Out of state roundup for Dec 12-13
By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA
All rankings listed are from Rob Sherrill’s Illinois Best Weekly
Collinsville wins title at Lady Longhorn Roundup
Collinsville got a title from Londyn Long (125) and a second-place finish from Leann Cory (155) while eight others finished sixth or better to help it prevail in a tight battle for top honors by a 126-123 margin over Moberly, Missouri at the 17-team Lady Longhorn Roundup, which took place at Parkway West in Ballwin, Missouri. Granite City edged Mehlville, Missouri 111.5-111 for third place in the event, which also included Althoff Catholic (49) and Jersey Community (28).
Other champions from Illinois were Granite City’s Audrey Barnes (140) and Demi Barnes (190) and Althoff Catholic’s Prudence Snider (105) and Baileigh Self (115) while Granite City’s Ma’Kayla Bonner (115) also finished in second place.
There was one all-Illinois title match at 115 in which Self was a winner by technical fall in 2:43 over Bonner. All of the other champions won by fall in title matches or in the deciding match of round robin competition.
Demi Barnes and Long tied six others for second place with 26 team points while Self was tenth with 25.5 team points. Long and Demi Barnes also tied five others for the most pins with five. Long also had the largest seed-place difference with 10 positions while Cory and McCullough tied one other individual in that category after improving nine positions from their seed.
Other top finishers for coach Adam Gillespie’s champion Kakoks were Ivana Torres (3rd at 110), Jaylah Harris (3rd at 135), Addyson Bailey (3rd at 140), Jazelle Young (5th at 115), Emma Ford (5th at 120), Alana Starwalt (5th at 235), Harlee Hart (6th at 100) and Rylee McCullough (6th at 145).
“I’m so proud of this team for coming together to win this tournament,” Gillespie said. “Winning first was a reflection of every wrestlers’ dedication, every match mattered and every win helped contribute to the 1st place finish.”
Additional top placers for coach Matt Warfield’s third place Warriors were Adrianna Lacefield (3rd at 145) and Taylor Duncan (4th at 100). Leading the way for Jersey Community were Josselyn Allen (4th at 105), Skylee Howell (5th at 155) and Lettie VanAllman (5th at 170).
Long and Bailey both qualified for state for the Kahoks last season while Audrey and Demi Barnes were state qualifiers for the Warriors with Demi falling one win shy of a medal at 170.
Title matches at Parkway West’s Lady Longhorn Roundup (Illinois athletes)
105 – Prudence Snider (Althoff Catholic) over Nadelyn James (Moberly, MO), F 1:09 round robin
115 – Baileigh Self (Althoff Catholic) over Ma’Kayla Bonner (Granite City), TF 2:43
125 – Londyn Long (Collinsville) over Olivia Chang (Brentwood, MO), F 0:33
140 – Aubrey Barnes (Granite City) over Maleyah Morrow (Mehlville, MO), F 1:07
155 – Breanne Gibbs (Moberly, MO) over Leann Cory (Collinsville), F 0:35
190 – Demi Barnes (Granite City) over Hayden Shetley (Mehlville, MO), F 0:50 round robin
Althoff Catholic’s five champions leads to title at Longhorn Invite in Missouri
Althoff Catholic got championships from Jacobi Cobbs (113), Jaxon Lynn (120), Dawson Hawthorne (132), Landon Weidler (157) and Pierre Walton (165) and second-place finishes from Karson Fowler (106), John Taylor (144) and Stephen Ache (215) to help it claim top honors at the Longhorn Invitational, which took place at Parkway West in Ballwin, Missouri.
Coach E.J. Brooks’ Crusaders, the lone Illinois team in the 17-team competition, finished with 244.5 points, which was 38 more than the runner-up in the invite, Oakville, Missouri.
Lynn and Weidler both had pins on the title mat while Cobbs, Hawthone and Walton all secured their titles with victories by technical fall.
Other top finishers for Althoff Catholic were Robbie Schallert (4th at 138), Ryan Hogue (4th at 150) and Braden Bush (5th at 285).
