Class 1A Sectional roundup for Carterville, Coal City and Clinton
By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA
Unity gets seven qualifiers at Clinton Sectional
Unity had three champions and four other medalists to give it a tournament-best seven state qualifiers at the IHSA Class 1A Clinton Sectional. Coach Logan Patton’s qualified for the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals and hope that they can make a return trip to Bloomington this season. Canton, Olympia and PORTA are the other teams at the Clinton Sectional who will compete in the Unity Dual Team in Tolono next Tuesday to see which two of them go to dual team state. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher, LeRoy/ Tri-Valley, Olympia and PORTA all had four qualifiers.
Winning sectional titles for Unity were Kaden Inman (45-5 at 144), Abram Davidson (45-5 at 165) and Hunter Eastin (48-2 at 190). Finishing in second place were Hunter Shike (30-10 at 132) and Ryan Rink (40-9 at 175) and finishing in third place were Taylor Finley (47-5 at 138) and Holden Brazelton (45-7 at 150).
Other sectional champions were LeRoy/ Tri-Valley’s Brady Mouser (39-3 at 120), Brock Owens (43-8 at 157) and Tate Sigler (44-5 at 285), Hoopeston Area/ Milford’s Charlie Flores (47-3 at 106) and Angel Zamora (48-1 at 175), Unity Christian’s Garrett VerHeecke (41-1 at 132) and Clinton VerHeecke (40-0 at 138), Olympia’s Dylan Eimer (40-4 at 113), Peoria Notre Dame’s Ian Akers (45-3 at 126), Illini Bluffs’ Jackson Carroll (49-0 at 150) and El Paso-Gridley’s Ryden Barker (44-3 at 215).
Also finishing in second place were Canton’s Jaxsun Owens (28-10 at 106) and Connor Williams (34-0 at 285), Clinton’s Briley Carter (36-10 at 113), Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth’s Logan Roberts (39-3 at 120), University High’s Ruben Rivera (37-9 at 126), Olympia’s Cooper Phillips (34-10 at 138), Farmington/ Cuba’s Bradlee Ellis (41-4 at 144), LeRoy/Tri-Valley’s Kobe Brent (43-7 at 150), Pontiac’s Lucas Maier (34-12 at 157), Tremont’s Bowden Delaney (47-3 at 165), Mercer County’s Bodie Salmon (26-7 at 190) and Quincy Notre Dame’s Ryan Darnell (43-7 at 215).
The closest title matches were Owens edging Maier 5-4 at 157, Eastin getting past Salmon 5-4 at 190, Mouser beating Roberts 7-5 at 120 and Davidson prevailing over Delaney 7-5 at 165.
Additional third-place finishers were PORTA’s Zach Bryant (42-11 at 132) and Justin Zimmerman (41-9 at 157), Olympia’s Brandon Gaither (40-9 at 106), El Paso-Gridley’s Tom Erwin (43-6 at 113), Illini Bluffs’ Barret Speck (43-6 at 120), Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher’s Landen Lage (39-4 at 126), Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth’s Charlie Wittmer (43-8 at 144), Mercer County’s Eli Burns (20-4 at 165), Illini West’s Shawn Watkins (36-5 at 175), Clinton’s Kristan Hibbard (35-9 at 190), Peoria Notre Dame’s Joe Culp (40-10 at 215) and
Beardstown’s Chunk Dailey (48-6 at 285).
Fourth-place finishes were also turned in by Canton’s Jacob Hardesty (33-8 at 120), Dyllan Steele (31-4 at 126), Alex Carrier (29-13 at 144) and Gus Lidwell (14-11 at 175), Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher’s Nolan Lowe (31-10 at 132), Hunter Brandon (14-6 at 138) and Hudson Babb (36-11 at 150), PORTA’s Coyt Rademaker (35-16 at 106) and Kainin Fillbright (38-12 at 113), Olympia’s Kelton Graden (21-7 at 157), Hoopeston Area/ Milford’s Ayden Larkin (37-8 at 165), Knoxville’s Brydon Walters (29-8 at 190), Monmouth-Roseville’s Alex Gandarilla (33-10 at 215) and Peoria Notre Dame’s Brady Mullens (32-16 at 285).
