Carmel Catholic, 34-3).

The Corsairs senior, twice a state qualifier, has dealt with far too many injuries during his time under long head coach Bob Kuykendall.

“(Tony) has had his share of injuries, but he’s healthy for the first time ever, and there is no doubt in my mind that he has a great chance to come home with a state medal,” says Corsairs assistant, Riley Palm, who is a two-time state champion wearing the Corsairs singlet.

No. 8 Dominic Garcia (Antioch, 33-5) was third after his pin of Nino Capuano (28-9) from St. Ignatius.

157- Brian Hart (Wauconda)

It’s easy to get overlooked in a weight class that has at the top the No. 4 rated guy in the nation in Justus Heeg from Providence Catholic, who, no doubt is the prohibitive favorite to claim his third consecutive state title.

No. 2 Ty Smart (Rockford East) and No. 3 Brock Ross (Mascoutah) are just ahead of No. 4 Brian Hart, who in all three of his post-season tournaments has needed just under 11 minutes to claim the top prize at each stop.

Saturday afternoon, the junior from Wauconda would pin No. 7 Joey Pontrelli (IC Catholic, 28-18) at 4:48 to advance to his first state appearance of his career.

“The big thing for me, both physically and mentally is to not having to cut weight this year,” admitted Hart, who weighed in at 154.

“There’s less stress on your body when you’re not cutting weight, and for the first time, I’ve felt just great in my training, and preparation for my matches, and I’am really in sync with our coaching staff as well.”

Hart (41-6) would defeat the talented senior from Grayslake Central, Warren Nash (37-10) in his semifinal to advance.

“Warren got caught in a lat-drop in the first period of his match with Hart, but fought his way back as he has all year with a strong effort to earn third place overall, and a second straight trip downstate,” said Central head coach Matt Joseph of Nash, who leads his club with 21 pins.

Fenwick junior Burke Burns (27-8) finished fourth.

165- Nicholas Montesinos (Wheeling, 32-8)

Nicholas Montesinos (32-8), who wears the captains armband proudly for coach Charlie Curran and the Wheeling program, claimed the 165-pound crown with his impressive 11-0 major decision victory over Jonathan Weissmueller (33-15) from Deerfield.

“Nicholas has been wrestling really well over the last few weeks – he’s now won a regional and sectional title in back-to-back weekends, and he truly has earned all the success he’s enjoyed,” begins Curran.

“He’s hard working, shows strong character, he’s coachable, he adapts, is a good student, great leader, and overall, just a great young man.”

Montesinos had previously won his first two bouts with Weissmueller, but it always difficult to be successful a third time.

“The (Deerfield) kid is a tough opponent, so we expected a tough match in their final,” recounted Curran.

“But Nicholas was able to score early, be really tough on top – which drew three stalling calls from the top position.”

Vernon Hills junior Jacob Becker (34-7) is on his way to Champaign for the first time after securing a third place medal over Michael Flatley (Lakes Community, 19-10).

175- Brody Kelly (IC Catholic)

North Carolina University-bound Brody Kelly, the No. 1 man at 175-pounds ever since he lifted the trophy last February in Champaign, cruised to his sixth major title of the season, which includes a Dvorak and CCL title.

“There’s always room for improvement in your game, and for me, it was fine tuning the right grips in ties, and to get to my attack a little quicker, and to be more aggressive when doing so,” said Kelly, second in state at 152 in 2024, and a state qualifier in 3A his rookie year while at Marmion Academy.

Kelly (45-4) who is approaching 150 career victories, recorded a tech-fall (23-5) at 2:40 over No. 3 Brody McKenna (Wauconda, 39-11) in their final.

William Lyle (Grayslake Central, 17-6) who tore his ACL at team camp in the Wisconsin Dells in late June, had surgery in the middle of July, and only began to compete in early January finished third overall after his 11th pin of the season over Dereck Mazariegos (Fenton, 22-9) to send both to their first state appearance ever.

190- Jaxon Penovich (St. Viator)

During his first two seasons at Prospect, Jaxon Penovich turned in some very impressive results – third in the state during his rookie season, then earning a state title one year later.

After one year away from the prep scene, the Mt. Prospect resident has landed at St. Viator, with the dream of another state title to add to his collection, while at the same time, ending a 40-year draught for a Lions program that has welcomed the University of Illinois-bound star with open arms.

“I am thrilled to be at St. Viator, we have a great coaching staff, some really good young guys in our room that I can mentor, and be the kind of captain and leader to help turn the program around,” said Penovich.

Prior to his semifinal with No. 2 Foley Calcagno (38-9) the three-time state medal winner from IC Catholic, Penovich had gone six minutes with only two others: No. 1 (215) Jimmy Mastny (Marian Central Catholic) and No. 3 (class 3A) Lucas Nance of Fremd.

Penovichs’ five losses are to out-of-state nationally ranked opponents, plus a 2-1 defeat to Mastny.

Penovich (44-5) would defeat Calcagno 3-1 in a dicey, intense contest, before recording a pin at (42) seconds over Colin Arquilla (26-7) from host Antioch.

“My goal each time I go out is to dominate each and every opponent. If it goes six minutes that’s fine – if not, then the match is over earlier,” said Penovich, No. 16 in the latest national poll.

Calcagno would easily earn third place following his 18-3 tech-fall victory over Highland Park junior Daniel Derbedyenyev (17-8) who despite missing time with an injury, was named the outstanding CSL North wrestler after the conference tournament.

215- Melson Ngassa (St. Ignatius)

No stranger to the rigors of this sport, and his academics, St. Ignatius senior Melson Ngassa (36-7) will arrive in Champaign for the second consecutive season, this time as a sectional champion following his pin (2:26) of Lake Forest star Yaree Sandifer, now 39-6.

“It’s a nice achievement to win a sectional title – it’s why you do all the hard work in order to prepare for a day like this,” said Ngassa, who is just as proud of his individual effort as the effort from his teammates who won its first ever regional title in program history inside its historic near-west gymnasium.

“(That) team regional championship was quite an accomplishment for all of us, and our coaching staff, I was proud to be a part of that as well,” added Ngassa, No. 10 in the most recent state poll.

“I’ve done a lot of work on all parts of my game, but maybe the most important is my fitness, which I feel is at a level where I can go six hard minutes if I need to,” continued Ngassa (36-7) who has an eye on either Marquette University, or John Carroll University (Ohio) where he will major in global studies.

Wauconda sophomore, and regional champion, Finn Loomis (38-12) was third, Eddie Juarez (Wheeling, 31-11) fourth, both of whom are first time state qualifiers.

285- Hunter Wahtola (De Paul College Prep)

Hunter Wahtola would enjoy plenty of success in the fall for the DePaul College Prep football program, and has continued right into the wrestling season where the junior collected his sixth major title of the campaign to solidify his place as the No. 2 heavyweight behind top-rated Cody Moss of Glenwood.

The 6-3 Wahtola, who is considered a ‘light-weight in his class at just under 240 pounds, was named CCL Purple Division defensive player of the year this past fall for his work along the defensive line.

Now, a three-time state qualifier, Wahtola (32-2) will look to better his third place state finish in 2025 will use his hard-fought 2-1 decision over No. 3 Anthony Sebastian (IC Catholic, 35-10) in the final to provide the inspiration to navigate through an always difficult 285-pound bracket.

St. Viator senior Wyatt Philippi (37-13) a two-time state champion in Nevada at 190, and 215 will make his inaugural trip to Champaign, while Antioch senior, No. 5 Owen Shea (31-5) is now a three-time state qualifier.

The post IC Catholic leads the pack at Antioch appeared first on Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association .

2A sectional recaps: Hinsdale South, Granite City, Geneseo

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:04:00 GMT

By Chris Walker for the IWCOA

The individual state finals will take place on Feb. 19-21 at the State Farm Center in Champaign

HINSDALE SOUTH SECTIONAL

Cole Lemberg (106) Christian Corcoran (113), Nate Ortiz (120), Max Mandac (126), Tommy Banas (138), Justus Heeg (157), Jasper Harper (165) and Ameer Khalil (175) all won sectional titles for Providence Catholic as the Celtics dominated the Hinsdale South sectional.

All told, the Celtics had 13 wrestlers advance to state with the aforementioned eight champions leading the way.

Luke Banas (144) and Brayden McKay (190) placed second, Lucas Forsythe (132) and Andrew Pellicci (150) were third and Riley Teller (215) was fourth for the Celtics.

No other team had more than a single sectional champion. One of them – Lemont’s Judah Heeg (190) – is looking to defend his state title from 12 months ago.

The other champs were Riverside-Brookfield’s Izaiah Gonzalez (132), St. Rita’s Jack Hogan (144), Oak Forest’s Austin Perez (150), Tinley Park’s Sebastian Sanderson (215) and Crete-Monee’s Dominic Jackson (285).

St. Rita and Oak Forest tied for the second-most state qualifiers out of the Hinsdale South sectional with six apiece.

In addition to Hogan at 144, the Mustangs will send Andrew Lehman (157), Micah Spinazzola (165) and Mark Kelleher (285) who placed second and Keishawn Triplett (175) and James Bansley (190) who took fourth.

While Perez led the way with his title at 150 for the Bengals, his teammates Jason Janke (175) and Andrius Vasilevskas (215) advanced to the finals, placing second. Roberto Rangel (113) and Jacob Sebek (126) took third and Jason Schickel (106) was fourth.

Evergreen Park didn’t have a champ but is sending four of its wrestlers to Champaign. Adrian Cervantes (132) and Michael Chatman (138) placed second, Brayden Mateja-Bates (106) was third and Jayden Cervantes (126) took fourth.

Agricultural Science, Glenbard South, Hinsdale South, Lemont and Riverside-Brookfield each had three wrestlers extend their season into the state finals.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS

SM – returning state medal-winner; SC – returning state champ

106 Cole Lemberg (23-17) Providence Catholic

113 SM Christian Corcoran (32-9) Providence Catholic

120 Nate Ortiz (24-6) Providence Catholic

126 Max Mandac (34-14) Providence Catholic

132 Izaiah Gonzalez (31-3) Riverside-Brookfield

138 SM Tommy Banas (40-7) Providence Catholic

144 Jack Hogan (35-4) St. Rita

150 SM Austin Perez (29-3) Oak Forest

157 SM Justus Heeg (46-1) Providence Catholic

165 SM Jasper Harper (31-11) Providence Catholic

175 Ameer Khalil (36-13) Providence Catholic

190 SC Judah Heeg (37-1) Lemont

215 Sebastian Sanderson (34-2) Tinley Park

285 Dominic Jackson (30-1) Crete-Monee

STATE QUALIFIERS

106

Cole Lemberg (Providence Catholic) 23-17, d. Alex Powers (Lemont) 30-11, (F 0:45)

Brayden Mateja-Bates (Evergreen Park) 32-15, d. Jason Schickel (Oak Forest) 26-15, (D 10-3)

113

Christian Corcoran (Providence Catholic) 32-9, d. Ibrohim Mahmadov (Richards) 22-8, (TF-1.5 1:53 (17-2)

Roberto Rangel (Oak Forest) 22-3, d. Christian Sebastian (Little Village) 20-4, (F 2:00)

120

Nate Ortiz (Providence Catholic) 24-6, d. Elijah Sawyers (Agricultural Science) 22-2, (MD 14-5)

Justin Forbes (De La Salle) 26-4, d. Alexander Schuetz (Hinsdale South) 28-7, (D 16-11)

126

Max Mandac (Providence Catholic) 34-14, d. Cory Zator (Lemont) 30-6, (D 7-6)

Jacob Sebek (Oak Forest) 30-10, d. Jayden Cervantes (Evergreen Park) 37-10, (D 4-1)

132

Izaiah Gonzalez (Riverside-Brookfield) 31-3, d. Adrian Cervantes (Evergreen Park) 23-4, (TF-1.5 4:21 (18-0)

Lucas Forsythe (Providence Catholic) 27-21, d. Jeremy Powell (Agricultural Science) 35-6, (MD 15-4)

138

Tommy Banas (Providence Catholic) d. Michael Chatman (Evergreen Park) 29-5, (F 1:14)

Melik Robinson (Thornton Fractional North) 26-6, d. Tony Lombardo (Riverside- Brookfield) 27-6, (MD 20-8)

144

Jack Hogan (St. Rita) 35-4, d. Luke Banas (Providence Catholic) 32-19, (MD 8-0)

Jin Tai (Glenbard South) 41-6, d. Jayden Veal (Goode STEM Academy) 40-3, (D 4-3)

150

Austin Perez (Oak Forest) 29-3, d. Leonel Flores (Richards) 17-8, (TF-1.5 2:36 (19-2)

Andrew Pellicci (Providence Catholic) 26-12, d. Maurice Bush (Agricultural Science) 34-6, (F 3:43)

157

Justus Heeg (Providence Catholic) 46-1, d. Andrew Lehman (St. Rita) 21-9, (F 1:03)

Trevon Williams (Crete-Monee) 30-5, d. David Albright (Tinley Park) 29-14, (TF-1.5 4:32 (23-4)

165

Jasper Harper (Providence Catholic) 31-11, d. Micah Spinazzola (St. Rita) 22-7, (D 7-2)

Titus Woodring (Thornton Fractional South) 32-6, d. Anthony Kinney (Glenbard South) 23-10, (F 0:46)

175

Ameer Khalil (Providence Catholic) 36-13, d. Jason Janke (Oak Forest) 29-7, (F 3:25)

Nick O`Connor (Riverside-Brookfield) 31-6, d. Keishawn Triplett (St. Rita) 18-16, (F 3:44)

190

Judah Heeg (Lemont) 37-1, d. Brayden McKay (Providence Catholic) 11-12, (F 0:45)

Benjamin MIller (Hinsdale South) 28-8, d. James Bansley (St. Rita) 26-10, (SV)

215

Sebastian Sanderson (Tinley Park) 34-2, d. Andrius Vasilevskas (Oak Forest) 27-9, (TF-1.5 4:47 (18-1)

Jonathan Mansker (Hinsdale South) 25-11, d. Riley Teller (Providence Catholic) 5-2, (F 1:38)

285

Dominic Jackson (Crete-Monee) 30-1, d. Mark Kelleher (St. Rita) 26-13, (TB-1 3-2)

Justin Powell (Hyde Park) 26-5, d. Ambrose Davis (Glenbard South) 30-9, (F 5:50)

GENESEO SECTIONAL

Marian Central Catholic and Washington have been seeing a lot of one another recently with the Hurricanes defeating the Panthers, 36-31, during the annual DubTown ThrowDown downstate in late January, and then upending them a second time at the Class 2A Sycamore Team Duals Sectional, 37-33 earlier this month.

So it wasn’t surprising in the least to see those two programs depart with the most wrestlers still alive in the state series after Saturday’s Geneseo Sectional.

Both teams produced three champions with Washington qualifying a sectional-best six wrestlers to state and Marian following right behind the Panthers with five more.

Logan Makiney (132), Wyatt Medlin (165) and Sean Thornton (285) won titles for the Panthers while Symon Woods (106) placed second and Cruise Brolley (157) and Josh Hoffer (215) took third. Medlin and Hoffer were among the four champions for the Panthers last year.

Brendan Nardin (150), Dan French (190) and Jimmy Mastny (215) were crowned sectional champions for the Hurricanes. Hogan Rice (113) also advanced by taking second and Austin Hagevold (144) is also along for the ride after placing third for the Hurricanes. Hagevold took second in the state at 113 in Class 1A last year .

Geneseo is also sending five wrestlers to state with Kye Weinzierl, who took second in the state last year at 175, led the way after his sectional title victory. Landen Vincent (138), Izaac Gaines (165) and Josh Stahl (285) took third for the Maple Leafs and Grady Hull (157) was fourth.

Morris’ Brock Claypool (138) won a title to lead his team. Claypool will be joined by Paxton Valentine (120) and Carter Skoff (150) who came up short in their respective title matches and Parker Barry (132) who placed fourth. Last year, Valentine took fifth place in the state at 113 and Skoff did the same at 144.

Sycamore’s Liam Schroeder (113) and Tyler Lockhart (126) won titles for the Spartans and Jayden Dohogne (144) and Cooper Bode (165) placed fourth to also advance.

Rockford East also had four qualifiers with Ty Smart (157) taking second and Sebastian Abwe (113), Victor Onofre (132) and Dana Wickson (150) placing third.

Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South and Rock Island all had three state qualifiers respectively with Crystal Lake Central’s Nicholas Marchese (144) winning the lone title among the three schools.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS

SM – returning state medal-winner; SC – returning state champ

106 Treyden Diduch (39-2) Freeport

113 Liam Schroeder (43-1) Sycamore

120 Kai Enos (31-7) Batavia

126 Tyler Lockhart (35-10) Sycamore

132 Logan Makiney (35-10) Washington

138 Brock Claypool (43-5) Morris

144 Nicholas Marchese (38-4) Crystal Lake Central

150 Brendan Nardin (10-0) Marian

157 Grady Neal (43-4) Metamora

165 SC Wyatt Medlin (39-0) Washington

175 SM Kye Weinzierl (33-1) Genese

190 Dan French (26-5) Marian

215 SC (1A) Jimmy Mastny (49-1) Marian

285 Sean Thornton (34-9) Washington

STATE QUALIFIERS

106

Treyden Diduch (Freeport) 39-2, d. Symon Woods (Washington) 32-10, (Inj. 3:41)

Angelo Parker (Rock Island) 31-8, d. Tymen Robinson (Prairie Ridge) 29-11, (MD 9-1)

113

Liam Schroeder (Sycamore) 43-1, d. Hogan Rice (Marian) 35-13, (F 1:26)

Sebastian Abwe (Rockford East) 27-13, d. Logan Aarseth (Crystal Lake South 29-10,(MD 13-2)

120

Kai Enos (Batavia) 31-7, d. Paxton Valentine (Morris) 34-5, (D 5-1)

Jackson Marlett (Crystal Lake Central) 23-5, d. Eduardo Vences (Burlington Central) 29-10, (F 2:52)

126

Tyler Lockhart (Sycamore) 35-10, d. Taqiuldin Baker (Woodstock) 38-4, (D 7-4)

Aidan Lopez (Rochelle) 44-4, d. Dylan Ramsey (Crystal Lake Central) 32-7, (F 5:02)

132

Logan Makiney (Washington) 35-10, d. Bryson Teunissen (Belvidere North) 28-10, (D 4-2)

Victor Onofre (Rockford East) 29-7, d. Parker Barry (Morris) 35-13, (MD 14-2)

138

Brock Claypool (Morris) 43-5, d. Nathan Randle (Crystal Lake South) 36-3, (TB-1 3-1)

Landen Vincent (Geneseo) 27-9, d. Thomas Olson (Freeport) 35-18, (MD 12-0)

144

Nicholas Marchese (Crystal Lake Central) 38-4, d. Landon VanAcker (Belvidere) 33-10, (F 1:17)

Austin Hagevold (Marian) 26-16, d. Jayden Dohogne (Sycamore) 36-7, (D 12-5)

150

Brendan Nardin (Marian) 10-0, d, Carter Skoff (Morris) 30-2, (D 8-2)

Dana Wickson (Rockford East) 37-6, d. Cooper Chester (East Peoria) 31-5, (D 8-1)

157

Grady Neal (Metamora) 43-4, d. Ty Smart (Rockford East) 39-4, (DQ)

Cruise Brolley (Washington) 38-9, d. Grady Hull (Geneseo) 30-12, (M. For.)

165

Wyatt Medlin (Washington) 39-0, d Aiden Marrello (Crystal Lake South) 42-2, (M. For.)

Izaac Gaines (Geneseo) 36-3, d. Cooper Bode (Sycamore) 41-6, (MD 13-4)

175

Kye Weinzierl (Geneseo) 33-1, d. Aiden Rodriguez (Prairie Ridge) 40-3, (MD 17-8)

Roman Villalobos (Rochelle) 15-5, d. Mason Taylor (Galesburg) 34-11, (F 2:47)

190

Dan French (Marian) 26-5, d. Wes Weatherford (Ottawa) 35-6, (F 1:23)

Mark Aeschliman (Metamora) 39-11, d. Dalton Oakman (East Peoria) 35-7, (TF-1.5 4:43 (20-4)

215

Jimmy Mastny (Marian) 49-1, d. Alec Del Toro (East Peoria) 35-4, (M. For.)

Josh Hoffer (Washington) 31-5, d. Rowan Stockwell (Rock Island) 29-9, (TF-1.5 3:24 (17-2)

285

Sean Thornton (Washington) 34-9, d. Brady Mullens (Peoria Notre Dame) 33-10, (D 8-1)

Josh Stahl (Geneseo) 29-8, d. Emilio Guzman (Rock Island) 33-10, (MD 8-0)

GRANITE CITY

Glenwood’s Cooper Clarke (106), Pierce Bultmann (113), Jaxon Ferguson (120) and Cody Moss (285) won sectional titles at the Granite City Sectional on Saturday and Elijah Smith placed third and will join his teammates at state.

Bloomington didn’t have a champion, but Cooper Bye (113) and Tyler Barlow (144) got to the finals and placed second while Lincoln Steers (120), Jack Schweitzer (132), Brody Cabrera (150) and Chris Rose (165) each took fourth place to join Barlow and Bye at state. The six Purple Raiders who qualified were the most among the field other than Civic Memorial.

Civic Memorial had seven wrestlers qualify for state, including Avery Jaime (138), Knox Verbais (150) and James Wojcikiewicz (165) who departed for Bethalto as sectional champions. Cody Weidner (106) placed second and Greg Harkey (144), Kevahn Flanagan (215) and Hudson Davis (285) took third.

Mascoutah’s Brock Ross (157), who remains undefeated, and Jordan Sonon-Hale, who is a victory away from no. 40 on the season, won sectional titles and are among five Indians going to state. Desi Wade (138) was second, Sean Murphy (165) took third and Braxton McCall (106) placed fourth.

Like Mascoutah, Mahomet-Seymour has a pair of champs and five kids going to state overall. Justus Vrona (144) Marco Casillas (190) won titles, Talon Decker (165) placed second, Garrett Waisath (150) took third and Gideon Hayter (126) was fourth.

Mattoon’s Tristan Porter (126) won a title and his teammate Jaxtyn Howell (113) took third.

Morton’s Harrison Dea (132) earned a sectional title with a tech fall in his title match and Colton Mckee (175) and Benjamin Chaffer (215) took second and Brody Watson (144) was fourth.

Waterloo’s Jaxson Mathenia (215) won a sectional title, Konnor Stephens (132) and Joseph Newell (150) took second and Matthew Deutch (113) was fourth for the Bulldogs.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS

SM – returning state medal-winner; SC – returning state champ

106 Cooper Clarke (37-4) Glenwood

113 Pierce Bultmann (41-5) Glenwood

120 Jaxon Ferguson (30-6) Glenwood

126 Tristan Porter (34-2) Mattoon

132 SM Harrison Dea (43-1) Morton

138 SM Avery Jaime (34-6) Civic Memorial

144 Justus Vrona (42-9) Mahomet-Seymour

150 SM Knox Verbais (43-6) Civic Memorial

157 Brock Ross (39-0) Mascoutah

165 James Wojcikiewicz (38-7) Civic Memorial

175 Jordan Sonon-Hale (39-5) Mascoutah

190 SM Marco Casillas (45-3) Mahomet-Seymour

215 SM Jaxson Mathenia (36-1) Waterloo

285 SC Cody Moss (41-3) Glenwood

STATE QUALIFIERS

106

Cooper Clarke (Glenwood) 37-4, d. Cody Weidner (Civic Memorial) 40-11, (D 4-3)

Maddox Williams (Jersey) 37-7, d. Braxton McCall (Mascoutah) 29-10, (MD 14-3)

113

Pierce Bultmann (Glenwood) 41-5, d. Cooper Bye (Bloomington) 23-10, (D 8-3)

Jaxtyn Howell (Mattoon) 26-9, d. Matthew Deutch (Waterloo) 42-7, (F 2:52)

120

Jaxon Ferguson (Glenwood) 30-6, d. Ayden Swan (Carbondale) 27-15, (F 1:09)

Dalton St. Angelo (Mt. Vernon) 25-2, d. Lincoln Steers (Bloomington) 21-14, (TF-1.5 4:42 (17-0)

126

Tristan Porter (Mattoon) 34-2, d. Dashawn Armstrong (Jacksonville) 30-6, (F 2:32)

Rylan Poeta (Champaign Central) 32-7, d. Gideon Hayter (Mahomet-Seymour) 33-12, (D 4-1)

132

Harrison Dea (Morton) 43-1, d. Konnor Stephens (Waterloo) 36-11, (TF-1.5 4:59 (19-1)

Jordan Kholian (Jacksonville) 31-6, d. Jack Schweitzer (Bloomington) 20-17, (F 1:28)

138

Avery Jaime (Civic Memorial) 34-6, d. Desi Wade (Mascoutah) 36-7, (D 5-2)

Talin Baker (Champaign Central) 32-4, d. Trotter Titus (Charleston) 32-7, (F 1:40)

144

Justus Vrona (Mahomet-Seymour) 42-9, d. Tyler Barlow (Bloomington) 24-6, (F 3:44)

Greg Harkey (Civic Memorial) 29-8, d. Brody Watson (Morton) 33-19, (TF-1.5 5:20 (18-0)

150

Knox Verbais (Civic Memorial) 43-6, d. Joseph Newell (Waterloo) 35-12, (TF-1.5 1:49 (19-3)

Garrett Waisath (Mahomet-Seymour) 40-13, d. Brody Cabrera (Bloomington) 20-10, (F 3:50)

157

Brock Ross (Mascoutah) 39-0, d. Bryce Bryant (Springfield) 32-7, (F 2:31)

Nicholas Hartley (Jersey) 35-5, d. Trae Griffiths (Champaign Central) 25-5, (TF-1.5 2:20 (19-4)

165

James Wojcikiewicz (Civic Memorial) 38-7, d. Talon Decker (Mahomet-Seymour) 37-7 (MD 18-4)

Sean Murphy (Mascoutah) 18-5, d. Chris Rose (Bloomington) 19-9, (F 5:00)

175

Jordan Sonon-Hale (Mascoutah) 39-5, d. Colton Mckee (Morton) 32-8, (D 8-7)

Elijah Smith (Glenwood) 38-6, d. Josiah Williams (Danville) 29-7, (D 4-0)

190

Marco Casillas (Mahomet-Seymour) 45-3, d. Sergio Baity (Champaign Centennial) 34-6, (F 1:19)

Evan Francis (Marion) 43-3, d. Eli Miller (Granite City) 29-12, (F 1:00)

215

Jaxson Mathenia (Waterloo) 36-1, d. Benjamin Chaffer (Morton) 37-13, (F 0:59)

Kevahn Flanagan (Civic Memorial) 36-14, d. Zacharia Fry (Springfield Southeast) 27-10, (D 14-10)

285

Cody Moss (Glenwood) 41-3, d. Mitchell Clapp (Mattoon) 33-3, (F 2:40)

Hudson Davis (Civic Memorial) 37-10, d. Caleb Zirklebach (Lincoln) 33-16, (D 7-2)

Schaumburg sectional takes no prisoners

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 03:59:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

The girls state finals will take place Feb. 27-28 at Grossinger Arena in Bloomington

How tough was this year’s Schaumburg girls sectional?

For starters, four returning state medal-winners had to fight their way back through the consolation bracket in order to get back downstate this year, and only two of them made it out.

In addition, 12 regional champions didn’t survive the Schaumburg sectional, and won’t advance to the girls state finals in Bloomington on Feb. 27-28.

In all, there were 16 returning state medalists competing in Schaumburg; of the 28 girls who reached the sectional title mat, 12 were returning state medal-winners and two were returning state champions.
Revenge was also on the menu in a big way, with regional runners-up winning their sectional rematches against girls they’d lost to a week prior. At 125, for example, none of the placers finishing first to third were regional champs.

In all, three freshmen, four sophomores, 12 juniors, and nine seniors reached the sectional title mat this year. When the dust finally settled in Schaumburg, the girls from the Lincoln-Way co-op team won the team sectional plaque with 140 team points.

Lincoln-Way senior Zoe Dempsey loved what she saw from her girls in Schaumburg.

“I’m just so proud of all of them,” she said. “They put in so much effort and work into the sport, and it really showed this weekend on the mats. Those blood rounds today, they were some emotional ones, and they pulled off some wins that I bet they didn’t think they could.”

Lincoln-Way had seven state qualifiers on the day, led by sectional champ Dempsey (115), second-placers Caleigh Nicholson (125) and Riley DePolo (170), third-placer Ella Giertuga (145), and fourth-placers McKenzie Steinke (100), Emmy Hoselton (105) and Abby Kunz (140).

Hampshire (95.5) finished second, followed by Lockport (76), Schaumburg (70), and Huntley (54) in the top five.

Four girls emerged as repeat sectional champions in Bartlett’s Lilly White, Hampshire’s Amelia Nidelea-Polanin, Lockport’s Claudia Heeney and Rebekah Ramirez, and South Elgin’s Allison Garbacz. Two-time defending state champion and three-time state medalist Heeney heads downstate as a four-time sectional champion.

100: Janiah Slaughter, Huntley

Huntley senior Janiah Slaughter missed last season after placing third in Illinois in 2023 and second in 2024, and she is back as one hungry wrestler.

“This feels amazing and I’m trying to prove a point, that I know I’m one of the best,” Slaughter said.
Slaughter (33-2) squared off with a three-time state medalist in Batavia senior Lily Enos (37-3) and won by second-period fall for the title. She led 6-1 when she got the pin at 3:25.

“I definitely feel more mentally strong and more confident than I was as a sophomore,” Slaughter said. “I feel like I grew a lot since then, even if a lot of people look at me like I’m still a little sophomore.”
She knows every match will be tough no matter who she wrestles downstate, but Slaughter mentioned DeKalb’s Alex Gregorio-Perez and Oak Forest’s Alex Sebek as wrestlers that are on her radar at the state finals in two weeks.

Sebek also returned to the mats after sitting out last season, and she and Slaughter have a history; Sebek won by major decision at the state finals over Slaughter when the two were both freshmen.

“I’m glad she’s back,” Slaughter said. “I haven’t wrestled her since my freshman year (state) semis, so I’d like to go out there and get that back. I’ve also wrestled (Gregorio-Perez) and we’ve always been competitive.”

Slaughter posted a fall and a tech fall to reach the title mat, and Enos posted two falls to get there.

Also qualifying for state were Woodstock senior Eva Hermansson (39-7) and Lincoln-Way freshman McKenzie Steinke (40-9). Hermansson topped Steinke by 3-0 decision for fourth place.

105: Charlotte Nold, Saint Viator

There is no outstanding wrestler award given at the sectional but if there were, Saint Viator freshman Charlotte Nold would have made a strong case for it.

A trio of freshman became state qualifiers at 105 and none stood taller than Nold, who won her semifinal match by sudden victory against Glenbard East’s three-time state medal-winner Nadiia Shymkiv (35-3) and then won a 10-2 major decision for the title against Hampshire’s stellar freshman, Annabelle Mueller (37-5).

Wheaton Academy coach Peggy Diehl watched Nold throughout her pre-high school career and she sees a star on the rise.

“I’ve had many opportunities to watch her over the past three seasons during IKWF and USA Wrestling Freestyle,” Diehl said. “Her dedication to the sport is impressive and the way she dominated the Schaumburg Sectional is telltale for great things to come for her.”

Nold won by fall and major decision before winning 9-6 in overtime against Shymkiv in their semifinal. Mueller posted a pair of falls to reach the finals.

Shymkiv became a four-time state qualifier with a 12-0 major decision on the fourth-place mat against Lincoln-Way freshman Emmy Hoselton (40-9), who won three consolation matches to advance downstate for the first time in her career.

110 Zoey Dodgers, Leyden

Junior Zoey Dodgers (29-0) placed 5th in state last year and she’d likely love nothing more than to become the first Leyden wrestler to win a state title since Jim Farina did so for East Leyden back in 1979.
On the boys’ side, Leyden senior Erick Worwa (190) is chasing the same dream, having qualified for this week’s boys state finals in Champaign.

The pursuit of history aside, Dodgers’ goal at this year’s state finals is more simple and grounded.

“I just want do better than I did last year,” she said. “I put in a lot of work over the summer. I bumped it up a lot. I wanted to improve at everything. I’ve definitely improved defensively, and I just want to keep getting better.”

Dodgers won her first sectional title with a first-period fall against Plainfield East’s Angelina Nettey (20-7). She placed second at the Schaumburg sectional last year and lost in a sectional blood round as a freshman.

Dodgers won by fall in her quarterfinal match before winning 8-0 in her semifinal against Romeoville’s Daniela Santander (8-3). Nettey won 10-8 over Elk Grove’s Valeria Pesantes (23-3) and then 5-3 in her semifinal win against East Aurora’s Joselyn Llanos (32-9).

Pessantes went on to place third via tech fall against Bartlett’s Norah Cwik (35-10) who won three consolation matches to punch her ticket downstate.

Dodgers isn’t about to go into extensive scouting mode to prepare for the state finals.
“I don’t really think too much about who I’m wrestling because that can just get in my head too much,” she said. “I’d rather just go out there and wrestle my match.”

115: Zoe Dempsey, Lincoln-Way

Lincoln-Way senior Zoe Dempsey placed third at the Geneseo sectional two years ago and second last year. She also placed fifth and third at the state finals the past two seasons.

And now she gets to enter her final state finals tournament as a sectional champion.

Dempsey (45-2) first handed a tough freshman in Hampshire’s Stella Piazza (25-1) her first loss of the year by fall in their semifinal match. Then she did the same in the title match against another top-shelf wrestler in Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth (26-3), who placed second in state at 110 last year.
And Dempsey owed her one.

“My final, that was a really big match for me just mentally,” Dempsey said. “It was a big hurdle for me to overcome because I lost to (Aarseth) last year at the semifinals at state.

“I got stuck in the first period, and honestly, that hasn’t left my mind since. It’s really motivated me to work ten times harder, not rest on anything, and always look to improve.”

Add a tough sectional semifinal match against Piazza, and Dempsey feels battle-tested heading to Bloomington.

“I knew (Piazza) was pretty good. She had that Wonder Woman title, so I knew it was going to be a tough one, and it was a tough one,” she said. “But that’s exactly what I want. I want these matches right before state. It’s only going to make me better.”

Aarseth opened with a 3-1 decision win over Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore (47-6) and then posted a 12-5 win in her semifinal against Willowbrook’s Angelina Manlapaz (17-4).

Piazza went on to place third by fall against Manlapaz.

120: Amelia Nidelea-Polanin, Hampshire

The Hampshire junior won her second straight sectional title and will be chasing a second straight state medal after placing third in Illinois last year.

Nidelea-Polanin (22-0) won by major decision on the title mat against Glenbard West’s Karolina Konopka (41-3), after posting a tech fall and then a semifinal fall to reach the finals.

She feels even more ready for the state finals, having been there and done that last year.

“I’ve worked hard since last year on my setups and shots, and just keeping pace,” Nidelea-Polanin said. “I was a little bit nervous last year since it was my first time (downstate) but now I’m not.”

Hampshire coach Matt Todd appreciates the work his junior has put in, and he now relies on her for more than just wins.

“Amelia has been improving every chance she has gotten on the mat, and she has continued to improve on her positioning and scramble positions,” Todd said. “Sam (Diehl) and Amelia have been showing leadership from being in this position, and our younger wrestlers are looking to them for guidance on chasing and reaching the highest level.”

Konopka posted a pair of falls to reach the finals and heads downstate for her second consecutive season.
Metea Valley’s Ashley Basmajian (8-1) finished third to advance downstate for her second time, thanks to a second-period fall over West Aurora’s Aiyanah Sylvester (31-4), who heads downstate for her first time.

125: Charlie Dolan, York

Now in its second season as a sport at York, girls wrestling couldn’t have a better poster child for recruitment than Charlie Dolan. Positive energy just seems to emanate from the kid.

The Dukes’ junior improved to 30-2 and became the first sectional champion and first-ever state qualifier for York, winning her title by tech fall against Lincoln-Way freshman Caleigh Nicholson (37-12).

fterwards, Dolan described how she feels about the sport in only her second full season as a wrestler.

“I’m obsessed with it. It’s all I think about,” Dolan said. “Its just so much fun. I try not to focus on wins and losses but man, when you win, you win, and it’s all on you. I want to be an example to show how fun wrestling can be.

“And now I’m ready for the next challenge. I can’t wait to see the girls downstate.”

Dolan was one of three sectional qualifiers for York, along with teammates Andie Brown and Tiana Fraser. Dolan was also one of three wrestlers in the entire sectional to post two tech falls.

“I’m less worried about winning and more worried about scoring points,” she said. “That’s all I think about, is that I need to score. If I can’t get a turn on this girl, I’m cutting her and I’m taking her down. So I try to score no matter what. If I’m on bottom, I’ve to get right back up and score.”

Winning a sectional title after only a single season of experience in the sport is a rare feat.

“I’ve just I worked really hard and I like what I do,” Dolan said. “I’m going to accept this win, but I’m going to get over it and move on to the next thing. Just because I won sectionals doesn’t guarantee me anything at state. I’ll train hard for the next two weeks and see where it goes from there.”

Nicholson posted two falls before winning a 5-4 semifinal decision over Lemont senior Molly O’Connor (41-9), who went on to place third via third-period fall against Schaumburg senior Isabella Rivas (40-5). Both Rivas and O’Connor are first-time state qualifiers.

130: Lily White, Bartlett

Whatever happens downstate, Bartlett senior Lily White (36-3) is going out on top.

Winning a state medal would of course be nice, but upon stepping down from the awards stand after winning her second sectional title, White was engulfed by friends and family members, where she was perfectly happy to stay in the deliriously happy present moment.

“Oh my gosh, this is so much fun,” White said. “It’s my senior year, so it’s a good way to get my senior year to continue and I’ve just had so much fun. My family, my friends — I mean, they’re all here and I’m so glad I get to share this with them.”

White will head to the state finals as a two-time sectional champ, having won her first sectional title two years ago at 125 pounds. She was a runner-up at 125 last year.

She’ll also go downstate battle-tested. White opened with a 6-4 quarterfinal decision before winning a 2-1 overtime decision in her semifinal against one of the future stars of Illinois girls wrestling in Wheaton Academy freshman Catherine Diehl (36-4). White won 8-1 over Diehl in a regional semifinal one week earlier but the freshman was a different wrestler in Schaumburg.

“She’s really good, and that match really got me ready,” White said of Diehl, who went on to win a consolation semifinal against a three-time state placer in Huntley’s Aubrie Rohrbacher (38-6), and then place third to advance.

Next up for White was Glenbard North’s Keagan Edwards (47-4), with White winning a hard-fought 4-0 decision.

“I expect this to be hard and now I’m back on the mat in two weeks. I’m ready,” White said. “I hope it’s hard because it’s better when it’s hard. And I’m just ready to go, match by match, one at a time.”

135: Claudia Heeney, Lockport

After you’ve been perched on top of the mountain for a while, perspective comes more easily.

After pinning Schaumburg’s regional champion Sharon Olorunfemi to win her fourth sectional title, Lockport’s Claudia Heeney — a two-time defending state champ and three-time state finalist — marched off the mat nearly without a whiff of celebration.

No, she’s not tired of winning. More likely, she seemed slightly rankled by the fact that she gave up a takedown early in the match, before attacking and pinning Olorunfemi at the 1:46 mark.

As it turns out, Heeney wasn’t all that irritated by being taken down. She just knew what she had to do, and she did it.

“Some people may view it as I got really mad and, you know, wanted to beat her up,” Heeney said. “But really, you just get after it. It’s wrestling, so it’s just where the next point is. And I feel like when I’m under pressure, I perform a little bit better.

“I still have a lot to work on and whatnot. Now I have a couple of weeks and I have some things to tweak. There’s obviously still a lot to go and I’m not counting anybody out, but I feel pretty confident about things.”

“Going into the state series, I always feel a little bit nervous but this year I also feel a little sentimental about it because it’s the last one. But I’m still just going to go out there and shake the other person’s hand and go.”

Heeney pinned her way to the finals. Olorunfemi opened with a pin before winning a 4-1 semifinal decision over Joliet Central’s Izabel Barrera (34-4).

Barrera went on to place third. She topped Conant senior Eva Krupa (27-5) by fall and then won on the third-place mat against Huntley’s Grecia Garcia (36-12). Grecia beat a tough freshman in Grant’s Abby Quirk (25-7) by 8-5 decision in their consolation semifinal match.

140: Nicole Dziura, Barrington

Barrington’s Nicole Dziura (32-4) trailed Glenbard East’s Maria Green (42-2) 3-1 after one period of their sectional title match.

That’s when Dziura simply took a step back.

“Just stay calm,” she said. “I knew I could take her down again, and I know I can get the escape. So I just have to keep pushing, stay calm, and wrestle my match. I’ve kind of learned to, you know, keep my mind in the right place.”

Mission accomplished. Dziura chose down to start the second period, earned a penalty point that made it 3-2, then escaped to tie the score. She countered a Green shot for a takedown to grab a 6-3 lead. From there another takedown and a slew of near-fall points built the sophomore Dziura a big lead into the third period, when she posted a pin at 5:08 to win her first sectional title.

“Last year I went 0-2 here,” Dziura said. “It was my first year wrestling, so I’m happy with my growth and I’m super excited with how I did today. I’m very proud of myself.

Dziura also won a regional title this year.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better with my conditioning and with my technique. I really focused on getting better at those. Now I definitely want to heal up and get my body ready, but I just want to focus on getting a little bit better, working on my mistakes that I’ve been making. That will help me succeed at state.”

Green won a regional title this year and will head downstate for the second straight season. She reached the title mat by fall against a fellow regional champ in Metea Valley’s Alketa Picari (47-5), and by semifinal tech fall. Dziura won by major decision in her semifinal against Lincoln-Way’s Abby Kunz (41-8).
Picari won by medical forfeit for third place over Kunz as both advanced downstate.

145: Natalie Corona, McHenry

McHenry senior Natalie Corona (35-0) remained unbeaten in dominant fashion to win the first sectional title of her career. Corona placed fifth in Illinois at last year’s state finals after a third-place sectional finish. She is now a three-time state qualifier.