“I felt this was a great tournament to start the season for my boys,” Crusaders coach EJ Brooks said. “It had solid competition for my studs,and even my young guys got good mat time. My studs like Pierre Walton, Dawson Hawthorne, Jacobi Cobbs, Landon Weidler, and Jaxon Lynn all beat some solid state-ranked Missouri guys on their way to tournament titles. My young and up and coming wrestlers performed well and got some quality experience. My other tournament placers were Karson Fowler, John Taylor, Stephen Ache, Ryan Hogue, Robbie Schallert and Braden Busch. This collective effort of my boys led them to win the tournament ahead of some solid state-ranked Missouri teams. This capped off a weekend were two of my young but extremely talented girl wrestlers won individual titles Friday night at the Parkway West Lady Long Horn Invitational. Baileigh Self and Prudence Snider remain undefeated on the season.”
Weidler tied two others for the most team points with 29.5 while Hawthorne tied for fifth with 28.5 points and Walton was tenth with 26.5 points. Hawthorne led all competitors with 72 total match points while Walton ranked fourth with 59.
Hawthorne and Walton also were the only two individuals to collect three wins by technical fall while Cobbs tied for second for the most falls with four.
The Crusaders are ranked 20th by Illinois Best Weekly and three of its title winners are highly-ranked. Cobbs is first at 106, Walton is first at 165 and Hawthorne is fourth at 132. Walton took first in 2A at 165 while at East St. Louis Senior last season and Hawthorne placed sixth in 1A at 126 in 2025 while Cobbs also was a state qualifier.
Title matches at Parkway West’s Longhorn Invitational (Illinois athletes)
106 – Bryant Brown (Mehlville, MO) over Karson Fowler (Althoff Catholic), Inj 1:49
113 – Jacobi Cobbs (Althoff Catholic) over Ryan Nicols (Parkway West, MO), TF 4:09 round robin
120 – Jaxon Lynn (Althoff Catholic) over Jaeger Adams (Park Hills Central, MO), F 1:44
132 – Dawson Hawthorne (Althoff Catholic) over Braidan McGrath (Parkway West, MO), TF 1:48
144 – Sabir Yurdanidze (Oakville, MO) over John Taylor (Althoff Catholic), TF 5:50
157 – Landon Weidler (Althoff Catholic) over Jacob Barton (Marquette, MO), F 3:13
165 – Pierre Walton (Althoff Catholic) over Warren Caine (STEAM Academy, MO), TF 2:15
215 – Kaden Updike (Oakville, MO) over Stephen Ache (Althoff Catholic), F 1:38
Belleville West second at War in Wentzville Liberty Girls Invitational in Missouri
Belleville West put up a good fight but was edged 149-141 by Warrenton, Missouri for the title of the 25-team War in Wentzville Liberty Girls Invitational, which was held in O’Fallon, Missouri. Other Illinois teams that took part were Freeburg, Cahokia, Waterloo, Dupo and Highland.
Coach Demechico Spraggins’ runner-up Maroons got title wins from Riley Weems (110) and Brooke Stellhorn (190) while Moriah Lampley (155) took second and Haylee Hooks (115) and Alyssa Hardt (140) finished third. Others who placed in the top six were Andre’a Kirkpatrick (4th at 235), Journee Kazee (6th at 105) and Ineta Grubbs (6th at 155).
Other champions from Illinois schools were Cahokia’s Teaja Young (130) and Freeburg’s Grace Stratton (155). Additional third-place finishers were Cahokia’s Dakota Bell (130) and Janylah Holman (170) and Freeburg’s Elise Byman (145). Also taking fourth place were Freeburg’s Aubrey Rutmanis (110) and Waterloo’s Tiffany Ramirez (170).
There was one all-Illinois title match, and that was at 155 where Stratton was a winner by fall in 2:28 over Lampley.
Stellhorn and Stratton tied for fourth place in team points with 30 while Hooks led all competitors with 50 total match points. Bell, Hooks and Stratton tied seven others for the most pins with four
Title matches at the War in Wentzville Liberty Girls Invitational (Illinois athletes)
110 – Riley Weems (Belleville West) over Alyssa Dietiker (Timberland, MO), D 11-8
130 – Teaja Young (Cahokia) over Lana Luu (Fort Zumwalt East, MO), SV 11-8
155 – Grace Stratton (Freeburg) over Moria Lampley (Belleville West), F 2:28
190 – Brooke Stellhorn (Belleville West) over Synaya Lewis (Battle, MO), M For.