Returning state medalists who competed in the sectional (with their finishes from last year) were: State champions: Illini Bluffs’ Jackson Carroll (144) and Unity’s Hunter Eastin (190); Second place: Peoria Notre Dame’s Ian Akers (113), Unity’s Kaden Inman (144) and Tremont’s Bowden Delaney (165); Third place: Unity Christian’s Garrett VerHeecke (126); Fourth place: Olympia’s Dylan Eimer (113) and Hoopeston Area/ Milford’s Angel Zamora (175); Fifth place: Unity Christian’s Clinton VerHeecke (120) and Unity’s Ryan Rink (165); Sixth place: Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth’s Logan Roberts (120) and Hoopeston Area/ Milford’s Ayden Larkin (157).
Multiple state medal winners who took part in the sectional included Ian Akers, Holden Brazelton, Dylan Eimer, Clinton VerHeecke and Garrett VerHeecke. Four-time state qualifiers who competed in the sectional included Ian Akers, Holden Brazelton, Jackson Carroll, Bowden Delaney, Kaden Inman and Brady Mouser.
IHSA Class 1A Clinton Sectional Place Matches
106
1st Place Match
Charlie Flores (Hoopeston Area/ Milford) 47-3, Jr. over Jaxsun Owens (Canton) 28-10, So. (Fall 0:54)
3rd Place Match
Brandon Gaither (Olympia) 40-9, Fr. over Coyt Rademaker (PORTA) 35-16, Fr. (MD 14-3)
113
1st Place Match
Dylan Eimer (Olympia) 40-4, Sr. over Briley Carter (Clinton) 36-10, So. (TF-1.5 4:31 (18-3))
3rd Place Match
Tom Erwin (El Paso-Gridley) 43-6, Fr. over Kainin Fillbright (PORTA) 38-12, Fr. (Dec 10-6)
120
1st Place Match
Brady Mouser (LeRoy/ Tri-Valley) 39-3, Sr. over Logan Roberts (Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth) 39-3, Sr. (Dec 7-5)
3rd Place Match
Barret Speck (Illini Bluffs) 43-6, Fr. over Jacob Hardesty (Canton) 33-8, So. (MD 9-0)
126
1st Place Match
Ian Akers (Peoria Notre Dame) 45-3, Sr. over Ruben Rivera (University High) 37-9, Jr. (TF-1.5 3:22 (19-2))
3rd Place Match
Landen Lage (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher) 39-4, Fr. over Dyllan Steele (Canton) 31-4, Jr. (MD 10-0)
132
1st Place Match
Garrett VerHeecke (Unity Christian) 41-1, Jr. over Hunter Shike (Unity) 30-10, Jr. (Dec 4-0)
3rd Place Match
Zach Bryant (PORTA) 42-11, Jr. over Nolan Lowe (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher) 31-10, So. (MD 11-3)
138
1st Place Match
Clinton VerHeecke (Unity Christian) 40-0, Jr. over Cooper Phillips (Olympia) 34-10, Sr. (Fall 0:13)
3rd Place Match
Taylor Finley (Unity) 47-5, So. over Hunter Brandon (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher) 14-6, Fr. (Fall 4:47)
144
1st Place Match
Kaden Inman (Unity) 45-5, Sr. over Bradlee Ellis (Farmington/ Cuba) 41-4, Jr. (TF-1.5 4:18 (21-5))
3rd Place Match
Charlie Wittmer (Warrensburg-Latham/ Maroa-Forsyth) 43-8, Jr. over Alex Carrier (Canton) 29-13, So. (Dec 10-4)
150
1st Place Match
Jackson Carroll (Illini Bluffs) 49-0, Sr. over Kobe Brent (LeRoy/ Tri-Valley) 43-7, Sr. (Dec 7-3)
3rd Place Match
Holden Brazelton (Unity) 45-7, Sr. over Hudson Babb (Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher) 36-11, So. (Fall 0:53)
157
1st Place Match
Brock Owens (LeRoy/ Tri-Valley) 43-8, Sr. over Lucas Maier (Pontiac) 34-12, Fr. (Dec 5-4)
3rd Place Match150
Justin Zimmerman (PORTA) 41-9, Jr. over Kelton Graden (Olympia) 21-7, Sr. (MD 16-6)