Corona won her first two matches by falls in the first minute of both, sending her to a sectional final against Oswego East’s Ella Cooper (24-19). Corona won by 11-1 decision to earn her sectional crown.

Cooper reached the title mat by semifinal fall over Wheaton Warrenville South’s Louisa Enslen (31-7).
Lincoln-Way regional champion Ella Giertuga (36-7) bounced back from her semifinal loss to Corona with a pair of falls of her own to place third, topping Enslen to become a two-time state qualifier. The freshman Enslen earned the first trip of her career to the state finals.

The junior Cooper also became a state qualifier for her first time.

155: Allison Garbacz, South Elgin

Of the marquee matchups in Schaumburg, only one featured two unbeaten returning state medal winners, one of which was a returning state champion.

Fans got to enjoy the match between Hinsdale South’s Callie Carr and South Elgin’s Allison Garbacz for exactly 5:02; that’s when Garbacz (38-0) took down Carr (35-1) to win by fall against the defending state champ at 155 pounds.

“It feels good,” Garbacz said. “She got an early takedown and I couldn’t let that define the match. I couldn’t get nervous over one takedown. As long as I stayed in it, and kept going at her, I knew it would pay off.”

Carr led 3-1 on a first-period takedown. Garbacz chose down to start the second and one penalty point each way had Carr holding a 4-2 lead mid-way through the period.

A Garbacz reversal tied the score and a Carr escape gave her a 5-4 lead heading into the third. Carr led 6-4 on an escape to start the final period.

The match was decided near the edge on a Garbacz takedown and pin, midway through the final period.
“ She’s so strong,” Garbacz said of Carr. “And she’s very quick — kind of the opposite of me. I like to stay tied up. She likes to shoot from a distance. But as soon as I got her in my ties, I knew I was in a good spot.

Garbacz placed fourth at 145 last year as a freshman. One year later, she feels like a different wrestler.
“It’s just I’ve really learned how to stay in a match under pressure,” she said. “Even if I’m losing, now I know I can keep wrestling through it.”

Garbacz reached the finals via two pins and Carr got there with a tech fall and a pin.

Carr’s quarterfinal opponent, Crystal Lake Central senior Cait Jones (20-4), reeled off four wins in the consolation bracket to place third, capped by a fall against Glenbard North sophomore Suzanne Stalley (40-9) — Carr’s semifinal opponent.

Both Jones and Stalley will be making their first appearances at the state finals.

170: Layla Spann, Plainfield South

Plainfield South’s Layla Spann went 29-9 and was a state qualifier last year as a freshman. She went 2-2 downstate and did not place.

Bloomington is getting a whole different Layla Spann this year.

The Plainfield South sophomore improved to 44-0 and pinned her way to a sectional title in Schaumburg. No opponent was able to take her into the third period.

“Layla is having a very special season this year, for sure,” Plainfield South coach Tom Redmon said. “We were all expecting Layla to build upon her impressive freshman year, but the level of her improvement in such a short amount of time has really blown everyone away. As a wrestler, her technical skill and situational intelligence has markedly improved to complement her incredible athleticism and has quickly elevated Layla into the conversation of the state’s very best at 170 pounds.”

Spann won a regional title at East Aurora a week prior by tech fall over Lincoln-Way’s Riley DePolo (37-7). The two met again in the sectional finals at Schaumburg, with DePolo turning the tables through one period, building a 7-2 lead heading into the second.

Spann chose down to start the period and 53 seconds later, a reversal to a pin gave Spann the first sectional title of her career.

DePolo also pinned her way into the title match and the junior will make her first appearance at the state finals.

Woodstock senior Brianna Crown (40-10) won four matches in the back draw and became a state qualifier for her first time, winning her third-place match by fall against Schaumburg’s Maja Brzosko (36-14).

Brzosko will also be making her first downstate appearance. Both Brzosko and Crown beat regional champions in their respective consolation semifinal matches to clinch their spots downstate.

190: Samantha Diehl, Hampshire

Hampshire sits in a unique position, with four bona fide threats to win state medals in Bloomington — a feat that would put them smack in the middle of the race for an Illinois team state title.

Sophomore Samantha Diehl sits right in the thick of things if that possibility has a chance at reality.
Diehl improved to 36-3 and won her first sectional title Saturday, pinning a fellow state medal winner in Schaumburg senior Nadia Razzak (42-2).

Razzak led 3-0 after two periods before Diehl turned and pinned her at 4:51.

“Sam wrestled a great tournament, avenging a loss against Nadia,” Hampshire coach Matt Todd said.
As a freshman last year, Diehl placed third at the Schaumburg sectional and followed that two weeks later with a third-place state finish, going 31-6 on the season.

The foursome of Diehl, Amelia Nidelea-Polanin, Annabelle Mueller, and Stella Piazza all advanced. Nidelea-Polanin was first at 120, Mueller was second at 105, and Piazza placed third at 115.

“Sam and Amelia had a great tournament this weekend,” Todd said. “Both of them, along with Stella and Annabelle, have been wrestling our boys at practice, and it has helped them to improve in every facet of their wrestling.”

Both Razzak and Diehl pinned their way to the sectional final. Razzak earned her second downstate berth, after winning a sectional title last season.

Lockport’s Sophie Kelner (40-10) placed third with a 2-0 decision over Plainfield South’s Kimyra Patrick (43-5).

235: Rebekah Ramirez, Lockport

Now a three-time state qualifier and two-time sectional champion, Lockport junior Rebekah Ramirez (39-5) exacted some revenge at this year’s tournament.

One week prior, Romeoville junior Henessis Villagrana (38-4) beat Ramirez by 7-5 decision on a regional title mat. In Saturday’s rematch, Ramirez jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one period. She chose down to start the second and Villagrana fought for the turn to no avail.

Villagrana reversed Ramirez to start the third and a Ramirez escape ended the scoring at 6-2.

“It feels great,” Ramirez said. “She beat me last week, but I got it where it mattered. I just kind of needed to be more aware of where I was on the mat. If I was close to the edge, getting my hips in. Just some little things I had to clean up.”

Ramirez wasn’t able to get on the awards stand downstate in her first two trips to Bloomington. She’s aiming for more now that she’s an upperclassmen.

“I didn’t do much the last two years, but I’m a junior now,” Ramirez said. “I feel like I’m better prepared and I see myself going far in that tournament. I feel like I’ve kind of proved myself this year.”

Ramirez proved herself in her sectional semifinal, winning by fall against a three-time state medal winner in Wheeling’s Jasmine Rene, and handing Rene (34-1) her first loss of the season.

“I’ve worked with all my coaches, they’re all setting me up to be in the right place, and I hope I’m able to do something special this year,” Ramirez said.

Villagrana also became a three-time state qualifier for Romeoville on Saturday.

Rene posted two falls in the consolation bracket to place third and become a four-time state qualifier. She placed third once and fourth twice at 190 pounds at the state finals.

Rene capped her day by fall against Glenbard North junior Asreilla Wallace (40-8), who will head downstate for the first time.

Boys 3A sectional recaps: Conant, Edwardsville, Hinsdale Central

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:57:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

The individual state finals will take place Feb. 19-21 at the State Farm Center in Champaign

CONANT SECTIONAL

Oak Park and River Forest advanced eight wrestlers to the state finals, and led all teams with four sectional champions in returning state champion Michael Rundell (106), returning state placer Jamiel Castleberry (126), Aiden Noyes (150) and David Ogunsanya (157).

St Charles East advanced nine wrestlers, led by a trio of sectional champs including two-time state champion Dom Munaretto (120), Kaden Potter (132) and Cooper Murray (215).

Sectional champ Aiden Ortega (106) will lead a contingent of five Glenbard West wrestlers to the state finals. Sectional champion Jake Colleran (144) is one of five Maine South wrestlers headed downstate, while St. Patrick champs Pat Hulne (138) and returning state-placer Van Grasser (175) led a group of four state qualifiers for the Shamrocks.

Notre Dame had two state qualifiers in sectional champ Sean Cook (285) and a returning state champ in Ray Long (120), and Wheaton North sectional champ Ryan Rosch (190) will lead three Falcons to Champaign.

Sectional champ Jackson Hanselman (165) is one of two state qualifiers for York.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS

SM – returning state medal-winner; SC – returning state champ
106 Aiden Ortega (42-1) Glenbard West
113 SC Michael Rundell (37-3) OPRF
120 SC Dom Munaretto (45-0) St. Charles East
126 SM Jamiel Castleberry (32-3) OPRF
132 Kaden Potter (30-13) St. Charles East
138 Pat Hulne (40-8) St. Patrick
144 Jake Colleran (16-1) Maine South
150 Aiden Noyes (32-7) OPRF
157 David Ogunsanya (30-3) OPRF
165 Jackson Hanselman (42-4) York
175 SM Van Grasser (35-2) St. Patrick
190 Ryan Rosch (31-2) Wheaton North
215 Cooper Murray (40-7) St. Charles East
285 Sean Cook (39-6) Notre Dame

STATE QUALIFIERS
106
Aidan Ortega (Glenbard W) 42-1, d. Jeremiah Arroyo-McMullan (Lane) 42-3, (D 7-1)

Dominic Melody (Glenbard N) 28-11, d. Maximus Aye (SC East) 23-20, (F 1:22)

113

Michael Rundell (OPRF) 37-3, d. Jack Koenig (St. Patrick) 41-5, (F 2:48)

George Georgiev (Maine S) 22-6, d. Andre Rice (Proviso W) 25-5, (M. For.)

120

Dom Munaretto (SC East) 45-0, d. Danny Goodwin (St. Patrick) 41-2, (TF 3:07)

Ray Long (Notre Dame) 41-5, d. Nikolas Duarte (Addison (A. Trail) 27-4, (D 6-5)

126

Jamiel Castleberry (OPRF) 32-3, d. Vannak Khiev (Glenbard N) 32-8, (TF 3:33)

Dlan Sons (SC East) 34-17, d. Emanuel Rangel (WEGO) 31-6, (TF-1.5 5:45 (19-4)

132

Kaden Potter (SC East) 30-13, d. Brett Harman (Maine S) 38-5, (MD 13-1)

Alex Cohen (OPRF) 29-14, d. Brian Correa (WEGO) 27-10, (D 7-3)

138

Pat Hulne (St. Patrick) 40-8, d. Alejandro Aranda (Glenbard W) 34-11, (M. For.)

Aiden Quevedo (Schaumburg) 22-7, d. Liam Aye (SC East) 33-16, (SV-1 4-1)

144

Jake Colleran (Maine S) 16-1, d. Zev Koransky (OPRF) 28-9, (D 2-0)

Gavin Woodmancy (SC East) 34-14, d. Nicholas Merola (Lake Park) 37-3, (D 2-0)

150

Aiden Noyes (OPRF) 32-7, d. Gavin Hoerr (Maine S) 25-4, (D 4-1)

Leo Rosas (WEGO) 12-2, d. John Gough (Schaumburg) 16-12, (F 0:59)

157

David Ogunsanya (OPRF) 30-3, d. Caden Ljubenko (Maine S) 33-5, (TF 2:55)

Cameron Engels (Bartlett) 21-6, d. Cole Calace (Lane) 13-4, (F 1:44)

165

Jackson Hanselman (York) 42-4, d. Tallis Taylor (Glenbard W) 31-12, (F 1:21)

Jacob Veltri (Wheaton N) 30-14, d. Luciano Litro (SC East) 24-20, (D 4-2)

175

Van Grasser (St. Patrick) 35-2, d. Julian Flores (Wheaton N) 31-7, (TF 3:55)

Xavier Smiley (Glenbard N) 26-15, d. Jackson Spizzirri (Conant) 12-6, (F 3:53)

190

Ryan Rosch (Wheaton N) 31-2, d. Joseph Fitak (Glenbard N) 25-15, (TF 4:00)
Erick Worwa (Leyden) 31-4, d. Beau Walker (York) 30-18, (F 1:20)

215

Cooper Murray (SC East) 40-7, d. Phin Codinha (Glenbard W) 24-11, (F 1:15)

Tyler Hvorick (Glenbard N) 20-9, d. Lucas Albrecht (OPRF) 10-5, (TF 4:35)

285

Sean Cook (Notre Dame) 39-6, d. Pierre Nelson (OPRF) 25-11, (MD 15-6)

Matt Medina (SC East) 31-15, d. Marc Tchapda (Glenbard W) 34-11, (F 5:06)

EDWARDSVILLE SECTIONAL

Joliet Catholic Academy led the field at Edwardsville in state qualifiers with 10, including four sectional champions in Colton Schultz (113), Finn McDermott (120), returning state medalist Jason Hampton (132) and Adante Washington (138).

Edwardsville had seven state qualifiers, led by sectional champs Michael McNamara (106), returning state placer Ryan Richie (144) and Roman Janek (215), and Lockport advanced five, led by returning state medalist Justin Wardlow (157). Lincoln-Way West had five state qualifiers on Justin the day, and Minooka had five qualifiers, led by sectional champ Kaden Meyer (165).

Sectional champion Donovan Rosauer (150) will lead a trio of Yorkville wrestlers downstate, and Colton Zvonar (190) will do the same for Lincoln-Way East. Lincoln-Way Central advanced two, led by champ Jalen Byrd (175), and Belleville East advanced two led by defending heavyweight state champ Jonathan Rulo.

Sectional champ and returning state medal-winner Chazz Robinson (126) will also lead two Homewood-Flossmoor wrestlers to state.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
SM – returning state medal-winner
106 Michael McNamara (31-6) Edwardsville
113 Colton Schultz (32-9) Joliet Catholic
120 Finn McDermott (36-12) Joliet Catholic
126 SM Chazz Robinson (32-4) Homewood-Flossmoor
132 SM Jason Hampton (40-3) Joliet Catholic
138 Adante Washington (42-4) Joliet Catholic
144 SM Ryan Richie (32-7) Edwardsville
150 Donovan Rosauer (45-2) Yorkville
157 SM Justin Wardlow (37-5) Lockport
165 Kaden Meyer (27-6) Minooka
175 Jalen Byrd (48-3) Lincoln-Way Central
190 Colton Zvonar (35-6) Lincoln-Way East
215 SM Roman Janek (26-4) Edwardsville
285 Jonathan Rulo (25-0) Belleville East

STATE QUALIFIERS
106

Michael McNamara (Edwardsville) 31-6, d. Jackson Soney (Normal Comm) 41-3, (D 1-0)

Kane Robles (Joliet C) 34-10, d. Noe Hernandez (Lockport) 36-16, (TF 5:09)

113

Colton Schultz (Joliet C) 32-9, d. Brian Tejeda (Plainfield E) 17-7, (TF-1.5 3:15 (20-2)

Jackson Schadegg (Belleville E) 24-10, d. Kellan Hack (LW West) 30-21, (TF-1.5 3:00 (18-1)

120

Finn McDermott (Joliet C) 36-12, d. Anthony Sutton (Lockport) 23-12, (MD 11-0)

Landon Jenkins (Yorkville) 25-14, d. Timothy Swaim (Edwardsville) 24-11, (D 14-7)

126

Chazz Robinson (H-F) 32-4, d. Lukas Foster (Joliet C) 38-6, (D 7-3)

Aidan Durell (Plainfield N) 39-9, d. Bryson Nuttall (Edwardsville) 23-10, (F 3:35)

132

Jason Hampton (Joliet C) 40-3, d. Maddux Tindal (Minooka) 30-6, (D 11-5)

Brady Glynn (LW West) 38-9, d. Isaac Zimmerman (Lockport) 38-16, (D 8-7)

138

Adante Washington (Joliet C) 42-4, d. Aiden Ortiz (Oswego) 34-7, (D 3-2)

Nadeem Haleem (Andrew) 22-3, d. Housseyn Ndiaye (Moline) 36-12, (MD 16-5)

144

Ryan Richie (Edwardsville) 32-7, d. Kaidge Richardson (LW East) 43-4, (D 5-0)

Matthew Laird (Joliet C) 28-15, d. Jack Strezo (LW West) 28-12, (D 5-2)

150

Donovan Rosauer (Yorkville) 45-2, d. Coehn Weber (Joliet W) 36-7, (SV-1 4-1)

Ben Cyrkiel (Minooka) 31-12, d. Brody Baker (Quincy) 31-9, (For.)

157

Justin Wardlow (Lockport) 37-5, d. Nolan Vogel (Joliet C) 44-8, (D 7-4)

Max Mularz (LW East) 39-9, d. Mason Vogt (Minooka) 28-14, (D 9-3)

165

Kaden Meyer (Minooka) 27-6, d. Max Herman (LW West) 34-9, (TB-1 6-5)

Aiden Brown (Joliet W) 35-9, d. Brayden Drew (Alton) 39-5, (MD 10-1)

175

Jalen Byrd (LW Central) 48-3, d. Chris Miller (Lockport) 32-11, (MD 11-1)

Vince Skedel (Joliet C) 25-14, d. Kayden Roach (B-Bourbonnais) 37-10, (D 7-3)

190

Colton Zvonar (LW East) 35-6, d. Chase Pierceall (Plainfield S) 31-6, (D 12-11)

Brock Janeczko (Yorkville) 31-14, d. Simon Schulte (Edwardsville) 32-10, (D 9-7)

215

Roman Janek (Edwardsville) 26-4, d. Mason Bucon (Plainfield S) 36-9, (MD 12-3)

Ryker Czubak (Joliet C) 26-12, d. Jacob Tyderek (Joliet W) 33-12, (MD 12-1)

285

Jonathan Rulo (Belleville E) 25-0, d. Aiden Hennings (LW Central) 45-5, (F 0:13)

Braylon Hill-Lomax (Edwardsville) 36-9, d. Mason Caraway (Normal Comm) 35-8, (TB-1 5-4)

HINSDALE CENTRAL

Marmion Academy led all teams at Hinsdale Central with seven sectional champions and 10 state qualifiers. Montini had three champions and eight qualifiers, and four schools had one sectional champion each in Marist, Mount Carmel, West Aurora, and Naperville North.

Marmion’s sectional champs were Colton Wyller, Nicholas Garcia, Zach Stewart, Demetrios Carrera, Ashton Hobson, Vincenzo Testa and Joey Favia.

Montini got titles from Erik Klichurov, Allen Woo and Bobby Ruscitti. Marist’s Ethan Sonne, Mount Carmel’s Liam Kelly, West Aurora’s Dayne Serio, and Naperville North’s Tavfik Ibragimov rounded out the field of sectional champions.

In all, Marist advanced six downstate; Mount Carmel and West Aurora each advanced five; Carl Sandburg and Downers Grove North advanced four; Downers Grove South and Brother Rice advanced three; and Glenbard East had two state qualifiers. No other teams in the 31-team field had more than one state qualifier.

A trio of returning state champions are headed back downstate in Montini’s Woo, Marmion’s Garcia and Mount Carmel’s Kelly.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
SM – returning state medal winner; SC – returning state champion

106 Colton Wyller (33-9) Marmion Academy
113 Erik Klichurov (34-2) Montini SM
120 Allen Woo (38-8) Montini SC
126 Bobby Ruscitti (43-0) Montini
132 Nicholas Garcia (46-2) Marmion Academy SC

138 Zach Stewart (21-3) Marmion Academy SM
144 Demetrios Carrera (36-5) Marmion Academy SM
150 Ashton Hobson (25-2) Marmion Academy SM
157 Ethan Sonne (34-3) Marist
165 Liam Kelly (30-2) Mount Carmel SC
175 Dayne Serio (39-3) West Aurora SM
190 Vincenzo Testa (23-4) Marmion Academy
215 Tavfik Ibragimov (35-1) Naperville North
285 Joey Favia (38-5) Marmion Academy

STATE QUALIFIERS

106
Colton Wyller (Marmion) 33-9, d. Elio Gil (Marist) 28-9, (D 4-0)

Sebastian Gracia (Mt. Carmel) 24-9, d. Anthony Hayes (Sandburg) 31-8, (TF-1.5 4:24 (18-3)

113

Erik Klichurov (Montini) 34-2, d. Gabe Richmond (W Aurora) 31-6, (F 1:35)

James Morrison (Marmion) 36-7, d. Kyle Hayes (Sandburg) 31-13, (MD 18-4)

120

Allen Woo (Montini) 38-8, d. Brody Page (Marmion) 31-15, (D 7-0)
Aris Neal (Villa Park (Willowbrook) 30-8, d. Damian Garcia (DG North) 37-9, (D 13-6)

126

Bobby Ruscitti (Montini) 43-0, d. Aidan McClure (Marmion) 29-10, (D 4-1)

Brody Koselke (Mt. Carmel) 17-7, d. Ismael Chaidez (Glenbard E) 36-7 (MD 11-3)

132

Nicholas Garcia (Marmion) 46-2, d. Mikey Malizzio (Montini) 34-11, (TF-1.5 5:33 (19-4)

Te`Jon Beals (Marist) 32-13, d. Jadon Dinwiddie (DG South) 32-8, (D 11-5)

138

Zach Stewart (Marmion) 21-3, d. Axel Rodriguez (Marist) 35-11, (TF-1.5 4:45 (17-2)

Griff Powell (Lyons) 41-4, d. Oscar Kalman (Sandburg) 32-14, (TF-1.5 4:26 (19-3)

144

Demetrios Carrera (Marmion) 36-5, d. Justin Williamson (Mt. Carmel) 20-8, (D 3-2)

Jaxon Jorgensen (Marist) 16-4, d. Oliver Davis (Brother Rice) 34-7, (D 17-14)

150

Ashton Hobson (Marmion) 25-2, d. Tommy Fidler (Marist) 37-10, (D 1-0)
Caden Chiarelli (DG North) 30-12, d. Evan Matkovich (W Aurora) 32-12, (F 4:48)

157

Ethan Sonne (Marist) 34-3, d. Brady Ritter (Sandburg) 41-6, (D 4-2)

Malan Hatfield (W Aurora) 33-8, d. Will Konder (Montini) 31-20, (D 11-5)

165

Liam Kelly (Mt. Carmel) 30-2, d. Santino Tenuta (Montini) 23-7, (MD 16-5)

Marcus Quintana (W Aurora) 30-5, d. Otis Davis (Brother Rice) 27-8, (F 0:48)

175

Dayne Serio (W Aurora) 39-3, d. AJ Tack (Montini) 30-11, (MD 11-0)

Santiago Moya (Morton) 37-6, d. Noah Greene (DG South) 37-10, (D 12-6)

190

Vincenzo Testa (Marmion) 23-4, d. Daniel Mensah (DG South) 30-8, (F 2:25)

Paul Peradotti (Naperville C) 44-5, d. Orlando Hoye (Glenbard E) 21-4, (TF-1.5 4:24 (18-2)

215

Tavfik Ibragimov (Naperville N) 35-1, d. Dan Costello (Brother Rice) 22-6, (MD 11-0)

Sam Swais (Montini) 6-2, d. Nate Olona (DG North) 40-9, (D 21-17)

285

Joseph Favia (Marmion) 38-5, d. Gavin Ericson (Montini) 31-11, (D 5-2)

Colin Murphy (DG North) 38-5, d. Landin Carter (Mt. Carmel) 8-6, (D 4-0)

Girls sectional recaps: DeKalb, Phillips, North Mac

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 23:08:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

The girls’ state finals will take place on Feb. 27-28 at Grossinger Arena in Bloomington

DEKALB SECTIONAL

The host Barbs hoisted the team sectional plaque, advancing four girls to the state finals in sectional champion and returning state medal-winner Alex Gregorio-Perez (100), sectional runners-up Larisza Gomez Guevara (105) and Aarianna Bloyd (235) and third-place winner Kara Zimmerman (135).

Coach Conor Infelise’s girls posted 91 points to lead the field, followed by Minooka (65), Pekin (58), Geneseo (55) and Sycamore (55) in the top five.

Minooka advanced two girls downstate in sectional champ Ezra Rodriguez (140) and Sabina Charlebois (4th at 130). Pekin advanced three girls, Geneseo advanced two, and Sycamore advanced three.

Clifton Central’s Payton Temple (34-0 at 170) and Rock Island’s Courtney Walls (29-0 at 190) enter the state finals with unblemished season records. Temple was a state runner-up at 190 last year.

Other returning state medal winners headed back to Bloomington are returning state champions Saya Hongmoungkhoune of Rockford East and Kaneland’s Angelina Gochis, fifth-placer Michelle Naftzger of Erie, and Ottawa’s sixth-place winner Juliana Thrush.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS

100 Alex Gregorio-Perez (36-3) DeKalb
105 Saya Hongmoungkhoune (24-1) Rockford East
110 Blair Grennan (32-2) Newman Central Catholic
115 Chloe Hedges (33-3) Canton
120 Angelina Gochis (27-2) Kaneland
125 Samantha Greisen (41-4) Seneca
130 Kerby Germann (38-1) Fulton
135 Michelle Naftzger (31-4) Erie
140 Ezra Rodriguez (39-4) Minooka
145 Emily Taylor (27-5) Belvidere
155 Arian Sabu (34-8) Normal Community West
170 Payton Temple (34-0) Clifton Central
190 Courtney Walls (29-0) Rock Island
235 Juliana Thrush (28-4) Ottawa

STATE QUALIFIERS
100

Alex Gregorio-Perez (DeKalb) 36-3, d. Kendra Ege (Oregon) 12-2, (F 0:35)

Kali Dlercq (Hononegah) 28-4, d. Abella Brown (Canton) 31-5, (SV-1 6-3)

105

Saya Hongmoungkhoune (Rockford E) 24-1, d. Larisza Gomez Guevara (DeKalb) 38-6, (D 10-5)

Lily Deibel (Marquette) 23-4, d. Tessa Donaldson (Pekin) 27-2, (F 2:42)

110

Blair Grennan (Newman CC) 32-2, d. Rozlyn Mosher (Erie) 34-5, (F 2:43)

Lily Gwaltney (Ottawa) 34-6, d. Annalee Haschemeyer (Canton) 31-5, (D 1-0)

115

Chloe Hedges (Canton) 33-3, d. Laila Vaughn (Streator) 41-3, (D 18-13)

Autumn Starr (Bloomington) 25-8, d. Lyndzey Brewer (Farmington) 16-6, (F 1:55)

120

Angelina Gochis (Kaneland) 27-2, d. Ava Mayer (Pekin) 26-6, (F 1:54)

Lydia King (Geneseo) 42-6, d. Amyah Pruitt (Galesburg) 21-12, (F 1:22)

125

Samantha Greisen (Seneca) 41-4, d. Kiely Domyancich (L-Peru) 33-3, (F 1:43)

Calliope Willman (Metamora) 45-8, d. Ryleigh Eriks (Rock Falls) 42-9, (F 1:28)

130

Kerby Germann (Fulton) 38-1, d. Madison Heneks (Harlem) 30-8, (F 0:39)

Dai Driana Wilford (Galesburg) 27-6, d. Sabina Charlebois (Minooka) 36-7, (F 1:02)

135

Michelle Naftzger (Erie) 31-4, d. Avery Crouch (Dwight) 29-1, (F 3:05)

Kara Zimmerman (DeKalb) 31-11, d. Bella Castelli (Hononegah) 24-2, (fft.)

140

Ezra Rodriguez (Minooka) 39-4, d. Ema Durst (Sycamore) 31-1, (D 9-4)

Annibelle Juarez (Geneseo) 36-9, d. Sophia Domont (B-Bourbonnais) 18-7, (F 0:32)

145

Emily Taylor (Belvidere) 27-5, d. Taylor Sutton (East Peoria) 25-8, (D 5-3)

Aaliyah Swearingen (Kewanee) 21-4, d. Paytyn Dykes (Washington) 25-10, (D 7-0)

155

Arian Sabu (Normal W) 34-8, d. NaJeyah Wallace (Freeport) 31-9, (F 0:54)

Alyssa Artman (Pekin) 28-7, d. Lauryn Trotter (Yorkville) 38-9, (For.)

170

Payton Temple (Clifton Cent.) 34-0, d. Grace Mordhorst (Washington) 29-5, (F 0:37)

Kylie Eilken (Jeffferson) 27-3, d. Frankie McMurtry (Sycamore) 31-9, (F 2:19)

190

Courtney Walls (Rock Island) 29-0, d. Anjanne Haywood (Guilford) 18-4, (F 3:47)

Karsyn Robinson (Normal W) 30-11, d. Sadie Kinsella (Kaneland) 28-9, (D 10-7)

235

Juliana Thrush (Ottawa) 28-4, d. Aarianna Bloyd (DeKalb) 32-8, (D 2-0)

Jasmine Enriquez (Sycamore) 31-5, d. Savannah Trevino (Belvidere) 24-10, (F 0:50)

PHILLIPS SECTIONAL

Lane snared a team sectional title at Phillips for coach Liam Cummins, edging second-place Oak Forest 95.5-83. Warren (74.5) finished third, followed by District 230 (65) and Stevenson (61) to round out the top five team finishes.

Lane advanced four girls to the state finals, while Oak Forest, Warren, District 230 and Stevenson each advanced three.

Lane got individual sectional titles from Zabby Badru (135) and Layla Moreland (155), a second from Eila Barbour (145) and a fourth from Sofia Guerrero (100) in securing the team sectional crown. Oak Forest matched Lane for the most sectional champions with two, in Alex Sebek (100) and Rain Scott (125).
Sebek (100) was a state runner-up as a freshman at 100 pounds and returns to the state finals after a two-year hiatus.

Other state medal winners returning to this year’s state finals are District 230’s Jade Hardee (110), who placed third at 100 last year; Grayslake Central’s Gianna Arzer (130) who placed third at 125; Round Lake’s Riley Kongkaeow (100), who placed fourth at 100; and Glenbrook North’s Ariella Dobin (125), who placed second at 120.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Alexandra Sebek (30-0) Oak Forest
105 Giselle Arambula (30-1) Curie
110 Jade Hardee (41-6) D 230
115 Demetria Griffin (19-0) Chicago Hope Academy
120 Nina Nesci (36-1) St. Laurence
125 Rain Scott (18-1) Oak Forest
130 Gianna Arzer (12-0) Grayslake Central
135 Zabby Badru (46-1) Lane Tech
140 Tyanna Jackson (41-2) Warren
145 Giancarla Garduno (26-2) St. Ignatius
155 Layla Moreland (38-9) Lane Tech
170 Caliyah Campbell (23-6) OPRF
190 Valiere Franco (20-4) Fenwick
235 Sophia Fortis (23-2) Maine South

STATE QUALIFIERS
100

Alexandra Sebek (Oak Forest) 30-0, d. Riley Kongkaeow (Round Lake) 19-3, (fft.)

Andaira Marron (Morton) 35-2, d. Sofia Guerrero (Lane) 43-5, (F 4:32)
105

Giselle Arambula (Curie) 30-1, d. J Colbert (Lake View) 21-4, (D 14-11)

Dakodia Kelly (TF South) 41-9, d. Tatum De La Vega (D 230) 29-10, (F 1:58)

110

Jade Hardee (D 230) 41-6, d. Carmen Jackson (Ag Science) 25-2, (F 0:49)

Sunny Aitzemkour (New Trier) 33-5, d. Ariel Woodfin (Thornton) 26-5, (TF-1.5 4:44 (21-6)

115
Demetria Griffin (Hope Acad) 19-0, d. Athena Zappas (Stevenson) 36-2 (TF 5:28)

Yazmine Garcia (Kelly) 28-6, d. Aaliyah Vazquez (Warren) 37-11, (D 10-7)

120

Nina Nesci (St. Laurence) 36-1, d. Ava Enright (Marist) 37-7, (MD 10-1)

Nastasia Kobets (Stevenson) 16-4, d. Brynnley Krauchun (D 230) 28-16 (TF 5:16)

125

Rain Scott (Oak Forest) 18-1, d. Mary Minogue (Libertyville) 12-2, (D 10-5)
Ariella Dobin (GB North) 35-1, d. Grace Eiland (Hope Acad) 18-6, (Inj. 1:08)

130

Gianna Arzer (GL Central) 12-0, d. Journey Jackson (Oak Lawn) 28-6 (TF 4:55)
Alena Oshana (Maine E) 45-7, d. Mila Rocush (Shepard) 34-11, (F 5:07)

135

Zabby Badru (Lane) 46-1, d. Karina Lojowski (Stevenson) 34-3, (D 3-0)

Mercedes Carrassoco (De La Salle) 29-4, d. Jane Kelly (Warren) 35-11, (F 0:53)

140

Tyanna Jackson (Warren) 41-2, d. Isabella Miller (OPRF) 24-4, (F 3:47)

Sasha Johnson (Antioch) 40-9, d. America Cabrera (Phoenix) 25-3, (F 2:53)

145

Giancarla Garduno (St. Ignatius) 26-2, d. Eila Barbour (Lane) 32-5, (F 5:57)

Iyobosa Odiase (Oak Forest) 35-3, d. Miranda Tellez (GL Central) 28-6, (F 1:05)

155

Layla Moreland (Lane) 38-9, d. Melissa Nance (Hillcrest) 25-10, (F 2:53)

Lily Fish (Reavis) 32-4, d. Ariyah Bradford (TF North) 20-8, (TF-1.5 5:46 (26-10)

170

Caliyah Campbell (OPRF) 23-6, d. Sara Martinez Lopera (Kelly) 31-4, (D 4-1)
Anali Wilson (Morton) 39-3, d. Sarah Parker (Marist) 37-13, (F 5:10)
190

Valiere Franco (Fenwick) 20-4, d. Lucia Terrazas (TF South) 30-9, (F 5:29)

Kendra Hayden (H-F) 31-13, d. Joslin Coon (Lakes) 17-6, (F 0:53)

235

Sophia Fortis (Maine S) 23-2, d. Esmeralda Bustamante (Noble/ITW Speer) 40-2, (D 3-0)

Karrine Jenkins (Shepard) 37-5, d. Omowonuola Fajimolu (Evanston) 23-9, (F 0:43)

NORTH MAC SECTIONAL

Edwardsville captured the team title at this year’s North Mac Sectional, posting 132 points and advancing six girls to the state finals, led by a pair of sectional champions in Emma Rogers (105) and Victoria White (190). Rogers placed sixth in Illinois at 100 pounds last season.

Also advancing for Edwardsville were a pair of sectional runners-up in Genevieve Dykstra (115) and Allie Chong (120), third-placer Adleigh DeWerff (110), and fourth-placer Olive Linhorst (125).

Collinsville (77.5) placed second and advanced four girls, third-place Urbana (68) advanced three, fourth-place Granite City (56.5) advanced two, and fifth-place Roxana (54.5) advanced two girls.

Roxana’s returning state champion Chloe Skiles will chase the title at 110 after winning it at 105 last year. Other returning state medal winners include Litchfield/Mt. Olive’s Rilynn Younker, who was fifth at 110 last year; Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon, who was state runner-up at 115; returning state champion Natalie Beaumont (145) of Cumberland; and Unity’s Phoenix Molina, who placed third at 235.

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Madelynn Murphy (22-5) Roxana
105 Emma Rogers (31-6) Edwardsville
110 Chloe Skile (25-1) Roxana
115 Rilynn Younker (35-11) Litchfield/Mt. Olive
120 Alauni Muex (44-2) Marion
125 Yariah Shaw (15-0) Danville
130 Sydney Cannon (37-0) Mt. Zion
135 Jacee Mardirosian (35-3) Carterville
140 Ricky Ivy (44-1) Urbana
145 Natalie Beaumont (20-1) Cumberland
155 Taylor Owens (17-5) Oakwood/Salt Fork
170 Demi Barnes (29-2) Granite City
190 Victoria White (32-0) Edwardsville
235 Phoenix Molina (34-0) Unity

STATE QUALIFIERS
100

Madelyn Murphy (Roxana) 22-5, d. Chloe Collins (Olympia) 29-5, (MD 14-2)

Kadi Wilbern (Glenwood) 30-8, d. Jhayla Lawson (Mascoutah) 20-11, (F 0:18)

105

Emma Rogers (Edwardsville) 31-6, d. Phoenix Criss (Springfield Coop) 27-8 (TF 4:00)

Alexia Gld. (PORTA) 27-9, d. Karsynn Vogel (Quincy) 24-8, (F 4:43)

110

Chloe Skiles (Roxana) 25-1, d. Ivana Torres (Collinsville) 35-11, (F 1:33)

Adleigh DeWerff (Edwardsville) 31-5, d. Riley Weems (Belleville W) 29-11, (F 3:14)

115

Rilynn Younker (Litchfield/Mt. Olive) 35-11, d. Genevieve Dykstra (Edwardsville) 31-3, (MD 12-3)

Baileigh Self (Althoff Cath) 33-4, d. Kate Wochner (Oakwood/Salt Fork) 22-10, (F 4:27)

120

Alauni Muex (Marion) 44-2, d. Allie Chong (Edwardsville) 24-6, (D 9-2)

Delaney Ledbetter (Lawrenceville Co) 14-6, d. Catelyn Reese (Frankfort) 25-9 (TF 3:56)

125

Yariah Shaw (Danville) 15-0, d. Aryanna Jones (Alton) 21-9, (F 1:28)

Londyn Long (Collinsville) 46-5, d. Olive Linhorst (Edwardsville) 23-8, (F 0:55)

130

Sydney Cannon (Mt. Zion) 37-0, d. Ava Beldo (Unity) 34-7, (MD 11-0)

Lamia Irby (Belleville E) 21-7, d. Te`Aja Young (Cahokia) 25-3, (D 14-7)

135

Jacee Mardirosian (Carterville) 35-3, d. Addyson Bailey (Collinsville) 33-14, (MD 14-6)

Madelyn Edler (Waterloo) 33-13, d. Tamya Terry (Urbana) 26-12, (D 6-5)

140

Ricky Ivy (Urbana) 44-1, d. Audrey Barnes (Granite City) 31-2, (F 1:58)

Kimoreyee Ballard (Springfield Coop) 25-10, d. Zoe Bloyd (Quincy) 28-7, (F 1:20)

145

Natalie Beaumont (Cumberland) 20-1, d. McKenzie Miller (GCMS/Fisher) 27-6, (F 1:59)

Macee Hammond (Robinson) 23-7, d. Leann Cory (Collinsville) 42-5, (fft.)

155

Taylor Owens (Oakwood/Salt Fork) 17-5, d. Grace Stratton (Freeburg) 37-1, (Inj. 2:51)

Kaitlin Wood (Triad) 27-7, d. Maddie Wells (SJ-Ogden) 26-3, (F 2:28)

170

Demi Barnes (Granite City) 29-2, d. Kira Thompson (O’Fallon) 11-2, (F 1:50)

Janylah Holman (Cahokia) 28-6, d. Iy`Jah Grant (Champaign Cent) 18-3, (Inj. 3:19)

190

Victoria White (Edwardsville) 32-0, d. Brooke Stellhorn (Belleville W) 22-2, (fft.)

Addison Briggs (W’ville/G.-Ridge Farm) 25-5, d. Izabell McBride (Waterloo) 21-6, (F 1:33)

235

Phoenix Molina (Unity) 34-0, d. Lilly Disanto (Urbana) 40-7, (F 5:01)

Olivia Rosine (Charleston) 24-8, d. Madeleine Cooley (Jacksonville) 14-7, (F 1:16)

Screenshot

Minooka holds off LaSalle-Peru challenge to win Normal West Regional

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 13:13:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

NORMAL – There’s not very many instances where a program can finish 200 points behind a regional champion one year and then be battling for top honors until the very end the following year, but that’s just what happened during the exciting back-and-forth drama between Minooka and LaSalle-Peru to determine who would claim the Normal Community West Regional title.

At last year’s Metamora Regional, Lincoln-Way co-op easily rolled to the title with 248 points while Minooka was a distant second with 134 points, a far cry from where it was at in 2024, when the Indians edged Joliet Township co-op 196-191 for the championship at the Minooka Regional in the initial year that regional tournaments were conducted in the sport.

So with Lincoln-Way co-op and others in the top-10 teams at Metamora such as Joliet Central, Plainfield South, Joliet West and Plainfield Central reassigned to the rugged East Aurora Regional that feeds into the Schaumburg Sectional, and with two others in the top-10, Richwoods and Pekin, sent off to the Geneseo Regional, it looked like a reasonable bet that Minooka might capture its second regional championship in three seasons at the Normal Community West Regional, which feeds into the DeKalb Sectional, as does Geneseo.

However, the Indians got a real run for their money for top honors and it came from a team that placed 15th last year at Metamora, 200 points behind Lincoln-Way co-op and 86 points in back of second place Minooka, and that team was youthful LaSalle-Peru, which featured three seniors, one junior, six sophomores and one freshman to account for its 11 competitors.

Coach Nolan Kenney’s Lady Cavaliers were on even terms throughout the competition with coach Paige Schoolman’s Indians, who had 13 individuals participating, and the final outcome wasn’t resolved until two late third-place match victories ultimately assured Minooka of the championship of the 28-team competition by a 180-176.5 margin over LaSalle-Peru.

“They went toe-to-toe all day,” Schoolman said of LaSalle-Peru, “It didn’t really matter what the score was for those girls. Every time you turned around, you were worried, it was really tight.

There’s others (regionals) that are probably a little deeper than ours, but when you put 30 teams in there, all of these other teams have individuals in them that are tough-nosed girls. So I’m proud of our nine girls that got through and the other three that got into the blood rounds. We needed every win we had throughout the day for the girls to win the tournament.

“We’ve got 10 seniors, and it’s nice for them. There’s three of them that have been with us for four years, another handful of them that have been with us for three years, and it’s nice for them to cap off their senior year with that. And I’m really happy there’s a bunch of them that this will be the first time being sectional qualifiers. They’re really excited to be able to move on and trying to see what we can do next week and get to the next rung. Normal West did a great job of stepping up and hosting and this is a great facility. We used to have sectionals down here and I’ve always loved to compete down here since they do a nice job. I’m really proud of our girls. I mean, up and down the lineup, they battled and scored points. And every one of them counted.”