Civic Memorial places second at Orchard Farm Girls Invitational in Missouri
Civic Memorial scored 224 points to place second in the Orchard Farm Girls Invitational while Saint Charles, Missouri took first with 280.5 points in the 21-team event in Saint Charles, Missouri. Mascoutah was the other Illinois team in the event and it took fifth with 152 points.
Coach Jeremy Christeson’s runner-up Eagles were led by four second-place finishers, Tamari Price (100), Lillian Mcguiggan (105), Laila Earney (125) and Claire Shaw (130). Others who placed in the top-six were Izabella Darr (3rd at 155), Chloe Rice (5th at 135), Audrey Whipple (5th at 170) and Averi Lowe (6th at 110).
Mascoutah also had a second-place finisher, Kara Knipp (115). Also finishing in the top-six for the Indians were Jhayla Lawson (4th at 105), Allyah Lopez (5th at 100), Pakapom Dunham (5th at 110), Zoey Nelson (5th at 125) and Amiyah Smith (6th at 190).
There was also a 21-team boys invitational at Orchard Farm that was also won by Saint Charles, Missouri and Carterville was the lone Illinois in the field and it took fifth with 281 points.
The Lions were led by runner-up Gavin Slack (150) while others who placed in the top-six were Isaac Wood (4th at 126), Terry Mick (5th at 175), Grayson Slack (6th at 106), Micah Jarvis (6th at 120) and Jeremiah Bouchard (6th at 215).
Title matches at the Orchard Farm Girls Invitational (Illinois athletes)
100 – Olivia Stevens (Shawnee Mission West, KS) over Tamari Price (Civic Memorial), F 2:29
105 – Regina McDaniel (Winfield, MO) over Lillian Mcguiggan (Civic Memorial), D 10-6
115 – Giada Sanzottera (Orchard Farm, MO) over Kara Knipp (Mascoutah), MD 12-1
125 – Brooklyn Elliott (Saint Charles, MO) over Laila Earney (Civic Memorial), F 0:49
130 – Alana Henry (Principia, MO) over Claire Shaw (Civic Memorial), F 0:22
Title match at the Orchard Farm Boys Invitational (Illinois athlete)
150 – Kadyn Smith (Rock Bridge, MO) over Gavin Slack (Carterville), TF 4:00
Four teams compete at Zimmerman Girls and Boys invitationals in Iowa
The Erie/ Prophetstown, Fulton and Moline girls and the Fulton boys all took part in separate girls and boys competition at Maquoketa’s Zimmerman invitationals in Maquoketa, Iowa.
In the 19-team girls tournament, Erie/ Prophetstown and Fulton both had champions and Fulton also had first-place finishers in the 17-team boys tournament to help it claim fifth place.
In the girls invite, Erie/ Prophetstown’s Rozlyn Mosher (110) and Fulton’s Kerby Germann (130) won championships while Erie/ Prophetstown’s Michelle Natzger (135) placed second. Germann and Mosher tied for fifth place in most team points with 28.
Other top-six finishers were Fulton’s Tessa Fosdick (4th at 120), Erie/ Prophetstown’s Nevada Wells (6th at 115) and Moline’s Manar Ata (6th at 235).
In the boys invite, Fulton got title wins from Hudson Price (113) and Mason Kuebel (175) and a second-place finish from Coltin Hartman (106) to help it claim fifth place with 123 points. Kuebel tied for fifth in most team points with 28.
Other top-six finishers for the Steamers were Victor Jackson (4th at 126), Jack Holmbo (5th at 285) and Jake Pidde (6th at 157).