165
1st Place Match
Abram Davidson (Unity) 45-5, Jr. over Bowden Delaney (Tremont) 47-3, Sr. (Dec 7-5)
3rd Place Match
Eli Burns (Mercer County) 20-4, Jr. over Ayden Larkin (Hoopeston Area/ Milford) 37-8, Sr. (MD 16-2)
175
1st Place Match
Angel Zamora (Hoopeston Area/ Milford) 48-1, Sr. over Ryan Rink (Unity) 40-9, Sr. (Fall 5:14)
3rd Place Match
Shawn Watkins (Illini West) 36-5, Sr. over Gus Lidwell (Canton) 14-11, Sr. (MD 14-2)
190
1st Place Match
Hunter Eastin (Unity) 48-2, Sr. over Bodie Salmon (Mercer County) 26-7, Sr. (Dec 5-4)
3rd Place Match
Kristan Hibbard (Clinton) 35-9, Sr. over Brydon Walters (Knoxville) 29-8, Jr. (Fall 1:29)
215
1st Place Match
Ryden Barker (El Paso-Gridley) 44-3, Sr. over Ryan Darnell (Quincy Notre Dame) 43-7, Sr. (Fall 5:49)
3rd Place Match
Joe Culp (Peoria Notre Dame) 40-10, Sr. over Alex Gandarilla (Monmouth-Roseville) 33-10, Jr. (Dec 15-12)
285
1st Place Match
Tate Sigler (LeRoy/ Tri-Valley) 44-5, Sr. over Connor Williams (Canton) 34-0, Jr. (M. For.)
3rd Place Match
Chunk Dailey (Beardstown) 48-6, Sr. over Brady Mullens (Peoria Notre Dame) 32-16, Jr. (TF-1.5 3:43 (19-3))
Vandalia qualifies 13 at Carterville Sectional, Waughtel makes IHSA history
Vandalia heads to this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Individual Finals in Champaign with a lot of momentum after it won six titles and had five other individuals qualify from the Carterville Sectional.
Coach Jason Clay’s Vandals, who are top-ranked in Class 1A and finished fourth in the IHSA Dual Team Finals last season, are hoping to cap off a great season in individual competition where they won invites at Civic Memorial, Princeton and Litchfield and the Litchfield Regional.
Vandalia has had four individual state champions in its history with Jarek Wehrle winning the 2021 IWCOA Open Finals and Jo-E Smith the last to take first place at an IHSA Finals in 2007. Considering that four of their sectional champions have won IHSA titles or finished second there, the Vandals have a good opportunity to finish with multiple state champions for the first time.
One of Vandalia’s sectional champions, senior Tyson Waughtel, made IHSA history by becoming Illinois’ all-time winningest wrestler and he now owns a 202-2 record. He collected his 200th triumph in the 126 quarterfinals against Roxana’s Lleyton Cobine, his 201st victory in the semifinals against Oakwood/ Salt Fork’s Devin Ehler and his historic 202nd win in the title match against Anna-Jonesboro’s Drew Sadler.
That moves him past the rest of the top five in wins, according to the IHSA. They are: Montini Catholic’s Garrett Goebel, 2004-08 (201); Niles West and Montini Catholic’s Stephen Robertson, 2008-11 (201); St. Rita’s Albert White, 2003-07 (200); and Montini Catholic’s Mike Benefiel, 2003-07 (200).
Winning sectional titles for Vandalia were Aiden Evans (39-9 at 106), Max Philpot (43-0 at 113), Preston Waughtel (48-1 at 120), Tyson Waughtel (50-0 at 126), Dillon Hinton (48-2 at 150) and Ross Miller (40-10 at 175). Finishing in second place were Cole Yarbrough (36-10 at 138) and Dominic Swyers (34-16 at 285) while Artan Mustafa (39-12 at 165) and Kaden Tidwell (46-3 at 215) placed third and Parker Ray (40-9 at 157) finished fourth.