Even though the Lady Cavaliers had turned in some good tournament showings, such as runner-up finishes at Mahomet-Seymour’s Mary Kelly and Springfield’s Joe Bee, being able to get past a well-established program and a veteran, well-coached team like Minooka, which took first place at Princeton, finished second to Schaumburg at Morris and was fourth at perhaps the toughest invite of the season at Hoffman Estates, seemed to be a lot to hope for as far as L-P coach Nolan Keeney was concerned, but he he was also thrilled that his team surprised him.

“The ladies have done great all year long,” Keeney said. “A lot of them are sophomores, too and the fact that this is their second year and they’re making strides the way they are is amazing. And it helps having senior Kiely Domyancich and junior Sarah Lowery here. So it’s awesome. Today, if I’m going to be honest, I didn’t think we’d be pushing Minooka, but the girls all wrestled well. We did what we were supposed to do in some situations and then also had a little bit of luck. It makes me excited for the future and what’s going to happen here. We’re only going to lose about three or four seniors and the rest will be coming back. So I’m not excited for it and there’s going to be some good times coming.”

Leading the way for Minooka were champions Sabina Charlebois (130) and Ezra Rodriguez (140) while Therese Escano (105) took second place. Turning in third-place finishes were Mia Martinez (100), Marian Nordsell (110), Addison Davis (170) and Mia Lemberg (190) while Melody Williams (145) and Abigail Underhill (155) took fourth to give it nine sectional qualifiers.

LaSalle-Peru got first-place finishes from Kalista Frost (100), Kiely Domyancich (125) and Marisa Eggersdorfer (155) while Sarah Lowery (110) and Audri Plut (145) finished second. Emma Tomlinson (130), Avalyn Edwall (140) and Lily Higgins (235) all took third place and Emily Lowery (115) finished fourth to also give it nine qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional.

Others teams that were in the top half of the tournament were Washington Community (85), Ottawa Township (82.5), Streator Township/ Woodland co-op (78.5), Normal Community West (77), Bradley-Bourbonnais (75), Morris (62.5), Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op (49.5), Bloomington (40), Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op (38), Prairie Central (37.5), Illinois Valley Central (28.5) and Seneca (28.5).

Additional champions were Streator Township/ Woodland co-op’s Addison Yacko (110) and Laila Vaughn (115), Marquette Academy’s Lily Deibel (105), Prairie Central’s Yurithdzy Vilchis (120), Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op’s Avery Crouch (135), Washington Community’s Paytyn Dykes (145), Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op’s Payton Temple (170), Normal Community West’s Karsyn Robinson (190) and Ottawa Township’s Juliana Thrush (235).

Also finishing in second place were Bloomington’s Autumn Starr (115) and Alicia Swank (155),

Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Aubrianna Rapier (135) and Kaylee Morris (235), Ottawa Township’s Isabel Gwaltney (100), Normal Community West’s Amelia McClure (120), Seneca’s Samantha Greisen (125), Coal City’s Riley Kuder (130), Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op’s Adilynn Avilez (140), Washington Community’s Grace Mordhorst (170) and Deer Creek-Mackinaw’s Kaleigh Mehrkens (190).

Eggersdorfer and Temple tied for first place for the most team points with 28 while Crouch and Vilchis tied for third place with 27.5 points. Also in the top-10 in team points were Rodriguez (26), Charlebois (25.5), Domyancich (25.5), Frost (24), Deibel (23) and Robinson (23).

Some of the top records of of qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional included Payton Temple (31-0, 170), Avery Crouch (27-0, 135), Laila Vaughn (39-2, 115), Kiely Domyancich (31-2, 125), Adilynn Avilez (23-3, 140), Aubrianna Rapier (23-3, 135), Lily Deibel (20-3, 105), Audri Plut (11-3, 145), Samantha Greisen (38-4, 125), Ezra Rodriguez (36-4, 140), Grace Mordhorst (26-4, 170), Marisa Eggersdorfer (25-4, 155), Juliana Thrush (25-4, 235), Kaylee Morris (18-4, 235), Sabina Charlebois (34-5, 130), Lily Gwaltney (30-5, 110), Yurithdzy Vilchis (29-5, 120), Alicia Swank (24-5, 155), Sophia Domont (15-5, 140), Kaleigh Mehrkens (14-5, 190), Sarah Lowery (33-6, 110), Madysen Meyer (14-6, 115), Calliope Willman (41-7, 125), Kalista Frost (26-7, 100), Riley Kuder (23-7, 130) and Autumn Starr (22-7, 115).

Here are the champions and their weights at the Normal Community West Regional:

100 – Kalista Frost, LaSalle-Peru

Kalista Frost kicked off an exciting place round for LaSalle-Peru at the Normal Community West Regional by taking first at 100 to become the first of three champions and was one of five finalists and nine sectional qualifiers for coach Nolan Keeney’s Lady Cavaliers, a first-year team that gave Minooka a battle before getting edged 180-176.5 for the title. Frost (26-7) won the 100 title match by getting a fall in 1:32 over Ottawa Township’s Isabel Gwaltney. The LaSalle-Peru sophomore also got a pin in the semifinals and ranked eighth in most team points with 24.

“It was a pretty good improvement from last year because I was seeded fifth and I ended up going to sectionals as well, but I went 0-2,” Frost said. (Her team) “It’s amazing because last year we only had two people make it to sectionals and now we’ve got nine. This year’s the first official year for girls wrestling at L-P. It’s good to see the team grow. We’ve put so much hard work into it, and I’m seeing that come out.”

Gwaltney (16-15), a senior who was one of two finalists and sectional qualifiers for coach Kevin Aughenbaugh’s fourth-place Lady Pirates, also only had to compete in one other match, in the semifinals, where she won by technical fall. For third place, Minooka freshman Mia Martinez (12-12) won a 12-5 decision over Morton freshman Elizabeth Austin (15-13).

105 – Lily Deibel, Marquette Academy

Lily Deibel was one of two freshmen champions and the lone competitor in the Normal Community West Regional for coach Michael Deibel’s Lady Crusaders. She improved to 20-3 after recording a fall in the semifinals and then capturing a 13-5 major decision over Minooka’s Therese Escano in the 105 title match. She finished in ninth place in team points with 23.

“(The boys team at Marquette Academy) They’ve helped me and they push me,” Deibel said. “I’ve just been held to a really high standard, and coach Trent definitely pushes me.”(Being at Marquette Academy) Yeah, I love it.”

Escano (23-13), a senior, was one of three finalists and nine qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional for coach Paige Schoolman’s champion Indians. She used two falls to reach the 105 title mat. In the third-place match, Ottawa Township junior Ciara Bolf (28-10) was a winner by fall in 2:42 over Metamora senior Grace Aeschliman (23-18).

110 – Addison Yacko, Streator Township/ Woodland co-op

Addison Yacko and Laila Vaughn gave Streator Township/ Woodland co-op back-to-back champions at the Normal Community West Regional with junior Yacko claiming first at 110 by medical forfeit over LaSalle-Peru’s Sarah Lowery. The two title winners were the lone finalists and two of the four sectional qualifiers for coach Kyle Lowman’s fifth-place Lady Bulldogs. Yacko (20-8) opened with a fall and won a 9-5 decision in the semifinals over Ottawa Township junior Lily Gwaltney, an IHSA qualifier last season who was her teammate with the Bulldogs.

“I’m just very proud of myself,” Yacko said. “I was fourth seed, so I wasn’t expecting to get first, but I had faith in myself. I got injured. I had a concussion about a week ago, so I’ve been on a recovery. I got third at regionals last year, so I think it’s definitely a step up. (Likes about Streator Township) I definitely like how hard he (coach Kyle Lowman) is on us at practice, it definitely has improved me over the years. All of my teammates are doing pretty good and I have four going to sectionals now. (Likes about girls wrestling) I like how much it’s grown over the years, I’ve been doing it for a long time so I’ve seen it from when we were wrestling boys and now just girls.”

Lowery (33-6) was one of five finalists and nine qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional for coach Nolan Keeney’s runner-up Lady Cavaliers, a first-year team that lost the regional title by 3.5 points to Minooka. She followed a quick fall with an 8-6 decision in the semifinals over Minooka junior Marian Nordsell but then had to take a medical forfeit in the finals. Nordsell (32-10) claimed third place by forfeit over Lily Gwaltney (30-5).

115 – Laila Vaughn, Streator Township/ Woodland co-op

Laila Vaughn followed up on a title by teammate Addison Yacko to give Streator Township two champions at the Normal Community West Regional. They also were two of the four sectional qualifiers for coach Kyle Lowman’s Lady Bulldogs, who finished in fifth place. Vaughn, a sophomore who improved to 39-2, won the 115 title by getting a fall in 3:43 over Bloomington’s Autumn Starr. After winning by technical fall in her opener, she had to prevail in a wild 25-22 decision over Reed-Custer’s Madysen Meyer in the semifinals, and those two had the most single match points in the regional and Vaughn finished third in most match points with 47.

“I lost a lot of weight and got injured, so I really didn’t do very much offseason work at all.” Vaughn said. “It was more right before the season working and losing a lot of weight and lifting.”

Starr (22-7) joined her only teammate, Alicia Swank at 155, as second-place finishers for coach Jacob Lehr’s Purple Raiders. The Bloomington freshman recorded falls in her first two matches. Meyer (14-6) bounced back from her tough loss to Vaughn with a fall and then claimed a 12-5 major decision over LaSalle-Peru sophomore Emily Lowery (25-9) to take third place. The Comets senior easily had the most total match points in the regional with 65 while Lowery had the largest seed-place difference in the competition of four after being seeded eighth.

120 – Yurithdzy Vilchis, Prairie Central

Yurithdzy Vilchis learned a lot about how to perform at a high level after being around two-time IHSA 235 champion Chloe Hoselton during her sophomore and junior seasons at Prairie Central, which included her joining Hoselton at the state finals a year ago where she concluded a 24-14 season. Now the Hawks senior hopes that those experiences can help her to earn a top-six finish at this year’s IHSA Finals and become her school’s second medalist. A 2025 regional champion, she improved to 29-5 after taking first at 120 at the Normal Community West Regional with a fall in 2:36 over Normal Community West’s Amelia McClure. The lone finalist and sectional qualifier for coach Scott Ziller’s Hawks, she opened with a pin and then got a win by technical fall in 4:40 in the semifinals. She tied for third for the most team points with 27.5.

“It feels great,” Vilchis said. “I feel like I’ve improved a lot throughout the years. I just only started my sophomore year and I didn’t even make it out of regionals that year and last year I made it to state. (Competing with Chloe Hoselton) “She’s an amazing teammate and she gives me so much advice. And she’s the one who took me to The Compound, and I feel like that’s where I got better. I think it’s just like all the hard work I put into it. I double up on practices. I just go to private practices at The Compound, where I just learn a bunch of techniques and I do it over and over again. And before wrestling starts, I do cross country and that helps me a lot with conditioning. (Likes about girls wrestling) I think just the environment. I feel like it’s not just teammates, but even the opponents, they’re always so nice.”

McClure (17-7), a senior who was one of two finalists and three sectional qualifiers for the host Wildcats, who are coached by Margaret (LeGates) Lehr, who was the first female high school wrestler in Illinois while competing at Libertyville for 2000 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Dale Eggert in the early 1990’s. She recorded falls in her other two matches to reach the 120 finals.

In the third-place match, Illinois Valley Central junior Lilyana Malagon (18-11), who was the only individual in the regional who recorded four pins and ranked second with 48 total match points, won by fall in 3:56 over Streator Township/ Woodland co-op junior Payton Henson (27-16).

125 – Kiely Domyancich, LaSalle-Peru

Kiely Domyancich made history for LaSalle-Peru last season when she became the school’s first medalist by taking fifth place at 115 in the IHSA Finals at 115 to cap a 33-4 junior campaign. Now the Lady Cavaliers’ senior hopes that she not only picks up a second medal but hopefully also gets the chance to compete for a state title. She improved to 31-2 after getting a takedown with nine seconds left to rally for a 6-5 decision over her friend, Seneca’s Samantha Greisen, in the 125 title match at the Normal Community West Regional. Also a regional champion last season, she was one of three champions, five finalists and nine qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional for coach Nolan Keeney’s LaSalle-Peru team that was edged 180-176.5 for the team title by Minooka after taking 15th place and finishing 200 points behind champion Lincoln-Way co-op in last year’s Metamora Regional. Domyancich opened with a pin and then got a victory by technical fall in the semifinals to help her tie for sixth place for most team points with 25.5.

“We came in and we didn’t think there’s a chance that we’d even be this close with Minooka but I think it was all of our hard work and our girls are working hard out there,” Domyancich said. “Sammie’s my practice partner from another team, so we’ve been battling it out, but at the end of the day, we’re just really working hard. I’m really proud of her. I think we’re going to do big things. At first, it was we want to win a dual. And then it was we want to win most of our duals and we want to win conference, and then we did that. And then it was like, we want the regional title, as well. We have a lot of girls that are just starting out, but we always want to win the tournaments, and at the end of the day, I think our girls have been doing so well. It’s never about competing with the biggest, best team. It’s about individuals and I just love seeing my girls grow so much, and I think that’s showing. I started my freshman year. I love cheering on my team and I love coaching my team, but at the same time, I feel like my team gives a lot to me. I wouldn’t be the wrestler and the person I am without my team. Even though I’m a senior and I’m leaving, I know my girls will take care of other girls that come in the program and the program’s good with coach Keeney. It makes me feel good about myself. Absolutely, I’m really proud of my girls.”

Greisen (38-4), a senior who was the lone medalist of the two entrants for coach Todd Yegge’s Lady Irish, also qualified for the IHSA Finals last year and fell one victory shy of a medal at 135 to conclude a 41-10 junior season. She claimed a win by technical fall in 1:59, a regional-best, in her opening match and then got a pin in the semifinals. For third place, Morris senior Zara Lugo (30-12) claimed a 6-3 decision over Metamora freshman Calliope Willman (41-7).

130 – Sabina Charlebois, Minooka

Sabina Charlebois rallied from a 7-3 deficit midway through the third period with a takedown and nearfall in the final minute of her 130 title match against Riley Kuder at the Normal Community West Regional and the 10-8 decision by the Minooka senior over the Coal City sophomore proved to be much more significant when the final team scores were announced and the Indians edged LaSalle-Peru for the title by a 180-176.5 margin. Charlebois (34-5) joined Ezra Rodriguez (140) as title winners and was one of three finalists and nine sectional qualifiers for the Indians, coached by Paige Schoolman and Jeff Charlebois, who were one of the first regional champions two years ago when they edged Joliet Township in a regional at their own school. She followed a quick pin with a victory by technical fall to tie for sixth place for the most team points with 25.5.

“It was a very good match against the Coal City girl (Kuder) and the competition here and as a whole for all the teams, it was very good for all of us,” Charlebois said. (Likes about her team) “Just the environment. I feel like our team is very good if we have a hard practice, with a lot of live and a lot of conditioning. I feel like we focus more on each other rather than ourselves when we’re struggling. And even if personally if we are struggling, we still try to help girls in the room and we’re encouraging them because we see them getting better so that it makes us feel better about ourselves. So I think as a whole, our team is very close and we just have a good bond.”

Kuder (23-7), the lone competitor for coach Jim Looper’s Coalers, earned her spot in the 130 title match with two pins. For third place, LaSalle-Peru sophomore Emma Tomlinson (19-13) captured a 12-4 major decision over Washington Community freshman Olivia Ioerger (15-16) in a rematch of a quarterfinal meeting between the two in which Ioerger claimed a 3-1 decision.

135 – Avery Crouch, Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op

Avery Crouch had a very impressive freshman season in 2024-2025 while competing for the Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op when she also won a regional title and went on to finish with a 11-3 record after capturing fourth place at 135 at the IHSA Finals. She hopes to make a return trip to Bloomington and also move up higher on the awards stand and she’s one step closer to doing that after being one of two champions at the Normal Community West Regional who have an unbeaten record as they head to the DeKalb Sectional. The sophomore improved to 27-0 with a win by technical fall in 4:20 over Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Aubrianna Rapier in the 135 title match. Although coach Jim Gussman’s Lady Trojans only had three entrants, two were finalists, as sophomore Adilynn Avilez took second at 140. Crouch is also coached by and trains with her brother Dylan, a two-time IHSA medalist who is the school’s all-time wins leader. She opened with two falls to claim third place in team points with 27.5.

“I’m ranked second now in the state,” Crouch said. “I’m just growing and growing and trying to keep my confidence up. My brother Dylan is actually my coach now. He’s my coach and my wrestling partner and he’s really helping me and I’m learning all of his skills. Last year was my first year coming into high school. I knew that it was all about mindset, but between freshman and sophomore year it kind of just flipped the switch, and I knew that mindset was really a huge aspect of it, so keep your head up. My wrestling partner is our 175-pounder, Gavin Bafia, and I train with him every day. I hope that our girls team grows. (What she likes about wrestling) I like the drive it gives you to just do good in everything, to succeed just a little more in everything that you do, knowing that you can give it your all.”

Rapier (23-3), a junior, was one of two second-place finishers and three sectional qualifiers for coach Micky Spiwak’s Boilermakers. She recorded two first-minute falls to earn her spot on the 135 title mat. In the third-place match, Streator Township/ Woodland co-op freshman Harmony Morgan (18-8) won by fall in 2:34 over Ottawa Township sophomore Jaiyden Provance (17-11).

140 – Ezra Rodriguez, Minooka

Ezra Rodriguez had a couple of very good incentives to finish the Normal Community West Regional on a high note and that certainly helped her to claim a first-place finish in the event. The Minooka senior was able to join classmate Sabina Charlebois as a regional champion and her fall in 3:47 over Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op’s Adilynn Avilez in the 140 title match was also important to help her team edge LaSalle-Peru 180-176.5 for top honors in the competition, which gave Minooka its second regional title in three years. Rodriguez (36-4), one of three finalists and nine qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional for coach Paige Schoolman’s first-place Indians, opened with a major decision and then recorded a fall in the semifinals to help her score 26 team points, which ranked her in fifth place among all competitors.

“I’m a really big fan of the coaching staff, and we do pull a lot of athletes from different sports,” Rodriguez said. “So I personally came from swimming and I kind of came in even if I didn’t have the technique. (The two sports) They’re just so different and I got a little bored of swimming. I love how our junior high is really starting to give us a lot of girls wrestlers. This year we had a lot of freshmen who were trying it. Even if they’re not sticking around, it’s really nice to see people that are interested in the sport. I think we can be at a really high level, probably almost better than our boys have been in recent years. This is my second weekend at 140, so I wrestled pretty much all season at 45. I won conference at 40 and at the Princeton tournament, I won at 45. I just like wrestling a bunch of different kinds of people, so it was good coming down here.”

Avilez (23-3), a sophomore, joined 135 champion Avery Crouch as finalists and sectional qualifiers for coach Jim Gussman’s Lady Trojans, who had three individuals in the regional. She recorded two falls to earn her spot in the 140 finals. For third place, LaSalle-Peru sophomore Avalyn Edwall (20-9) won by fall in 4:00 over Bradley-Bourbonnais junior Sophia Domont (15-5).

145 – Paytyn Dykes, Washington Community

Paytyn Dykes is excited about competing for one of the state’s top programs at Washington Community and she’s also very happy with how much her program is growing after she won a 4-0 decision over LaSalle-Peru’s Audri Plut in the 145 title match at the Normal Community West Regional to become the lone champion, one of two finalists and one of four sectional qualifiers for coach Summer Smith’s third-place Lady Panthers. Dykes (23-8), a junior who grew to like the sport by wrestling against and watching her brothers Jack and Ty, opened with a decision and then recorded a fall in the semifinals to earn her spot in the 145 finals, where she opened the second period with an escape and then got a takedown a short time later.

“(The success of Washington’s boys team) It’s definitely like we too can do this type of thing,” Dykes said. “We see it and we’re, like, okay, this is possible for girls, too, not just those guys. I feel like my biggest improvement has definitely been my mental, I guess, because I’ve struggled with confidence a lot. But I’ve just practiced a lot, and I have coaches that are very good support and they give me a lot of good advice. (What she likes most about wrestling) I think just the team aspect. It’s definitely a family sport and everyone has each others’ backs.”

Plut (11-3), one of just four freshmen who advanced to a title match, was also one of the five finalists and nine qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional for coach Nolan Keeney’s Lady Cavaliers, a first-year team that was edged for the team championship by a 180-176.5 margin by Minooka. She recorded two pins to earn her spot in the 145 finals. In the third-place match, Morris junior Savannah Vignali (13-6) won by fall over Minooka sophomore Melody Williams (23-16).

155 – Marisa Eggersdorfer, LaSalle-Peru

Marisa Eggersdorfer gave LaSalle-Peru a big boost for its title hopes at the Normal Community West Regional when she recorded a fall in 5:00 over Bloomington’s Alicia Swank in the 155 title match in a clash between seniors who both entered with identical 24-4 records. Eggersdorfer (25-4) was the third of three champions and one of five finalists and nine sectional qualifiers for coach Nolan Keeney’s Lady Cavaliers, who were edged 180-176.5 by Minooka for first place. She tied Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op’s Payton Temple, the 170 champion, for the most team points with 28 and also was one of three individuals on her team who recorded three falls.

“We are a first-year program at L-P,” Eggersdorfer said. “We didn’t even expect to honestly rank this high since we knew that Minooka would be on top. So just being able to be that close as a first-year program is so exciting, and we’re so proud of our coach. We have three seniors, and the rest of them are young. It’s so nice to come to practice every day and know that we’re part of a team that’s good. You know, it’s really exciting. I feel that coach Keeney has cultivated a really, really great team of girls and he’s so supportive, and he just believes in every one of us, and we work in practice, and he makes sure that we’re getting the training we need so that we can go out there and win.”

Swank (24-5) joined Autumn Starr (115) as a second-place finishers and sectional qualifiers for coach Jacob Lehr’s Purple Raiders, who only had those two competitors. She recorded two falls to earn her spot on the 155 title mat. For third place, Normal Community West sophomore Arian Sabu (30-8) was a winner by fall in 1:49 over Minooka senior Abigail Underhill (36-10).

170 – Payton Temple, Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op

Payton Temple took second place at 190 to Lakes Community’s Josephine Larson in last year’s IHSA Finals to finish with a 27-2 record. So now the Clifton Central/ Iroquois West co-op junior is focused on being a state champion and is one step closer to getting back to Bloomington after winning by fall in 2:19 over Washington Community’s Grace Mordhorst in the 170 title match at the Normal Community West Regional. She joined Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op sophomore Avery Crouch (135) as the lone two unbeaten champions in the regional after improving to 31-0. A regional champion last year and the lone sectional qualifier for coach Rebecca Temple’s Lady Comets, she won her first two matches with quick pins and tied LaSalle-Peru’s 155 champion, Marisa Eggersdorfer, for the most team points with 28.

“It’s been a great season and I’m undefeated,” Temple said. “And winning today was really good. I’ve been working hard all season and all offseason and really pushing to hopefully win this year. (About the growth of the sport) It’s been very fun. It keeps growing and there’s more and more people in each bracket every year. It’s crazy to see how it keeps growing. I like giving back to the sport and coaching the youth to hopefully grow the program for the future.”

Mordhorst (26-4), a senior who was one two finalists and four sectional qualifiers for coach Nick Miller’s third-place Lady Panthers, also won her first two matches by fall to reach the 170 finals. For third place, Minooka senior Addison Davis (31-14) got a victory by technical fall in 3:23 over Putnam County/ Hall co-op senior Ella Irwin (13-7), the lone entrant from her team. It was the second time that they met with Davis also winning a 13-0 major decision in the quarterfinals.

190 – Karsyn Robinson, Normal Community West

Karsyn Robinson got the opportunity to be around 2025 Normal Community West graduate Cadence Duvall while competing in track and field in middle school. Duvall, who just missed becoming her school’s first IHSA medalist last year at 235, got Robinson interested in wrestling in order to help her with her throws. Now she’s headed to the DeKalb Sectional with a 27-10 record after becoming one of two freshman first-place finishers at the Normal Community West Regional after getting a pin in 2:29 over Deer Creek-Mackinaw’s Kaleigh Mehrkens in the 190 title match. One of two finalists and three sectional qualifiers for the Wildcats, who are coached by Margaret Lehr, who was the first girl to compete in the sport while at Libertyville and also coached her daughter Sammy to the first tournament title in IHSA history in 2021. Robinson followed a pin with a 16-7 major decision and tied for ninth place in most team points with 23.

“I had some friends that wrestled at my middle school,” Robinson said. “And then I had one of the girls that used to wrestle here (Cadence Duvall) and she was my throwing coach last year. She was like, ‘Karsyn, you should start wrestling.’ She told me about it, and I was like, do you think it will help me with throwing? And she said yes. And then I started it, and now I really do love wrestling. I like being in a male-dominated sport. I want to be able to inspire other people to do the sport and make people watch women’s sports more. We should get the same recognition that boys should get or men get, you know? (Likes about her team) I like the fact that a lot of other teams don’t have the same girls team that we have. And coach Lehr is a great coach.”

Mehrkens (14-5), a junior who was the the lone sectional qualifier among three competitors for coach Dan Maurer’s Chiefs, recorded a fall in the semifinals to earn her spot on the 190 title mat. In the third-place match, Minooka senior Mia Lemberg (29-10) got a pin in 0:50 over Washington Community freshman Khloe Cremeens (11-14).

235 – Juliana Thrush, Ottawa Township

Juliana Thrush made history for Ottawa Township when she concluded a 35-7 season by taking sixth place at 235 in the IHSA Finals to equal her finish in 2024 and as a result, she became the first individual from her program to be a two-time state medalist. Now the senior hopes to not only become a three-time medalist, which only one boy has done at the school, but also to finish higher on the awards stand in Bloomington. A regional champion in 2025, she improved to 25-4 after winning her only match of the regional, which was by fall in 3:10 over Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Kaylee Morris in the 235 title match to become the lone champion, one of two finalists and also one of five qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional for coach Kevin Aughenbaugh’s Lady Pirates.

Morris (18-4), a junior, was one of two second-place finishers and three sectional qualifiers for coach Micky Spiwak’s Boilermakers. LaSalle-Peru senior Lily Higgins (14-10) took third place and was one of nine qualifiers for the DeKalb Sectional for the Lady Cavaliers, who improved from 15th place and 200 points behind champion Lincoln-Way co-op last season to being edged 180-176.5 by Minooka for first place at the Normal Community West Regional.

Regional champions

100 – Kalista Frost (LaSalle-Peru) 26-7

105 – Lily Deibel (Marquette Academy) 20-3

110 – Addison Yacko (Streator Township) 20-8

115 – Laila Vaughn (Streator Township) 39-2

120 – Yurithdzy Vilchis (Prairie Central) 29-5

125 – Kiely Domyancich (LaSalle-Peru) 31-2

130 – Sabina Charlebois (Minooka) 34-5

135 – Avery Crouch (Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington) 27-0

140 – Ezra Rodriguez (Minooka) 36-4

145 – Paytyn Dykes (Washington Community) 23-8

155 – Marisa Eggersdorfer (LaSalle-Peru) 25-4

170 – Payton Temple (Clifton Central) 31-0

190 – Karsyn Robinson (Normal Community West) 27-10

235 – Juliana Thrush (Ottawa Township) 25-4

Additional sectional qualifiers

100 – Isabel Gwaltney (Ottawa Township) 16-15, Mia Martinez (Minooka) 12-12, Elizabeth Austin (Morton) 15-13

105 – Therese Escano (Minooka) 23-13, Ciara Bolf (Ottawa Township) 28-10, Grace Aeschliman (Metamora) 23-18

110 – Sarah Lowery (LaSalle (LaSalle-Peru) 33-6, Marian Nordsell (Minooka) 32-10, Lily Gwaltney (Ottawa Township) 30-5

115 – Autumn Starr (Bloomington) 22-7, Madysen Meyer (Reed-Custer) 14-6, Emily Lowery (LaSalle-Peru) 25-9

120 – Amelia McClure (Normal Community West) 17-7, Lilyana Malagon (Illinois Valley Central) 18-11, Payton Henson (Streator Township) 27-16

125 – Samantha Greisen (Seneca) 38-4, Zara Lugo (Morris) 30-12, Calliope Willman (Metamora) 41-7

130 – Riley Kuder (Coal City) 23-7, Emma Tomlinson (LaSalle-Peru) 19-13, Olivia Ioerger (Washington Community) 15-16

135 – Aubrianna Rapier (Bradley-Bourbonnais) 23-3, Harmony Morgan (Streator Township) 18-8, Jaiyden Provance (Ottawa (Township) 17-11

140 – Adilynn Avilez (Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington) 23-3, Avalyn Edwall (LaSalle-Peru) 20-9, Sophia Domont (Bradley-Bourbonnais) 15-5

145 – Audri Plut (LaSalle-Peru) 11-3, Savannah Vignali (Morris) 13-6, Melody Williams (Minooka) 23-16

155 – Alicia Swank (Bloomington) 24-5, Arian Sabu (Normal Community West) 30-8, Abigail Underhill (Minooka) 36-10

170 – Grace Mordhorst (Washington Community) 26-4, Addison Davis (Minooka) 31-14, Ella Irwin (Putnam County/ Hall) 13-7

190 – Kaleigh Mehrkens (Deer Creek-Mackinaw) 14-5, Mia Lemberg (Minooka) 29-10, Khloe Cremeens (Washington Community) 11-14

235 – Kaylee Morris (Bradley-Bourbonnais) 18-4, Lily Higgins (LaSalle-Peru) 14-10

Team scores

Minooka 180, LaSalle-Peru 176.5, 3. Washington Community 85, Ottawa Township 82.5, Streator Township 78.5, Normal Community West 77. Bradley-Bourbonnais 75, Morris 62.5, Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington co-op 49.5, Bloomington 40, Clifton Central 38, Prairie Central 37.5, Illinois Valley Central 28.5, Seneca 28.5, Metamora 27, Marquette Academy 23, Coal City 22, Morton 21, Kankakee 20, Reed-Custer 18.5, Deer Creek-Mackinaw 18, Putnam County/ Hall 13, El Paso-Gridley 12, Herscher 8, University High 8, Mendota 7, Tremont 7, Normal Community 0, Pontiac 0

Individual statistics

Most team points: Marisa Eggersdorfer, La Salle-Peru 28, Payton Temple, Clifton Central; Avery Crouch, Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington 27.5; Yurithdzy Vilchis, Prairie Central 27.5; Ezra Rodriguez, Minooka 26; Sabina Charlebois. Minooka 25.5; Kiely Domyanicich, LaSalle-Peru 25.5; Kalista Frost, LaSalle-Peru 24; Lily Deibel, Marquette Academy 23; Karsyn Robinson, Normal Community West 23

Most total match points: Madysen Meyer, Reed-Custer 65; Lilyana Malagon, Illinois Valley Central 48; Laila Vaughn, Streator Township 47

Most pins: Lilyana Malagon, Illinois Valley Central 4 (in 9:53)

Most technical falls in least time: Samantha Greisen, Seneca 1 (in 1:59)

Largest see-place difference: Emily Lowery, LaSalle-Peru 4 (8 to 4)

Team statistics

Most Total match points: Minooka 305; Ottawa Township 145; LaSalle-Peru 139

Most pins: Minooka 20; LaSalle-Peru 18; Bradley-Bourbonnais 12

Most technical falls: Minooka 4; Kankakee 2; Ottawa Township 2; Seneca 2

Dixon follows Princeton Regional title with second trip to IHSA Dual Team State

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:56:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

PRINCETON – Dixon has definitely had one of the top programs in the state for a long time, as it entered the season with 874 dual meet victories and a .685 winning percentage in its dual meets during the past 73 seasons, according to its season summaries on the IHSA website.

The IHSA website shows only 11 programs had won more dual meets than Dixon heading into 2025-2026. But records in the season summaries indicate that there are at least four other schools that aren’t listed who have won over 1,000 dual meets.

However, the Dukes haven’t enjoyed much postseason success, winning only two regional titles, in 2017 and 2019, and regional titles were first awarded in 1983. And they had only qualified for the IHSA Dual Team Finals in 2017, when they took third place in Class 2A. That competition has been held since 1984.

So it was understandably a big deal when coach Micah Hey’s Dukes won the championship at the Class 1A Princeton Regional by scoring 221 points, placing it well ahead of runner-up Sandwich (177) and third-place Marquette Academy (172) for the school’s third regional title.

Then five days after that, Dixon defeated first-time regional winner Morrison 57-20 in the Class 1A Oregon Dual Team Sectional to qualify for the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second time, with this visit being in Class 1A, which the program moved back down to this season.

The Dukes hope to capture their second state trophy and can do that on February 27 when they meet Althoff Catholic in the quarterfinals of the Class 1A Dual Team Finals, which takes place at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

Dixon’s previous regional titles and its state appearance came under coach Chris Bishop, who led the Dukes from 2010-2011 to 2020-2021. The state team in 2017 had a program-best 24-2 record and beat Mahomet-Seymour in the quarterfinals, lost to the eventual champion, Washington Community, in the semifinals and defeated Cahokia for third place.

Hey, who’s in his fifth season as the Dukes’ head coach, was an assistant coach on that state team. He also had a great high school career at Dixon, winning a Class AA title at 119 in 1993 and taking third at 125 in AA in 1994.

“This was a big goal we had to win regionals and then earn a trip to the team state,” Hey said. “It is the second time we have done it as a team in Dixon history, so we are very excited. Of course, as great as it is to get down to state as a team, our eyes are set on a trophy.

“Currently we are locked back in on individuals. The guys that didn’t qualify for sectionals are still pushing hard to help the qualifiers get down to state. They know they will still have their chance to shine at team state.”

Hey said that the assistant coaches who have really made this all happen are Jacob Hey, Jamie Hey, Evan Thorpe and Matt Linder and volunteer coaches Chris Bishop, Colin Brinkmeier and Quinn Staples.

His brother, Jacob, a 2019 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee, was a three-time medalist and an undefeated IHSA champion in 1991 and the all-time wins leader for the Dukes, and his brother Jamie, was also an IHSA medalist in 1999. Jacob, who coached at Althoff Catholic for five seasons, earned All-American honors 18 times while at Dixon and the United States Air Force.

Of the 11 programs that the IHSA lists with having more dual meet wins than Dixon, those schools have averaged 22 regional titles and 11 state tournament appearances.

Winning championships for the Dukes at the Princeton Regional were Riley Paredes (106), Doolan Long (126), Charlie Connors (144), Dawson Kemp (216) and Dylan Bopes (285).

Finishing in second place were Jack Ragan (120), Preston Richards (150) and Blake Dingley (175) while Seth Shaffer (190) took third place to give the team nine qualifiers for this weekend’s Byron Individual Sectional.

Other Dukes who contributed to the title cause were Ian Fane (113), Kazmyn Barber (132), Channing Sarver (138), Neomiah Holloway (157) and Adam Staples (165).

In the Oregon Dual Team Sectional, The Dukes got falls from Long, Connors, Staples, Dingley, Kemp, Bopes and Paredes, a forfeit win from Gage Heath, a win by technical fall from Richards and a major decision from Ragan and only lost three contested matches to Morrison.

Leading the way for coach Derek Jones’ runner-up Indians were champions Cooper Corder (150) and Joshua Kotalik (175). Second-place finishers for Sandwich were Jaxson Blanchard (138) and Kai Kern (190) while Connor Blanchard (120), Dom Urbanski (126), Jack Forth (157) and Kaden Clevenger (215) all took third place to qualify for the sectional.

Top performers for coach Trent Lyons’ third-place Crusaders were title winners Wesley Janick (120), Koby Clark (132) and Brysen Manly (157). Runners-up for Marquette Academy were Connor Eggers (113), Logan Huenefeld (126), Reily Leifheit (165) and Alex Schaefer (215) while Dakota Harmon (106) and Beau Thompson (138) also advanced by taking third place.

The host Tigers, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Amy, took fourth place had four champions, Augustus Swanson (113), Kane Dauber (138), Casey Etheridge (165) and Eli Berlin (190) while Corbin Brown (132) took third and also qualified.

Additional second-place finishers were Kewanee’s Lain Taylor (144) and Airies Simmons (285), Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op’s Aden Spinelli (106), Saint Bede Academy’s Max Moreno (132) and Mendota’s Gavin Evans (157).

Kewanee also had three third-place finishers, Dontel Wommack (150), Brayden Johnson (165) and Ace Lafollette (175). Additional individuals who placed third and advanced to the sectional are ROWVA/ Williamsfield co-op’s Kegan Miller (113), Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op’s Caiden Heath (144) and Putnam County/ Hall co-op’s Justin Doden (285).

Berlin and Dauber led all competitors with 28 team points while Corder (26.5), Janick (26), Bopes (24), Kemp (24), Kotalik (24), Long (24), Paredes (24) and Swanson (24) rounded out the top 10 in that category.

Swanson had the most pins in the least time with three in 2:09, ROWVA/ Williamsfield co-op’s Tommy DeRitter had the quickest technical fall in 2:00, Kewanee’s Trayvon Rucker had the most total match points with 46 and Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op’s Ty Florschuetz had the largest see-place difference with four positions.

Returning state qualifiers who advanced were Princeton’s Casey Etheridge (fourth at 165), Kane Dauber (fifth at 132) and Augustus Swanson, Dixon’s Jack Ragan and Charlie Connors, Sandwich’s Cooper Corder (fifth at 144) and Marquette Academy’s Alex Schaefer.

Title winners who also won regional championships in 2025 were Princeton’s Kane Dauber, Casey Etheridge and Augustus Swanson, Dixon’s Charlie Conners and Jack Ragan, Sandwich’s Cooper Corder and Jaxson Blanchard and Marquette Academy’s Brysen Manly.

Sectional qualifiers from the Princeton Regional with the best records were Princeton’s Augustus Swanson (42-1), Sandwich’s Cooper Corder (36-1), Dixon’s Riley Paredes (33-1), Marquette Academy’s Wesley Janick (28-2), Marquette Academy’s Alex Schaefer (26-2), Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op’s Aden Spinelli (25-2), Princeton’s Kane Dauber (23-2), Dixon’s Charlie Connors (37-4), Marquette Academy’s Reily Leifheit (31-4), Princeton’s Casey Etheridge (41-5), Sandwich’s Joshua Kotalik (41-5), Dixon’s Jack Ragan (34-5), Dixon’s Dylan Bopes (27-5), Kewanee’s Airies Simmons (21-5) and Dixon’s Preston Richards (35-6).

Here’s a look at the champions and their weights at the Class 1A Princeton Regional

106 – Riley Paredes, Dixon

Riley Paredes continued his excellent junior season by capturing his fifth tournament title at the Princeton Regional, becoming one of Dixon’s five champions and nine sectional qualifiers for coach Micah Hey’s Dukes, who won their third regional title in their program’s history. After winning by fall in 2:00 over Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille’s Aden Spinelli in the 106 title match. Paredes (33-1), who’s top-ranked in 1A, opened with a fall in the semifinals. His other titles were in the same gym at the PIT as well as at Sterling, Prospect and West Chicago. He tied three teammates who were also champions, Doolan Long, Dawson Kemp and Dylan Bopes, for fifth place for the most team points with 24. A few days after winning the regional, his team won 57-20 over Morrison to advance to IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second time.

“It feels good, Paredes said. “We’ve been talking about this since even the start of the year, so just getting this, getting this complete and going on to sectionals now and just tearing through whoever comes at us. The chemistry of all of us, it’s just so big, and I love it. This team is really special. I love this team so much, and I think that we’re going far. I’m a 106 and my coaches are always telling me, go start us out, so I just go do what I do and go start us out and get the pin. Most of us have been with each other since even before the club, so when we were five years old. Me and Jack (Ragan) have been wrestling with each other since we were five years old.”

Spinelli (25-2), a sophomore who’s ranked eighth and was a regional champion last season, was the lone finalist and one of two sectional qualifiers for coach Mike Olson’s Clippers. For third place, Marquette Academy freshman Dakota Harmon (31-11) got a pin in 1:12 over Sandwich sophomore Hunter Whitecotton (24-15).

113 – Augustus Swanson, Princeton

Augustus Swanson competed in his final match at Prouty Gym and definitely went out in style as the Princeton senior recorded a pin in 1:01 over Marquette Academy’s Connor Eggers in the 105 title match at the Princeton Regional and won all three of his matches by fall in just 2:09, which was a regional-best for pins in the least time. Swanson (42-1), who’s top-ranked at his weight added to title wins at his school’s PIT and LeRoy/Tri-Valley and his lone loss came to an Iowan in a tournament at Clinton DeWitt in Iowa. He was one of four champions, including three who also won regional titles a year ago, for the host Tigers, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Amy. He’s a three-time state qualifier who finished in fifth place at 106 in 2024 and went 30-10 last season. He tied for fifth place for the most team points with 24.

“I’ve been working really hard this year because my goal is to be on the top of the podium at the end of the year,” Swanson said. “Last year, I didn’t achieve my goal, so this year, it’s my turn. (Placing in 2024 and then not placing last year) It’s rough, but I’m back. I’m feeling good and I’ve been working hard. It’s enjoyable being able to wrestle with the guys on my team and they’re running pretty good this season. We lost some of our top guys last year, but we’re building. (Likes about being at Princeton) I’d say the coaching staff and the wrestlers themselves. I mean, they have a great attitude and you can tell that they want to get better.”

Eggers (23-13), a freshman, was one of seven finalists and four runners-up for coach Trent Lyons’ third-place Crusaders. In the third-place match, ROWVA/ Williamsfield co-op freshman Kegan Miller (26-9) became his team’s only sectional qualifier when he won by fall in 1:15 over Sandwich freshman Aiden Sinetos (16-14).

120 – Wesley Janick, Marquette Academy

Wesley Janick became the only freshman champion at the Princeton Regional when he claimed a 12-5 decision over Dixon’s Jack Ragan in the 120 title match. Janick (28-2), who’s ranked fifth, appeared in his fourth-straight tourney title match, also claiming a title at Orion while taking second at Plano and Reed-Custer. He was one of three champions and seven finalists for coach Trent Lyons’ Crusaders, who finished in third place. He won his first two matches by fall and ranked fourth for the most team points with 26, which was a high for his team.