Title matches at the Zimmerman Girls Invitational (Illinois athletes)
110 – Rozlyn Mosher (Erie/ Prophetstown) over Grace Gadberry (Lisbon, IA), F 2:54
130 – Kerby Germann (Fulton) over Ava Streeter (Durant, IA), Inj
135 – Bella Miller (Dubuque Hempstead, IA) over Michelle Naftzger (Erie. Prophetstown), F 2:55
Title matches at the Zimmerman Boys Invitational (Illinois athletes)
106 – Tait Zirkel (Davenport West) over Coltin Hartman (Fulton), F 3:55
113 – Hudson Price (Fulton) over Logan Edens (Camanche, IA), MD 15-5
175 – Mason Kuebel (Fulton) over JJ Stringer (Iowa City High, IA), F 0:57
Medlin edges Heeg for Ironman title, Munaretto also a champion
There was an all-Illinois clash for top honors at Walsh Jesuit’s Ironman 2025 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and it couldn’t have been much closer as Washington Community’s Wyatt Medlin captured a 2-1 decision over Providence Catholic’s Justus Heeg in the 157 title match.
There was equally a great deal of drama in the other championship match that was won by an Illinois athlete as St. Charles East’s Dom Munaretto edged Miami Southridge, FL’s Jovanni Tovar in a 13-11 decision in the 120 finals.
Medlin, an IHSA champion the past two years who took third in 2023 and is also top-ranked in 2A at 165, won all five of his matches with decisions, including each of the last three by two points or less. Beginning in the quarterfinals, he edged Lockport Township’s Justin Wardlow 2-0 and then in the semifinals, he claimed a 4-2 victory over Broken Arrow, OK’s Jake Miller.
Heeg, an IHSA champion in his debut last season after winning a state title in Minnesota as an eighth-grader who is top-ranked at 157 in 2A, also won all of his matches by decision, including one that needed extra time. He captured a 3-1 win in the quarterfinals over Layton, UT’s Austin Paris before having to go to sudden victory to claim a 4-1 triumph over Lake Highland Prep, FL’s Zeno Moore in the semifinals.
Munaretto, the two-time IHSA champion and three-time finalist that’s top-ranked at 120 in 3A, faced less angst in his early matches as he followed a major decision in his opener with two wins by technical fall, with the second of those in the quarterfinals. But he definitely felt the pressure in the semifinals where he also had to win by sudden victory by a 4-1 score over Blair Academy, NJ’s Michael Batista. He finished in ninth place for most team points with 30.
Six individuals from Illinois claimed third-place finishes, Warren Township’s Caleb Noble (113), Marmion Academy’s Nicholas Garcia (126), Hononegah’s Rocco Cassioppi (150), Mount Carmel’s Liam Kelly (165), IC Catholic Prep’s Brody Kelly (175) and Marian Central Catholic’s Jimmy Mastny (190). There was also an all-Illinois matchup on the third-place mat at 165 as Liam Kelly won a 13-2 major decision over Hononegah’s Bruno Cassioppi.
Noble, a two-time IHSA champion who’s top-ranked at 113 in 3A, reached the semifinals, where he dropped a 4-2 decision to Malvern Prep, PA’s Jusin Farnsworth.
Garcia, a two-time IHSA champion and three-time medalist who’s top-ranked at 132 in 3A, also fell in a tough semifinal match when he lost 2-1 by a tiebreaker to Perrysburg, OH’s Grey Burnett, who went on to capture the title at 126.
Mastny, who has won two IHSA titles and is top-ranked at 190 in 2A, also experienced disappointment in the semifinals after losing 9-6 by sudden victory to Lawrence North, IN’s Michael White, who later claimed top honors at 190.
Liam Kelly, an IHSA champion last season who is top-ranked at 165 in 3A, lost by technical fall to the eventual 165 champion, Delbarton, NJ’s Jayden James, in the semifinals but bounced back with a 4-1 win by sudden victory to set up his third-place match with Bruno Cassioppi.
Brody Kelly, an IHSA champ last and two-time runner-up who is top-ranked at 175 in 2A, also had a tough time in the semifinals, where he lost a 14-5 major decision to Edmond North, OK’s Joseph Jeter, who went on to take top honors at 175. But he responded with wins in his next two matches by sudden victory to claim third place.
Rocco Cassioppi, an IHSA champ last season and two-time finalist who’s No. 1 at 150 in 3A, also dropped a heartbreaker in the semifinals, losing 2-1 on a tiebreaker to Faith Christian Academy, PA’s Joe Bachmann, who was a member of the top-scoring team in the competition.
Meanwhile, Bruno Cassioppi, ranked third at 165 in 3A, lost by technical fall to Bishop McCort, PA’s Melvin Miller in the semis and responded with a 4-2 decision to also advance to the third-place match with Liam Kelly.