“Super proud of the fight our guys showed especially on Saturday,” said Clay, who will be honored on Friday as one of this year’s inductees into the IWCOA Hall of Fame. “Eleven state qualifiers and six sectional champions are both amazing numbers. We came very close to getting all 13 guys through losing two tough matches in the blood round. We are so excited to get to Champaign Thursday. These next two weeks is what we have been working months for. Excited to watch our guys make the push for their goals and plan to enjoy every minute of it.”
Oakwood/ Salt Fork qualified six individuals while Althoff Catholic, Benton/ Sesser-Valier, Murphysboro and Waterloo all had four individuals who are moving on to Champaign.
Other sectional champions were Roxana’s Brandon Green, Jr. (37-0 at 132) and Lyndon Thies (42-2 at 165), Oakwood/ Salt Fork’s Pedro Rangel (41-7 at 138), Murphysboro’s Bryce Edwards (39-4 at 144), Richland County’s Carson Bissey (17-1 at 157), Red Bud/ Valmeyer’s Danny Jackson (41-5 at 190), East Alton-Wood River’s Drake Champlin (39-1 at 215) and Althoff Catholic’s Jason Dowell (30-0 at 285).
Also finishing in second place were Althoff Catholic’s Jacobi Cobbs (30-6 at 106) and Brenden Rayl (34-1 at 132), Mt. Zion’s Carson Thornton (31-8 at 175) and Keller Stocks (42-7 at 215), Benton/ Sesser-Valier’s Cohen Sweely (42-4 at 113), Oakwood/ Salt Fork’s Mason Swartz (41-5 at 120), Anna-Jonesboro’s Drew Sadler (43-8 at 126), Roxana’s Logan Riggs (35-12 at 144),
Salem’s Keyton King (43-2 at 150), Cumberland’s Owen McGinnis (37-5 at 157), Shelbyville’s Ryne Peavler (35-6 at 165) and Sacred Heart-Griffin’s Casen Lyons (38-11 at 190).
Close title matches included Rangel getting past Yarbrough 9-6 at 138, Evans beating Cobbs 7-3 at 106, Philpot prevailing over Sweely 6-2 at 113 and Bissey defeating McGinnis 4-0 at 157.
Other third-place finishers were Oakwood/ Salt Fork’s Steven Uden (40-5 at 106) and Devin Ehler (9-1 at 126), Murphysboro’s Paxton Pyatt (47-5 at 113) and Julien Tanner (30-4 at 285), Litchfield/ Mt. Olive’s Vincent Moore (43-8 at 120) and Braxton Kieffer (35-11 at 157), Westville/ Georgetown-Ridge Farm’s Gabriel Kiddoo (39-8 at 150) and Ethan Miller (42-7 at 190), Shelbyville’s Bodee Fathauer (31-8 at 132), Robinson’s Broady Kelly (30-5 at 138), Lawrence County’s Hudson Meek (36-10 at 144) and Trico/ Elverado’s Colin Hughey (37-5 at 175).
Additional fourth-place finishes were turned in by Benton/ Sesser-Valier’s Braxton Tittle (47-7 at 106), Kaden Blades (22-7 at 138) and Tiffin Kouzoukas (40-8 at 150), Oakwood/ Salt Fork’s Tyler Huchel (39-9 at 130) and Carter Chambliss (28-20 at 144), Mt. Zion’s Vincent Baker (36-15 at 113), Effingham’s Kaiden Stewart (36-13 at 120), Althoff Catholic’s Dawson Hawthorne (28-2 at 126), Murphysboro’s Maxon Stearns (37-12 at 165), Fairfield’s Talan Keoughan (35-7 at 175), Pittsfield’s Tucker Cook (39-10 at 190), Litchfield/ Mt. Olive’s Tristan Staggs (38-11 at 215) and Shelbyville’s Andre Townsend (40-8 at 285).