“It’s fun to be a part of a program that started three years ago for our juniors,” Janick said. “So our football is good and wrestling is just now taking off. We’re all very uplifting and it’s a real tight-knit group. I’ve been wrestling since I was really young. I want to win it this year.”

Ragan (34-5), a junior who’s ranked sixth, advanced to his fourth tournament title match, also taking second at West Chicago while winning at the PIT and earlier at Sterling. A two-time IHSA qualifier who went 40-7 last season, he was one of eight finalists and three second-place finishers for coach Micah Hey’s Dukes, who won the school’s third regional title and then a few days later advanced to the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second time. For third, Sandwich sophomore Connor Blanchard (22-16) won by fall in 2:45 over Princeton sophomore Allister Swanson (23-19).

126 – Doolan Long, Dixon

Doolan Long picked a good time to win his first tournament title of the season as he took top honors at 126 in the Princeton Regional by recording a fall in 1:54 over Marquette Academy’s Logan Huenefeld in the finals. An honorable mention selection who improved to 30-10, he also was second at Sterling and took third place at West Chicago. The sophomore was one of five champions and eight finalists for coach Micah Hey’s Dukes, who captured their program’s third regional title and then a few days later, assured their spot in the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second time. He won all three of his matches by fall and tied teammates and fellow champions Riley Paredes, Dawson Kemp and Dylan Bopes for fifth place for the most team points with 24.

“I’ve been putting in a lot of work and coming to practice every day and eating healthy every day,” Long said, “So, it really pays off to get the win here. I think this is my 30th win and my first tournament, and it’s the regional, too, so now I get that bye at sectionals, so that’s perfect. I thought I did really good. I pushed the pace a lot and I didn’t let up any room for them to get up or anything. I’m really happy with how I did. (Teammates he works with) Jack Ragan, Charlie Connors and Preston (Richards). We have a really good room and that makes me better. And we all make each other better and It’s nice. (Dixon winning the regional) It’s nice for our coaches and their hard work is paying off. (His title match) I thought it was going to be a really hard match and I thought it was going to go late third period. Then I look at the clock and see like 15 seconds left and I see an opportunity and put in a wing and I run it hard and I was really happy when I got that pin, it was really nice. (what he likes about his team) I like how even the JV kids will push us varsity because in wrestling, it’s not just one person. It’s every single weight class. And even the JV kids help out. We have a lot of depth in our team, which I really like. And we really push hard at practice and we never mess around, and it really shows.”

Huenefeld (29-13), a freshman who won a title at Orion and took third at Plano, was one of seven finalists and four second-place finishers for the third-place Crusaders, who are coached by Trent Lyons. In the third-place match, Sandwich sophomore Dom Urbanski (22-23) had to win three matches in the consolation bracket and captured an 11-6 decision over Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille junior Ty Florschuetz (20-12), who had the largest seed-place difference of anyone in the competition, improving four positions after being seeded eighth.

132 – Koby Clark, Marquette Academy

Koby Clark hadn’t placed better than third in a tournament heading into the postseason but that didn’t prevent the Marquette Academy junior from claiming a championship at the Princeton Regional when he won a 20-11 major decision over Saint Bede Academy’s Max Moreno in the 132 title match. Clark, an honorable mention selection who improved to 29-7 and took third at Reed-Custer and fourth at Orion, was one of three champs and seven finalists for coach Trent Lyons’ third-place Crusaders. He opened with two falls and was 11th in team points with 23.

“This felt amazing,” Clark said. “I lost to him last week and I was up 7-4 and he got a double on me and pinned me. So I threw everything on this match and just gave it all I got and I came out on top. I pushed way harder. I gave up a little bit at Bob Mitton since I was sick that week, and I just had nothing left in me, and I really had to just fight that mental block of just wanting to just go easier. I just kept on pushing through everything, and I got it done. (Competing against Max Moreno) We always keep our friendship. We wrestled a couple times. We wrestled all the way through middle school and club and we were on the same team. You know, every time we’re on the mat, it’s straight business. And when we’re off the mat, we’re friends. (Being at Marquette Academy) Oh, yeah. It’s so amazing from what we’ve built up. Our freshman year, I think we had maybe seven kids on the team. When people used to look at us, they’re like, ‘Who is Marquette? Now, we aren’t so much the underdogs. We aren’t negative. We are really not negative to each other at all. We always lift each other up, and most of our guys are religious, so we always pray, and it just really helps us. Religion is like a big thing with us, and we like that.”

Moreno (35-7), a sophomore, was the lone finalist and sectional qualifier for coach Sam Allen’s Bruins. An honorable mention selection, he won a title at Fort Zumwalt West, MO, was second at Orion and took third at Kewanee and Plano. For third place, Princeton sophomore Corbin Brown (32-13) won a 14-5 major decision over Kewanee senior Landyn Greenhagen (24-12) in a rematch of their quarterfinal match where Greenhagen won by technical fall in 4:00.

138 – Kane Dauber, Princeton

Kane Dauber hopes that now that he’s overcome injuries that he’s ready to improve upon how well he did as a freshman, when he opened the postseason with a regional title and eventually took fifth place at 132 at the IHSA Finals to finish with a 50-5 record. The Princeton sophomore competed in only his second tournament and won his first title this season by taking first place at 138 in the regional that his school hosted, becoming one of four champions for the Tigers, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Amy. Third-ranked at his weight, Dauber improved to 23-2 after recording three pins, with the last of those in 2:24 in the finals over Sandwich’s Jaxson Blanchard. He tied teammate and 190 champion Eli Berlin for the most team points with 28. His only other tournament finish was a third at Central DeWitt, Iowa.

“It was nice showing what I can do, it was fun,” Dauber said. “I was out for a month competing but I was practicing for two weeks before this. There was no rest because I kept pretty active during my recovery and have just come back stronger. Yeah, I think it did me some good just to get me recovering just so I can get back on my feet and be 100 percent during the matches. Just be aggressive. Just have no fear of losing or no fear of winning. You never think about the after the fact of the match, you always think about the present moment. And if you keep the present moment in between your eyes, there’s a bunch of little present moments in between matches. You’ve got to just try to win more than the other guy. That’s the goal of the sport. That’s it. Score more points that’s it. (Competing for Princeton) If I just keep moving and those guys keep coaching me, I’ll be fine. I don’t think about the outcome of the state tournament. My only part is winning the match ahead of me and focus on the guy in front of me. And if that all goes well, how far we get is how far we get.”

Blanchard (30-7), a sophomore who won a regional title last season, was one of four finalists and two second-place finishers for coach Derek Jones’ second-place Indians, is an honorable mention selection who won a title at Prairie Central and also placed second at Reed-Custer. Marquette Academy junior Beau Thompson (29-12) won three matches in the consolation bracket, getting a pin before rallying for a 7-4 win by sudden victory over Kewanee senior Hunter Vancil (30-13) to advance to the third-place match, where he was a winner by fall in 1:28 over Mendota junior Trayvon Rucker (21-17), who had the most total match points (46) and single match points (29) in the regional.

144 – Charlie Connors, Dixon

Charlie Connors advanced to the IHSA Finals last season as a freshman but was unable to win any matches and finished with a 32-8 record. Beside hoping that he and Jack Ragan qualify for state again along with some of their teammates, the Dixon sophomore looks to contend for a medal and improved to 37-4 after winning the 144 title at the Princeton Regional with a 10-2 major decision over Kewanee’s Lain Taylor. Seventh-ranked at 144, he also won titles at Sterling and West Chicago, was a runner-up at Prospect and took fourth at Princeton’s PIT. One of five champions and eight finalists for coach Micah Hey’s champion Dukes, he opened with a pin and then got a victory by technical fall. A few days after helping Dixon win its third regional title, he and his teammates assured their program of a second trip to the IHSA Dual Team Finals.

“We’re just in the practice room putting in hard work every day, you know, everyone, all throughout our lineup,” Connors said. “We’re definitely looking forward to hopefully making it down to team state. And, yeah, just all throughout the lineup, we’ve got good partners for everyone. (Has worked on to get better) I was definitely just putting in the work every single day in the offseason. I didn’t get to my attacks as much as I would have liked to in the finals match, but got it done. We’re looking to send as many as we can down to state this year. (what he likes about his team) You know, we have a lot of chemistry and good team bonding. And I think it really helps out in those close duals. Overall, the team chemistry really helps in the long run.”

Taylor (36-7) was one of two second-place finishers and five sectional qualifiers who led the way for coach Charley Eads’ fifth-place Boilermakers. The sophomore also was a runner-up at Orion and took third place at his school’s invite. In the third-place match, Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op junior Caiden Heath (23-8) was a winner by fall in 4:30 over Sandwich senior Jacob Cassie (21-8).

150 – Cooper Corder, Sandwich

Cooper Corder claimed fourth place at 138 at the IHSA as a freshman in 2024 and then took fifth place at 144 last season and finished with a 37-7 record. The Sandwich junior has much bigger plans than just getting back to state, since he would like to become the seventh individual from his school to be a three-time medal winner and also join a longer list of those who’ve won IHSA titles for the program. He improved to 36-1 after winning the 150 title at the Princeton Regional with a 16-5 major decision over Dixon’s Preston Richards. He opened with a pin and then got a win by technical fall to give him 26.5 team points, which was the third-highest total. Ranked third at 150, his lone loss was to Unity Christian’s Clinton VerHeecke in the finals of the Prairie Central Hawk Classic. He joined Joshua Kotalik (175) as a champion and also Jaxson Blanchard (138) and Kai Kern (190) as finalists for coach Derek Jones’ second-place Indians.

“It’s awesome,” Corder said. “Every year I come here to win regionals and sectionals and hopefully get that state title. And a lot of work I’ve been doing in the offseason, in-season, groups I’ve been training with all around the state. It’s definitely coming full circle. So it’s just a step in the right direction. He’s a tough kid, but I’m definitely not happy with the match. I obviously wanted to come through get techs and pins and show the domination I think if that match were to have been wrestled both equally if everyone’s going at it it would have been a little bit better but I feel like I was aggressing quite a bit at the end of the day I think he wanted to keep it close. Not happy with it, but I got the title. I love not being complacent. I like looking back and being like, ‘that was a good match, but I want more’. I want to continuously grow and chase excellence. I’ve been at state twice, placed both times. Again, I’ve been doing so much work. I’m really excited to see what this season brings. No doubt in my mind that I can win that bracket. It’s going to be tough, a lot of hard matches, and the next step is sectionals, so it’s one match at a time. (Competing for Sandwich) I’ve been here since I was a little kid. Coming up in the middle school, kids club, now in high school. I feel like it was in a blink of an eye. I’m an upperclassman. I’m starting to shape those younger kids, but it’s awesome. I like being in the practice room and encouraging people. I think we’re a hard-working group of guys and we have a couple going to sectionals and I’m excited to see how they’ll do. Every day is a blessing in that room. It’s a good support system. I think everyone in there is hungry to get better.”

Richards (35-6) was one of eight finalists and three second-place finishers for coach Micah Hey’s champion Dukes, who won their third regional title and a few days later, advanced to the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second time. Ranked fourth at 150, the sophomore added to second-place finishes at Sterling, Prospect and West Chicago and a third at Princeton. In the third-place match, Kewanee senior Dontel Wommack (27-12) won 12-9 by sudden victory over Mendota sophomore Komen Denault (29-9). Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op junior Jose Lopez, an IHSA qualifier in 2025, fell one win shy of advancing to the sectional.

157 – Brysen Manly, Marquette Academy

Brysen Manly was one of three champions and seven finalists for coach Trent Lyons’ third-place Crusaders at the Princeton Regional and that was a big deal for the junior since it qualified him for the Byron Sectional after his previous-best finishes in tournaments were a fifth at Orion and a sixth at Plano. He improved to 24-13 after claiming an 8-5 decision over Mendota’s Gavin Evans in the finals after winning a major decision in the semifinals in his only other match. He was also one of nine sectional qualifiers for his team, which had 10 competitors in the regional. Last season he went 31-16 and qualified for the Oregon Sectional.

“I remember coming in my freshman year and I consider myself to be one of the founding fathers of the Marquette program,” Manly said. “It was such a small team, maybe like seven kids when I started. So it’s nice to see that we had a full-team roster this year. We went and won multiple tournaments and we’ve been expanding so much. It’s great to see and I can’t wait to see what the program becomes. We’re definitely proud, and I think everybody could say that for the team, you know. And it shows, I mean, we all have quite a few freshmen today making it to sectionals. (Reasons for the success) I’ve got to say, it’s the support that we’ve gotten from our community, helping to bring us up. And definitely Coach Trent (Lyons), he’s done so much for us and he takes his time off for us. I feel, as an upperclassman, that it’s us upperclassmen who are encouraging the freshmen. This year, I really try to emphasize my defensive style of wrestling and I’ve definitely seen improvements. In my first-place match against a great kid from Mendota, he was very offensive and it showed my defensive wrestling is becoming my strong suit. My teammates, Alex Schaefer, a former state qualifier, and Reily Leifheit, Koby Clark and Beau Thompson, we’ve all been together since our freshman year, so I think with them being great wrestlers, it’s helped me to improve a lot, too.”

Evans (29-8), a senior, was the lone finalist and sectional qualifier for coach Brent Montavon’s Trojans, who had three others who lost in third-place matches. Sandwich senior Jack Forth (27-18) claimed third place with an 11-7 decision over Kewanee junior Jermain McKnight, Jr. (23-10). Forth got pinned by McKnight in 5:28 in his opener and then won a 4-3 decision over Dixon junior Neomiah Holloway (16-13) to earn a rematch with McKnight, Jr. for third place.

165 – Casey Etheridge, Princeton

Casey Etheridge claimed a 10-3 decision over Reily Leifheit in the 165 title match in a clash between the second- and third-ranked individuals at their weights and it was also a rematch from last year’s Oregon Sectional where Etheridge won to earn a spot in the third-place match. Competing in his final match at Prouty Gym, senior Etheridge (41-5) repeated as a regional champion after opening the tournament with two first-minute falls and he added to first-place finishes at Central DeWitt, Iowa and LeRoy/ Tri-Valley and a runner-up showing at his school’s PIT. He was one of four champions and five sectional qualifiers for the fourth-place host Tigers, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Amy. Etheridge, a two-time IHSA qualifier, went 48-6 last season and took fourth place at 165 to claim his first state medal.

“It’s a little different this year compared to last year because we met in the regional finals last year, and by that point we wrestled at Plano, then regionals, then sectionals,” Etheridge said. “So this year, this is the first time I’ve seen him. He’s had a really good year, so I knew I had my work coming for me, but I thought we both wrestled really well, and I’d love to see him again at sectionals and hopefully at state. But he’s a great competitor, and I know he works really hard at this sport, so I have a lot of respect for him. I’m really blessed to be at Princeton and with the all-around coaching. I’m grateful since they push us to be the best wrestlers that we can be. It’s really nice to have them around. I struggled in December after losing a couple of close, tough matches, but then they kept to my ear the entire time, that this truly doesn’t matter until February. It’s a little different having the sectionals in two weeks instead of next week, but I like that because it gives me a little more time to prepare. Once you get into January, you’re having so many duals and tournaments, you’re losing time for practice. And I think that the most important thing in a room is to make sure that you’re surrounded by like-minded individuals.”

Leifheit (31-4), who fell one victory shy of a trip to the IHSA Finals last season and finished with a 38-7 record, was one of four runners-up, seven finalists and nine sectional qualifiers for coach Trent Lyons’ third-place Crusaders. Ranked third at 165, the junior won titles at Plano and Unity and finished third at Reed-Custer. In the third-place match, Kewanee senior Brayden Johnson (28-16) was a winner by fall in 1:05 over Dixon senior Adam Staples (19-16).

175 – Joshua Kotalik, Sandwich

Joshua Kotalik continued his successful sophomore season for Sandwich by not only surpassing the 40-victory total but also winning the 175 title at the Princeton Regional by recording a fall on 1:28 over Dixon’s Blake Dingley. He joined Cooper Corder (150) as a champion and was one of four finalists and eight sectional qualifiers for coach Derek Jones’ second-place Indians. Ranked eighth at his weight, this was his first tournament title after placing second at Plano and Prairie Central and third at Reed-Custer. He got pins in all of three of his matches and tied for fifth place in most team points with 24. Last season, he fell a bit short of advancing from the Oregon Sectional and finished with a 35-17 record.

“It feels great,” Kotalik said. “I got second at the Plano Reaper and got third at Reed-Custer. I think it was just great to come out here and wrestle. (Cooper Corder) He’s a nice guy, a nice friend and we train together. He’s doing nice and I’m doing good, too. I feel like everything that Sandwich does, whether it’s wrestling or any sport, we kind of bring the energy. (Likes about his team) “I like that they’re all for each other. We’re all fiends here and we all have fun. And we’re there for the good feelings and ready to get out there if we want to win.”

Dingley (28-15), a sophomore who also took second place at Prospect, was one of eight finalists and three runners-up for the champion Dukes, who are coached by Micah Hey. In the third-place match, Kewanee sophomore Ace Lafollette (30-11) won by fall in 2:41 over Mendota senior Corbin Furar (17-2).

190 – Eli Berlin, Princeton

Eli Berlin joined Augustus Swanson (113), Kane Dauber (138) and Casey Etheridge (165) as champions for coach Steve Amy’s fourth-place Tigers in the Princeton Regional and was one of their five sectional qualifiers after recording three-straight pins to claim the title at 190 with a fall in 5:53 over Sandwich’s Kai Kern. Berlin (36-10), a senior who competed at Prouty Gym for the last time, tied teammate Dauber for the most team points in the regional with 28.This was his best tournament finish of the season with his previous-high being fourth at LeRoy/ Tri-Valley.

“I think everybody performed well,” Berlin said. “We work hard in the practice and at meets and everything else. (Winning the regional title) It means a lot because last year I came in and I was sick and I didn’t even make it out of the regionals. So to come back here and get first this year is a big deal to me. Having a legend like coach Amy come here and help us means a lot. I was a little upset with how I wrestled in my finals match. I feel like I gassed out in the third and I’ll have to work on that and luckily we have an extra week to practice. But other than that, I pinned my first two kids fairly fast and I got it done, so I’m happy with it. (Setting a record for pins at the school) For this to be my third or fourth year wrestling and to get that record means a lot to me. I feel like we’ve all been friends since we were little kids, so our teamwork and us working together and being there for each other has been there for a long time because we grew up with each other in the small town. (Hopes for the sectional) I’m hoping to get out of sectionals and go to the state for the first time this year and get it done for sure.”

Kern (26-14) was one of four finalists and seven sectional qualifiers for coach Derek Jones’ second-place Indians. A year ago, he won a regional championship and finished with an 18-10 record. His best previous tournament finishes this season had been fourth place at both Plano and Prairie Central. In the third-place match, Dixon junior Seth Shaffer (26-18) won a 12-4 major decision over Kewanee senior Douglas Swearingen (25-10).

215 – Dawson Kemp, Dixon

Dawson Kemp claimed his first tournament title of the season and helped cap a memorable day for Dixon as it won its third regional championship with 221 points to win the Princeton Regional by 44 points over Sandwich. Then a few days later, the Dukes beat Morrison in 57-20 in the Oregon Sectional to qualify for the IHSA Dual Team Finals for only the second time. Kemp (33-8), a senior who’s ranked fifth, got his third pin in three matches in 1:31 over Marquette Academy’s Alex Schaefer in the 215 title match. He was one of five title winners, eight finalists and nine sectional qualifiers for coach Micah Hey’s Dukes. Kemp’s other top finishes were a second at Sterling and a third at West Chicago. He tied for fifth place with five others, including teammates Riley Paredes, Doolan Long and Dylan Bopes for the most team points with 24.

“It feels great,” Kemp said. “At the end of the day, what it comes down to is working hard in practice and doing everything that coach says, without any questions asked since he knows best. He knows how I wrestle, he knows how the whole team wrestles and he knows how we work and that’s what it comes down to. The teamwork, the pride that we put in at practice, the work that we put in, it all translates to how we do out here. Really, what I can emphasize is just that hard work that it takes. Because you can do all this hard work, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to outwork the guy that’s doing the most. In the wrestling room, our coach has a practice of the last team that made it to Team State. Every day I look at that poster, I think about how great it would feel to make it there myself. (What he likes about his team) My favorite part is just the team spirit and the pride. Because you’ve got to bring the energy up. If you don’t have the energy, then what’s the point?”

Schaefer (26-2), a junior who was ranked sixth, was one of six finalists and three second-place finishers for coach Trent Lyons’ third-place Crusaders. A regional champion and IHSA qualifier last season who finished with a 36-11 record, he recorded falls in his first two matches and was hoping to add to title wins at Plano, Unity and Orion. In the third-place match, Sandwich senior Kaden Clevenger (30-10) won by fall in 2:49 over Princeton senior Rhett Pearson (21-21).

285 – Dylan Bopes, Dixon

Dylan Bopes put the finishing touches on Dixon’s impressive first-place performance at the Princeton Regional when he became one of five champions, eight finalists and nine sectional qualifiers as coach Micah Hey’s Dukes outscored runner-up Sandwich 221-177 for the title, the third in program history. Then a few days later, Bopes and his teammates defeated Morrison 57-20 at the Oregon Sectional to assure Dixon of advancing the the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second time, with the first appearance in 2017, when coach Chris Bishop led the program to a third-place finish in Class 2A. Bopes (27-5) won the title at 285 by recording a fall in 2:33 over Kewanee’s Airies Simmons, which was his second pin of the event. The senior tied teammates Riley Paredes, Doolan Long and Dawson Kemp for fifth in team points with 24. Ranked ninth at 285, he also won a title at Sterling and took third place in the same gym at Princeton’s PIT.

“It feels just like a dream right now because I remember last year we were so close to winning it, but we just couldn’t follow through,” Bopes said. “It was a full team effort where we all tried to try our best. And the room, it’s really hard to compete because everyone’s just on another level there. (Why the team is having success) I believe it’s because we’re like a family and we’re all just super close. We’ve been on the JV level together and on varsity and it’s been a lot of fun.”

Simmons (21-5) joined Lain Taylor (144) as second-place finishers for coach Charley Eads’ Boilermakers, and he also was one of five sectional qualifiers for his team. Simmons, a senior, also took second place at Orion. For third place, Putnam County/ Hall co-op sophomore Justin Doden (19-16) became his program’s lone sectional qualifier when he won by fall in 3:21 over ROWVA/ Williamsfield co-op freshman Tommy DeRidder (13-8), who had the quickest win by technical fall in the regional with a time of 2:00.

Regional champions

106 – Riley Paredes (Dixon) 33-1

113 – Augustus Swanson (Princeton) 42-1

120 – Wesley Janick (Marquette Academy) 28-2

126 – Doolan Long (Dixon) 30-10

132 – Koby Clark (Marquette Academy) 29-7

138 – Kane Dauber (Princeton) 23-2

144 – Charlie Connors (Dixon) 37-4

150 – Cooper Corder (Sandwich) 36-1

157 – Brysen Manly (Marquette Academy) 24-13

165 – Casey Etheridge (Princeton) 41-5

175 – Joshua Kotalik (Sandwich) 41-5

190 – Eli Berlin (Princeton) 36-10

215 – Dawson Kemp (Dixon) 33-8

285 – Dylan Bopes (Dixon) 27-5

Additional sectional qualifiers

106 – Aden Spinelli (Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille) 25-2; Dakota Harmon (Marquette Academy) 31-11

113 – Connor Eggers (Marquette Academy) 23-13; Kegan Miller (ROWVA/ Williamsfield) 26-9

120 – Jack Ragan (Dixon) 34-5; Connor Blanchard (Sandwich) 22-16

126 – Logan Huenefeld (Marquette Academy) 29-13; Dom Urbanski (Sandwich) 22-23

132 – Max Moreno (Saint Bede Academy) 35-7; Corbin Brown (Princeton) 32-13

138 – Jaxson Blanchard (Sandwich) 30-7; Beau Thompson (Marquette Academy) 29-12

144 – Lain Taylor (Kewanee) 36-7; Caiden Heath (Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille) 23-8

150 – Preston Richards (Dixon) 35-6; Dontel Wommack (Kewanee) 27-12

157 – Gavin Evans (Mendota) 29-8; Jack Forth (Sandwich) 27-18

165 – Reily Leifheit (Marquette Academy) 31-4; Brayden Johnson (Kewanee) 28-16

175 – Blake Dingley (Dixon) 28-15; Ace Lafollette (Kewanee) 30-11

190 – Kai Kern (Sandwich) 26-14; Seth Shaffer (Dixon) 26-18

215 – Alex Schaefer (Marquette Academy) 26-2; Kaden Clevenger (Sandwich) 30-10

285 – Airies Simmons (Kewanee) 21-5; Justin Doden (Putnam County/ Hall) 19-16

Team scores

Dixon 221, Sandwich 177, Marquette Academy 172, Princeton 145, Kewanee 139.5, Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op 63, Mendota 60, ROWVA/ Williamsfield co-op 49.5, Saint Bede Academy 29.5, Putnam County/ Hall co-op 26, Somonauk/ Leland co-op 18

Individual statistics

Most team points: Eli Berlin, Princeton 28; Kane Dauber, Princeton 28; Cooper Corder, Sandwich 26.5; Wesley Janick, Marquette Academy 26; Dylan Bopes, Dixon 24; Dawson Kemp, Dixon 24; Joshua Kotalik, Sandwich 24; Doolan Long, Dixon 24; Riley Paredes, Dixon 24; Augustus Swanson, Princeton 24

Most total match points: Trayvon Rucker, Mendota 46; Cooper Corder, Sandwich 42; Charlie Connors, Dixon 38

Most pins: Augustus Swanson, Princeton 3 (in 2:09); Eli Berlin, Princeton 3; Connor Blanchard, Sandwich 3; Kaden Clevenger, Sandwich 3: Kane Dauber, Princeton 3; Justin Doden, Putnam County/ Hall 3; Caden Heath, Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille 3; Dakota Harmon, Marquette Academy 3; Dawson Kemp, Dixon 3; Joshua Kotalik, Sandwich 3; Brayden Johnson, Kewanne 3; Ace Lafollette, Kewanee 3; Doolan Long, Dixon 3; Kegan Miller, ROWVA/ Williamsfield 3

Most technical falls: Tommy DeRidder, ROWVA/ Williamsfield 1 (in 2:00); Jayden Carreon, ROWVA/ Williamsfield 1; Charlie Connors, Dixon 1; Cooper Corder, Sandwich 1; Connor Eggers, Marquette Academy 1; Landyn Greenhagen, Kewanee 1; Logan Huenefeld, Marquette Academy 1; Maks Niedzwiedz, Saint Bede Academy 1; Kingston Peterson, Kewanee 1; Preston Richards, Dixon 1; Aden Spinelli, Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille 1; Allister Swanson, Princeton 1; Lain Taylor, Kewanne 1; Dom Urbanski, Sandwich 1

Largest seed-place difference: Ty Florschuetz, Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille 4

Team statistics

Most total match points: Kewanee 259; Sandwich 243; Dixon 209

Most pins: Dixon 22, Kewanee 18; Sandwich 17

Most technical falls: Kewanee 3; Dixon 2; Marquette Academy 2; ROWVA/ Williamsfield 2; Sandwich 2

Girls regional recap: Chicago Ag Science, Rickover

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:43:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Qualifiers from these regionals feed the Phillips sectional on Feb. 14

 CHICAGO AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

Homewood-Flossmoor placed fourth at last year’s Rich Township regional, and two years ago the Vikings were third at the Curie regional.

H-F finished just flirting with regional success. The program won its first team title at this year’s regional at Chicago’s Agricultural Science.

Coach Scott Aronson’s girls put up 191.5 points to edge second-place Oak Forest (178), with Marist (176.5) hot on their heels in third. District 230 (169.5) placed fourth and St. Laurence (153.5) rounded out the top five team finishes.

“Our coaches and parents are incredibly proud of what our athletes were able to do this weekend,” Aronson said. “We entered the regional with ten athletes, seven of which qualified for sectionals and one we can take to sectionals as an alternate.”

Aronson had a pair of regional champions in Amara Nwoye (130) and Kendra Hayden (190), and got a second-place finish from London Gandy (125), and thirds from Amirat Toheeb-Lawal (115), Madelynn McClements (135), Kennedy Dade (140) and Denise Brown (145).

“All ten of our girls contributed to the first regional championship in the program’s five-year history. We are very excited and optimistic about our prospects at sectionals and very grateful everyone is healthy, motivated and ready to go next weekend. Most of our girls over-performed where they were originally seeded which was extremely gratifying to see as their coach, and demonstrates that they are not letting anything hold them back.”

Oak Lawn (136) placed sixth, followed by Thornton Fractional South (132.5), Agricultural Science (100) Hillcrest (97) and Reavis (92) to round out the top ten finishes.

District 230 — made up of girls from Andrew, Stagg, and Carl Sandburg — led all programs with seven sectional qualifiers. Oak Forest had five qualifiers; Marist and TF South each qualified four; St. Laurence, Oak Lawn, Tinley Park, Agricultural Science, Shepard, Reavis, and Hillcrest had three qualifiers each.
Oak Forest’s Alex Sebek (27-0) is the lone girl to emerge from the regional with an unbeaten record.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Alex Sebek (27-0) Oak Forest
105 Taniya Moss (23-5) Hillcrest
110 Carmen Jackson (23-1) Agricultural Science
115 Piper Booe (34-3) District 230
120 Nina Nesci (33-1) St. Laurence
125 Rain Scott (15-1) Oak Forest
130 Amara Nwoye (39-8) Homewood-Flossmoor
135 Brooklyn Strelow (21-6) Oak Forest
140 Hannah Marusarz (26-8) St. Laurence
145 Iyobosa Odiase (31-2) Oak Forest
155 Lily Fish (29-3) Reavis
170 Jermia Moore (34-7) TF South
190 Kendra Hayden (28-12) Homewood-Flossmoor
235 Karrine Jenkins (34-4) Shepard

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS
100

Alexandra Sebek (Oak Forest) 27-0, d. Elizabeth Bisonaya (Oak Lawn) 30-7, (F 1:20)

Lillian O`Brien (Bloom) 20-2, d. Reese Kruen (District 230) 17-14, (F 5:39)

105

Taniya Moss (Hillcrest) 23-5, d. Tatum De La Vega (District 230) 27-8, (F 4:35)

Dakodia Kelly (TF South) 36-8, d. Sofia Perez (Shepard) 29-15, (F 3:24)

110

Carmen Jackson (Ag Science) 23-1, d. Jade Hardee (District 230) 37-6, (D 9-6)

Ariel Woodfin (Thornton) 22-3, d. Sophia Orcasitas (Oak Forest) 24-8, (F 0:43)

115

Piper Booe (District 230) 34-3, d. Danita Palmore (Ag Science) 23-4, (D 4-3)

Amirat Toheeb-Lawal (H-F) 35-10, d. Aracely Stevens (TF South) 32-16, (Inj)

120

Nina Nesci (St. Laurence) 33-1, d. Ava Enright (Marist) 35-6, (F 1:44)

Brynnley Krauchun (District 230) 25-14, d. Shealanay Williams (Ag Science) 15-10, (F 5:23)

125

Rain Scott (Oak Forest) 15-1, d. London Gandy (H-F) 32-11, (F 1:27)

Kendra Chatman (Goode) 25-4, d. Holly Rowan (McAuley) 24-8, (F 1:28)

130

Amara Nwoye (H-F) 39-8, d. Mila Rocush (Shepard) 31-9, (F 1:00)

Journey Jackson (Oak Lawn) 25-5, d. Anastasia Dvorak (District 230) 22-8, (MD 8-0)

135

Brooklyn Strelow (Oak Forest) 21-6, d. Izzy Locascio (Marist) 25-4, (F 1:43)

Madelynn McClements (H-F) 33-14, d. Isabella De La Vega (District 230) 26-11, (D 11-7)

140

Hannah Marusarz (St. Laurence) 26-8, d. Marlen Morelos Perez (Eisenhower) 27-5, (TF-4:12)

Kennedy Dade (H-F) 35-12, d. Rylee Hernandez (Tinley Park) 25-10, (F 3:19)

145

Iyobosa Odiase (Oak Forest) 31-2, d. Priscilla Ruiz (Oak Lawn) 24-6, (F 0:31)

Denise Brown (H-F) 34-13, d. Neriah Treadway (Hancock) 22-8, (F 1:12)

155

Lily Fish (Reavis) 29-3, d. Melissa Nance (Hillcrest) 22-9, (D 7-6)

Layla Ross (Evergreen Park) 20-7, d. Ariyah Bradford (TF North) 17-6, (TF-2:56)

170
Jermia Moore (TF South) 34-7, d. Phoebe Heyboer (Eisenhower) 29-7, (D 12-5)

Sarah Parker (Marist) 35-11, d. Lilith Merikort (Evergreen Park) 14-5, (F 1:50)

190

Kendra Hayden (H-F) 28-12, d. Jordyn Coleman-Harrison (Hillcrest) 24-3, (F 0:41)

Lucia Terrazas (TF South) 27-8, d. Ezra Velez (Reavis) 11-11, (D 7-1)

235

Karrine Jenkins (Shepard) 34-4, d. Elise Brown (St. Laurence) 27-5, (F 2:00)

Hailey Canvin (Reavis) 30-8, d. Abby Parker (Marist) 21-8, (M. For.)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: Marist 30, Oak Forest 24, District 230 23
Most tech falls: St. Laurence 3, Oak Lawn 2, District 230 2
Most total match points: District 230 249, St. Laurence 248, Homewood-Flossmoor 225

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: District 230’s Brynnley Krauchun, 5 falls in 11:02
Most tech falls least time: TF South’s Abibatu Mogaji, 1 tech in 0:44
Fastest fall: Homewood-Flossmoor’s Rachel Nugin 0:12
Most team points: 32 (tie) – H-F’s Amara Nwoye, St. Laurence’s Nina Nesci, Oak Forest’s Iyobosa Odiase
Most single-match points: Oak Forest’s Rain Scott 23
Most total match points: Thornton’s Ariel Woodfin 49
Largest seed-place difference: District 230’s Reese Kruen became a sectional qualifier by placing fourth as the No. 12 seed at 100 pounds.

RICKOVER NAVAL ACADEMY

Morton coach Fernando Arratia got nine of his girls through to the sectional round, led by regional champions Andaira Marron (100), Karla Munoz (110) and Luissiana Guerrero (120), as Morton won its first team regional title in program history at Rickover Naval Academy. The Mustangs posted 193 points to edge second-place Lane with 185.

Morton placed second at last year’s Rickover regional, and the were second two years ago at the Curie regional.

“Overall, it was a successful day,” Arratia said. “The girls worked hard all season and it’s rewarding to see them find success in various ways. There is still room for improvement but it’s a day that will motivate the girls moving forward.”

Morton led the field in pins (20), tech falls (5) and total match points (356).
In taking the regional crown, the Mustangs got a second-place finish from Fatima Martinez (125), thirds from Jordan Rodriguez (105) and Anali Wilson (170), and fourths from Victoria Vargas (115), Annabelle Linton (145) and Genessi Ceballos (155).

Lane had eight sectional qualifiers on the day. Third-place Kelly (121.5) had five, followed in the team standings by Curie (117.5) with four, De La Salle (95.5) with four, Noble/ITW Speer (94) with two, Oak Park and River Forest (91.5) with five, Rickover (86.5) with two, Hope Academy (81) with three, and Back of the Yards (76) with three to round out the top ten team finishes.
Morton led the field with three regional champs, followed by Lane and Chicago Hope Academy with two champs apiece. Hope Academy’s Demetria Griffin (16-0) finished as the lone unbeaten wrestler to emerge from the Rickover regional.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS

100 Andaira Marron (32-1) Morton
105 Giselle Arambula (27-1) Curie
110 Karla Munoz (32-10) Morton
115 Demetria Griffin (16-0) Chicago Hope Academy
120 Luissiana Guerrero (28-10) Morton
125 Grace Eiland (16-4) Chicago Hope Academy
130 Kenya Louis (12-3) Kenwood
135 Zabby Badru (43-1) Lane
140 Isabella Miller (22-3) OPRF
145 GG Garduno (23-2) St. Ignatius
155 Layla Moreland (35-9) Lane
170 Sara Martinez Lopera (29-3) Kelly
190 Nyomi Ascencio (31-8) Back of the Yards
235 Esmerelda Bustamante (38-1) Noble/ITW Speer

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS
100

Andaira Marron (Morton) 32-1, d. Sofia Guerrero (Lane) 41-3, (D 10-3)

Adali Cruz (Noble/ITW Speer) 35-4, d. Maelaya Brown (Crane) 11-4, (F 4:51)

105

Giselle Arambula (Curie) 27-1, d. J Colbert (Lake View) 18-3, (F 4:59)

Jordan Rodriguez (Morton) 37-8, d. Anapaula Cerna-Rivera (De La Salle) 15-6, (MD 13-3)

110

Karla Munoz (Morton) 32-10, d. Lauren Guerrero (Lane) 35-13, (F 5:35)

Destiny Hills (Kelly) 16-14, d. Janiya Hawkins (Dyett) 6-2, (F 0:31)

115

Demetria Griffin (Hope Academy) 16-0, d. Yazmine Garcia (Kelly) 23-5, (TF-4:28)
Gymaria Brown (Curie) 27-4, d. Victoria Vargas (Morton) 34-14, (F 1:03)

120

Luissiana Guerrero (Morton) 28-10, d. Victoria Serment (De La Salle) 18-5, (D 9-3)

Hannah Chong (Crane) 21-2, d. Paige Finnegan (Rickover) 37-10, (F 2:16)

125

Grace Eiland (Hope Academy) 16-4, d. Fatima Martinez (Morton) 27-19, (MD 16-5)

Michelle Kpekpe (OPRF) 24-15, d. Trinity l Kinesy (Clark) 12-7, (F 2:13)

130

Kenya Louis (Kenwood) 12-3, d. Imyjah Jackson (Lane) 28-13, (F 3:06)

Yaretzi Avila Calixto (Curie) 18-7, d. Krystal Ojeda (Rickover) 19-15, (F 1:23)

135

Zabby Badru (Lane) 43-1, d. Mercedes Carrassoco (De La Salle) 24-3, (F 3:44)

Liliana Monserrat Dimas (Kelly) 24-8, d. Isabelle Vences (Lake View) 6-7, (F 0:54)

140

Isabella Miller (OPRF) 22-3, d. America Cabrera (Phoenix) 23-1, (F 3:50)

Evelyna Perez (BOTY) 32-9, d. Daniyah Rogers (Westinghouse) 18-13, (F 0:47)

145

GG Garduno (St. Ignatius) 23-2, d. Eila Barbour (Lane) 29-4, (D 15-10)

Zoe Gonzalez (Curie) 11-3, d. Annabella Linton (Morton) 14-7, (F 3:35)

155

Layla Moreland (Lane) 35-9, d. Jennifer Martinez-Alarcon (BOTY) 25-11, (F 1:02)

Liana Andrade (Kelly) 11-3, d. Genessi Ceballos (Morton) 24-17, (F 1:13)

170

Sara Martinez Lopera (Kelly) 29-3, d. Caliyah Campbell (OPRF) 20-6, (F 1:12)

Anali Wilson (Morton) 35-2, d. Kenaiece Barrett (Lane) 34-15, (F 0:30)

190

Nyomi Ascencio (BOTY) 31-8, d. Akyah Thomas (Lane) 18-4, (F 1:00)

Valiere Franco (Fenwick) 16-4, .d. Eliana Martinez (OPRF) 16-16, (F 0:53)

235

Esmeralda Bustamante (Noble/ITW Speer) 38-1, d. Amaria Thomas (Hope Academy) 7-4, (F 1:49)
Nevaeh Jones (De La Salle) 15-9, d. Yolianie Hernandez (Noble/Golder) 12-6, (F 5:01)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: Morton 20, Curie 19, Kelly 18
Most tech falls: Morton 5, Hope Academy 4, De La Salle 2
Most total match points: Morton 356, Rickover 218, Lane 191

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: Kelly’s Liana Andrade, 5 falls in 5:47
Most tech falls least time: Hope Academy’s Demetria Griffin, 3 techs in 10:51
Fastest fall: OPRF’s Isabella Miller 0:12
Fastest tech fall: De La Salle’s Mercedes Carrassoco 1:07
Most single-match points: Hope Academy’s Grace Eiland 22
Most total match points: OPRF’s Michelle Kpekpe 66
Largest seed-place difference: OPRF’s Michelle Kpekpe and Clark’s Trinity Kinesy. Kpekpe placed third as the No. 8 seed at 125 pounds, and Kinesy placed fourth as the No. 9 seed at 125 pounds.

Girls regional recaps: Hampshire, Glenbard West

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 22:31:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Qualifiers from these regionals feed the Schaumburg sectional on Feb. 14

HAMPSHIRE

In the first two years of regional competition in girls wrestling in Illinois, Wheeling finished fifth in regional competition two years ago and was a team regional runner-up last year.
So maybe it was just a matter of time.

Coach Tony Piltaver’s girls snared the program’s first team regional title at Hampshire, posting 175.5 points and advancing six wrestlers to the sectional round.

For Piltaver and a program that continues to rise, the team regional win went beyond his sectional qualifiers alone.

“While six girls advanced to the sectional round, this championship was truly a team effort,” he said.
“The title would not have been possible without contributions from every athlete in our lineup, those who traveled to support their teammates, our managers who keep the program organized, the boys’ team that pushes us to improve every day, and the rest of the Wheeling coaching staff back at the high school.”
Wheeling’s boys’ team also won a team regional title this season.

Wheeling’s Elise Burkut (135) and Jasmine Rene (235) won regional titles. Burkut placed second in Illinois at 125 last year, while Rene finished fourth at 190.

Also earning sectional advancement for Wheeling were third-placer Mayali Suarez (120) and fourth-placers Layah Woods (145), Nikol Orendarchuk (155) and Essenze Reid (170).

“All of our girls competed with determination over the last two days,” Piltaver said. “After facing strong competition in several major tournaments this season, it was rewarding for the team to see everything come together and earn the regional title.”

While Wheeling won the team title by more than 20 team points, only eight points separated the second- through fifth-place teams. Huntley (153) placed second, followed by Hampshire (149.5), McHenry (148) and Woodstock (145.5).