Loyola Academy’s Niko Odiotti (106), a state runner-up last season who’s No. 1 at 106 in 3A, claimed fifth place after losing a 10-9 decision in the quarterfinals to the eventual runner-up, Edison, OH’s Cohen Reer, but responded to win three of his final four matches.
Lockport Township’s Justin Wardlow (157), a three-time state runner-up who is No. 1 at 157 in 3A, settled for seventh place to give Illinois three individuals on the award stand at that weight with the finalists Medlin and Heeg the others. After suffering the tough 2-0 quarterfinal setback to Medlin, he won two of his final three matches.
Saint Viator’s Jaxon Penovich (190), a 2024 IHSA champ who’s ranked second at 190 in 2A, also claimed seventh place in a weight class where Mastny took third place. He got bumped into the consolation bracket right away and had to win three in a row and four of his last five matches to assure himself of a top-eight finish.
Consolation round six losers who fell one win shy of a medal included Marmion Academy’s Colton Wyller (106) and Zach Stewart (138), an IHSA champion in 2024 and runner-up last season who’s No. at 138. Others who fell in that round included IC Catholic Prep’s Max Cumbee (132), Mount Carmel’s Justin Williamson (144) and Warren Township’s Royce Lopez (165)
Some of those who lost in consolation round five matches were Hononegah’s Jackson Olson (120), Hersey’s Oleksandr Havrykiv (126) and Loyola Academy’s James Hemmila (150)
Among those who fell in consolation round four were Mount Carmel’s Sebastian Gracia (106) and Brody Koselke (120), Grant’s Erik Rodriguez (138) and Vince Jasinski (144), IC Catholic Prep’s Aiden Arnett (157) and Foley Calcagno (215), Washington Community’s Symon Woods (106) and Josh Hoffer (215), Homewood-Flossmoor’s Chazz Robinson (120), Montini Catholic’s Allen Woo (120), Providence Catholic’s Tommy Banas (138), Hononegah’s Brody Sendele (175), Warren Township’s Aaron Stewart (190) and Loyola Academy’s Kai Calcutt (215).
The top-10 scoring Illinois schools were Hononegah (49), Marmion Academy (42.5), IC Catholic Prep (36.5), Warren Township (36.5), St. Charles East (36), Washington Community (35), Mount Carmel (33), Loyola Academy (32.5), Providence Catholic (28) and Marian Central Catholic (19).
Rocco Cassioppi ranked third in total match points with 78 while Loyola Academy’s Kai Calcutt tied seven others for second place in most falls with three.
Championship matches at the Ironman (Illinois athletes):
120 – Dom Munaretto (St. Charles East) over Jovanni Tovar (Miami Southridge, FL), D 13-11
157 – Wyatt Medlin (Washington Community) over Justus Heeg (Providence Catholic), D 2-1
Third-place matches at the Ironman (Illinois athletes):
113 – Caleb Noble (Warren Township) over Jarreau Walker (Streetsboro, OH), D 2-1
126 – Nicholas Garcia (Marmion Academy) over Ignacio Villasenor (Stillwater, OK), D 4-2
150 – Rocco Cassioppi (Hononegah) over Bentley Sly (Stuart W. Cramer, NC), D 8-3
165 – Liam Kelly (Mount Carmel) over Bruno Cassioppi (Hononegah), MD 13-2
175 – Brody Kelly (IC Catholic Prep) over Gabriel Logan (Delbarton, NJ), SV 6-5
190 – Jimmy Mastny (Marian Central Catholic) over Salah Tsarni (Blair Academy, NJ), D 5-3
Garduno places second to lead Illinois girls at Women’s Ironman 2025
GG Garduno led all Illinois competitors at Walsh Jesuit’s Women’s Ironman 2025 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, by being the only individual from this state who was able to advance to a title match at the challenging competition that featured competitors from 110 schools from throughout the country, where she finished in second place at 140.
The Saint Ignatius College Prep junior is no doubt very motivated to do something really special this season after she qualified for the IHSA Finals as a freshman and then fell one victory shy of a medal there. And then last season, she also came up one win short, but this time it was at the New Trier Sectional, where she suffered a rotator cuff injury in her semifinal match and thus was unable to make a return to the state finals in Bloomington.