Grant (129), Lake Zurich (112), Hersey (87.5) Jacobs (82) and Rolling Meadows (80) rounded out the top 10 team finishes.

Hampshire led all teams with four regional champions, Huntley and McHenry had two champions apiece, while Jacobs, Grant, Barrington and South Elgin had one each.

Five regional champs from Hampshire will enter the Schaumburg sectional without a loss on their season records, in Wheeling’s Rene, Hampshire’s Stella Piazza (115) and Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (120), McHenry’s Natalie Corona (32-0), and South Elgin’s Allison Garbacz (155).

Nidelea-Polanin placed third at 115 downstate last year, while South Elgin’s Allison Garbacz was fourth at 145. Other regional champions who are also returning state medal-winners include Huntley’s Aubrie Rohrbacher, who placed sixth at 130, and Hampshire’s Samantha Diehl, who placed third at 190.

Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth, who placed second in Illinois at 110 last year, placed second to Piazza at 115 on Saturday.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS

100 Janiah Slaughter (30-2) Huntley
105 Annabelle Mueller (35-4) Hampshire
110 Julia Felton (23-4) Jacobs
115 Stella Piazza (22-0) Hampshire
120 Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (19-0) Hampshire
125 Elise Burkut (38-3) Wheeling
130 Aubrie Rohrbacher (36-4) Huntley
135 Abby Quirk (24-5) Grant
140 Nicole Dziura (29-4) Barrington
145 Natalie Corona (32-0) McHenry
155 Allison Garbacz (35-0) South Elgin
170 Madalynn Sima (33-3) McHenry
190 Samantha Diehl (33-3) Hampshire
235 Jasmine Rene (31-0) Wheeling

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS

100
Janiah Slaughter (Huntley) 30-2, d. Eva Hermansson (Woodstock) 35-6, (F 5:14)

Kaylee Albovias (Grant) 24-7, d. Melanie Granda (B Central) 24-8, (F 4:45)

105

Annabelle Mueller (Hampshire) 35-4, d. Charlotte Nold (St. Viator) 13-1, (M. For.)

Aaliyah Guichon (Jacobs) 19-5, d. Valeria Guzman (Elgin) 10-5, (MD 16-4)

110

Julia Felton (Jacobs) 23-4, d. Alexa Colin-Garcia (McHenry) 30-6, (MD 11-1)

Azucena Rodriguez (S Elgin) 13-3, d. Evalyn Idzik (St. Viator) 37-13, (D 7-4)

115

Stella Piazza (Hampshire) 22-0, d. Annalee Aarseth (CL South) 24-2, (F 1:40)

Georgia Hay (Lake Zurich) 31-8, d. Donna Garcia (Huntley) 15-11, (TF 5:45)

120

Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (Hampshire) 19-0, d. Isabelle Singer (Huntley) 35-11, (F 1:25)

Mayali Suarez (Wheeling) 36-9, d. Alexandra Lexi Gumino (Hersey) 28-13, (F 4:56)

125

Elise Burkut (Wheeling) 38-3, d. Myla Reyes (Grant) 27-5, (TF-1.5 3:03 (15-0)

Ruby Gavina (Dundee-Crown) 33-9, d. Caroline Marogy (Buffalo Grove) 22-10, (F 1:12)

130

Aubrie Rohrbacher (Huntley) 36-4, d. Aryanna Geiger (Jacobs) 16-6, (F 1:54)

Madelyn Peterie (R-Burton) 30-4, d. Hannah Olsen (Woodstock) 32-13, (D 4-3)

135

Abby Quirk (Grant) 24-5, d. Grecia Garcia (Huntley) 32-10, (F 4:00)

Brooklyn Peterie (R-Burton) 20-11, d. Alanna Carlberg (Lake Zurich) 21-18, (F 4:37)

140

Nicole Dziura (Barrington) 29-4, d. Annabelle Melton (Grant) 25-6, (F 3:47)

Kristyanna Apostol (Lake Zurich) 26-14, d. Jatziry Godoy (Wauconda) 24-11, (F 1:43)

145

Natalie Corona (McHenry) 32-0, d. Janet Brindis (Rolling Meadows) 30-12, (F 1:42)

Ithandehui Rosas (Harvard) 30-4, d. Layah Woods (Wheeling) 32-15, (F 4:23)

155

Allison Garbacz (S Elgin) 35-0, d. Cait Jones (CL Central) 15-3, (F 1:37)

Caitlin Ruley (Lake Zurich) 13-5, d. Nikol Orendarchuk (Wheeling) 30-7, (D 4-1)

170

Madalynn Sima (McHenry) 33-3, d. Leilani Brindis (Rolling Meadows) 36-8, (F 4:39)

Brianna Crown (Woodstock) 35-9, d. Essenze Reid (Wheeling) 6-3, (F 2:25)

190

Samantha Diehl (Hampshire) 33-3, d. Irma Villa (Palatine) 32-3, (F 1:52)

Jadelin Caballero-Flores (Larkin) 28-4, d. Brooklynn Anderson (McHenry) 30-5, (D 8-3)

235

Jasmine Rene (Wheeling) 31-0, d. Allison Hill (Woodstock) 26-11, (F 0:18)

Ti`ara Saunders (Lake Zurich) 28-5, d. Nala Hernandez (McHenry) 22-11, (F 4:14)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: Wheeling 26, Woodstock 21, Huntley 21
Most tech falls: Hampshire 3, Lake Zurich 3
Most total match points: Wheeling 252, Woodstock 241, Lake Zurich 219

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: Huntley’s Aubrie Rohrbacher, 4 falls in 6:19
Most tech falls least time: Lake Zurich’s Georgia Hay, 3 techs in 14:29
Fastest fall: Jacobs’ Nicole Baginski 0:13
Fastest tech fall: Hampshire’s Stella Piazza 1:41
Most team points: 32 (tie) – Rohrbacher and McHenry’s Madalynn Sima
Most single-match points: Hay 24
Most total match points: Hampshire’s Amelia Nidelea-Polanin 77
Largest seed-place difference: Elgin’s Valeria Guzman placed fourth as the No. 12 seed at 105 pounds.

GLENBARD WEST

Schaumburg won its third consecutive team regional title Saturday at Glenbard West, further cementing coach Matt Gruszka’s program as one of the premier programs in Illinois.

The Saxons posted 231.5 team points to win the crown. Conant (175) was second, followed by West Chicago (119), Glenbard North (110.5) and Bartlett (103) to round out the top five finishes.
Schaumburg had eight sectional qualifiers and got individual regional titles from Isabella Rivas (125), Sharon Olorunfemi (135), Emily Fowler (145) and Nadia Razzak (190), who placed fifth in state at 190 last year.

“I thought our champions had a really good day,” Gruszka said. “Isabella Rivas won a very tough 125 bracket. Sharon Olorunfemi at 135 is starting to look back in form. Emily Fowler at 145 wrestled very tough to win her bracket and Nadia Razzak looked dominant in her wins in the 190 bracket.”

Gruszka also got third-place finishes from qualifiers Makenzi Aguilar (100), Anna Villareal (115) and Maja Brzosko (170), and a fourth from Ava Hartman (140).

Hoffman Estates (100.5), Glenbard West (92), Glenbard East (89), Lake Park (77.5) and Downers Grove North (75) completed the top 10 team finishes in the 26-team field.

All three of Glenbard East’s sectional qualifiers were regional champions, Glenbard North had two regional champs, and Leyden, Willowbrook, Bartlett, and Hoffman Estates each had one.

Leyden’s Zoey Dodgers (110) finished as the lone unbeaten wrestler emerging from Glenbard West’s regional, one year after placing fifth in Illinois at 105 pounds. Multiple-time state medal-winner Nadia Shymkiv (105) of Glenbard East also won a regional title in Glen Ellyn.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Karla Sarabia (39-6) Glenbard East
105 Nadia Shymkiv (32-2) Glenbard East
110 Zoey Dodgers (26-0) Leyden
115 Angelina Manlapaz (15-2) Willowbrook
120 Karolina Konopka (39-2) Glenbard West
125 Isabella Rivas (37-3) Schaumburg
130 Lily White (33-3) Bartlett
135 Sharon Olorunfemi (36-5) Schaumburg
140 Maria Green (40-1) Glenbard East
145 Emily Fowler (23-17) Schaumburg
155 Suzanne Stalley (38-7) Glenbard North
170 Dayanara Elias-Mena (9-2) Hoffman Estates
190 Nadia Razzak (40-1) Schaumburg
235 Asreilla Wallace (38-6) Glenbard North

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS
100
Karla Sarabia (Glenbard E) 39-6, d. Valerie Aliga (Glenbard S) 27-9, (D 16-13)

Makenzi Aguilar (Schaumburg) 34-7, d. Lillyana Iman (Glenbard W) 30-12, (F 3:21)

105

Nadiia Shymkiv (Glenbard E) 32-2, d. Brissia Bucio (WEGO) 31-7, (D 5-0)

Roselyn Cornier (Hoffman Es) 26-9, d. Isabella Datil (Addison Trail) 14-8, (MD 10-0)

110
Zoey Dodgers (Leyden) 26-0, d. Valeria Pesantes (Elk Grove) 19-2, (F 1:05)

Norah Cwik (Bartlett) 32-8, d. Sydney Stieb (SC East) 41-5, (MD 17-6)

115

Angelina Manlapaz (Willowbrook) 15-2, d. Giselle Varelas (Conant) 36-7, (TF-1.5 5:06 (18-2)

Anna Villarreal (Schaumburg) 33-10, d. Caitlin Miko (Glenbard W) 32-16, (F 2:30)

120

Karolina Konopka (Glenbard W) 39-2, d. Sarah Bell (Montini) 30-9, (F 0:43)

Sabrina Bono (Leyden) 28-4, d. Kamila Florencio (Hoffman Es) 23-6, (M. For.)

125

Isabella Rivas (Schaumburg) 37-3, d. Charlie Dolan (York) 26-2, (F 3:53)

Giselle Castillo (Fenton) 24-1, d. Valentina Solorzano (SC East) 26-16, (TF 3:53)

130

Lilly White (Bartlett) 33-3, d. Jasmine Zavaleta (Conant) 35-5, (F 3:24)

Keagan Edwards (Glenbard N) 44-3, d. Catherine Diehl (Wheaton Ac) 32-3, (D 9-6)

135

Sharon Olorunfemi (Schaumburg) 36-5, d. Ava Burns (Lake Park) 36-8, (F 4:28)

Ewa Krupa (Conant) 24-3, d. Evie DeSantis (Glenbard S) 28-9, (F 0:31)

140

Maria Green (Glenbard E) 40-1, d. Brithany Mondragon (Addison Trail) 20-4, (F 0:35)

Batula Nasib (WEGO) 30-8, d. Ava Hartman (Schaumburg) 26-10, (D 9-4)

145

Emily Fowler (Schaumburg) 23-17, d. Melanie Nava (Bartlett) 13-17, (F 3:25)

Naomi Burnett (DG North) 13-10, d. Jayiana Newcombe (Conant) 22-13, (F 1:02)

155

Suzanne Stalley (Glenbard N) 38-7, d. Sydnee Allen (Hoffman Es) 30-2, (F 4:41)

Susan Bilyal (Conant) 29-10, d. Samantha Stillo (DG North) 27-13, (F 3:48)

170

Dayanara Elias-Mena (Hoffman Es) 9-2, d. Claudia Weglarz (Conant) 29-14, (F 2:46)

Maja Brzosko (Schaumburg) 33-12, d. Olivia Halminiak (WEGO) 32-13, (F 2:54)

190

Nadia Razzak (Schaumburg) 40-1, d. Ava Adorni (Conant) 27-10, (F 0:59)

Paige Washburn (Lake Park) 5-1, d. Tiana Fraser (York) 25-14, (F 3:09)

235

Asreilla Wallace (Glenbard N) 38-6, d. Sky Vazquez (Elmwood Park) 18-3, . (F 1:09)

Ameinah Hill (Lake Park) 28-11, d. Ariana Bonilla (WEGO) 8-3, (F 2:21)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: Schaumburg 36, Conant 25, West Chicago 24
Most tech falls: 3 (tie) – Lake Park Conant, St. Charles East
Most total match points: Schaumburg 288, Conant 220, West Chicago 211

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: Schaumburg’s Maja Brzosko, 5 falls in 19:44
Most tech falls least time: St. Charles East’s Sydney Stieb, 3 techs in 11:01
Fastest fall: Lake Park’s Ava Burns 0:13
Fastest tech fall: Elk Grove’s Valeria Pesantes 1:24
Most team points: Leyden’s Zoey Dodgers 31.5
Most single-match points: Fenton’s Giselle Castillo 24
Most total match points: Steib 57
Largest seed-place difference: Lake Park’s Paige Washburn placed third as the No. 11 seed at 190 pounds

Warren wins regional crown in Grayslake

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 22:28:00 GMT

By Mike Garofola for the IWCOA

Qualifiers from this regional feed the Phillips sectional on Feb. 14

Warren was crowned regional champion at host Grayslake Central on Saturday afternoon, but not until wrestlers had to endure an incredibly long night of competition at first-day host Vernon Hills.

The athletic departments at Vernon Hills and Grayslake Central came to the rescue during the last few days prior to the start of the post-season.

When nary a one of the 29 teams were assigned to a northern suburb regional venue, Vernon Hills stepped forward to host the first day of action, with Grayslake Central taking the second day, albeit with a caveat.

Central had an important girls basketball game scheduled in its spacious field house against Wauconda in a NLCC contest in the early afternoon on Saturday. As a result, four full rounds of competition would be required in order to leave just enough time for Central to prepare for its arch rival Wauconda.

Friday would go on well after 11 p.m., with an early weigh-in time awaiting the sleep-deprived wrestlers the following morning.

Despite this difficult situation, the wrestlers would still provide plenty of memorable moments for the big crowd on hand, showing their mettlel and passion for their sport, with four from each weight class moving on to the Phillips sectional in Chicago on Feb. 14.

“Obviously I am very proud of the team,” Warren coach Nick Grujanac said. “As a coach, I always love watching how a new core of wrestlers come together to compete for each other, and this group is no different.

“I’ve never been at a tournament that went past 8:30, let alone past 11:00, and definitely never at a tournament this important at two locations. But everyone owes gratitude to both Vernon Hills and Grayslake Central and their athletic departments, who somehow pulled it all together on such short notice.”

Grujanac, who has been quick to praise his assistant, Tom Mikolay for the success of the program, will accompany seven to sectionals, including his lone champion, Tyanna Jackson (140) and three runners-up: Aaliyah Vazquez (115), Jane Kelly (135), and Ellery Brown (145).

“The best wrestling of the day came from Naleah Parham, Haley Fugelseth, and Hanna Bairstow, going three-for-three in the blood round, all with pins,” said Grujanac.

“It was a total team effort with every girl scoring at least one pin to contribute to the final team score.”

100- Riley Kongkaeow (Round Lake)

Back from an extended stay on the injured list, Round Lake senior Riley Kongkaeow (17-3) made an immediate impression on the 100-pound division with an outstanding two-day effort which would include her pin of Ester Migues-Gayton (Grayslake North) in their final.

Kongkaeow, a two-time state qualifier, and 2025 fourth-place state medal winner, needed all but 41 seconds to dispatch Migues-Gayton to give her a tourney-best four pins in just 2:36 minutes.

“I just came back yesterday (Friday) to compete after being out for nearly two months with an injury, and it feels great to be back, and to start the postseason with a regional title,” said Kongkaeow, after claiming her second consecutive regional crown.

“The biggest thing after being out so long was to get myself mentally ready to compete. Other than that, I feel like I was ready for just about anything,” added the Panthers star, who was 45-5 a year ago.

Kongkaeow had to reach high in the sky to accept congratulations by former Panthers heavyweight star, and 2025 state runner-up, William Cole, home from NIU to support his female friends in the sport.

Kongkaeow plans on wrestling in college, and will pursue a degree in Occupational Therapy.

Evelyn Torres (Maine East, 28-9) and Esther Vega (21-11) from Waukegan advance into sectionals after their third- and fourth- place finishes.

105- Katelyn Gallegos (Maine South, 18-3)

Maine South freshman Katelyn Gallegos (18-3) rebounded nicely after her recent second-place finish at the CSL Conference championships with a pair of pins, sandwiched around a hard-fought 8-3 decision in her semifinal en route to the 105-pound title.

“It was always one of my goals, and it’s pretty amazing to be a regional champ as a freshman,” said Gallegos, who pinned two-time sectional qualifier London Lloyd (Antioch, 27-10) in the final.

Before that, Gallegos needed to get by league rival Isabella Castro (New Trier) who was third overall at the CSL tournament.

“I’ve been working hard all year, so it feels good to finish in first,” added Gallegos.

Castro (17-11) would finish fourth after Jazmine Medina (Zion-Benton, 18-5) in the third place match to advance.

110- Sunny Aitzemkour (New Trier)

New Trier star Sunny Aitzemkour (30-4) continues to be nearly untouchable, and appears primed to navigate through and around the competition to a spot atop the podium later this month in Bloomington.

After her first-round bye as the anointed top seed, the junior needed just (77) seconds to advance into her semifinal, where a forfeit sent the 2025 state qualifier into the final against league rival, Maine East captain, Eliana Badeen.

Once there, it was all Aitzemkour, who used her length, quickness, and finishing ability to pin Badeen (22-10) at 3:09.

“I am much more confident in myself compared to last season, and my time around Jillian Giller (5th place state medal winner now at Illinois Wesleyan), helped me in so many ways as well, particularly in my preparation, confidence, and how to compete at a high level,” said Aitzemkour, 25-17 a year ago.

“My workout regime has increased as well,” continued Aitzemkour. “Five times a week I’m training and in between I never really stop doing something to be better — running, lifting, fitness, all of it.”

Third-place medal winner Anne Gutkowski (Vernon Hills, 22-11) and fourth place Italia Cernas (9-4) from Mundelein also advance.

115- Athena Zappas (Stevenson, 34-1)

In her rookie season last year, Athena Zappas went 0-2 at the Round Lake regional to end her first season with an overall record of 9-19.

Fast forward, and the Stevenson sophomore is a near perfect 34-1 after her impressive four-match effort that included two pins, and tech-falls, her second coming in the 115-pound final with NSC rival Aaliyah Vazquez (34-9) from Warren.

“I spent so much extra time during the offseason training, going to as many camps and tournaments that I was able and just doing whatever I could to be a better wrestler,” said Zappas.

“I wrestled Aaliyah a bunch of times this season, so we both knew each other really well, but I still watched a lot of film before this weekend, which helped me exploit her with my shots and attack.”

“My results at regionals last year were terrible, so it felt good to go out and do really well, win my weight class, and advance into sectionals,” added Zappas, who now has four major titles on the season.

CSL champion, Annika Lee (Maine South, 24-6) finished third to advance, and and Alyssa Martel (Taft, 20-12) placed fourth to advance.

120- Nastasia Kobets (Stevenson, 13-3)

Junior Nastasia Kobets found herself in a 120-pound weight class last year at the Round Lake regional that featured future state placers Ariella Dobin (Glenbrook North) and Mary Minogue (Libertyville) among others, so her postseason visit ended far too soon.

Kobets made sure her opponents here at 120-pounds would have a short stay in the front draw when she pinned her first three opponents, setting up an outstanding but quick effort in her final.

Kobets needed just over 90 seconds to register a 16-1 tech-fall victory to claim her first regional title of her career over top seed, and CSL champion, Oyetola Jacobs (23-8) from Evanston.

“Something that I’ve improved on from last year is my patience and composure, which has made me a much more confident wrestler this year,” says Kobets, now 13-3.

“I also feel like my mindset is much better, so I am enjoying the sport even more this year, and really feel like I can get on top of the podium at state.”

Mirabelle Duboef (Lake Forest, 28-6) and Naleah Parham (Warren, 15-10) advance following their third and fourth place medals.

126- Ariella Dobin (Glenbrook North, 32-0)

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the 126-pound weight class that has more of the look of a state champion than Glenbrook North junior Ariella Dobin.

The Spartans star has been the No. 1 in the state all throughout, and her performance here would validate her lofty status.

“I worked during the offseason on just about everything, always looking to add one thing or another to my wrestling toolbox to make me as dangerous as I can be out there,” said Dobin, now 32-0 after third pin of the day ensured another major title.

The Dobin-Mary Minogue (Libertyville, 10-1) final began like a house on fire with both come out swinging that led to a hard-fought, physical opening period that would end with Dobin striking the first take-down blow.

The all-action Dobin would increase her advantage to 6-1 at three minutes, then increase her lead to 9-1 with a take-down when the clock struck 0:00.

Minogue, sixth a year ago at state, continued her attack, but the 2025 state runner-up had too much firepower left in her tank, leading to a pin at 5:46.

“Injury kept me from the National Duals, and Fargo, but I feel better than ever right now, and look forward to the state tournament in a couple of weeks,” added Dobin.

Natalie Gonzalez (Mundelein, 24-12) pinned Haley Ramos (Carmel Catholic, 18-5) to take home third, and a spot in sectionals along with Ramos.

132- Gianna Arzer (Grayslake Central)

What a triumphant return for Grayslake Central senior Gianna Arzer.

After off-season surgery on a torn labrum, the Rams best female wrestler in program history just recently got back to competing. On Saturday, before an appreciative home crowd, she won her 100th career victory when she pinned Emily Ortiz (25-4) from Zion-Benton to win the 132-pound title.

“I lost my freshman year to an injury, and almost all of my senior year after rehabbing from my labrum surgery back in July. So right now, it is just an amazing feeling to win, here at home, for my 100th victory,” said Arzer (9-0) who was mobbed by her teammates moments after her pin over Ortiz.

“It’s been a long road back from surgery, working to get myself ready to compete, and being ready mentally to do so, but I am super excited for these next two weeks, and cannot wait to get to state, and go after a state title,” she said.

“It meant a lot to me to get back to wrestling, and to win another regional championship here at home. It’s been great wrestling at Grayslake Central.”

Arzer will wrestle next season at Milliken University, where the trust in the coaching staff, her future teammates, and the wonderful new facility there will be a part of her future, which will include a degree in Exercise Science.

CSL rivals Alena Oshana (Maine East, 41-6) p. Zmorah Izenstark (New Trier, 36-9) were third and fourth, respectively.

135- Karina Lojowski (Stevenson)

Karina Lojowski is one of those athletes who speaks softly, but carries and strikes with a big stick — or, in this sport, big take-downs. She recorded plenty of those take-downs en route to the 135-pound individual title.

The Patriots senior nearly pinned her way to victory, saving her best for last during an 83-minute effort to defeat Warren captain Jane Kelly (31-9) to win her second consecutive major title.

The Lake County Invite champ opened her tournament with a pair of super quick pins, then overwhelmed CSL champion Sarah Al Radi (Niles West) with a 19-3 tech-fall that took 3:56 to complete.

“I don’t really game plan before any of my matches, I just put everything that I have into the match, both physically and mentally, and let that carry me,” admitted Lojowski, now 32-2.

The 2025 state qualifier was 2-2 in Bloomington, and would finish at 28-8 on the season.

“I feel like it is a reasonable expectation for me to get on the podium at state, and if I keep things simple, continue to work, and outwork my opponents, it can all happen for me,” Lojowski said.

Ridgewood sophomore Gianna Mezzano (30-7) will be the lone sectional representative for her club after her third place finish over junior Kylie Kowalisyn (28-13) who will be the only one from Taft.

140- Tyanna Jackson (Warren, 38-2)

There were a lot of impressive performances over the two days of action, but you would be hard pressed to find anyone who was more dynamic than Warren sophomore Tyanna Jackson.

The No. 5 rated 140-pounder in the state was unstoppable as she pinned her way to the title that would include all-out assault in her final against top seed, and recent Lake County Invite champion Sasha Johnson (Antioch, 36-8) who roared into the final on the heels of three consecutive pins.

“Being a regional champion means a lot to me because it validates all of the hard work that I put in during the offseason, and right into the wrestling season. It proves that hard work does pay off,” said Jackson following her pin at 1:58 minutes.

“When I go out there I like to set the tone with an aggressive style, looking to score points in a lot of different ways, be strong in my hand-fighting, quickness, and by doing all of that I can control the match and keep my opponents from being comfortable,” continued Jackson, who lost to Johnson (15-8) in the final at the Lake County Invite.

Khloe Heerdegen (Mundelein, 32-13) p. Victoria Marquez (Grayslake North, 24-11) will continued on after their third and fourth place medals.

145- Miranda Tellez (Grayslake Central, 26-4)

In a rematch of the Lake County Invite final two weeks ago, it would be Miranda Tellez claiming her second straight victory over Ellery Brown (27-4) – this time in sensational fashion.

The sophomore from Grayslake Central opened up a 4-0 lead early in the second period, extended her advantage to 7-1, and would later execute a big throw into a four-point near fall that would eventually end with a 19-3 tech-fall triumph.

“To win a regional championship for the first time is amazing. It feels good and it will help my confidence going forward with sectionals coming up next week,” said Tellez (26-4) who would register a 5-2 decision over Brown in her Lake County Invite final.

“I put in a lot of extra work during the offseason, lifting, getting stronger, and really spending a lot of time working on my cardio because it will be important when I have those six minute matches that really mean something,” added Tellez, who was a sectional qualifier a year ago with a 25-15 record.

Highland Park freshman Lexie Hoobler (20-10) advances after her 6-1 decision over Alyson Alvarenga (26-11) who will be making her second sectional appearance.

155- Isabel Hilinski (Stevenson, 19-4)

There was plenty of high drama in the 155-pound semifinal round with each contest testing the spirit of the competitors, and the anxiety level of their respective fan base.

Isabel Hilinski (Stevenson) would see her early 3-0 lead evaporate, allowing Natalie Rumpel (Deerfield, 26-9) to draw back level with a late third period escape to send this match into extra time.

Once there, Hilinski (19-4) used a nifty inside trip to register a match-winning take-down with 22 seconds remaining to earn a 7-4 decision, and a place in the final.

On the other side of the bracket, Myriah Jefferson (Round Lake, 28-13) and Haley Fugelseth (20-15) from Warren were embroiled in a high-scoring affair that began with the freshman Jefferson running out to a 12-3 advantage at three minutes.

Fugelseth would find her form in the third period, using an escape, and near fall to pull within four (12-8) to ignite the Warren faithful, but Jefferson found a way to victory with a strong defensive stand.

The Hilinski-Jefferson final would provide a 23-point thriller, with Hilinski watching her first period lead of 7-0 slowly disappear.

It became 9-7 before the second period nearly ended, and then 11-7 when Hilinski added two with the clock at 0:00.

Hilinski would defend a strong single effort from Jefferson, then turn it into a take-down with 30 seconds from time to earn a hard fought 14-9 decision.

“It was a tough match, but I think my ability to remain patient and composed really helped me when I needed it the most,” said Hilinski, after claiming her first regional title of her career.

“From last year to this season, I am a lot better in my shot selections, under-hooks, and high crotch singles and take-downs,” added the Patriots sophomore.

Fugelseth, and Rumpel advance after their third, and fourth place medals.

170- Josie Blau (Antioch, 36-6)

The transformation of Josie Blau from her rookie season to this year has been one that Antioch fans can only marvel at.

A year ago, Blau would reach the finals at the Round Lake regional, only to lose to eventual state champion Josephine Larson from Lakes Community.

One week later, Blau lost in the blood round ending her first season with the Lady Sequoits with a respectable 23-19 record.

Fast forward to the 2025-26 campaign, and Blau in closing in to 40 wins on the season after her three-pin effort, culminating in her final with Highland Park junior Lexi Rosenthal (23-6) who would concede a pin at 4:34.

“I had a lot of things to work on during the offseason, but maybe the most important was my fitness,” admits Blau, who won an individual title recently at the Lake County Invite.

“I feel like I can go hard for six minutes if I have to, and with my improved cardio, I now know I can be so much better on top.”

Two periods of action saw Blau give her Rosenthal a rough, physical ride, and eventual stall warning just seconds from the end of the second period.

Rosenthal would start on bottom, and Blau would make her pay for it when a big turn near the edge led to a pin, and the championship.

“My top game was the difference in my match. When we got near the edge, I was able to get her leg (post up) and get the turn and the pin,” recounts Blau

Hanna Bairstow (Warren, 32-9), who was runner-up to Blau at the Lake County Invite moves on with a third place medal, Jessica Ivanyuk (Stevenson, 12-12)

with a fourth.

190- Julissa Az (Mather)

Taft head coach Tom Angsten said it all simply and succinctly.

“The (Mather) 190-pounder was just awesome this weekend, we wish her all the best of luck at sectional,” said a gracious Angst, who has seen Az up close and personal at the Chicago Public League Conference tournament where the Mather star won easily.

Az left her three opponents here in the rearview mirror with a trio of marvelous efforts, including her pin of Lakes Community sophomore Joslin Coon (15-4) who will be the next great wrestler after former Eagles super star Josephine Larson, whose brilliant four-year career would end with a perfect season a year ago at 190 pounds where she pinned all 29 of her opponents.

“Julissa is a three-time all-city wrestler, fourth in 2024 (190), fifth a year ago at 170, and CPL champion this year,” began Mather head coach, Zach Boettjer.

“She is a three-time sectional qualifier, twice at 190, and has an overall record of 60-18, including her 23-3 record this season with (17) pins. Away from the sport, Julissa is an amazing student, and talented artist as well.

“Her improvement has come in clutch moments, such as coming back from a 3-0 deficit in her regional semifinal to win her match.”

Boettjer adds that his best wrestler has learned to take control of matches, and not allow others to dictate the tempo, unlike in the past.

Az was a regional runner-up last season, before going 2-2 at sectionals to finish her season at 30-7.

Fatima Gomez (Evanston, 20-6), was third, Alexa Kirchen (Deerfield, 25-13) fourth to advance.

235- Sophia Fortis (Maine South, 20-2)

The pins just keep coming for Sophia Fortis.

The amiable Maine South junior proved the top seed, with an attack which proved untouchable by her opponents – three pins in three matches, all completed in just under ten minutes.

With her trio of pins, Fortis, now 20-2, has 16 pins on the season.

“I’ve gotten bigger, stronger, and quicker than I was last season, when I think I wasn’t as aggressive as I should have been,” Fortis said. “And now after my offseason work, my confidence is so much better than last year as well.”

The two-time CSL and regional champion was off an running against league rival Omowonuola Fajimolu (Evanston, 19-7), recording a take-down with thirty second remaining in the first period, followed by a well constructed near-fall as time ran out.

Fajimolu would start down when the second period began, with Fortis taking full advantage of her technical skill to turn the Lady Wildcats sophomore to grab another near-fall.

A front head lock would end this contest with Fortis claiming a pin at 3:26.

It will be an all-CSL contingent headed to sectionals with Jacklyn Linaves (Waukegan, 22-11), and Jessica Anh (Niles North, 20-14) moving on.

Final Team Standings:

Warren 197.5, Stevenson 150.0, Antioch 130.0, Maine South 124.0, Maine East

117.5, Evanston 117.0, Round Lake 100.0, Grayslake Central 97.5, New Trier

96.0, Mundelein 87.0, Lakes Community 84.5, Highland Park 81.5, Deerfield 77.5, Grayslake North 76.0, Taft 74.5, Zion-Benton 72.0, Ridgewood/Waukegan 63.0 each, Niles North 58.0 Vernon Hills 48.0, Carmel Catholic 47.0, Glenbrook North 46.5, Mather 43.0, Lake Forest 40.0, Maine West 27.5, Libertyville/Niles West 26.0 each, Loyola Academy 21.0, North Chicago 0.0.

Lincoln-Way girls take regional crown at E. Aurora

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:31:00 GMT

By Chris Walker for The IWCOA

Top four qualifiers advance to Schaumburg sectional Feb. 14

Lincoln-Way co-op’s Zoe Dempsey (115) and Ella Giertuga (145) won titles during Saturday’s East Aurora regional while 10 of their teammates also qualified for next weekend’s Schaumburg sectional.

Lincoln-Way co-op’s 12 qualifiers were by far the most at the regional, matching the 12 that are coming from Lockport, Wheaton Warrenville South and the host Tomcats combined as each of the aforementioned three schools had four wrestlers advance.

The owner of this year’s team regional title in Aurora was clear.

“If there’s anything about Lincoln-Way, they’re all tough and can all wrestle under pressure and can all win a gritty match where there’s high stakes,” Dempsey said. “It’s so awesome. That blood round, the wrestle backs to get to the third-place match was electric. I was getting nervous up there just thinking about the pressure those girls were under.”

Joliet West, Metea Valley, Plainfield East, Plainfield South and West Aurora were among the teams with three individual sectional qualifiers.

“My coach actually told me this was like state four years ago, that this is the level of what state was four year ago,” said Tigers senior Veronica Klobnak, who advanced by taking fourth place at 135. “That wrestling is growing so much that we’re almost at a state level at regionals is crazy. It has grown so much and just qualifying further than ever before is such a big deal for me.”

Batavia, Naperville North, Oswego East and Romeoville each had two qualifiers with the Spartans matching Lincoln-Way co-op, Metea Valley and Plainfield South as the only schools to produce a pair of regional champions.

Daniela Santander (110) and Henessis Villagrana (235) won titles to lead Romeoville.

Wrestling partners Layla Spann (170) and Kimyra Patrick (190), won a pair for Plainfield South.

Ashley Basmajian (120) and Alketa “Rosie” Picari (140) won regional titles for nearby Metea Valley.

100 – Kai Enos, Batavia

Now a senior, Enos (35-2) is vying to appear at state for her fourth consecutive season.

Enos took fifth last year, a career-best third as a sophomore and debuted with a fifth-place effort her freshman season in 2022-2023. She’s remained at 100 throughout her high school run.

After three straight wins by fall over Romeoville’s Isabel Hernandez (1:12), Lockport’s Julia Hernandez (1:56) and West Aurora’s Melissa Melgar (3:34), Enos scored an 11-0 major decision against Wheaton Warrenville South’s Andrea Jaimes-Alvarez (24-4) in the 100 final.

Lincoln-Way co-op freshman McKenzie Steinke (36-7) pinned Melgar (32-7), a sophomore, to take third place.

105 – KeYi Wang, Naperville North

Wang (23-3) was fighting tears after battling her way past Lincoln-Way co-op freshman Emmy Hoselton (37-7), 7-6, in the 100 final.

Wang became the first regional champ in school history, playing a sport she fought so hard to join, but wasn’t sure she’d ever get the chance to try.

“If I told the middle school me she’d be super proud, especially because I wasn’t allowed to wrestle at that time,” Wang said. “So the fact that I won regionals and was the first girl from Naperville North to ever win a regional, it’s a lot to take in.”

She lived four years of her young life in China.

“I was really unsupported coming into wrestling,” she said. “As an immigrant, my parents were very traditional because in China it would be considered a really big privilege to do sports. If you did a sport in China you were considered really privileged and rich so parents had no way to express their hobbies through opportunities in China because there was basically none, because they lived in impoverished areas.”

Wang said when her family moved to America she was raised traditionally as if she were still in China.

“That’s why they started out being unsupportive,” she said. “I wanted to wrestle ever since middle school, but they didn’t let me start until high school, and when I finally did I fell in love with the sport. And they weren’t supportive enough for me to do club just yet but at the end of sophomore year they started realizing that I had potential in this sport so they started letting me do club and that’s when I qualified for Fargo. And then just from that I just kept loving wrestling and falling more in love with it and then through a lot of hard work I started practicing more and more and often wrestled with the boys. They were a little disrespectful to me at first but slowly I gained their trust. I just love the sport.”

She didn’t particularly appreciate being seeded fourth, but didn’t let the number get in the way of making history.

“I got seeded fourth and honestly I knew in my mind it was most likely because of just statistics that I wouldn’t upset the first seed,” Wang said. “But I told myself that statistics don’t matter because in a match anything can happen and I did end up upsetting the first seed which I’m really glad and happy about.”

Lyons sophomore Jhania Wickert-Harris (21-5) pinned West Aurora’s Ruby Bolanos-Carbajal (24-10) at 1:27 to place third.

Wickert-Harris was the lone Lyons wrestler to advance to sectional action.

“It’s pretty cool that I can achieve such a thing in only my second year in wrestling,” Wickert-Harris said. “I was really inspired by one of my classmates (Emily Romo) that passed away.”

Romo was a former teammate who joined wrestling around the same time as Wickert-Harris and Mariah Zalapa (110). She’s continued to inspire her friends today.

“Her goal was to make it to state so I definitely want to achieve that for her,” Wickert-Harris said. “So me and Mariah (Zalapa) we were all really close so just want to try to get close to state at least for her.”

110 – Daniela Santander, Romeoville

Santander (7-1) pinned Plainfield East’s Angelina Nettey (17-6) late in the third period to win the regional title at 110.

It was a tournament of pins for Santander, who also got Plainfield South’s Na`Ryah Figueroa (1:49), Bolingbrook’s Mikaela Najera (2:17) and East Aurora’s Joselyn Llanos (5:22).

Llanos (30-7) rebounded to bump off Lincoln-Way co-op’s Zoe Zerial (30-16), 9-8, to take third place.

“I was really nervous because I found out today that I was first seed and it’s like new to me because I’ve only been wrestling for two or three years,” Llanos said. “And I was really excited but I got nervous. I wanted to make it really bad because last year I didn’t place at regionals and I’m so proud of myself actually to place this year to make it to sectionals. I grew a lot from last year because in eighth grade year, I barely wrestled. Last year was when I started to get into it more.”

115 – Zoe Dempsey, Lincoln-Way co-op

Dempsey (42-2) knocked out her fourth opponent via fall in her championship match, defeating Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore (44-4) at 2:58.

Similar wins over Peotone’s Natalie Bonick (1:25), Plainfield East’s Ximena Valenzuela Hernandez (1:49) and Plainfield South’s Kayla Ochotorena (0:53) preceded her title-match win.

“So basically the focus all day was just score points,” Dempsey said. “I kind of had to surrender the outcome in some of those matches. The goal isn’t just to win, it’s just to score points and winning is a by-product of scoring points and in every single one of my matches the goal is to get first takedown. If I can get extra work, get some more takedowns, if not, just get backs, get falls.”

Like her peers, Dempsey is striving to get better, to make progress each day. She placed fifth in the state at 105 as a sophomore and was third at 110 in her junior season last winter. Now she’s aiming to go even higher in her swan song.

“Wrestling is truly a different breed,” Dempsey said. “There’s just no sport like it, you know. You can really see that in a lot of time in rematches you see the progress you’ve made, I kind of relate it to I used to run track, all the progress was numerical so you could see your progress based on your times coming down and stuff like that. I feel like wrestling is even more special than that, it’s just like man-to-man seeing progress like all out there, it’s all you.”

Ochotorena (39-8) won by fall at 2:34 over Lockport’s Bella Romando (31-17) to take third.

120 – Ashley Basmajian, Metea Valley

A year after becoming the first girls wrestler from her school to qualify for the state tournament, Basmajilan (5-0) is looking to get there again as evidenced by her efforts this weekend in Aurora.

Basmajian wasn’t thrilled with how she wrestled, but her dominant results speak differently with pins of Lyons’ Tori Evans (0:30), Bolingbrook’s Alejandra Flores (2:35) and Peotone’s Kennedy Mort (1:12) before a 16-1 tech fall win over Wheaton Warrenville South’s Sommer Kibbe in the semifinals.

In the finals, Basmajilian pinned West Aurora’s Aiyanah Sylvester (29-2) at 1:34.

“I mean it’s cool (to win the regional),” Basmajilian said. “I was not really happy with the way I wrestled, just happy to be competing and for the opportunity. The next step from here is I’m going to go back and check tape and probably write some notes down from what I see that I need to improve on and just iron it out at practice.”

Basmajilian was probably more excited to talk about her teammates than she was herself.

“So Janiya (Moore) and Alketa (Picari) both made it to the finals and Alketa won and Janiya got second,” Basmajilian said. “So it was really fun watching them honestly. That’s what I love so much about competitions and being part of the team. And then the girls who didn’t make the finals were super supportive as well. It’s such a cool thing being part of a team where we all support each other and all love each other.”

Flores (36-8) placed third with a tech fall win against Neuqua Valley’s Aleta Weigandt (24-11).

125 – Sophie Crescenzo, Lisle

As one of just two competitors from her school, Crescenzo (24-2) brought home a regional title after pinning Lincoln-Way co-op’s Caleigh Nicholson (34-11) a couple seconds short of a minute for the 125-pound title.

Pins against Naperville North’s Avery Kinley (0:28), East Aurora’s Valentina Barboza (2:38) and Batavia’s Natalie Lenart (1:56) preceded her title victory.

Lemont’s Molly O`Connor (37-8) earned a tech fall win over Joliet West’s Briahna Klobnak (24-12) to place third.

Klobnak had pinned O’Connor, a two-time state qualifier, in the quarterfinals.

“I was up all night thinking about it,” Klobnak said. “My coach used to coach at Lemont and he coached her so he was telling me these things but at the same time it was making me more anxious kind of. And so then my sister (Veronica Klobnak) during warm-ups showed me a headlock and that’s what I ended up doing and was how I got her within the first period and then versus her again for third, and she kind of got her revenge match so that was like such a relief when I got there because if I didn’t get there that would also of been an all or nothing right there.”

Klobnak also qualified for sectionals last season.

“Going into that fourth match against Bolingbrook’s (Anaya Campbell), I had lost to her fighting for first at conference,” Klobnak said. “So my mindset was a little messed up a bit.”

So she fired herself up knowing her high school career was on the line.

“Right before that match started I said it was all or nothing because it’s senior year,” she said. “Because if I lose this match my season is done, so it was just like it was a really mental match and I was down and I almost got caught a few times and then I ended up just pulling it out and I won and pinned and then went to fight for third. So it was hard and then yesterday when they were talking about it being the hardest regional there was another mindset where I like ‘ugh.’”

130 – Melva Gallego-Sugar, Naperville Central

Late in the third period of the 130-pound title match, Gallego-Sugar (27-9) pinned East Aurora’s Ayelen Higuera (30-10) to become a regional champion.

Gallego-Sugar opened with pins against Joliet West’s Willow Perruquet (1:21) and Lyons’ Lorelai Brown (1:04) before earning a 9-0 major decision to defeat Lincoln-Way co-op’s Dani Schedin in the semifinals.

Higuera’s second-place finish was tops for the Tomcats.

Gallego-Sugar’s crosstown rival, Naperville North’s Izzy Smith (20-8), took third place after receiving a medical forfeit in her match against Schedin (30-17), whom Gallego-Sugar beat in the semis.

135 – Claudia Heeney, Lockport

Heeney’s bid for a third state title began with four pins to earn the regional title at 130.

Coming off a state title at 135 last year, another at 130 in 2024 and a second-place finish at 125 as a freshman in 2023, Heeney (35-3) earned first period pins over Plainfield Central’s Aaliyah Banda (1:17), Lyons’ Sofia Turek (1:00) and Joliet West’s Veronica Klobnak (1:32) to advance to the finals.

Joliet Central’s Izabel Barrera (31-3), the lone sectional qualifier for the Steelmen, survived the first period, but ultimately met her demise at 2:23 to drop to 31-3 on the season.

Lemont’s lone sectional qualifier, Molly O’Connor, took third with her tech fall victory over Joliet West’s Veronica Klobnak.

Klobnak was one of three Tigers to qualify for the sectional.

“I’m really excited, I did not qualify last year so this is really a big deal,” she said. “I’m making it further, and know we have the biggest regional in the whole state of Illinois.”

When Klobnak got knocked out last season she dealt with the heartbreak by getting right back to work.

“It was really heartbreaking but I continued wrestling over the summer,” she said. “I went through multiple clubs that my coach was putting me through. I was going to tournaments to qualify for nationals, was going to out-of-state tournaments, I was just wrestling, wrestling, wrestling, and this year like with my team I’ve been putting in a lot of work in my practices, putting in extra work, extra sprints, extra time and that’s definitely pushed me because I didn’t want to feel the heartbreak I felt last year.”

140 – Alketa “Rosie” Picari, Metea Valley

Rosy means optimistic, bright, happy so it’s no surprise Metea Valley junior Alketa Picari (44-4) likes to go by “Rosie.”

“I feel a lot more dominant than I did last year,” Rosie said. “All my matches today I felt really in control. Compared to last year, I was being a little messy, you know what I mean? It’s just really satisfying.”

Tech fall victories over East Aurora’s Carolina Ascencio, West Aurora’s Raysa Castaneda and Wheaton Warrenville South’s Caroline Ratliff preceded her first-period pin over Lincoln-Way co-op’s Abby Kunz (38-7) in the final.

“I know in our area there’s a lot of good wrestlers, which makes sense around the city and stuff,” she said. “Obviously I wouldn’t have it a different way because all the great competition is what is making me better over the years. I appreciate it.”

She’s committed to it.

“After this I’m going to go back to freestyle and during the summertime I see how many levels there are to it,” she said. “In the summer I go against girls like twice, three times as good as me, it’s really good competition in the summertime, it’s just a little crazy.”

Oswego East’s Quinn Janssens (26-4) pinned Ratliff (22-10) to take third place.

145 – Ella Giertuga, Lincoln-Way co-op

Giertuga (33-6) advanced to state before, but prior to Saturday no one from the media had asked her about it nor her wrestling accomplishments for one of the top programs in the state.

“I’ve really loved the team dynamic that we have.” Giertuga, a junior, said. “I feel like there is a lot of good competition within there, like everybody wrestles differently on the team so you get a lot of real good looks. I just love the diversity on here because there is short and tall, everybody wrestles different.”

Giertuga was one of the only champions to spend a lot of time on the mats.

After a bye and pinning Plainfield South’s Liliana Kenost (3:15), Giertuga went the distance and then some in her final three matches. She earned a 7-0 decision over Joliet Central’s Jaylin Ingram in the quarters, dropped Oswego East’s Ella Cooper, 3-1, int the semifinals, and needed a tiebreaker to prevail in her finals match against Wheaton Warrenville South’s Louisa Enslen (28-5), 4-2.

“I feel like I really just went out there thinking I’m going to do my best and put it all out there,” she said. “My last match was definitely kind of scary for me, but I feel like I’m really going full throttle and keeping calm helped me secure that win.”

She’s been able to see her growth.

“Jump from freshman year to here, I did not even think I would’ve placed in regionals or anything,” she said. “And last year I got fourth and I feel like there was just really a lot of good development. I’m really excited about it.”

Cooper (28-8) placed third via major decision over Joliet West’s Vanessa O’Connor (35-6).

155 – Callie Carr, Hinsdale South

Carr (33-0) improved to 72-0 over the past two seasons after pinning Batavia freshman Audrey Sheldon (39-5) at 1:23 in the 155 final.

Carr, a three-time state qualifier and the defending 155 state champion, was the only wrestler among the eight who competed from Hinsdale South to advance to next weekend’s Schaumburg sectional.

Carr defeated Naperville Central’s Arianna Rico by fall (1:03), earned a tech fall victory against Joliet Central’s Leilani Robles in the quarterfinals and also pinned Plainfield East’s Kaitlyn Bucholz (1:43) in the semifinals.

Bucholz (28-11) bounced back from her defeat to beat Lincoln-Way co-op’s Avery Holeman (26-15) for third place. Bucholz pinned Holeman (1:10) as she picked up four victories in the regional all via pin.

170 – Layla Spann, Plainfield South

Just a sophomore, Spann (41-0) remained unbeaten after picking up four more victories over the weekend, including a tech fall victory in the 170 final against Lincoln-Way co-op junior Riley Depolo (35-6).

Spann pinned Bolingbrook’s Leslie Duncan (0:47), Joliet West’s Bianca Campos (3:09) and Batavia’s Caoimhe Mitchell (2:29).

“I think I just wrestled my game, wrestled my matches,” Spann said. “My style of wrestling is kind of like, there is nobody else on the mat except you and that other person. Me and that other person so it’s just like just us. I’m quickly moving. When I have a thought on the mat I just execute it right away, no waiting, because waiting, there’s no time to wait.”

Spann took second at regionals last year during a freshman season that culminated with a trip to state where she went 1-2. She upped her record this season to 41-0.

“Last year I was kind of more of an upper body wrestler and this year I’ve kind of found that I’m taking crazy shots I practice,” she said. “And practicing it in the practice room and then bringing it out here on the mat it helps me a lot because you’re practicing your shots and shooting is what gets you the win basically, and everybody could be taken down no matter what. So I still just focus on one thing – the person in front of me and what I’m doing. It’s just another match. I’m progressing, getting better every single match.”

Teammate, Kimyra Patrick, who won at 190, was jokingly distracting Spann while she was being interviewed. It drew laughter and smiles from Spann so mission accomplished.

“This team is like everything,” Spann said. “Like I can have fun but I can focus at the same time and have the best practice partner ever.”

Riverside-Brookfield’s Estefany Bejarano (28-4) won by fall against WW South’s Michelle Rojas-Tellez (23-5) on the third-place mat.

190 – Kimyra Patrick, Plainfield South

After opening with a fall over Plainfield Central’s Aniyah Lopez, Patrick (41-3), a freshman competing in her first post-season, earned a tech fall over Waubonsie Valley’s Catherine Schultz to advance to the semifinals.

A tight 2-0 win over Plainfield East senior Jan Serna got her into the finals where she drew Lockport senior Sophie Kelner (36-9), a state qualifier a year ago.

Patrick was tested with another lengthy title battle against a senior and once again prevailed in a low-scoring clash, 3-1.

East Aurora freshman Jaylene Dealba (31-7) earned a 5-1 win over Serna (36-9) to take third.

“To end up qualifying since I’m younger than everybody and they’ve been doing wrestling longer than me makes me really proud of myself,.” Dealba said. “Honestly, wrestling, I didn’t know it, but it has just changed my life in such a short amount of time. I didn’t think about joining wrestling at first because I thought it was going to be something I wouldn’t have liked and ended up loving it, and now it is the only sport I love.”

Dealba said she was first introduced to wrestling by her brother’s girlfriend who was a wrestler.

“I would come to practice for a little bit and started to know everybody and honestly I treat them like my family because I’m so close to them,” she said. “Lilli (Ortiz) is my practice partner and I love her so much. She has helped me grow into the person I am now.”

235 – Henessis Villagrana, Romeoville

Villagrana (36-3) got a taste of state a season ago, dropping her two matches there.

Now a year older, more experienced, and looking for greater success, Villagrana took the first step towards returning to state after winning at 235 on Saturday.

“I’d say a big difference I made was my mindset going into these matches,” Villagrana said. “I stayed positive no matter what position I was in. I made sure I was more focused in these tight matches and always wrestling until the end.”

Pins of Plainfield East’s Sadie Hamilton (1:40) and Joliet Central’s Milan Aldana (1:20) provided a strong start for Villagrana who went the distance in the semifinals against East Aurora’s Lilli Ortiz, prevailing 3-1.

“Honestly I was kind of shocked and surprised to get this far,” Ortiz said. “This is my second year of ever wrestling so last year I didn’t move on after regionals, I didn’t place. So I messed up my shoulder like three months ago and it keeps getting worse so I wasn’t expecting much out of today, but as I was wrestling, I thought, ‘Oh, I can do this.’

“Last season I only placed first at Minooka, but I was on the JV side of that, but this year I’ve definitely placed first at a couple, including conference two weeks ago so that was really surprising too.”

Such a tight match against Ortiz, might have helped Villagrana prepare for the final where she had a similar match against Lockport’s Rebekah Ramirez (36-5), earning a 7-5 victory.

“I feel like the match did help me in a positive impact for my finals match,” Villagrana said. “It showed me that anything is possible even when there is low time on the clock. The pressure of wanting to win that match helped me in finals because it showed me to never stop trying and to always wrestle even if I felt like the match was over, it emphasized to never stop until I heard the whistle.”

Villagrana confirmed that the regional was tough.

“I had a lot of competition that really helped show my full potential while wrestling,” she said. “I do believe it was one of the hardest regionals. Many of these girls worked hard, pushing their best to win and it created great competition. I feel like this year I’m more prepared for sectionals. I’ve been putting in greater work and effort compared to last year. I’m always glad to make it this far and I feel more confident than before.”

Ortiz (27-4) placed third by fall against Lincoln-Way’s Jalyssa Venegas (34-12).

Girls regional recaps: Geneseo, Belvidere

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:27:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Qualfiers from these regionals feed the DeKalb sectional on Feb. 14

GENESEO

Geneseo hoisted a regional title plaque for coach Carley Rusk on its home mats Saturday, advancing eight girls to the sectional round.

The Maple Leafs posted 169 points to lead the field, followed by Pekin (107), East Peoria (101), Canton (94) and Galesburg (81) to round out the top five team finishes.

“We’re very proud of our team’s performance,” Rusk said. “This group has put in a lot of steady work throughout the season, and it was great to see that effort come together this weekend. They’ve continued to show up for each other, stay consistent in practice, and compete with a lot of heart.

“More than anything, we’re proud of the way they handled themselves. They supported one another all day, wrestled tough in every position, and stayed focused on doing their jobs.

Geneseo got individual regional titles from Lydia King (120) and Annibelle Juarez (140), seconds from Addison Hadsall (100), Sophia Urquiza (135) and Lauren Piquards (155), and thirds from Giana Wurslin (105), Ayla Schultz (125) and Anna Davis (130).

“We’re excited for our sectional qualifiers. They earned those spots through hard work and perseverance. We’re excited to celebrate their efforts this weekend, but it will be back to work on Monday with our eyes set on next weekend.”

Second-place Pekin had five sectional qualifiers, led by regional champions Tessa Donaldson (105) and Alyssa Artman (155). Third-place East Peoria also advanced five girls, led by champions Taylor Sutton (145) and Bella Spampanato (235).

Rounding out the top 10 teams were sixth-place Richwoods (72), followed by Moline (70), Dunlap (69.5), Kewanee (56.5) and Rock Island (54).

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Abella Brown (28-3) Canton
105 Tessa Donaldson (25-0) Pekin
110 Annalee Haschemeyer (28-3) Canton
115 Chloe Hedges (30-3) Canton
120 Lydia King (39-5) Geneseo
125 JenDayia Crowe (17-7) Kewanee
130 Dai Driana (24-5) Galesburg
135 Sammy Baker (18-8) Notre Dame
140 Annibelle Juarez (33-8) Geneseo
145 Taylor Sutton (23-7) East Peoria
155 Alyssa Artman (24-6) Pekin
170 Sydney Johnson (11-2) Richwoods
190 Courtney Walls (26-0) Rock Island
235 Bella Spampanato (17-5) East Peoria

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS
100
Abella Brown (Canton) 28-3, d. addison hadsall (Geneseo) 34-9, . (F 5:00)

Kaci Eller (Midwest C) 7-2, d. Lesly DeLa Cruz (Notre Dame) 16-13, (F 3:47)

105

Tessa Donaldson (Pekin) 25-0, d. Leah White (Richwoods) 21-11, (F 5:29)

Giana Wurslin (Geneseo) 31-13, . d. Kyra Cardine (Mercer Co) 6-4, (F 0:48)

110

Annalee Haschemeyer (Canton) 28-3, d. Marissa Brown (ROWVA) 20-11, (TF 4:49)

Aerith Adams (Dunlap) 14-15, d. Hailey Lampe (Kewanee) 8-5, (F 1:18)

115

Chloe Hedges (Canton) 30-3, d. Lyndzey Brewer (Farmington) 13-4, (F 2:39)

Madizyn Megrant (Pekin) 15-7, d. Abigail Harris (Princeton) 15-7, (Inj.)

120

Lydia King (Geneseo) 39-5, . d. ava mayer (Pekin) 23-5, (F 1:08)

Amyah Pruitt (Galesburg) 18-10, d. Sophia Bradarich (Sherrard) 14-8, (F 2:26)

125

JenDayia Crowe (Kewanee) 17-7, d. Madison Fuller (Moline) 12-10, . (F 4:52)
Ayla Schultz (Geneseo) 32-17, . d. Jadeyn Klingenberg (Princeton) 16-15, (F 1:24)

130

Dai Driana Wilford (Galesburg) 24-5, d. Kylie Mathis (Sherrard) 9-7, (D 17-10)
Anna Davis (Geneseo) 14-25, . d. Ablavi Komassi (United) 9-7, (F 5:46)

135

Sammy Baker (Notre Dame) 18-8, d. sophia Urquiza (Geneseo) 18-24, . (F 3:25)

Delilah Gregory (Galesburg) 10-8, d. Kyah Kaonohi (E Peoria) 19-11, (F 0:55)

140

Annibelle Juarez (Geneseo) 33-8, . d. Jaelyn Hare (United) 13-3, (F 2:27)

Olivia Curtis (Dunlap) 22-9, d. Vivian Aldus (Galesburg) 20-10, (MD 8-0)

145

Taylor Sutton (E Peoria) 23-7, d. Aaliyah Swearingen (Kewanee) 16-3, (F 3:32)

Dru Hyde (Macomb) 22-10, d. Kennedy Smith (Canton) 16-17, (D 12-8)

155

Alyssa Artman (Pekin) 24-6, d. lauren piquard (Geneseo) 30-4, . (Inj.)

Alyssa Young (Dunlap) 20-13, d. Shauna Dvorak (E Peoria) 18-15, (SV-1 18-15)

170

Sydney Johnson (Richwoods) 11-2, d. piper lambert (Pekin) 12-6, (F 4:36)

Ta`liyah Shelton (Moline) 18-18, d. Mallory Feldhaus (E Peoria) 16-13, (F 1:30)

190

Courtney Walls (Rock Island) 26-0, d. Avery Lundgren (Macomb) 20-6, (F 1:53)

Marley Clark (Richwoods) 24-4, d. Atalyssa Craig (Dunlap) 16-11, (D 6-0)

235

Bella Spampanato (E Peoria) 17-5, d. Jakeria Wilson (Moline) 10-4, (F 3:23)

Kya Norman (Richwoods) 10-4, d. Destiny Kaeding (Dunlap) 9-10, (F 0:29)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: Geneseo 22, East Peoria 14, Rock Island 10, Galesburg 10
Most tech falls: Canton 4, no other team with more than one
Most total match points: East Peoria 164, Canton 154, Geneseo 145

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: Geneseo’s Ayla Schultz, 4 falls in 5:50
Most tech falls least time: Peoria’s Tarees Alexander, 1 tech in 2:41
Fastest fall: Rock Island’s Courtney Walls 0:14
Most team points: 28 (tie) – Walls, Geneseo’s Annibelle Juarez and Lydia King
Most single-match points: Kewanee’s JenDayia Crowe 25
Most total match points: Dunlap’s Olivia Curtis 38
Largest seed-place difference: Three girls were seeded No. 8 in their weight classes and finished fourth to become sectional qualifiers: Sherrard’s Sophia Bradarich (120), Mercer County’s Kyra Cardine (105) and East Peoria’s Shauna Dvorak (155).

BELVIDERE

DeKalb snared a team regional crown in Belvidere, out-pointing Kaneland 123-107 and sending four girls to this year’s DeKalb sectional meet. Yorkville placed a close third with 106.5 points.

Barbs coach Conor Infelise got regional titles from Alex Gregorio-Perez (100) and Aarianna Bloyd (235), a second from Larisza Gomez (105), and a third from Kara Zimmerman (135) in the win.

“Earning a regional title with the girls who started our program four years ago was special, and something we have been working towards,” Infelise said. “The girls are excited to get on the mat this weekend at home, and punching their tickets down to Bloomington for the IHSA state finals.

“Alex and Aarianna have done an outstanding job leading this team, and our girls have big goals they are looking to accomplish as we finish our season.”

Kaneland had five sectional qualifiers, led by regional champ and returing state champion Angelina Gochis (120), a second-place finish from Sadie Kinsella (190), and fourths from Chloe Cervantes (130), Caitlyn Manier (145) and Reygan Behrends (155).

Yorkville had four sectional qualifiers, led by regional champion Lauryn Trotter (155). Sycamore (89) was fourth, followed by Freeport (86), Hononegah (84), Erie (81.5), Sandwich (75), Belvidere (70) and Fulton (65.5) to round out the top 10 team finishes.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Alex Gregorio-Perez (33-3) DeKalb
105 Saya Hongmoungkhoune (21-1) Rockford East
110 Blair Grennan (29-2) Newman Central Catholic
115 Tessa Fosdick (26-10) Fulton
120 Angelina Gochis (24-2) Kaneland
125 Ryleigh Eriks (39-7) Rock Falls
130 Kerby Germann (35-1) Fulton
135 Bella Castelli (22-1) Hononegah
140 Ema Durst (29-0) Sycamore
145 Emily Taylor (24-5) Belvidere
155 Lauryn Trotter (36-7) Yorkville
170 Kylie Eilken (23-2) Jefferson
190 Anjanne Haywood (16-3) Guilford
235 Aarianna Bloyd (30-7) DeKalb

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS
100
Alex Gregorio-Perez (DeKalb) 33-3, d. Kendra Ege (Oregon) 9-1, (F 1:25)

Kali Dlercq (Hononegah) 24-3, d. Mya Olejiniczak (Harlem) 22-8, (F 4:55)

105

Saya Hongmoungkhoune (Rockford E) 21-1, d. Larisza Gomez Guevara (DeKalb) 36-5, (D 7-4)

Analiese Garretson (Yorkville) 35-8, d. Taylor Nevel (Lena-Winslow) 20-4, (D 6-5)

110

Blair Grennan (Newman) 29-2, d. Rozlyn Mosher (Erie) 31-4, (F 1:15)

Layla Schemehorn (Galena) 16-5, d. Karah Arnold (Lena-Winslow) 18-7, (F 1:16)

115

Tessa Fosdick (Fulton) 26-10, d. Rylie Dach (Byron) 29-7, (F 2:19)

Lydia Cartwright (Sandwich) 23-9, d. Serena Gunday (Lena-Winslow) 15-10, (F 0:21)

120

Angelina Gochis (Kaneland) 24-2, d. Kaiya Galindo (Freeport) 33-7, (F 1:34)

Kaylee Benyo (Newman) 16-11, d. Violet Sanders (G-Kingston) 28-15, (F 0:37)

125

Ryleigh Eriks (Rock Fs) 39-7, d. Emma Duncan (Galena) 11-8, (F 1:52)

Gianna Figueroa (Dakota) 10-2, d. Cammyla Macias (Rochelle) 13-9, (F 3:40)

130

Kerby Germann (Fulton) 35-1, d. Madison Heneks (Harlem) 27-7, (TF 4:13)

Ryleigh Stephens (Erie) 21-15, d. chloe Cervantes (Kaneland) 19-9, (F 2:50)

135

Bella Castelli (Hononegah) 22-1, d. Michelle Naftzger (Erie) 28-4, (MD 15-6)

Kara Zimmerman (DeKalb) 27-10, d. Winter Beard (Sycamore) 24-13, (F 0:42)

140

Ema Durst (Sycamore) 29-0, d. Aviana Froelich (Yorkville) 31-10, (TF 2:48)

Alana Lorenzen (Dixon) 7-6, d. Marilu Mercado (G-Kingston) 22-17, (F 2:20)

145

Emily Taylor (Belvidere) 24-5, d. Jazmin Rios (Sandwich) 34-9, (F 3:18)

Vivianna Torres (Sterling) 26-12, d. Caitlyn Manier (Kaneland) 18-16, (F 0:51)

155

Lauryn Trotter (Yorkville) 36-7, d. NaJeyah Wallace (Freeport) 28-8, (F 0:11)

Kate Costello (Stillman Valley) 9-1, d. reygan Behrends (Kaneland) 10-10, (F 5:07)

170

Kylie Eilken (Jefferson) 23-2, d. Frankie McMurtry (Sycamore) 28-7, (F 5:04)

Linda Villa (Hononegah) 13-4, d. Bella Martins (Freeport) 22-11, (F 0:35)

190

Anjanne Haywood (Guilford) 16-3, d. Sadie Kinsella (Kaneland) 25-7, (F 3:37)

Janiah Murray (Yorkville) 27-9, d. Lily Wurster (Freeport) 20-11, (F 4:43)

235

Aarianna Bloyd (DeKalb) 30-7, d. Jasmine Enriquez (Sycamore) 28-4, (F 3:14)

Savannah Trevino (Belvidere) 21-8, . d. Arianna Tamayo (Sterling) 18-11, (D 9-5)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: DeKalb 17, Yorkville 14, Sandwich 13
Most tech falls: 2 (tie) – Kaneland, Sycamore, Erie, Lena-Winslow
Most total match points: DeKalb 187, Yorkville 172, Erie 145

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: Newman Central’s Blair Grennan, 4 falls in 2:56
Most tech falls least time: Sycamore’s Ema Durst, 2 techs in 4:09
Fastest fall: Belvidere’s Savannah Trevino 0:09
Fastest tech fall: Kaneland’s Angelina Gochis 0:40
Most team points: 28 (tie) – Grennan, DeKalb’s Alex Gregorio-Perez, Yorkville’s Lauryn Trotter, Fulton’s Tessa Fosdick, Jefferson’s Kylie Eilken
Most single-match points: Erie’s Ayden Grawe 24
Most total match points: Durst 47
Largest seed-place difference: Newman Central’s Kaylee Benyo and Galena’s Emma Duncan; Benyo placed third as the No. 7 seed at 120 pounds, and Duncan placed second as the No. 6 seed at 125 pounds.

Screenshot

Girls regional recaps: Mt. Zion, Granite City, Jacksonville

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:37:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Qualifiers from these regionals feed the North Mac sectional on Feb. 14

MT. ZION

A hotly-contested battle for a team regional plaque played out in Mt. Zion, where Mahomet-Seymour finished with a 105-100 edge over the second-place co-op team from Westville/Georgetown-Ridge Farm.
Urbana wasn’t far behind with 91 team points, followed by Champaign Central (84.5) and St. Joseph-Ogden (82) to round out the top five team finishes.

Mahomet-Seymour coach Jeff Castor had five sectional qualifiers on the day, in regional champion Sierra Tuttle (100), second-placers Jocelyn Deedrick (140) and Jaycee Weitekamp (170), and fourths from Lily Daniels (115) and Cailyn Jones (235).

“I’m very proud of my team,” Castor said. “The girls came to win and gave it their all. Westville and Urbana fought us all the way. Couldn’t ask for a better group of girls. They have grown so much and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings. We have a young team to build on and Bulldog Girls Wrestling has a bright future.”

Second-place Westville/G.-Ridge Farm also advanced five girls to the sectional round, in regional champions Kiley Knight (115) and Addison Briggs (190). Third-place Urbana had four qualifiers, led by regional champion Ricky Ivy (140).

Oakwood/Salt Fork (66) placed sixth, followed by Paris (57), Charleston (53.5), Robinson (49) and Unity (46) to round out the top 10 team finishes.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Sierra Tuttle (18-12) Mahomet-Seymour
105 Sandy Clark (19-6) Clinton
110 Madison Poll (20-6) St. Thomas More
115 Kiley Knight (25-9) Westville/G.-Ridge Farm
120 Delaney Ledbetter (11-5) Lawrenceville
125 Yariah Shaw (12-0) Danville
130 Sydney Cannon (34-0) Mt. Zion
135 Candice Wright (20-7) St. Joseph-Ogden
140 Ricky Ivy (41-1) Urbana
145 Natalie Beaumont (17-1) Cumberland
155 Taylor Owens (14-5) Oakwood/Salt Fork
170 ly’Jah Grant (16-1) Champaign Central
190 Addison Briggs (22-4) Westville/G.-Ridge Farm
235 Phoenix Molina (31-0) Unity

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS
100
1st- Sierra Tuttle (Mahomet-Seymour) 18-12, d. Serenity Canady (Robinson) 11-4, (F 1:28)
3rd- Charlee Emmerich (Effingham) 6-5, d. Janelle Willoughby (Mattoon) 4-5, (F 1:58)
105
1st- Sandy Clark (Clinton) 19-6, d. Madison Siler (Robinson) 14-4, (F 4:40)

3rd- Kaidence Eveland (Paris) 11-5, d. Charisma Badman (Eisenhower) 3-11, (D 14-8)

110
1st- Madison Poll (St. Thomas More) 20-6, d. Paisley Reed (Paris) 11-4, (MD 15-2)

3rd- Taylor Garner (Centennial) 9-8, d. Mackenzie Gound (Rantoul) 13-20, (F 1:11)

115
1st- Kiley Knight (Westville/Georgetown-Ridge Farm) 25-9, d. Kate Wochner (Oakwood-Salt Fork) 19-8, (D 3-0)
3rd- Kami Sager (Fairfield) 4-14, d. Lily Daniels (Mahomet-Seymour) 15-19, (F 1:41)

120
1st- Delaney Ledbetter (Lawrenceville-Red HIll) 11-5, d. Morgan Krone-Smallhorn (Charleston) 24-5, (F 3:09)

3rd- Lainey Ehler (Oakwood-Salt Fork) 21-9, d. Madison Alsip (SJ-Ogden) 16-13, (F 1:22)

125
1st- Yariah Shaw (Danville (H.S.) 12-0, d. Ainsley Freeman (SJ-Ogden) 25-6, (F 5:51)

3rd- Rita Grant (Central) 10-8, d. Leonie Dubson (Mattoon) 5-4, (F 0:45)

130
1st- Sydney Cannon (Mt. Zion) 34-0, d. Ava Beldo (Tolono (Unity) 31-6, (F 1:17)

3rd- Londyn Grant (Central) 13-4, d. Laney Cook (Westville/G.-Ridge Farm) 23-10, (F 1:15)

135
1st- Candice Wright (SJ-Ogden) 20-7, d. Tamya Terry (Urbana) 24-10, (F 3:34)

3rd- Jasmyn Bennett (Westville/Georgetown-Ridge Farm) 14-5, d. Miley Peach (Mt. Carmel) 6-11, (F 5:03)

140

1st- Ricky Ivy (Urbana) 41-1, d. Jocelyn Deedrick (Mahomet-Seymour) 17-14, (F 1:01)

3rd- Zaiyrah Bailey (Central) 11-10, d. Bayah Good (Paris) 9-8, (F 4:00)

145
1st- Natalie Beaumont (Cumberland) 17-1, d. McKenzie Miller (GCMS/Fisher) 25-5, . (F 3:16)

3rd- Makenna Roedl (Westville/Georgetown-Ridge Farm) 22-12, d. Macee Hammond (Robinson) 19-6, (F 5:11)

155
1st- Taylor Owens (Oakwood-Salt Fork) 14-5, d. Maddie Wells (SJ-Ogden) 22-1, (F 5:08)
3rd- Lillien Roughton (Datur (Unity Christian) 12-9, d. Onisty Murphy (Central) 15-10, (F 0:21)
170 1st- Iy`Jah Grant (Central) 16-1, d. Jaycee Weitekamp (Mahomet-Seymour) 20-6, (TF-1.5 2:42 (19-3)

3rd- Summer Nichols (Cumberland) 16-6, d. Brinna Fox – Cook (Fairfield) 3-8, (F 0:39)

190
1st- Addison Briggs (Westville/G.-Ridge Farm) 22-4, d. Jocelyn Arreola (Urbana) 19-18, (F 0:27)

3rd- Alexus Dodge (Charleston) 6-5, d. Ashlynn Blevins (Fairfield) 5-12, (F 1:02)

235
1st- Phoenix Molina (Tolono (Unity) 31-0, d. Lilly Disanto (Urbana) 37-6, (F 1:57)

3rd- Olivia Rosine (Charleston) 20-7, d. Cailyn Jones (Mahomet-Seymour) 16-11, (TF 3:13)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: Westville/G.-Ridge Farm 14, Mahomet-Seymour 13, Champaign Central 12
Most tech falls: 1 (tie) Cumberland, Mt. Zion, Champaign Central, Charleston
Most total match points: Urbana 103, Paris 98, Mahomet-Seymour 94

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: Westville/G.-Ridge Farm’s Makenna Roedl, 4 falls in 13:58
Most tech falls least time: Cumberland’s Natalie Beaumont, 1 tech in 1:40
Fastest fall: Unity Christian’s Lillien Roughton 0:11
Most team points: 28 (tie)- Oakwood/Salt Fork’s Taylor Owens, Lawrenceville’s Delaney Ledbetter, Unity’s Phoenix Molina
Most single-match points: Robinson’s Madison Siler 23
Most total match points: Cumberland’s Natalie Beaumont 41
Largest seed-place difference: Effingham’s Charlee Emmerich placed third as the No. 7 seed at 100 pounds.

GRANITE CITY

Edwardsville dominated the competition in securing the team regional title Saturday at Granite City, posting 222.5 team points and advancing nine girls to the sectional round.

Edwardsville coach Jon Wagner sent five wrestlers to the top of the awards stand in regional champions Maddy Allen (100), Emma Rogers (105), Adleigh DeWerff (110), Genevieve Dykstra (115) and Victoria White (190). Placing second for the Tigers were Allie Chong (120) and Brooklyn Alldredge (130), while Olive Linhorst (125) placed third and Geeta Jonardhan (170) placed fourth to qualify.

“The Tigers had an excellent tournament, with the girls battling real hard,” Wagner said. “The first round Saturday was real important as we won seven of eight semifinals. Adleigh DeWerff and Genevieve Dykstra had great performances winning their championships. Two girls also fought their way back through the wrestlebacks.

“The regional was very competitive, with girls from many different schools making it through to the sectional.”

Collinsville (136) placed second, led by regional champions Londyn Long (125), Addyson Bailey (135) and Leann Cory (145). Regional champ Te’Aja Young (130) led Cahokia (111) to a third-place finish, followed by Belleville West (108.5), Triad (108), Marion (95.5), Granite City (93), Waterloo (87.5), Freeburg (72) and Mascoutah (62.5) to round out the top 10 team finishes.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Maddy Allen (26-4) Edwardsville
105 Emma Rogers (28-6) Edwardsville
110 Adleigh DeWerff (28-4) Edwardsville
115 Genevieve Dykstra (29-2) Edwardsville
120 Alauni Muex (41-2) Marion
125 Londyn Long (43-4) Collinsville
130 Te’Aja Young (22-1) Cahokia
135 Addyson Bailey (31-13) Collinsville
140 Audrey Barnes (29-1) Granite City
145 Leann Cory (40-4) Collinsville
155 Grace Stratton (35-0) Freeburg
170 Demi Barnes (26-2) Granite City
190 Victoria White (29-0) Edwardsville
235 Beckah Burrelsman (18-9) Triad

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS
100
1st – Maddy Allen (Edwardsville) 26-4, d. Jhayla Lawson (Mascoutah) 16-9, (F 3:05)

3rd- Faith Husky (Johnston City) 16-8, d. Shaina Pierce (Pinckneyville) 9-12, (F 0:57)

105

1st- Emma Rogers (Edwardsville) 28-6, d. Brielle Becker (Freeburg) 22-4 (TF 2:57)

3rd- Shayla Garner (Mascoutah) 21-8, d. Morgan Adams (Benton) 16-12, (TF 3:30)

110

1st- Adleigh DeWerff (Edwardsville) 28-4, d. Ivana Torres (Collinsville) 32-10, (D 6-3)

3rd- Riley Weems (Belleville W) 26-9, d. Kishelle Gray (Marion) 32-13, (F 2:30)

115

1st- Genevieve Dykstra (Edwardsville) 29-2, d. Baileigh Self (Althoff Cath) 29-3, (D 5-1)

3rd- Ma`Kayla Bonner (Granite City) 23-8, d. Trinity Phelps (Benton) 27-10, (F 1:03)

120

1st- Alauni Muex (Marion) 41-2, d. Allie Chong (Edwardsville) 22-5, (MD 10-2)

3rd- Catelyn Reese (Frankfort) 22-7, d. Kathleen Loyola (Carbondale) 30-12, (F 1:45)

125
1st- Londyn Long (Collinsville) 43-4, d. Dakota Bell (Cahokia) 19-5, (F 1:07)

3rd- Olive Linhorst (Edwardsville) 20-6, d. Zoey Nelson (Mascoutah) 14-7, (F 1:05)

130

1st- Te`Aja Young (Cahokia) 22-1, d. Brooklyn Alldredge (Edwardsville) 29-7, (TF-1.5 4:28 (17-2))

3rd- Lamia Irby (Belleville E) 17-6, d. Joelene Nappier-Feth (Marion) 37-6, (F 4:59)

135

1st- Addyson Bailey (Collinsville) 31-13, d. Jacee Mardirosian (Carterville) 32-3, (F 1:18)

3rd- Makenna Steele (Triad) 23-4, d. Madelyn Edler (Waterloo) 28-12, (F 0:52)

140

1st- Audrey Barnes (Granite City) 29-1, d. Jariyah Powell (E St. Louis) 18-6, (F 1:55)

3rd- Alyssa Hardt (Belleville W) 27-9, d. Sophia Elkins (Highland) 21-10, (F 3:23)

145

1st- Leann Cory (Collinsville) 40-4, d. Kyla Ford (Carbondale) 25-6, (F 1:17)

3rd- Josselin Mateo (Murphysboro) 16-3, d. Adaliah Roth (Triad) 16-9, (F 0:36)

155

1st- Grace Stratton (Freeburg) 35-0, d. Nahima Mateo (Murphysboro) 21-4, (F 0:44)

3rd- Kaitlin Wood (Triad) 23-6, d. Addison mabry (Benton) 25-10, (F 0:54)

170

1st- Demi Barnes (Granite City) 26-2, d. Kira Thompson (O’Fallon) 9-1, (F 5:49)

3rd- Janylah Holman (Cahokia) 24-5, d. Geeta Jonardhan (Edwardsville) 17-16, (F 1:25)

190

1st- Victoria White (Edwardsville) 29-0, d. Brooke Stellhorn (Belleville W) 20-2, (MD 10-1)

3rd- Izabell McBride (Waterloo) 18-4, d. Kamryn Brown (Cahokia) 24-11, (TF-1.5 2:31 (15-0)

235
1st- Beckah Burrelsman (Triad) 18-9, d. Andre`a Kirkpatrick (Belleville W) 27-6, (D 5-0)

3rd- Kiowa Quillen (Johnston City) 18-4, d. Gabrielle Conner (Cahokia) 10-8, (F 0:57)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: Edwardsville 21, Marion 18, 17 by Collinsville, Triad and Belleville West
Most tech falls: Edwardsville 4, Marion 3
Most total match points: Edwardsville 281, Marion 229, Belleville West 171

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: Triad’s Makenna Steele, 5 in 8:39
Most tech falls least time: Edwardsville’s Emma Rogers, 2 in 4:57
Fastest fall: Waterloo’s Madelyn Edler 0:13
Fastest tech fall: Althoff’s Baileigh Self 1:24
Most team points: Collinsville’s Addyson Bailey 32
Most single-match points: Cahokia’s Nyla Bryant 22, Marion’s Alauni Muex 22
Most total match points: Muex 61, Freeburg’s Aubrey Rutmanis 61
Largest seed-place difference: Cahokia’s Gabrielle Conner became a sectional qualifier by placing fourth at 235 as the No. 10 seed in the tournament.

JACKSONVILLE REGIONAL

The closest race for a team regional title in Illinois played out in Jacksonville, where the Springfield co-op team edged Civic Memorial by a single team point, 126.5-125.5.

Springfield coach Cody Watts saw seven of his girls become sectional qualifiers, led by regional champions Phoenix Criss (105), Kimoreyee Ballard (140) and Abigail Kinison (235). Springfield also got third-place finishes from Alina Edwards (110), Alliyah Powell (130) and Tala Asad (135), and a fourth from Makenna Smith (170).

Sprinfield led all teams with four tech falls and tied for the second-most pins with ten.

Civic Memorial also advanced seven to the sectional meet, led by regional champions Chloe Rice (135) and Izabella Darr (155), and coach Jeremy Christeson also got seconds from Laila Earney (120), Claire Shaw (125) and Audrey Whipple (170), and fourths from Lillian McGuiggan (105) and Averi Lowe (110).

Glenwood (101) placed third, followed by Jacksonville (83.5) and Roxana (57) to round out the top five team finishes.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
100 Madelynn Murphy (19-5) Roxana
105 Phoenix Criss (25-7) Springfield co-op
110 Chloe Skiles (22-1) Roxana
115 Rilynn Younker (32-11) Litchfield-Mt. Olive
120 Olivia Jarrett (24-13) Glenwood
125 Aryanna Jones (19-8) Alton
130 Isabella Resendez (27-9) Glenwood
135 Chloe Rice (11-8) Civic Memorial
140 Kimoreyee Ballard (22-9) Sprinfield co-op
145 Leah Brammeier (22-9) Olympia
155 Izabella Darr (10-8) Civic Memorial
170 Brynn Swyers (15-6) Vandalia
190 Abigail Kinison (6-13) Sprinfield co-op
235 Madeleine Cooley (11-5) Jacksonville

SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS
100
1st- Madelyn Murphy (Roxana) 19-5, d. Chloe Collins (Olympia) 27-4, (F 2:17)
3rd- Kadi Wilbern (Glenwood) 26-7, d. Haley Richter (Heyworth) 7-9, (F 0:58)
105
1st- Phoenix Criss (Springfield) 25-7, d. Alexia Gld. (PORTA) 23-8, (F 5:09)
3rd- Karsynn Vogel (Quincy) 20-6, d. Lillian Mcguiggan (Civic Memorial) 13-13, (F 2:55)
110
1st- Chloe Skiles (Roxana) 22-1, d. Leena Cavender (Jacksonville) 17-9, (F 0:36)
3rd- Alina Edwards (Springfield) 5-7, d. Averi Lowe (Civic Memorial) 14-13, (F 3:01)
115
1st- Rilynn Younker (Litchfield-Mt. Olive) 32-11, d. Asher Ronan (N Mac-Waverly) 15-5, (F 0:47)
3rd- Kaitlyn Knight (Jacksonville) 16-9, d. Lily Robinson (Olympia) 4-12, (F 0:33)
120
1st- Olivia Jarrett (Glenwood) 24-13, d. Laila Earney (Civic Memorial) 16-12, (F 1:57)
3rd- Lucie Eisenbarth (Rochester) 18-7, d. Baylie Boggs (Pleasant Plains-New Berlin) 9-12, (F 1:15)
125
1st- Aryanna Jones (Alton ()) 19-8, d. Claire Shaw (Civic Memorial) 13-13, (F 4:45)
3rd- Heaven Kennedy (N Mac-Waverly) 12-13, d. Lily Jones (Jacksonville) 13-13, (F 1:29)
130
1st- Isabella Resendez (Glenwood) 27-9, d. Aubree Murphy (Quincy) 23-5, (D 5-2)
3rd- Alliyah Powell (Springfield) 22-14, d. Sidney Ufert (Roxana) 14-8, (TF-1.5 3:29 (15-0)
135
1st- Chloe Rice (Civic Memorial) 11-8, d. Madison Brewer (Glenwood) 14-11, (F 2:38)
3rd- Tala Asad (Springfield) 17-9, d. Layla Garcia (Beardstown) 10-11, (D 8-6)
140

1st- Kimoreyee Ballard (Springfield) 22-9, d. Elsie Dozier (Glenwood) 24-8, (F 4:54)
3rd- Amber Louderback (Camp Pt. Central) 19-4, d. Zoe Bloyd (Quincy) 24-5, (F 2:25)
145
1st- Leah Brammeier (Olympia) 22-9, d. Bailey Davis (Seymour) 3-1, (F 1:00)
3rd- Cali Fulcher (Heyworth) 19-22, d. Charlie Bono (Litchfield-Mt. Olive) 15-25, (D 9-4)
155
1st- Izabella Darr (Civic Memorial) 10-8, d. Violet Gray (Vandalia) 14-5, (D 8-6)
3rd- Skylee Howell (Jersey) 13-18, d. Libby Scheland (PORTA) 3-19, (F 0:54)
170
1st- Brynn Swyers (Vandalia) 15-6, d. Audrey Whipple (Civic Memorial) 19-10, (F 1:46)
3rd- Olivia Monroe (Jacksonville) 16-9, d. Makenna Smith (Springfield) 15-17, (F 3:40)
190
1st- Abigail Kinison (Springfield) 6-13, d. Violet Beck (Illinois School for the Visually Impaired co-op) 1-2, (F 1:49)
3rd- BYE
235
1st- Madeleine Cooley (Jacksonville) 11-5, Fr. over Abbie Heusing (Carlinville) 12-15 (F 1:53)
3rd- Mikayla Means (Southwestern) 3-13, d. Sophie Brown (Shelbyville) 1-1, (M. For.)