Garduno claimed second place at 140 after losing by fall in 1:31 to Archbishop Spalding, MD’s Taina Fernandez in the finals. She opened her successful tournament run with two pins, with the second of those falls coming in 1:10 over Marysville, OH’s, Cara Leng in the quarterfinals and then she captured a 6-2 decision over Olentangy Orange, OH’s Alanna Smith in the semifinals.
“GG wrestled focused and with a chip on her shoulder,” Wolfpack coach Ben Sanchez said. “She proved to herself she can wrestle with the best girls in the country. She still has work to do but we are all looking forward to her state series run.”
Roxana’s Chloe Skiles, who earlier this year became one of five individuals who won an IHSA title as a freshman, joining Saya Hongmoungkhoune, Angelia Gochis, Angelina Cassioppi and Gabby Gomez in that exclusive group, was one of two third-place medalists from IIllinois.
Skiles dropped a 7-3 decision to Bixby, OK’s Addison Morse in the 110 quarterfinals but she responded to that setback by winning four-straight matches in the wrestlebacks, with two of those being pins, another a win by technical fall and then in the rematch with Morse for third place, she captured a 1-0 decision. She was one of only four individuals in the tournament that was able to secure two victories by technical fall.
The other third-place finisher from Illinois, Lockport Township junior Rebekah Ramirez, qualified for the IHSA Finals last season for the second time and also had 42 victories going into the competition in Bloomington but was only able to win one match there.
She claimed a third-place finish at 235 after winning her first two matches, which included a 7-6 decision in the quarterfinals over Bixby, OK’s Malana Miller before she got pinned in 3:46 in the semifinals by Berea Midpark, OH’s Deionna Borders. However, she responded with two falls of her own, clinching third with a pin in 4:57 over Buckhannon-Upshur, WV’s Abby Radabaugh.
A pair of two-time defending IHSA champions, Kaneland’s Angelina Gochis and Lockport Township’s Claudia Heeney, both settled for fourth-place finishes.
Gochis, a junior, opened with two major decisions, including one by a 13-5 score over Tulsa Union, OK’s McKenna Wilson in the quarterfinals before she lost by fall in 2:00 to Canon-McMillan, PA’s Marlee Solomon in the semifinals. She responded with an 8-2 decision but then fell 7-0 to Chippewa, OH’s Kayla Moroschan in the third-place match.
Heeney, a senior and three-time IHSA finalist, recorded pins in her first two matches, with the latter of those coming in 3:11 over Tulsa Union, OK’s Kelice Luker before she lost by fall in 1:48 to Archbishop Spalding, MD’s Taina Fernandez in the semifinals. After getting a quick fall, she dropped a 3-0 decision to Luker, who she had pinned in the quarterfinals.
Lincoln-Way co-op senior Zoe Dempsey, a two-time state medalist, had a very challenging path to her fifth-place medal at 115 after getting edged 7-6 in her initial match. But she definitely responded to that early setback as she collected five victories in six matches, which got her to the fifth-place match, where she claimed a 6-3 decision over Bixby, OK’s Audrey Flores.
Marist senior Sarah Parker took sixth-place at 170, and in doing so, she tied for third-largest seed-place difference with 20 positions from her 26-seed to sixth place finish. She used three falls, including one in the quarterfinals in 2:42 over Buckhannon-Upshur, WV’s Lylah Ketterman to reach the semifinals, where she lost by technical fall to King High, FL’s Isabella McFarlane and then got pinned in her final two matches.
District 230 sophomore Jade Hardee placed seventh at 110 and in the process, she had the largest seed-place difference of anyone in competition of 23 positions after being seeded 30th and then finishing in seventh place. After getting pinned in her opener, she won four in a row in the wrestlebacks, and then followed a loss with a 3-0 decision to claim seventh place.
Falling in round four of the consolation bracket were District 230’s Piper Booe (115),
Marist’s Ava Enright (120), Bolingbrook’s Alejandra Flores (120), Lockport Township’s Sophie Kelner (190) and Kaneland’s Sadie Kinsella (190). The top-placing Illinois teams were Lockport Township (14th, 47) and Marist (17th, 38).