Statistics
TEAM

Most pins: Jacksonville 11; Civic Memorial, Glenwood, Springfield 10
Most tech falls: Springfield 4; Quincy, Jacksonville, PORTA, Civic Memorial 1
Most total match points: Springfield 173, Civic Memorial 106, Glenwood 82

INDIVIDUAL
Most pins least time: Jacksonville’s Kaitlyn Knight, 3 falls in 2:10
Fastest fall: Carlinville’s Mary Emmick 0:20
Fastest tech fall: Quincy’s Karsynn Vogel 2:00
Most team points: Civic Memorial’s Chloe Rice 27.5
Most single-match points: Springfield’s Kimoreyee Ballard 2, Jacksonville’s Leena Cavender 2
Most total match points: 39 (tie)- Springfield’s Alliyah Powell and Tala Asad, Camp Point Central’s Amber Louderback
Largest seed-place difference: Glenwood’s Olivia Jarrett and Olympia’s Lily Robinson; Jarrett won the regional title at 120 pounds as the No. 4 seed, and Robinson placed fourth and became a sectional qualifier at 115 as the No. 7 seed.

2A team sectional recaps: St. Ignatius, Evergreen Park, Mahomet-Seymour

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:28:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

WCOA rankings from Rob Sherrill’s Illinois Best Weekly

The dual team state finals will take place at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington on Feb. 27-28.

ST. IGNATIUS SECTIONAL

WHEELING 33, DEERFIELD 31

No. 12 Wheeling (12-4) dominated the upper weights and won three pivotal swing matches in edging No. 13 Deerfield (18-3) 33-31. In all, Wheeling won eight of the 14 individual matches.

Wheeling will take on No. 7 Mahomet-Seymour (21-4) in a state quarterfinal dual at 5 p.m. in Bloomington on Feb. 27.

Nobody stood taller after Wheeling’s win than David Perez, Nicholas Montesinos, and Eddie Juarez — Perez won a 7-5 decision at 120; Montesinos won 8-7 at 175, and Juarez won a 2-1 decision at 215 to set up a dual-clinching pin from Pablo Morales (285).

Wheeling coach Charlie Curran got a pair of pins from John Scanlon (157) and Pablo Morales (285), a tech fall from Astan Lokhov (190), a major decision from Damian Brito (165), and a straight decision win from Juan Escanuela (132).

Deerfield held a 3-2 advantage in falls behind pins from Danny Martinez (126), Adrian Cohen (144) and Alexander Shvartsman (150). Other Deerfield wins came from Jack Pechter (106), Jayme Cohen (113) and Ben Howard (138).

Wheeling will be making its third appearance in the state finals in program history and its first for Curran, having made it downstate under coach Neal Weiner in 2009 and 2017.

Deerfield was seeking its fifth trip downstate for coach Mark Pechter, who guided the program to the state finals in 2015, 2017, 2022 and 2023. The Warriors placed fourth in Illinois for Pechter in 2017 and second in state in 2022.

Dual results

106 – Jake Pechter (Deerfield) d. Tommy Katz (Wheeling) TF 16-1

113 – Jayme Cohen (Deerfield) d. Frankie Katz (Wheeling) D 11-6

120 – David Perez (Wheeling) d. Jorey Becker (Deerfield) D 7-5

126 – Danny Martinez (Deerfield) d. Christian Giron (Wheeling) F 1:36

132 – Juan Escanuela (Wheeling) d. Jack Jansen (Deerfield) D 10-4

138 – Ben Howard (Deerfield) d. Manny Lagunas (Wheeling) TF 15-0

144 – Adrian Cohen (Deerfield) d. Byron Arreola (Wheeling) F 1:25

150 – Alexander Shvartsman (Deerfield) d. Austin Berger (Wheeling) F 0:45

157 – John Scanlon (Wheeling) d. Angel Martinez (Deerfield) F 2:58

165 – Damian Brito (Wheeling) d. Caleb Padilla (Deerfield) MD 17-7

175 – Nicholas Montesinos (Wheeling) d. Jonathan Weissmueller (Deerfield) D 8-7

190 – Astan Lokhov (Wheeling) d. Walker Pesche (Deerfield) TF 15-0

215 – Eddie Juarez (Wheeling) d. Josh Dixon (Deerfield) D 2-1

285 – Pablo Morales (Wheeling) d. Daniel Cox (Deerfield) F 0:21

IC CATHOLIC PREP 60, ST. IGNATIUS 15

No. 1 IC Catholic Prep (16-2) won 11 of 14 matches to beat host St. Ignatius 60-15, sending last year’s state champions back to Bloomington and the chance to repeat as the best team in Class 2A.
IC Prep and No. 4 Geneseo (14-6) square off in a state quarterfinal dual at 7 p.m. in Bloomington on Feb. 27.

IC Prep got falls from Drew Murante (113), Aiden Arnett (150), Joey Pontrelli (165), Brody Kelly (175) and Anthony Sebastian (285). The Knights also got tech fall wins from Kannon Judycki (120), Sam Murante (126), Dominic Pasquale (132), Frank Nitti (144), Jacob Alvarez (157) and Foley Calcagno (190).

IC Prep heads downstate for the fifth time in program history. The Knights also qualified in 2018, 2022 and 2023 in Class 1A.

St. Ignatius (11-5) got falls from Mike McMillan (106) and Melson Ngassa (215), and a straight decision win from Colton Huff (138). The Wolfpack was seeking its first trip to the team state finals for coach Ben Sanchez.

Dual results

106 – Mike McMillan (St. Ignatius) d. Ignacio Gildea (IC Catholic) F 2:42

113 – Drew Murante (IC Catholic) d. Eli Rodriguez (St. Ignatius) F 2:00

120 – Kannon Judycki (IC Catholic) d. Frank Valle (St. Ignatius) TF 19-3

126 – Sam Murante (IC Catholic) d. Alex Villanueva (St. Ignatius) TF 17-1

132 – Dominic Pasquale (IC Catholic) d. Pat Moroney (St. Ignatius) TF 17-2

138 – Colton Huff (St. Ignatius) d. Jack Hanrahan (IC Catholic) D 5-1

144 – Frank Nitti (IC Catholic) d. Luke Sanchez (St. Ignatius) TF 18-1

150 – Aiden Arnett (IC Catholic) d. Nino Capuano (St. Ignatius) F 2:26

157 – Jacob Alvarez (IC Catholic) d. Luca Capuano (St. Ignatius) TF 18-3

165 – Joey Pontrelli (IC Catholic) d. Gus Schaff (St. Ignatius) F 1:11

175 – Brody Kelly (IC Catholic) d. Ashok Chacko (St. Ignatius) F 1:23

190 – Foley Calcagno (IC Catholic) d. Colin Offen (St. Ignatius) TF 21-5

215 – Melson Ngassa (St. Ignatius) d. Anthony Keating (IC Catholic) F 1:20

285 – Anthony Sebastian (IC Catholic) d. Dave Reardon (St. Ignatius) F 1:40

MAHOMET-SEYMOUR SECTIONAL

MAHOMET-SEYMOUR 42, BLOOMINGTON 25

Host No. 7 Mahomet-Seymour (21-4) topped Bloomington (2-2) 42-25 behind a 9-3 edge in matches wrestled that included four falls, three major decisions and two straight decision wins.

The win sends coach Rob Ledin’s boys to a state quarterfinal dual against No. 12 Wheeling (12-4) at 5 p.m. in Bloomington, marking the program’s 23rd trip to the state finals.

Getting pins for Mahomet-Seymour were Myles Hertzler (106), Liam Noonan (138), Talon Dker (165) and Marco Casillas (190). Garrett Waisath (150), Weston Neutz (157) and Christopher Dill (175) earned majors while Gideon Hayter (132), Justus Vrona (144) won straight decisions. Mahomet-Seymour forfeited at 215 and 285 to end the dual.

Wins for Bloomington came from the lower-weight trio of Cooper Bye (113), Lincoln Steers (120) and Seville Dangerfield (126). Bye won by major decision, Steers won by fall, and Dangerfield won a straight decision. Preston Ifft (215) and Jaylen Raab (285) won by forfeit. Bloomington was seeking its fifth appearance at the state finals.

Ledin will lead Mahomet-Seymour to the state finals for the eighth time and fifth consecutive appearance. The Bulldogs have placed third and fourth downstate under Ledin.

Mahomet-Seymour also won four state trophies under coach Rob Porter, one under Tom Porter, and three under Bob Handlin. The Bulldogs won five state titles from 1983-89 under coach Marty Williams and won seven consecutive state trophies during that time.

Dual results

106 – Myles Hartzler (Mahomet-S) d. Angel Lopez (Bloomington) F 1:29

113 – Cooper Bye (Bloomington) d. Grant Morphew (Mahomet-S) MD 15-4

120 – Lincoln Steers (Bloomington) d. Alex Johnson (Mahomet-S) F 3:41

126 – Seville Dangerfield (Bloomington) d. Noah Meints (Mahomet-S) D 8-4

132 – Gideon Hayter (Mahomet-S) d. Jack Schweitzer (Bloomington) D 4-3

138 – Liam Noonan (Mahomet-S) d. Jose Agustin Castro (Bloomington) F 0:36

144 – Justus Vrona (Mahomet-S) d. Tyler Barlow (Bloomington) D 13-11

150 – Garrett Waisath (Mahomet-S) d. Brody Cabrera (Bloomington) MD 13-0

157 – Weston Neutz (Mahomet-S) d. Leighton Vandegraft (Bloomington) MD 14-1

165 – Talon Dker (Mahomet-S) d. Chris Rose (Bloomington) F 3:56

175 – Christopher Dill (Mahomet-S) d. Tyler Gardner (Bloomington) MD 11-3

190 – Marco Casillas (Mahomet-S) d. Zavian Turner (Bloomington) F 2:43

215 – Preston Ifft (Bloomington) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

285 – Jaylen Raab (Bloomington) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

GLENWOOD 41, MASCOUTAH 22

Posting an 8-5 edge in matches wrestled powered No. 3 Glenwood (21-7) to a 41-22 victory over No. 17 Mascoutah (12-2).

The win sends Glenwood to a state quarterfinal showdown against No. 9 Oak Forest (19-7) in Bloomington at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27. The state finals appearance will be the seventh in program history for Glenwood, and the first for first-year head coach Nick Anthony.

Titans coach Nick Anthony got pins from Cooper Clarke (106) and Cody Moss (285) in the win, plus tech falls from Pierce Bultmann (113) and Jaxon Ferguson (120), a major decision from Finnley Try (150), and straight decisions from Julian Rammelkamp (165) and Oluwafemi Balogun (190). Mascoutah forfeited at 132 to Glenwood’s AJ Williams.

Wins for Mascoutah coach Cole Witzig came by fall from Xavier Sonon-Hale (126), plus a tech fall from Brock Ross (157), major decisions from Macguire Leck (138) and Desi Wade (144) and a straight decision from Abel Faircloth (215).

Glenwood placed third in Illinois in 2024 and is making its third consecutive downstate appearance. Mascoutah was seeking its first state finals appearance.

Dual results

106 – Cooper Clarke (Glenwood) d. Braxton McCall (Mascoutah) F 2:00

113 – Pierce Bultmann (Glenwood) d. Jacob Martell (Mascoutah) TF 15-0

120 – Jaxon Ferguson (Glenwood) d. Logan Lott (Mascoutah) TF 15-0

126 – Xavier Sonon-Hale (Mascoutah) d. Jake Tuxhorn (Glenwood) F 1:38

132 – Aj Williams (Glenwood) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

138 – Macguire Leck (Mascoutah) d. Eli Britton (Glenwood) MD 14-6

144 – Desi Wade (Mascoutah) d. Braden Monahan (Glenwood) MD 12-1

150 – Finnley Try (Glenwood) d. Adrian Nastas (Mascoutah) MD 15-7

157 – Brock Ross (Mascoutah) d. Pierce Helm (Glenwood) TF 16-0

165 – Jullian Rammelkamp (Glenwood) d. Sean Murphy (Mascoutah) D 13-9

175 – Elijah Smith (Glenwood) d. Jordan Sonon-Hale (Mascoutah) SV-1 9-6

190 – Oluwafemi Balogun (Glenwood) d. Harrison Redenius (Mascoutah) D 5-2

215 – Abel Faircloth (Mascoutah) d. Mason Streb (Glenwood) D 5-0

285 – Cody Moss (Glenwood) d. Nygel Bowers (Mascoutah) F 1:55

EVERGREEN PARK SECTIONAL

OAK FOREST 57, RIVERSIDE-BROOKFIELD 11

Behind five falls and a 9-3 edge in matches wrestled, No. 9 Oak Forest (19-7) topped Riverside-Brookfield (10-9) 57-11 for coach Shawn Forst. The win sets up a state quarterfinal dual for Oak Forest against No. 3 Glenwood (21-7) at 7 p.m. in Bloomington on Feb. 27.

Oak Forest’s win featured falls from Roberto Rangel (113), Jacob Sebek (126), James Stadtler (144), Mike Rowe (157) and Ethan Copher (165); a tech fall from Austin Perez (150); a major decision from Shane Matthews (285), and straight decisions from Jason Schickel (106) and Nathan Izguerra (190).
R-B forfeited at 120 to Hunter Kroll and at 215 to Andrius Vasilevskas.

Oak Forest will be making its sixth appearance in the team state finals, and its fifth under the guidance of coach Shawn Forst. Oak Forest made the trip downstate in 2009 under coach Bucky Randolph, and in 2014-15 and 2017-18 under Forst. Oak Forest placed third in state in 2014 and 2015.

Riverside-Brookfield got a tech fall win from Izaiah Gonzalez (132) and straight decision wins from Tony Lombardo (138) and Nick O’Connor (175) in the loss. The Bulldogs were seeking their fourth trip to the state finals for coach Nick Curby, who guided the program downstate in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

Dual results

106 – Jason Schickel (Oak Forest) d. Riley Cavaliere (R-B) D 8-5

113 – Roberto Rangel (Oak Forest) d. Miles Russell-Barnes (R-B) F 1:30

120 – Hunter Kroll (Oak Forest) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

126 – Jacob Sebek (Oak Forest) d. Jayden Tulian (R-B) F 1:42

132 – Izaiah Gonzalez (R-B) d. Josh Schickel (Oak Forest) TF 15-0

138 – Tony Lombardo (R-B) d. Dylan McBride (Oak Forest) D 5-2

144 – James Stadtler (Oak Forest) d. Kevin Callejas (R-B) F 3:52

150 – Austin Perez (Oak Forest) d. Aiden Veltman (R-B) TF 19-3

157 – Mike Rowe (Oak Forest) d. Elijah Rembis (R-B) F 2:51

165 – Ethan Copher (Oak Forest) d. Tony Salgado (R-B) F 0:56

175 – Nick O’Connor (R-B) d. Jason Janke (Oak Forest) D 5-4

190 – Nathan Izguerra (Oak Forest) d. Gerald Evans (R-B) D 8-1

215 – Andrius Vasilevskas (Oak Forest) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

285 – Shane Mathews (Oak Forest) d. Kevin Zuniga (R-B) MD 13-2

PROVIDENCE CATHOLIC 63, EVERGREEN PARK 14

No. 2 Providence Catholic (11-7) stormed to a 63-14 team victory over No. 23 Evergreen Park (18-6), with the Celtics posting eight falls among an 11-3 edge in matches won. Providence also had three tech falls in the win.

The win puts Providence in a state quarterfinal dual against No. 5 Marian Central Catholic (9-7) at 5 p.m. in Bloomington on Feb. 27.

Providence falls against Evergreen Park came from Cole Lemberg (106), Christian Corcoran (113), Max Mandac (126), Luke Banas (144), Justus Heeg (157), Jasper Harper (165), Ameer Khalil (175) and Brayden McKay. Lucas Forsythe (132), Griffin Heeney (138) and Andrew Pellicci (150) all won by tech fall.

Evergreen Park got pins from Damian Perez (120) and Landon Robinson-Gwin (215), while Willie Johnson won by decision at 285. Coach Ron Zimmerman’s Mustangs were seeking the program’s second downstate berth.

Providence Catholic will make its 21st appearance at the team dual finals and its first for coach Donny Reynolds. The program has won 10 team state titles — six under coach Keith Healy, three under Tim Ruettiger, and one under Mike Polz. Providence returns to the finals for the first time since 2018.

Dual results

106 – Cole Lemberg (Providence) d. Brayden Mateja-Bates (Evergreen Park) F 5:21

113 – Christian Corcoran (Providence) d. Ethan Brantley (Evergreen Park) F 0:25

120 – Damian Perez (Evergreen Park) d. Nathan Ortiz (Providence) F 1:24

126 – Max Mandac (Providence) d. Jayden Cervantes (Evergreen Park) F 4:44

132 – Lucas Forsythe (Providence) d. Adrian Cervantes (Evergreen Park) TF 18-3

138 – Griffin Heeney (Providence) d. Michael Chatman (Evergreen Park) TF 21-6

144 – Luke Banas (Providence) d. Lucas Landry (Evergreen Park) F 3:00

150 – Andrew Pellicci (Providence) d. Jacob Rubalcava (Evergreen Park) TF 20-3

157 – Justus Heeg (Providence) d. Esau Rubalcava (Evergreen Park) F 0:22

165 – Jasper Harper (Providence) d. Owen Brady (Evergreen Park) F 2:58

175 – Ameer Khalil (Providence) d. Kyle Croft (Evergreen Park) F 1:10

190 – Brayden McKay (Providence) d. James Templin (Evergreen Park) F 3:54

215 – Landon Robinson-Gwin (Evergreen Park) d. Henry Kalis (Providence) F 0:29

285 – Willie Johnson (Evergreen Park) d. Ryan Lenahan (Providence) D 7-2

2A Sycamore Sectional: Marian Central, Geneseo head downstate

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:55:00 GMT

By Chris Walker For The IWCOA

IWCOA rankings from Rob Sherrill’s Illinois Best Weekly

MARIAN CENTRAL CATHOLIC 36, WASHINGTON 31

Marian Central Catholic had the distinct pleasure of being invited down to Washington in late January for its annual DubTown ThrowDown, one of the absolute coolest dual meets for a high school wrestler to experience.

Within the theatrical atmosphere of the Five Points Washington Auditorium, and a boisterous crowd which included Lilija Stevens, the mayor of Washington, Marian won a 36-31 thriller over Washington and foreshadowed what a potential rematch in the state series would bring.

It would bring them to Sycamore 13 days later on Feb. 5 for the Class 2A Sycamore team dual sectional where Geneseo and Batavia would also be battling for a trip to the IHSA state dual tournament at Grossinger Arena in Bloomington on Feb. 27-28.

Once again, Washington and Marian went back and forth, seemingly matching each other blow for blow, and again it went down to the final few matches, with the Hurricanes once again getting past the Panthers in a dual that was tied at 18-18 midway through. Ultimately, the Hurricanes, coincidentally ranked No. 18, defeated the No. 4 Panthers, 37-33.

“When we wrestled them at the DubTown our 126 pounder was out and we had a back-up kid and their kid got sick, and so we didn’t see that match,” Washington coach Nick Miller said. “I will say they made a couple moves that we didn’t see coming and that’s the beauty of hindsight. It wasn’t much more than the coin flip. They won it and immediately were evens. 126, 132 and 138 was a real important stretch of the dual. We thought we could get all three but we had to control the flip and we knew that going in. And that ’75 was a great strategic move from (Jordan) Blanton and coach (Ryan) Prater.”

The 175 match was the second match of the dual after it kicked off at 165 with Washington’s Wyatt Medlin (University of Illinois) pinning Marian’s Josh Gawronski at 0:59.

Wrestling up a weight class, Marian’s Nic Astacio rose to the task, scoring a 13-4 major win over Wyatt Leman. It wasn’t just a huge early win for the Hurricanes but provided some early momentum as Dan French (190) followed with his 100th career win, a pin of Zane Heubi at 3:48, before Jimmy Mastny (215) earned a tech fall over Josh Hoffer in a big-time battle between Iowa State and University of Illinois recruits.

“I do like bumping up,” Astacio said. “It’s very nice, even though I do prefer wrestling at 165, I’ll wrestle at 175, it’s a different feel, but I like that feel. I’ve bumped up a few times this year. I can’t remember off the top of my head when I did it last. I even bumped up my freshman year the entire time.”

Despite the weight difference, Astacio said the mental battle was bigger than the physical one.

“I mean, when bumping up like that there’s really not much difference, it’s just like my mentality is no matter what weight, I’m going out no matter who I’m going to wrestle,” he said. “It’s my match. I got to wrestle my match. It’s just wrestling my match.”

Washington needed someone to step up in a big way and halt the Hurricanes in their place and there wasn’t anyone better – or bigger – than Sean Thornton to do it as the 285-pounder made quick work of Owen Nevzri, securing a pin in 29 seconds to pull the Panthers to within 15-12.

Washington’s Symon Woods followed at 106, picking up a quick six points for an 18-15 lead when Marian’s Trent Zomok went down with an injury a few seconds into the match.

Marian’s Diego Martinez earned a 7-3 decision against Sage Davis at 113 to tie the match at 18-18.

A forfeit victory by Marian’s Hogan Rice at 120 followed by teammate Cam Spiniolas’ 12-4 major win over Micah Jackson at 126 gave the Hurricanes their first double-digit lead of the dual at 28-18.

Washington’s Lucas Bach pinned Gio Ferriolo at 0:42 to pick up a much-needed bonus-points win at 132 for the Panthers. Bach’s teammate, Logan Makiney, followed with a 4-3 decision over Zane Mochocki at 138 to pull the Panthers to within 28-27 with three matches remaining.

In the meantime, Marian’s Austin Hagevold was breathing normally, getting ready to battle Cayden Park at 144.

“Before a match I like to isolate myself from everyone else in a dark hallway and pace back and forth and just like to breathe and slow everything down,” he said. “And I know I’m really good at wrestling so I know I can hang with anybody and beat anybody if I just get my mind right so I just like to breathe.”

Park went the distance with Hagevold, but Hagevold managed his breathing which helped ensure that he’d come away victorious.

“I wrestled him about two weeks ago and I pinned him in the second (period) so I knew it was definitely a match to win, and if I put him on his hands he would slow down,” Hagevold said. “And the coach came up and said if I win and get a decision it ices the dual so I wasn’t looking for big points, I was looking to control the match and make it a marathon.”

Freshman Brendan Nardin, who missed most of the season recovering from a knee injury, followed with a pin of Grey Slatten at 150 midway through the first period to give the Hurricanes a 10-point cushion heading into the final bout at 157.

With the result of the 157 match not going to change the outcome of the dual, the Hurricanes surrendered a forfeit to Cruise Brolley.

“We were ranked like 19th or something and I think they were like three so it was nice to knock them off again,” Mastny said. “We don’t really think about rankings, just come out here and wrestle and prove we can beat them again, you know? I think they had another kid this time so we proved we could beat them again with their full lineup. Nick Astacio bumped up and getting bonus points was a big deal for us.”

Last year, the Hurricanes finished in third place in the state in Class 1A and now find themselves making a deep run in the state series in 2A, which included getting past a Washington program that was looking for a fourth consecutive state appearance. Marian also won the Class 1A state title in 2024.

“I mean, among our teammates there was no doubt,” Astacio said. “All of us were pretty confident in our matches, all of us were like, ‘Ok, we’re all going to go out and wrestle.’ Coaches are talking about how this is the time we need to be peaking and we are peaking. It’s one of the things we focus on and the same thing you talked about with momentum in the dual meets I learned it was very valuable since the beginning was momentum, that when you start winning those matches you got to pick it up. It’s like a snowball rolling down a hill. It keeps picking up snow, keeps picking up momentum and that will lead to more dual victories.”

Hagevold acknowledged that the goal of getting to state again has been something his teammates have talked about often, without any fear whatsoever regarding the leap in classes.

“We talked about it a lot,” he said. “We were at 1A and took third and we knew we were going to get bumped up. And we lost about four seniors, four real good seniors, and knew it was going to be tough but we wanted this, not just to prove to the state that we’re a great team no matter where we are. We’ve beaten some high 3A teams and we like to wrestle outside the state with dual teams. We have a high standard for ourselves and just like we want to compete at 2A and we showed that.”

After winning state titles in 2023 and 2024 and finishing second to IC Prep last year, Washington will have to wait at least another year for its 12th state appearance since 2014.

“I’m proud of them all,” Miller said. “After the meet was over and we were kind of walking around gathering things together to get ready and loaded on the bus, I was listening to conversations the seniors were having with underclassmen. Our group of seniors, a really large group of seven or eight seniors, and these kids talking, most of these guys were in the lineup as freshmen against Joliet Catholic Academy in the finals (2023). I feel for them not being able to finish the team way, but listening to their conversations with the underclassmen during a really tough moment showed how they continue to lead.”

Dual results

165: Wyatt Medlin (Washington) d. Josh Gawronski (Marian) (F 0:59)

175: Nic Astacio (Marian) d. Wyatt Leman (Washington) (MAJ 13-4)

190: Dan French (Marian) d Zane Heubi (Washington) (F 3:48)

215: Jimmy Mastny (Marian) d Josh Hoffer (Washington) (TF 18-3)

285: Sean Thornton (Washington) d. Owen Neuzil (Marian) (F 0:29)

106: Symon Woods (Washington) d. Trent Zomor (Marian) (INJ 0:03)

113: Diego Martinez (Marian) d. Sage Davis (Washington) (D 7-3)

120: Hogan Rice (Marian) d. Unknown (Washington) (FORF)

126: Cam Spiniolas (Marian) d. Micah Jackson (Washington) (MAJ 12-4)

132: Lucas Bach (Washington) d. Gio Ferriolo (Marian) (F 0:42)

138: Logan Makiney (Washington) d. Zane Mochocki (Marian) (D 4-3)

144: Austin Hagevold (Marian) d. Cayden Park (Washington) (D 5-2)

150: Brendan Nardin (Marian) d. Grey Slatten (Washington) (F 1:05)

157: Cruise Brolley (Washington) d. Unknown (Marian) (FORF)

GENESEO 55, BATAVIA 16

Looking for its third trip to state in four years, No. 6 Geneseo won six straight matches and 11 overall to power its way past No. 13 Batavia, 55-16, in the other team dual at Sycamore.

“I asked the guys to battle and that’s what they do no matter what, win or lose, six minutes, we’re going to go out and battle with everybody we can battle and hopefully we come out on top,” Geneseo coach Tom Rusk said. “No matter what, they’re going to know they’re in for a fight.”

After Batavia’s Colin Peyton opened the dual with a tech fall victory over Dawson Hull at 106, Geneseo responded with victories in the next six matches to build a 32-6 lead.

Kye Weinzierl, who bumped up from 175 to 190 for the Maple Leafs, got a tech fall over Jack Brown.

“It’s something we’ve done in the duals if we think that we have an opportunity to score more points,” Weinzierl explained. “We’re going to put the guys in the right spots and that’s something that us as wrestlers trust our coaches to do and that’s something when we hear it from the coaches we’ll just go out there and wrestle.”

The weight might be different, but it’s still wrestling.

“Just going out and wrestling like it’s any other match and just doing what’s best for the team is the thought process,” Weinzierl said. “So going out there and trying to dominate.”

Colten Mooney (215), Josh Stahl (285), Tad Moore (113), Emmitt Hill (132) and Malaki Jackson (144) earned pins to lead the Geneseo charge.

“It was fun.” Hill said. “I didn’t do the best in regionals, but my team did so that’s good. So today I wrestled pretty hard, you know, it was fun out there, our team did good, so yeah.”

Hill was itching to return to the mats after losing twice in last Saturday’s Sterling regional.

“I worked hard all week in practice so it was fun getting a good win out there,” he said. “I’ve done pretty good this season, but I’ve lost enough to know you got to work hard and come back and hope to (go against) the same dude and have a chance to beat him again. That’s what I’ve known from just losing, just got to keep working hard to get back, to get those wins.”

Harrison Hill (175) earned a tech fall win, Brycen Fohnestock (106), Landen Vincent (138) and Grady Hull (157) scored majors and Kie Smith (150) earned a 6-3 decision over Daniel Gonzalez for Geneseo’s other victories.

“This is the third time going to state for me and it’s just a great experience,” Grady Hull said. “It’s so fun to be up there with the team and to have another dual like this, just another tough match. You get the crowd going and just have a fun time with it.”

Hull began his day watching his brother Dawson drop a 17-2 tech to Peyton at 165.

“It’s difficult watching because I’m one yelling at him, telling him exactly what to do as opposed to my other teammates I’m kind of sitting back and trying to learn some things myself sort of thing,” Grady Hull said. “We’ve always been training together. We have a mat in our basement so sometimes we’ll go down there and work on some things kind of a thing and he’s held me accountable for some things over time. I guess just being there for each other to hold each other accountable kind of a thing.”

The Maple Leafs advanced to state last year but didn’t place. They took fourth in 2023.

“Our program has been the same throughout my four years and growing up watching Geneseo wrestling, we hold ourselves to a high standard and maintain that everyday in practice and competition,” Weinzierl said. “And we set a very high standard for ourselves as wrestlers and our coaches do an amazing job of holding ourselves to that standard so we’re going to come into practice and work hard and wrestle tough every match.

“All the guys on the team just wrestle hard and tough, and wrestle six minutes every time and give their all. And that’s kind of the image we want to have at Geneseo and we did a great job of representing that tonight.”

Batavia was seeing sectional action for the first time in 20 years so its wrestlers weren’t even alive when the Bulldogs last won a regional when they captured the Class 2A St. Charles East Regional in 2006, which was also when there were just two classes. The Bulldogs became a part of the newly added 3A class during the 2008-2009 season, in which they placed third at the Wheaton North regional. Logan Arlis (113), Charlie Ryan (130) and Danny Watson (171) won regional titles that year for the Bulldogs under coach Tom Arlis.

Batavia picked up its second win at this year’s sectional when Kai Enos earned a 15-0 tech fall win at 120 to put an end to Geneseo’s six straight victories. Colin Johansen then followed at 126, pinning Phoenix Heller at 3:04.

“I had kind of known going in we’d have our work cut out for us at upper weights so we had to get some matches,” Bulldogs coach Seth Winkle said. “When we weren’t getting those matches, we had to make an aggressive lineup move to give ourselves a chance. We haven’t been in this dual in a long time so go down swinging.”

Johansen most certainly did that.

“We made a little move throwing a second year wrestler who started as a freshman, Winkle said. “He’s been a great JV guy all year as a sophomore. He fired us up and put some wind in our sails. Obviously it didn’t work overall, but it’s not something we regret and our kids were ready to take a big swing and Colin had about a minute-and-a-half notice so that was pretty cool.”

Battling tough 3A teams in the DuKane every year, like Wheaton North, Glenbard North and especially St. Charles East has certainly allowed the Bulldogs to enter the post-season battle-tested.

“We’re seeing tough teams throughout the season and it provides a lot of growth and learning opportunities,” Winkle said, “So to have it all come together at a regional and learn from all this tough competition throughout the year and apply what we worked on to get better in the room was pretty cool to see. We took some lumps during the year, but winning a regional was a big step and confidence booster.”

The Bulldogs will lose seven starters, six who are alive in the individual state tournament.

“We lose a good number but have some pretty tough returners as well,” he said. “We have quite a few JV guys who we feel really good about going forward and developing for the off-season. We’ll try to get better every day and come back stronger and competitive.”

The efforts of their seniors should make a lasting impression.

“I speak highly of them and six are still fighting next week,” Winkle said. “Their contributions have been great and quite a few of them are in their first year in the lineup so they’ve seen success from working their butts off for so long. They’ve trusted the process and come through which is what a strong public program takes. Those guys develop over four years. The guys who come through our program, we definitely take pride in turning them into great young men, good members of society.”

While on the subject of impressions, both teams impressed one another.

“That’s a really well coached team with experience and poise,” Winkle said. “You could tell they were prepared and focused. We were proud to share the mat with them.”

Rusk said the Bulldogs won’t quit.

“What a solid, solid group of kids at Batavia,” Rusk said. “They battled, they never quit. They had a couple kids who didn’t have the records some of the kids have and those kids probably fought harder than the rest of the kids.”

Dual results

165: Colin Peyton (Batavia) d. Dawson Hull (Geneseo) (TF 17-2)

175: Harrison Hill (Geneseo) d. Blake Vandeloo (Batavia) (TF 20-4)

190: Kye Weinzierl (Geneseo) d. Jack Brown (Batavia) (TF 21-6)

215: Colten Mooney (Geneseo) d. Jaden Lehman (Batavia) (F 2:37)

285: Josh Stahl (Geneseo) d. Alex Linde-Marin (Batavia) (F 1:27)

106: Brycen Fohnestock (Geneseo) d. Joey Calvillo (Batavia) (MAJ 16-2)

113: Tad Moore (Geneseo) d. Nico Frechmann (Batavia) (F 1:01)

120: Kai Enos (Batavia) d. Esref Onder (Geneseo) (TF 15-0)

126: Colin Johansen (Batavia) d. Phoenix Heller (Geneseo) (F 3:04)

132: Emmitt Hill (Geneseo) d. Ricardo Alfaro (Batavia) (F 4:39)

138: Landen Vincent (Geneseo) d. Kyle Pasco (Batavia) (MAJ 13-0)

144: Malaki Jackson (Geneseo) d. Elias Chaney (Batavia) (F 0:54)

150: Kie Smith (Geneseo) d. Daniel Gonzalez (Batavia) (D 6-3)

157: Grady Hull (Geneseo) d. Cole Hubbard (Batavia) (MAJ 8-0)

Hononegah, Barrington win at 3A Grant Sectional

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:51:00 GMT

By Mike Garofola for the IWCOA

IWCOA rankings from Rob Sherrill’s Illinois Best Weekly

Hononegah 35, Grant 31

With its rich wrestling history, Hononegah has had a firm grip on the NIC-10 trophy and has sent dozens into the individual state tournament, celebrating ten state champions along the way.

The Indians nearly hit the jackpot a year ago with a second-place finish at the dual-team state championships, with a super-charged lineup that would say goodbye to several quality men, including four seniors with over 180 victories combined, three of which finished in the state’s top four.

On the surface, it would appear the losses the Indians incurred would harm their chances of another trip to Bloomington this month.

However, before a big crowd inside the intimate East Gym at host Grant High School, Brody Sendele and his mates stunned the home side and are now on their way to the ninth dual-team state tournament in program history.

“To be honest, I always felt we had the pieces in place to make another run at state,” said Sendele (38-3), whose tech fall of Casey Gipson (36-12) at 215 dashed the hopes of No. 6 Grant (23-5-0), which was looking to make its first state appearance since 2016.

“We lost some great talent, but we returned a lot of guys who were hungry to prove themselves,” Sendele said. “And along with Rocco and Bruno (Cassioppi) and Jackson Olson to provide leadership, the rest of the team put in the extra work to make sure this could all happen for us.”

Sendele would miss half the season a year ago with an injury, but would come back to finish second in state, and is now ranked No. 1 at 175. Along with the Cassioppis – Rocco (40-2) No. 1 at 150, and Bruno (36-4), No 2 at 165 – looked every bit the part of their lofty spots in the state polls.

“In a match like this against a great opponent like Grant, it was important for us to get as many bonus points when we could, but more importantly, stay away from pins, and tech-falls, while having a few guys step up to get us wins when we needed them the most,” continued Sendele, who moved up two weight classes to deliver the lethal blow to the Bulldogs.

Sectional qualifiers Brady Myatt (106, 33-9) and Larry Quirk (113, 28-15) would send the crowd into orbit when they opened the proceedings with a pin and a decision to give the Bulldogs an early 9-0 advantage.

Jackson Olson (28-8) fourth a year ago at state, countered with a pin, but a nicely played 12-8 decision from sophomore Jayce Glauser (29-5) over Kristian DeClercq put the Bulldogs up by 12-6.

That’s when the first of two heroes for the Indians stepped up according to Sendele.

Sophomore Isaiah Martinez (23-13), a first time sectional qualifier, took an early 3-0 lead with a take-down en route to a 4-1 victory over Breiydyn Hoffman to draw the visitors close at 12-9.

“Isaiah did a great job of turning the momentum around before their two hammers came up,” said Sendele.

The combined physical and emotional force put forth by Grant’s No. 4 Erik Rodriguez (138, 35-6) and No. 1 Vince Jasinski (144, 40-5) rattled the roof of the gym when each recorded thundering pins in just under 90 seconds combined to give the Bulldogs a 24-9 cushion.

Rocco Cassioppi registered his pin at 150, followed by a DQ victory from Evan Musil when an illegal throw and take-down from Grayson Lennon midway the second period drew the Indians within three, at 24-21.

“Quinton (Martinez) really came through for us when we needed it,” said Sendele of the 7-5 comeback decision from the freshman, who will be making his first sectional appearance in a week.

Martinez was trailing 1-0 after one period to Christopher Zander, but took a 6-2 lead into the third period where Zander drew closer (6-5) with a take-down near the edge.

With fans on both sides of the gym up on their feet, Martinez (20-6) grabbed an escape with just under one minute, and would hold on to level the score at 24-24.

Bruno Cassioppi gave the Indians its first lead of the night (30-24) with a pin at 175; Grant’s Xavier Arroyo, one of (11) sectional qualifiers for the Bulldogs, made it 30-27 after his 4-2 decision at 190.

Gipson, a state qualifier in 2025, bumped up one weight to 215 and Sendele moved up a pair of weight classes. The rest was history with a 10-2 major decision from Grant’s heavyweight Ajani Williams (28-14) making the final 35-31.

The Indians will face No. 4 St. Charles East (17-5-0) in a dual-team quarterfinal on Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m. in Bloomington at Grossinger Motors Arena.

Hononegah 35, Grant 31

106- Brady Myatt (GRT) won by forfeit.a

113- Larry Quirk (GRT) d. Logan Harris (HON) (D 2-0).

120- Jackson Olson (HON) d. Andrew Ocampo (GRT) (F 0:56).

126- Jayce Glauser (GRT) d. Kristian DeClercq (HON) (D 12-8).

132- Isaiah Martinez (HON) d. Breiydyn Hoffman (GRT) (D 4-1).

138- Erik Rodriguez (GRT) d. Maddox Franklin (HON) (F 0:52).

144- Vince Jasinski (GRT) d. Logan Person (HON) (0:30).

150- Rocco Cassioppi (HON) d. John Von Hoene (GRT) (F 1:39).

157- Evan Musil (HON) d. Grayson Lennon (GRT) (DQ).

165- Quinton Martinez (HON) d. Christopher Zander (GRT) (D 7-5).

175- Bruno Cassioppi (HON) d. Aaden Arroyo (GRT) (F 0:55)

190- Xavier Arroyo (GRT) d. Alex Martin Pecino (HON) (D 4-2).

215- Brody Sendele (HON) d. Casey Gipson (GRT) (TF 22-6).

285- Ajani Williams (GRT) d. Wyatt Kinney (HON) (MD 10-2).

Barrington 39, Loyola 38

With a huge contingent of Barrington fans alongside the Grant faithful on the same side of the gym, there was a sea of red shirts delivering support of the MSL champion Broncos (16-9-0), who were in search of its 8th trip downstate and their first since 2020.

Last year in the same Grant gym, No. 17 Barrington suffered a 41-24 defeat to Hononegah with a downstate berth on the line.

“Last year we were disappointed after that loss to Hononegah, but when it was over, we put it behind us and went to work as a team during the offseason,” said the Broncos three-year veteran, No. 3 Ryan Dorn (138).

“That loss was last year, so what was most important was we all wanted to get back here and make a run at getting to dual-team state,” said Barrington’s No. 2 Kaleb Pratt (120), himself a three-year man for head coach Dan Keller.

“We knew coming in that Loyola obviously has two unbelievable hammers (Niko Odiotti (106) and Kai Calcutt (215)) and had a bunch of dangerous guys in their lineup, and they have a great coach with Matt Collum,” began Keller.

“I was fortunate to learn a lot as an assistant under Tom Whalen while at Prospect, and his tactical genius and ability to map things out for big duals was second to none. So I knew if I used what he taught me, we would be in good shape tonight.

“Of course, the guys had to do their jobs, and that’s what they did.”

Loyola, regional champions for the first time since 1997, came prepared themselves. They bumped No. 1 Odiotti (29-2) from 106 to 113, and would parlay a major decision victory from Quentin Williams (24-12) at 106 into an early 10-0 advantage.

“I always felt that, as good as Barrington is, we had a chance to win tonight,” Collum said. “But they have some very good depth throughout their lineup, and that eventually was the difference.

Collum will lead eight of his men into the Barrington individual sectional next week.

“This is a great accomplishment for our team to win a regional for our program, and to have a chance to have continue on,” Calcutt said.

The No. 1 man at 215 pounds is on his way to North Carolina State in the fall.

“If you had told me four years ago that we would be here tonight, I would have said no way,” continued Calcutt, a three-year standout on the defensive line for the Ramblers state power football team.

“Coach (Collum) has changed the culture in our room, and he’s brought pride back into the sport of wrestling at Loyola. To me, he’s the reason for the success we’ve achieved.”

After Pratt (41-5) registered a 16-1 tech-fall at 120, Ramblers senior Gavin Pardilla (126, 31-7) slowed the Broncos with his 8-0 major decision victory to increase the Ramblers advantage to 14-5.

However, a three match Barrington explosion with Ryan Dorn in between teammates Matthew Blanke (132) and Jimmy Whitaker (144) put 17 points on the board to push the Broncos ahead at 22-14.

“Matthew (Blanke) really came through for us with a big tech-fall win for five points ,to really set the tone of us for the rest of the night,” Dorn said.

“Yeah, I thought Matthew’s win was huge, and so was (Daniel Blanke’s) pin,” Pratt said. “He bumped up two weights to 165.”

Pins from Loyola’s James Hemmila (23-4 at 150) and Daniel Malan (26-4 at 157) would stem the tide for the Ramblers, giving their club one last lead at 26-22.

“We knew the strength of Loyola, but we were always confident in our lineup, and how we pieced things together in advance of where they moved their guys around during the match,” said Keller.

MSL and regional champions Daniel Blanke (38-7) and Sam Cushman (32-10) needed just 92 seconds to record their pins at 165 and 175, and with the Broncos firmly ahead (34-26), Aaron Jafri (29-17) put the finishing touches on the contest with a 15-0 tech-fall triumph.

With its 13-point advantage, the Broncos would concede forfeits to Calcutt (32-2) and heavyweight Mike Maddex to make it a 39-38 victory.

“Obviously, I am extremely proud of this team,” Collum said. “They have always worked hard for me and the staff, and many of them have been with us four years. So to see the success we’ve had thus far is very satisfying.”

The Ramblers will send eight into sectionals, while the sectionl host Broncos have nine qualifiers.

Barrington 39, Loyola Academy 38

106- Quentin Williams (LOY) d. Diego Ramirez (BAR) (MD 11-3).

113- Niko Odiotti (LOY) d. Ismael Lopez (BAR) (F 3:32).

120- Kaleb Pratt (BAR) d. Daniel Myint (LOY) (TF 16-1).

126- Gavin Pardilla (LOY) d. Saul Ramirez (BAR) (MD 8-0).

132- Matthew Blanke (BAR) d. Michael Crawford (LOY) (TF 15-0).

138- Ryan Dorn (BAR) d. Mateo Hatzopoulos (LOY) (F 2:47).

144- Jimmy Whitaker (BAR) d. Sean Smylie (LOY) (F 0:54).

150- James Hemmila (LOY) d. Maddox Orozco (BAR) (F 1:55).

157- Daniel Matan (LOY) d. Michael Fiandaca (BAR) (F 1:45).

165- Daniel Blanke (BAR) d. Aleks Knapik (LOY) (F 0:57).

175- Sam Cushman (BAR) d. Jack DeCrane(LOY) (F 0:37).

190- Aaron Jafri (BAR) d. Colton Pacholski (LOY) (TF 15-0).

215- Kai Calcutt (LOY) won by forfeit.

285- Mike Maddex (LOY) won by forfeit

Class 3A Dual Team Sectional roundup; OPRF, Marmion, Mahomet-Seymour

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 16:58:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

IWCOA rankings from Rob Sherrill’s Illinois Best Weekly

Dual team state finals will take place at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington Feb. 27-28

3A OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST SECTIONAL

St. Charles East 75, Maine South 0

The No. 4 Saints (17-5) steamrolled Maine South 75-0 to earn the fifth berth in the state finals in St. Charles East history and the third for coach Jason Potter.

St. Charles East won a state title for Potter in 2023 and placed third in state in 2024. The Saints also placed third in 1997 under coach Mick Ruettiger and were state qualifiers under coach Steve Smerz in 2001.
The Saints will face No. 5 Hononegah (13-6) in a state quarterfinal dual at 7 p.m. in Bloomington on Feb. 27.

St. Charles East got pins from Cooper Murray (215), Matt Medina (285), Dom Munaretto (120), Kaden Potter (132), Liam Aye (138) and Ben Guszkiewicz (190). Tech falls came from Will Difatta (113), Declan Sons (126), Gavin Woodmancy (144), Jayden Hernandez (150) and Anthony Kutrovatz (165). Max Aye (106) won by major decision and Maine South forfeited to the Saints’ Isaac Lenard at 157 pounds.

Dual results

215 – Cooper Murray, SC East d. Jake Rioch, Maine South F 0:16

285 – Matt Medina, SC East d. Matthew Correa, Maine South F 1:40

106 – Maximus Aye, SC East d. Erle Rosete, Maine South MD 14-3

113 – Will Difatta, SC East d. Nicholas Karlesky, Maine South TF 22-5

120 – Dom Munaretto, SC East d. Ryan Ready, Maine South F 0:45

126 – Dlan Sons, SC East d. Luke Baum, Maine South TF 16-1

132 – Kaden Potter, SC East d. Donato Coloia, Maine South F 1:08

138 – Liam Aye, SC East d. Luciano De La Pasqua, Maine South F 1:34

144 – Gavin Woodmancy, SC East d. George Dilorenzo, Maine South TF 15-0

150 – Jayden Hernandez, SC East d. Martin Lydon, Maine South TF 22-6

157 – Isaac Lenard, SC East d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

165 – Anthony Kutrovatz, SC East d. Chris Kuminga, Maine South TF 16-1

175 – Asher Van Der Molen, SC East d. George Arvanitis, Maine South MD 13-1

190 – Ben Guszkiewicz, SC East d. Daniel Egan, Maine South F 3:15

Oak Park and River Forest 63, Conant 6

No. 9 Oak Park and River Forest (10-2) earned the 15th trip to the state finals in its program history, downing Conant 63-6 for first-year head coach Jason Renteria.

Oak Park and River Forest will take on No. 17 Barrington (15-8) in a state quarterfinal dual at 5 p.m. on February 27, at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

OPRF is making its third consecutive appearance at the dual team state finals. The Huskies won two state titles for coach Mike Powell in 2009 and 2014, and two more for coach Paul Collins in 2015 and 2016. The program also finished second in state 1988, 2012, 2018 and 2019.

OPRF won 12 of 14 matches against Conant, getting seven pins, three tech falls and two straight decisions in the win. Pins came from Lucas Albrecht (215), Pierre Nelson (285), Michael Rundell (113), Jamiel Castleberry (126), Zev Koransky (144), David Ogunsanya (157) and Jeremiah Hernandez (165).
OPRF got tech falls from Jordan Dezara (106), Isaiah Gibson (138) and Jack Skoglund (150), and decision wins from Zachary Chasson (120) and Alex Cohen (132).

Conant won a pair of decisions from Jackson Spizzirri (175) and Tarik Yursever (190). The Cougars were seeking the program’s eighth downstate berth for coach Andrew Guilde and the first since 2017 under coach Chad Hey. Conant placed second in state for long-time coach Jim Cartwright three times (1983, 1996, 2000) and placed fourth in 2003 under coach John Kane.

Dual results

215 – Lucas Albrecht, (OPRF) d. Jaiden Thorney, (Conant) F 1:48

285 – Pierre Nelson, (OPRF) d. Evan Mueller, (Conant) F 3:13

106 – Jordan Dezara, (OPRF) d. Jax Bryson, (Conant) TF 17-1

113 – Michael Rundell, (OPRF) d. Brian Hoffman, (Conant) F 0:16

120 – Zachary Chasson, (OPRF) d. Andres Justicia, (Conant) SV-1 10-7

126 – Jamiel Castleberry, (OPRF) d. Connor Willis, (Conant) F 1:48

132 – Alex Cohen, (OPRF) d. Emmett Arens, (Conant) D 9-2

138 – Isaiah Gibson, (OPRF) d. Oscar Luberda, (Conant) TF 18-3

144 – Zev Koransky, (OPRF) d. Jake Gizel, (Conant) F 1:10

150 – Jack Skoglund, (OPRF) d. Elliot Kang, (Conant) TF 22-3

157 – David Ogunsanya, (OPRF) d. Jaewon Willhite, (Conant) F 0:07

165 – Jeremiah Hernandez, (OPRF) d. Sultan Imanaliev, (Conant) F 1:33

175 – Jackson Spizzirri, (Conant) d. Zachary Michaud, (OPRF) D 6-3

190 – Tarik Yurtsever, (Conant) d. Daniel Solano, (OPRF) D 9-8

3A MAHOMET-SEYMOUR SECTIONAL

Edwardsville 36, Lincoln-Way West 28

An 8-6 edge in matches won and a 12-10 edge in bonus points made the difference as No. 11 Edwardsville (12-2) won 36-28 over No. 12 Lincoln-Way West (17-6) on Thursday.

Edwardsville coach Eric Pretto will lead his squad to its second consecutive state finals appearance and the 6th downstate berth in program history. The Tigers will take on No. 3 Montini (14-3) on Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. in Bloomington.

The Tigers (12-2) have won downstate hardware twice, placing fourth in Illinois in 2006 and 2009 under coach Jon Wagner.

Pretto got pins from Michael McNamara (106), Robert Edington (157) and Braylon Hill-Lomax (285), while Lincoln-Way West’s pins came from Carter DiBenedetto (126), Jack Strezo (150) and Jon Wilkey (165).
Edwardsville got a tech fall from Simon Schulte (190) and a major decision win from Chace Mathney (113), and Lincoln-Way West got a major decision at 132 from Brady Glynn (132).

A 3-2 edge in swing matches went Edwardsville’s way. The Tigers got straight decision wins from Tim Swaim (120), Ryan Richie (144) and Roman Janek (215), and Lincoln-Way West got decision wins from Leyton Bartley (138) and Max Herman (175).

Lincoln-Way West coach Brian Glynn was seeking to guide his program to its third state finals appearance. The Warriors placed third in Illinois for Glynn in 2017.

Dual results

106 – Michael McNamara (Edwardsville) d. Michael Scott, (LW West) F 2:00

113 – Chace Mathney (Edwardsville) d. Kellan Hack, (LW West) MD 11-0

120 – Timothy Swaim (Edwardsville) d. Charlie Strezo, (LW West) D 7-1

126 – Carter DiBenedetto, (LW West) d. Bryson Nuttall (Edwardsville) F 1:30

132 – Brady Glynn, (LW West) d. Sean Monroe (Edwardsville) MD 17-7

138 – Leyton Bartley, (LW West) d. Xander Humphrey (Edwardsville) SV-1 8-5

144 – Ryan Richie (Edwardsville) d. Shane Stream, (LW West) D 3-0

150 – Jack Strezo, (LW West) d. Ian Trauernicht (Edwardsville) F 2:34

157 – Robert Edington (Edwardsville) d. Evan Gutierrez, (LW West) F 0:57

165 – Jon Wilkey, (LW West) d. Kenneth Jamison (Edwardsville) F 1:37

175 – Max Herman, (LW West) d. George Ostrom (Edwardsville) D 4-2

190 – Simon Schulte (Edwardsville) d. Cameron Moskos, (LW West) TF 18-3

215 – Roman Janek (Edwardsville) d. Jimmy Talley, (LW West) D 7-3

285 – Braylon Hill-Lomax (Edwardsville) d. Brayden Shaub, (LW West) F 3:37

3A MARMION ACADEMY SECTIONAL

Montini 35, Marist 28

No. 3 Montini (14-3) beat No. 7 Marist (13-7) 35-28 to punch its ticket to the program’s 26th trip to the dual team state finals. Montini advanced downstate for the third consecutive season and for the first time under first-year head coach Sal Annoreno.

Montini will face No. 11 Edwardsville (12-2) in a state quarterfinal dual at 5 p.m. in Bloomington.
The Broncos have won 16 dual team state titles since 2000, eight of which have come under long-time coach Mike Bukovsky. The Broncos have placed second three times (2007, 2017, 2024), and third three times (1996, 1998, 2025).

Montini won nine of the 12 matches wrestled, forfeiting to Marist at 106 and 138. The only pins of the dual came from the Broncos’ Sam Swais (215) and Marist’s Jacob Crawford (150). Montini got tech falls from Allen Woo (120) and Bobby Ruscitti (126), and Marist also got a pair of tech fall wins from Tommy Fidler (157) and Ethan Sonne (165). Montini’s Santino Tenuta (175) posted the lone major decision of the dual.

The remaining five matches wrestled were all won by straight decisions, and Montini won all five from Kam Luif (144), AJ Tack (190), Gavin Ericson (285), Erik Klichurov (113) and Mikey Malizzio (132).

Marist was seeking its third trip downstate under coach Brendan Heffernan, who guided the Redhawks to a second-place finish in Illinois in 2014.

Marist reached the state finals nine times in its history, winning state titles in 1982 and 1987 under long-time coach Mark Gervais.

Dual results
144 – Kam Luif, (Montini) d. Jaxon Jorgensen, (Marist) D 8-5

150 – Jacob Crawford, (Marist) d. Landon Waggoner, (Montini) F 5:30

157 – Thomas Fidler, (Marist) d. Will Konder, (Montini) TF 19-3

165 – Ethan Sonne, (Marist) d. Myles Monis, (Montini) TF 15-0

175 – Santino Tenuta, (Montini) d. Jonathan Fields, (Marist) MD 15-2

190 – AJ Tack, (Montini) d. Ronin Haran, (Marist) D 11-6

215 – Sam Swais, (Montini) d. Tommy O`Brien, (Marist) F 3:22

285 – Gavin Ericson, (Montini) d. Jack Watson, (Marist) D 8-3

106 – Crue Hatchell, (Marist) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

113 – Erik Klichurov, (Montini) d. Elio Gil, (Marist) D 4-2

120 – Allen Woo, (Montini) d. Colin Phelan, (Marist) TF 19-3

126 – Bobby Ruscitti, (Montini) d. Dylan Weber, (Marist) TF 16-1

132 – Mikey Malizzio, (Montini) d. Te`Jon Beals, (Marist) D 4-0

138 – Axel Rodriguez, (Marist) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

Marmion Academy 46, Mount Carmel 23

The 2025 state champs are headed back downstate to defend their title.

No. 2-ranked Cadets from Marmion Academy (13-3) won 46-23 over No. 13 Mount Carmel (6-5), advancing to the dual team finals for the 11th time overall and the third time under head coach Anthony Cirrincione.

Marmion has won six state finals trophies, having placed second three times (2013, 2016, 2023) and third twice (2014, 2019).

The Cadets will face No. 1 Joliet Catholic Academy (14-1) in a state quarterfinal dual at 7 p.m. in Bloomington.

With an overall 9-4 edge in matches wrestled and a 19-8 edge in bonus points earned, Marmion finished with a 3-1 edge in pins, getting falls from Joey Favia (285), James Morrison (113) and Nicholas Garcia (138). Mount Carmel got its pin from Liam Kelly (190).

Marmion had all three of the dual’s tech falls, from Ashton Hobson (165), Vincenzo Testa (215) and Aidan McClure (132). Mount Carmel led 2-1 in major decisions, getting majors from Jaxon Gineris (157) and Brody Koselke (126). Marmion got a major from Zach Stewart (150).

Each team won a single simple decision; Marmion from Daniel Skura (175) and Mount Carmel from Sebastian Garcia (106). Marmion forfeited at 120 to Mount Carmel’s Luke Erwinski.

Mount Carmel was seeking its 17th trip to the state finals for coach Alex Tsirtsis, who guided the program to state titles in 2022 and 2024, and a second-place finish in 2020.

The Caravan won three state titles (1992-94) under coach Bill Weick. Mount Carmel also placed second twice (1998, 2002) and fourth once (1996) under Weick and placed third in 2016 under coach John Kading.

Dual results

144 – Demetrios Carrera, (Marmion) d. George Hollendonor, (Mt. Carmel) F 2:35

150 – Zach Stewart, (Marmion) d. Justin Williamson, (Mt. Carmel) MD 12-4

157 – Jaxon Gineris, (Mt. Carmel) d. Grayson Garcia, (Marmion) MD 17-4

165 – Ashton Hobson, (Marmion) d. Daniel Lynch, (Mt. Carmel) TF 17-0

175 – Daniel Skura, (Marmion) d. Kellan Breen, (Mt. Carmel) D 9-3

190 – Liam Kelly, (Mt. Carmel) d. Joseph Ruggerio, (Marmion) F 0:16

215 – Vincenzo Testa, (Marmion) d. Kenneth Segerson, (Mt. Carmel) TF 18-2

285 – Joseph Favia, (Marmion) d. Landin Carter, (Mt. Carmel) F 0:41

106 – Sebastian Gracia, (Mt. Carmel) d. Caden Morrison, (Marmion) D 5-1

113 – James Morrison, (Marmion) d. Daniel Macatangay, (Mt. Carmel) F 2:40

120 – Luke Erwinski, (Mt. Carmel) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

126 – Brody Koselke, (Mt. Carmel) d. Brody Page, (Marmion) MD 11-2

132 – Aidan McClure, (Marmion) d. William Grafton-Hodgetts, (Mt. Carmel) TF

138 – Nicholas Garcia, (Marmion) d. Francis Burke, (Mt. Carmel) F 1:04

Joliet Catholic Academy 63, Yorkville 5

No. 1 Joliet Catholic (14-1) rolls into the dual team state finals thanks to a dominating sectional win over No. 8 Yorkville (17-6). Coach Ryan Cumbee’s squad won 13 of 14 matches featuring four pins, five tech falls, two major decisions and two straight decisions in a 63-5 win.

The Hilltoppers will be making their fifth consecutive trip to the state finals and will take on No. 2 defending state champion Marmion (13-3) in a state quarterfinal dual on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in Bloomington.

Cumbee has guided Joliet Catholic to three dual team state trophies; the Hilltoppers won the state title in 2022, placed second in 2023, and took third in 2025.

Yorkville was seeking its eighth trip downstate and its third under coach Jake Oster, who guided the program to a fourth-place finish in 2023 and a second-place finish in 2024.

Dual results

144 – Adante Washington, (Joliet Cath) d. Vincent Konecki (Yorkville) TF 25-8

150 – Donovan Rosauer (Yorkville) d. Aurelio Munoz, (Joliet Cath) TF 17-2

157 – Dawson Mack, (Joliet Cath) d. Donncha Souza (Yorkville) MD 13-4

165 – Nolan Vogel, (Joliet Cath) d. Maximus Delgado (Yorkville) TF 19-3

175 – Vince Skedel, (Joliet Cath) d. Caleb Viscogliosi (Yorkville) D 8-5

190 – Aidan Bishop, (Joliet Cath) d. Brock Janeczko (Yorkville) D 2-1

215 – Ryker Czubak, (Joliet Cath) d. Avery Lane (Yorkville) TF 18-3

285 – Daniel Dalach, (Joliet Cath) d. Drevon White (Yorkville) F 3:04

106 – Kane Robles, (Joliet Cath) d. Leo Richmond (Yorkville) F 0:34

113 – Colton Schultz, (Joliet Cath) d. Ryan Fals (Yorkville) TF 17-2

120 – Finn McDermott, (Joliet Cath) d. Landon Jenkins (Yorkville) F 1:27

126 – Lukas Foster, (Joliet Cath) d. alexander andel (Yorkville) TF 19-4

132 – Adonis Washington, (Joliet Cath) d. Rocky Delgado (Yorkville) F 1:23

138 – Lincoln Mack, (Joliet Cath) d. Jaxson Kocur (Yorkville) MD 13-4

Class 1A Dual Team Sectional roundup: Oregon, Taylorville, Canton

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 16:45:00 GMT

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

IWCOA rankings from Rob Sherrill’s Illinois Best Weekly
Dual team state finals will take place at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington Feb. 27-28

1A Oregon Team Sectional

Lena-Winslow/Stockton 50, Wheaton Academy 21

Long-time head coach Kevin Milder will take his boys from No. 2 Lena-Winslow/Stockton (31-3) to the team state finals for the fifth time in program history, after topping Wheaton Academy (16-10) 50-21 at Oregon and improving to 31-3 in duals this season.

Milder guided the program to state title wins in 2017 and 2019, a second-place finish in 2012, and a third-place finish in 2023.

Milder’s squad will take on No. 6 Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher (26-2) in a state quarterfinal dual at 7 p.m. in Bloomington.

Lena-Winslow/Stockton took nine of 14 matches in the win, including seven wins by fall. Milder got pins from Keller Otto (120), Brandon White (126), Mauricio Glass (138), Sam Sikora (157), Mark Detwiler (165), Eli Larson (190) and Oliver McPeek (215). The team also got a tech fall from Arrison Bauer (144) and a straight decision win from Jeremiah Luke (285).

Wheaton Academy coach Steve Aiello was seeking his program’s first trip to the state finals. The Warriors (16-10) got a pin from Elliot Hardy (106), a tech fall from Lincoln Hoger (150), a major decision win from Zion Kaunley (113), and straight decision wins from Oscar Smith (132) and Tyler Jones (175).

Dual results

106 – Elliot Hardy, (Wheaton Ac) d. Reece Hartzell, (L-W/Stockton) F 1:08

113 – Zion Kaunley, (Wheaton Ac) d. Carson Hill, (L-W/Stockton) MD 10-2

120 – Keller Otto, (L-W/Stockton) d. Danny Shin, (Wheaton Ac) F 2:29

126 – Brandon White, (L-W/Stockton) d. Buckley Kazmeirzak, (Wheaton Ac) F 3:15

132 – Oscar Smith, (Wheaton Ac) d. Huntlee Burris, (L-W/Stockton) D 6-3

138 – Mauricio Glass, (L-W/Stockton) d. Eli Shin, (Wheaton Ac) F 3:30

144 – Arrison Bauer, (L-W/Stockton) d. Nico Chiappetta, (Wheaton Ac) TF 15-0

150 – Lincoln Hoger, (Wheaton Ac) d. Tegan Arnold, (L-W/Stockton) TF 15-0

157 – Sam Sikora, (L-W/Stockton) d. Joey Guidi, (Wheaton Ac) F 2:59

165 – Mark Detwiler, (L-W/Stockton) d. Noah Daniels, (Wheaton Ac) F 2:59

175 – Tyler Jones, (Wheaton Ac) d. John Mensendike, (L-W/Stockton) D 7-2

190 – Eli Larson, (L-W/Stockton) d. Joseph Senneses, (Wheaton Ac) F 1:03

215 – Oliver McPeek, (L-W/Stockton) d. Ian De Souza, (Wheaton Ac) F 1:45

285 – Jeremiah Luke, (L-W/Stockton) d. Hezzy Garcia, (Wheaton Ac) D 14-8

Dixon 57, Morrison 20

No. 5 Dixon (16-4) and coach Micah Hey earned the program’s second trip to the team state finals with a 57-21 win over No. 21 Morrison (23-10) at Oregon. Former coach Chris Bishop took the program downstate in 2017 and placed third.

Dixon (16-4) won 10 of 14 matches against No. 21 Morrison (23-10), with seven pins coming from Doolan Long (132), Charlie Connors (144), Adam Staples (165), Blake Dingley (175), Dawson Kemp (215), Dylan Bopes (285), and Riley Paredes (113). The Dukes also got a tech fall from Preston Richards (150) and a major decision win from Jack Ragan (120). Morrison forfeited at 106 to Dixon’s Gage Heath.

Morrison coach Tom Drosopoulos got tech fall wins from Patrick Schaefer (138) and Caleb Modglin (157) and a major decision win at 190 from Noah Stout. Dixon forfeited at 126 to Morrison’s Eli Modglin.
Dixon will square off against No. 9 Althoff Catholic (17-0) at 5 p.m. in Bloomington.

Dual results

132 – Doolan Long, (Dixon) d. Jaken Updike (Morrison) F 1:23

138 – Patrick Schaefer (Morrison) d. Channing Sarver, (Dixon) TF 18-3

144 – Charlie Connors, (Dixon) d. Randy Gerlach (Morrison) F 0:21

150 – Preston Richards, (Dixon) d. Mason Grismore (Morrison) TF 19-4

157 – Caleb Modglin (Morrison) d. Neomiah Holloway, (Dixon) TF 16-0

165 – Adam Staples, (Dixon) d. Conrad Eichman (Morrison) F 2:59

175 – Blake Dingley, (Dixon) d. Ethan Bush (Morrison) F 1:14

190 – Noah Stout (Morrison) d. Seth Shaffer, (Dixon) MD 11-1

215 – Dawson Kemp, (Dixon) d. Caleb Carroll (Morrison) F 0:35

285 – Dylan Bopes, (Dixon) d. Corbin Allen (Morrison) F 0:43

106 – Gage Heath, (Dixon) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

113 – Riley Paredes, (Dixon) d. Landon Rubright (Morrison) F 1:44

120 – Jack Ragan, (Dixon) d. Cael Wright (Morrison) MD 14-6

126 – Eli Modglin (Morrison) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

1A Taylorville Team Sectional

Althoff Catholic 50, Lawrenceville 23

Coach Emanuel Brooks will take No. 9 Althoff Catholic (17-0) downstate for the third time in program history after the Crusaders’ 50-23 win over Lawrenceville (11-6) at Taylorville. Althoff placed fourth in state in 2018 for former coach Josh Harper.

Brooks’ boys earned a 9-5 edge in matches won and got bonus points in all nine wins. Pins came from Jaxon Lynn (126), Dawson Hawthorne (132), Colton Stearns (138) and Stephen Ache (215), and the Crusaders got tech fall wins from Nathan Fisher (120), Landon Weidler (157), Ryan Hogue (165) and Pierre Walton (175). Lawrenceville forfeited at 113 to Althoff’s Prudence Sniker (113).

Lawrenceville coach Cody Bobe got tech falls from James O’Dell (106), Cale Seitzinger (150), and Jude DeCausey (285), and major decision wins from Hudson Meek (144) and Malikye Williams (190).

Lawrenceville was after its third trip to the state finals since 1984. The program placed third in state in ’84 and fourth in ’85, and last qualified in 1996 for former coach Jim Dunn. The program placed second in state twice, in 1939 and 1940 for coach Bob Emmons, who also guided the program to a third-place finish in 1942.

Althoff Catholic will take on No. 5 Dixon (16-4) in a state quarterfinal dual at 5 p.m. in Bloomington.

Dual results
106 – James O`Dell (Lawrenceville) d. Karson Fowler, (Althoff Cath) TF 15-0

113 – Prudence Snider, (Althoff Cath) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

120 – Nathan Fisher, (Althoff Cath) d. Kyler Guercio (Lawrenceville) TF 19-2

126 – Jaxon Lynn, (Althoff Cath) d. Drew Seitzinger (Lawrenceville) F 4:42

132 – Dawson Hawthorne, (Althoff Cath) d. Dayton Ledbetter (Lawrenceville) F 0:37

138 – Colton Stearns, (Althoff Cath) d. Jude Shick (Lawrenceville) F 0:37

144 – Hudson Meek (Lawrenceville) d. robbie Schallert, (Althoff Cath) MD 12-1

150 – Cale Seitzinger (Lawrenceville) d. John Taylor, (Althoff Cath) TF 18-3

157 – Landon Weidler, (Althoff Cath) d. Daniel Kiser (Lawrenceville) TF 19-2

165 – Ryan Hogue, (Althoff Cath) d. Tucker Waldrop (Lawrenceville) TF 16-1

175 – Pierre Walton, (Althoff Cath) d. Nick Morehead (Lawrenceville) TF 17-2

190 – Malikye Williams (Lawrenceville) d. Austin Wilkinson, (Althoff Cath) MD 10-1

215 – Stephen Ache, (Althoff Cath) d. Leroy Werich (Lawrenceville) F 0:51

285 – Jude DeCausey (Lawrenceville) d. Braden Bush, (Althoff Cath) TF 16-0

Vandalia 46, Murphysboro 23
No. 3 Vandalia (28-2) won nine of 14 matches against No. 3 Murphysboro (22-8) to punch its ticket to the team state finals for the 25th time in program history. Only Montini and its 26 state finals appearances stands ahead of Vandalia for the most appearances in Illinois history.

Vandalia is seeking its third consecutive team trophy, having placed fourth in 2024 and second in state last season. The program has won 11 team state trophies, including a state title in 1996 under coach Glenn Exton.

First-year Vandalia head coach Pat Myers got pins from Brody Matthews (138), Dade Kleinik (150), Dillon Hinton (165) and Cole Yarborough (175) in the win, and tech fall wins from Preston Waughtel (120) and Max Philpot (132). Ross Miller (190) and Elijah Mabry (144) won straight decisions, and Cooper Galoway (106) won by forfeit.

Murphysboro was seeking its fourth team state finals appearance overall under coach Shea Baker, who took the Red Devils downstate in 2016 and 2025, placing third in Illinois in 2016. The Red Devils got pins from Caybren Hubbard (215) and Jace Witzman (157), a tech fall from Drevan Bramlett (113), and a straight decision wins from Julien Tanner (285) and Paxton Pyatt (120).

Vandalia will face No. 17 Chicago Hope Academy (17-12) in a state quarterfinal dual at 7 p.m. in Bloomington.

Dual results

215 – Caybren Hubbard (Murphysboro) d. Braxton Dunn (Vandalia) F 1:04

285 – Julien Tanner (Murphysboro) d. Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) D 4-0

106 – Cooper Galoway (Vandalia) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

113 – Drevan Bramlett (Murphysboro) d. Kaden Daughtery (Vandalia) TF 17-1

120 – Paxton Pyatt (Murphysboro) d. riley Hinton (Vandalia) D 11-6

126 – Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) d. Sergio Garcia (Murphysboro) TF 18-2

132 – Max Philpot (Vandalia) d. Jackson Graff (Murphysboro) TF 18-0

138 – Brody Matthews (Vandalia) d. Jeret Edwards (Murphysboro) F 3:55

144 – Elijah Mabry (Vandalia) d. Lemar Treshansky (Murphysboro) D 8-7

150 – Dade Kleinik (Vandalia) d. Sayvair Williams (Murphysboro) F 0:33

157 – Jace Witzman (Murphysboro) d. Zayne Zinkgraf (Vandalia) F 2:43

165 – Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) d. Haegan Hughes (Murphysboro) F 2:33

175 – Cole Yarborough (Vandalia) d. Phoenix Hickam (Murphysboro) F 2:00

190 – Ross Miller (Vandalia) d. Logan Tanner (Murphysboro) D 8-2

1A Canton Team Sectional

Olympia 40, PORTA 33

No. 8 Olympia (19-5) heads to the team dual state finals for the 11th time in program history, after its 40-33 win over No. 13 PORTA (26-6) in Canton. It will mark the second consecutive finals appearance for coach Josh Collins.

Collins’ boys earned an 8-6 edge in matches won, forfeiting the final match of the dual. The Spartans got pins from Caleb Peters (215), Darian Holloway (285), Brandon Gaither (113) and Kenzer Burrell (138), tech falls from Tucker Garey (126) and Carter Knobloch (132), and straight decision wins from Kaden Collins (157) and Connor Collins (106).

Olympia won three state trophies for former coach Mike Manahan, placing third in 1999, fourth in 2000 and second in ’01. Former coach Pete Cleary led the program to a third-place finish in 2017.
Long-time PORTA coach Jeff Hill got pins from Logan Baker (165), Caleb Peters (215), Kainin Fillbright (120), a tech fall from Justin Zimmerman (190) and a major decision win from Zach Bryant (150). Olympia forfeited at 144 to PORTA’s Hunter King at 144.

PORTA was seeking its 11th state finals appearance under Hill’s guidance. Hill guided his program to a state title in 2010, a second-place finish in 2014, and fourths in 2005, 2009 and 2013.
Olympia will face No. 1 Coal City (39-0) in a state quarterfinal dual at 5 p.m. in Bloomington.

Dual results

150 – Zach Bryant, (PORTA) d. Austin Kisner, (Olympia) MD 14-4

157 – Kaden Collins, (Olympia) d. Jamarion Thomas, (PORTA) D 12-5

165 – Logan Baker, (PORTA) d. Kayden Thomas, (Olympia) F 1:59

175 – Caleb Cass, (PORTA) d. Jacob Cassel, (Olympia) F 0:52

190 – Justin Zimmerman, (PORTA) d. Isaac Warnock, (Olympia) TF 15-0

215 – Caleb Peters, (Olympia) d. Jayden Minor, (PORTA) F 1:19

285 – Darian Holloway, (Olympia) d. JJ Dyson, (PORTA) F 2:47

106 – Connor Collins, (Olympia) d. Coyt Rademaker, (PORTA) D 8-4

113 – Brandon Gaither, (Olympia) d. Jon Blankenship, (PORTA) F 2:59

120 – Kainin Fillbright, (PORTA) d. Ryan Ballinger, (Olympia) F 2:56

126 – Tucker Garey, (Olympia) d. Landon Webb, (PORTA) TF 15-0

132 – Carter Knobloch, (Olympia) d. Ryan McCoy, (PORTA) TF 15-0

138 – Kenzer Burell, (Olympia) d. Jaxen Feagans, (PORTA) F 3:53

144 – Hunter King, (PORTA) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher 57, Canton 20

No. 6 GCMS/Fisher coach Josh Carter will take the co-op program to its fourth state finals appearance after winning 57-20 over host No. 16 Canton (17-7). Carter’s boys are chasing a third state finals trophy, as the program placed fourth in state in 2017 for coach Ryan Birt, second in 2010, and fourth again in 2015 for Carter.

GCMS/Fisher (26-2) won 10 of 14 matches against Canton (17-7) and earned bonus points throughout. Falls came from Hunter Brandon (150), Ethan Lowe (175), Sam Manson (190), Jaxon Wright (215), Bentley Fields (106), Ian Rotramel (113), and Landen Lage (138). Carter also got tech fall wins from Hudson Babb (157), Cooper Miller (165) and Nolan Lowe (144).

Canton’s wins came by fall from Connor Williams (285), Dyllan Steele (120) and Maddux Steele (126), and by sudden-victory decision at 132 from Jacob Hardesty.

Canton coach Zach Crawford was seeking the program’s second trip to the state finals, having taken the Little Giants downstate in 2023.

GCMS/Fisher will face No. 2 Lena-Winslow/Stockton (31-3) in a state quarterfinal dual at 5 p.m. in Bloomington.

Dual results
150 – Hunter Brandon, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Grady Smith (Canton) F 0:00

157 – Hudson Babb, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Alex Carrier (Canton) TF 16-0

165 – Cooper Miller, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Daniel Kees (Canton) TF 18-1

175 – Ethan Lowe, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Eli Piper (Canton) F 1:14

190 – Sam Manson, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Alex Webster (Canton) F 3:16

215 – Jaxon Wright, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Johnny Nidiffer (Canton) F 1:23

285 – Connor Williams (Canton) d. Carson Sexton, (GCMS/Fisher) F 1:10

106 – Bentley Fields, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Dash Shepler (Canton) F 2:34

113 – Ian Rotramel, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Dean Bruketta (Canton) F 1:23

120 – Dyllan Steele (Canton) d. Kaden Huster, (GCMS/Fisher) F 3:11

126 – Maddux Steele (Canton) d. Gage Martin, (GCMS/Fisher) F 1:29

132 – Jacob Hardesty (Canton) d. Camden Brucker, (GCMS/Fisher) SV-1 4-1

138 – Landen Lage, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Kole VanMiddlesworth (Canton) F 1:37

144 – Nolan Lowe, (GCMS/Fisher) d. Ayden Stewart (Canton) TF 16-0

Canton’s team score was adjusted by -1.0 for uc – 132

Recap of Stillman Valley, Princeton, Riverdale, Richmond-Burton Regionals

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:40:00 GMT

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

Stillman Valley

Lena-Winslow/ Stockton co-op won its eighth regional title since 2012 after collecting 236.5 points, which was 77.5 ahead of runner-up Oregon, at the 11-team Stillman Valley Regional. The PantherHawks had six champs and four other qualifiers for the Byron Individual Sectional.

Title winners for the PantherHawks, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Milder, were Carson Hill (113), Brandon White (126), Arrison Bauer (144), Eli Larson (190), Oliver McPeek (215) and Jeremiah Luke (285) while Keller Otto (120), Mauricio Glass (138), Sam Sikora (157) and John Mensendike (170) took second place. Huntlee Burris (132) lost a 4-3 decision in the third-place match to miss out on advancing to the sectional.

Lena-Winslow/ Stockton, which is ranked second, beat Wheaton Academy 50-21 in Thursday’s Oregon Dual Team Sectional. As a result, it advances to the IHSA Class 1A Dual Team Finals in Bloomington and meets Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher co-op in the quarterfinals on February 27. The team hopes that it will be assured of its fifth state trophy, which includes 1A titles in 2017 and 2019, second place in 2012 and third place in 2023.

Oregon (159) was ranked 12th while Byron, an honorable mention selection, beat out West Carroll 133-125 for third place. Stillman Valley (111.5), Dakota/ Orangeville co-op (88), Polo/ Forreston/ Eastland/ Milledgeville co-op (65.5), Galena/ East Dubuque co-op (54), Winnebago (54), Durand/ Pecatonica co-op (46) and Boylan Catholic (13.5) rounded out the field.

Additional regional champions were Oregon’s Josiah Perez (120), Jack Benesh (132) and Nelson Benesh (138), West Carroll’s Connor Knop (157) and Jonner Smith (165), Winnebago’s Cam Whitehead (106), Polo/ Forreston/ Eastland/ Milledgeville’s Kaenyn McCarren (150) and Byron’s Brody Stien (175).

Regional champions

106 – Cam Whitehead (Winnebago) 31-4

113 – Carson Hill (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 28-17

120 – Josiah Perez (Oregon) 39-0

126 – Brandon White (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 28-9

132 – Jack Benesh (Oregon) 24-5

138 – Nelson Benesh (Oregon) 38-4

144 – Arrison Bauer (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 42-3

150 – Kaenyn McCarren (Polo/ Forreston/ Eastland/ Milledgeville) 22-5

157 – Connor Knop (West Carroll) 26-0

165 – Jonner Smith (West Carroll) 33-1

175 – Brody Stien (Byron) 41-1

190 – Eli Larson (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 42-1

215 – Oliver McPeek (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 41-2

285 – Jeremiah Luke (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 38-3

Additional sectional qualifiers
106 – Carter Paulson (Stillman Valley) 31-7; Aiden Salo (Byron) 30-12

113 – Jordan Lowe (Oregon) 20-10; Carter Mancilla (Dakota) 19-14

120 – Keller Otto (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 31-16; Parker McGlinn (Winnebago) 19-8

126 – Isaiah Perez (Oregon) 33-7; Connor Higgins (Galena/ East Dubuque) 24-5

132 – Hunter King (Byron) 24-11; Jack McIntyre (West Carroll) 29-6

138 – Mauricio Glass (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 32-11; Guillermo Kalata (Stillman Valley) 14-13

144 – Harlan Kinney (Dakota/ Orangeville) 19-14; Jordan Donahue (Galena/ East Dubuque) 19-13

150 – Cole Herrell (West Carroll) 27-6; Cael O`Horo (Byron) 24-15

157 – Sam Sikora (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 34-11; Dylan Dach (Byron) 22-15

165 – Ethan Waugh (Stillman Valley) 30-4; Brannick Alexander (Dakota/ Orangeville) 21-8

175 – John Mensendike (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) 37-7; Jay Pearson (Dakota/ Orangeville) 24-10

190 – Will Julian (Byron) 34-6; Micah Stringini (Polo/ Forreston/ Eastland/ Milledgeville) 33-9

215 – Jacksyn Windham (Oregon) 22-15; Dermot Dolan (Durand/ Pecatonica) 14-3

285 – Riley Boyer (Byron) 16-14, Trey Jones (Durand/ Pecatonica) 28-10

Individual statistics

Most team points: Arrison Bauer, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton 28; Jonner Smith, West Carroll 28; Connor Knop, West Carroll 27.5; Jack Benesh, Oregon 26.5; Kaenyn McCarren, Polo/ Forreston/ Eastland/ Milledgeville 25.5; Jeremiah Luke, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton 24; Nelson Benesh, Oregon 23.5; Oliver McPeek, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton 23; Cam Whitehead, Winnebago 23; Brody Stien, Byron 22.5

Most total match points: Brody Stien, Byron 56; Jack Benesh, Oregon 51; Dylan Dach, Byron 50

Most pins: Jonner Smith, West Carroll 3 (in 4:41), Brannick Alexander, Dakota/ Orangeville 3; Arrison Bauer, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton 3; Dermot Dolan, Durand/ Pecatonica 3; Guillermo Kalata, Stillman Valley 3; Micah Stringini, Polo/ Forreston/ Eastland/ Milledgeville 3

Most technical falls: Brody Stien, Byron 3 (in 7:20)

Largest seed-place difference: Xander Bell, Stillman Valley 3; Gavin Sinkiawic, Dakota/ Orangeville 3

Team statistics

Most total match points: Lena-Winslow/ Stockton 270; Stillman Valley 257; Byron 243

Most pins: Lena-Winslow/ Stockton 18; Oregon 12; Stillman Valley 11

Most technical falls: Byron 5; Winnebago 5

Princeton

Dixon captured its third regional title and first since 2019 when it had five champions, three runners-up and a third-place finisher to help it claim top honors at the Princeton Regional with 221 points, which was 44 points ahead of runner-up Sandwich, who beat out Marquette Academy 177-172 for second place in the 11-team competition at Prouty Gym in Princeton.

Top performers for coach Micah Hey’s first place Dukes were title winners Riley Paredes (106), Doolan Long (126), Charlie Connors (144), Dawson Kemp (215) and Dylan Bopes (285) as well as second-place finishers Jack Ragan (120), Preston Richards (150) and Blake Dingley (175) and also Seth Shaffer (190), who took third while Adam Staples (165) claimed fourth place.

Dixon, which defeated first-time regional winner Morrison 57-20 in Thursday’s Oregon Dual Team Sectional, advanced to the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second time and faces Althoff Catholic in the quarterfinals on February 27. Its other appearance was in 2017 when coach Chris Bishop led the program to third place in Class 2A. The Dukes came into the regional ranked fifth while Sandwich was 20th and Marquette Academy was 25th and Kewanee and the host Tigers were both honorable mention selections.

Princeton, which had four title winners, got past Kewanee 145-139.5 for fourth place while the remainder of the field included Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille co-op (63), Mendota (60), ROWVA/ Williamsfield co-op (49.5), Saint Bede Academy (29.5), Putnam County/ Hall co-op (26) and Somonauk/ Leland co-op (18).

Additional champions were Princeton’s Augustus Swanson (113), Kane Dauber (138), Casey Etheridge (165) and Eli Berlin (190), Marquette Academy’s Wesley Janick (120), Koby Clark (132) and Brysen Manly (157) and Sandwich’s Cooper Corder (150) and Joshua Kotalik (175).

Note: Curt’s full story on the Princeton Regional will appear in the next few days with more news about Dixon qualifying for the IHSA Dual Team Finals at Thursday’s Oregon Sectional.