Twelve of the state qualifiers from the Carterville Sectional were IHSA medalists last season. They were (with finishes from 2024): State champions: Vandalia’s Preston Waughtel (113) and Althoff Catholic’s Jason Dowell (285); Second place: Vandalia’s Max Philpot (106), Tyson Waughtel (120) and Dillon Hinton (138) and East Alton-Wood River’s Drake Champlin (215); Fourth place: Richland County’s Carson Bissey (132), Murphysboro’s Bryce Edwards (144), Roxana’s Lyndon Thies (157) and Vandalia’s Kaden Tidwell (190); Fifth place: Roxana’s Brandon Green, Jr. (132); and Sixth place: Benton/ Sesser-Valier’s Cohen Sweely (113).
The only three-time medalist from the sectional is Tyson Waughtel while two-time medal winners include Carson Bissey, Jason Dowell, Dillon Hinton and Drew Sadler. Four-time IHSA qualifiers who were in the Carterville Sectional include Drake Champlin, Pedro Rangel, Drew Sadler and Tyson Waughtel.
IHSA Class 1A Carterville Sectional place matches
106
1st Place Match
Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 39-9, Fr. over Jacobi Cobbs (Althoff Catholic) 30-6, So. (Dec 7-3)
3rd Place Match
Steven Uden (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 40-5, So. over Braxton Tittle (Benton/ Sesser-Valier) 47-7, So. (TF-1.5 0:00 (18-3))
113
1st Place Match
Max Philpot (Vandalia) 43-0, So. over Cohen Sweely (Benton/ Sesser-Valier) 42-4, So. (Dec 6-2)
3rd Place Match
Paxton Pyatt (Murphysboro) 47-5, So. over Vincent Baker (Mt. Zion) 36-15, Jr. (TF-1.5 0:00 (17-0))
120
1st Place Match
Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) 48-1, So. over Mason Swartz (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 41-5, Fr. (TF-1.5 0:00 (19-3))
3rd Place Match
Vincent Moore (Litchfield/ Mt. Olive) 43-8, Jr. over Kaiden Stewart (Effingham) 36-13, Sr. (TF-1.5 0:00 (19-3))
126
1st Place Match
Tyson Waughtel (Vandalia) 50-0, Sr. over Drew Sadler (Anna-Jonesboro) 43-8, Sr. (Fall 2:35)
3rd Place Match
Devin Ehler (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 9-1, Fr. over Dawson Hawthorne (Althoff Catholic) 28-2, So. (MD 14-6)
132
1st Place Match
Brandon Green, Jr. (Roxana) 37-0, Jr. over Brenden Rayl (Althoff Catholic) 34-1, Sr. (M. For.)
3rd Place Match
Bodee Fathauer (Shelbyville) 31-8, Jr. over Tyler Huchel (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 39-9, Sr. (Dec 9-3)
138
1st Place Match
Pedro Rangel (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 41-7, Sr. over Cole Yarbrough (Vandalia) 36-10, So. (Dec 9-6)
3rd Place Match
Broady Kelly (Robinson) 30-5, Jr. over Kaden Blades (Benton/ Sesser-Valier) 22-7, Jr. (Fall 0:36)
144
1st Place Match
Bryce Edwards (Murphysboro) 39-4, Sr. over Logan Riggs (Roxana) 35-12, Jr. (MD 12-4)
3rd Place Match
Hudson Meek (Lawrence County) 36-10, So. over Carter Chambliss (Oakwood/ Salt Fork) 28-20, Sr. (Dec 9-2)
150
1st Place Match
Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) 48-2, Jr. over Keyton King (Salem) 43-2, Sr. (M. For.)
3rd Place Match
Gabriel Kiddoo (Westville/ Georgetown-Ridge Farm) 39-8, Sr. over Tiffin Kouzoukas (Benton/ Sesser-Valier) 40-8, Sr. (MD 9-1)
157
1st Place Match
Carson Bissey (Richland County) 17-1, Sr. over Owen McGinnis (Cumberland) 37-5, Jr. (Dec 4-0)
3rd Place Match
Braxton Kieffer (Litchfield/ Mt. Olive) 35-11, Jr. over Parker Ray (Vandalia) 40-9, Sr. (MD 26-13)
165
1st Place Match
Lyndon Thies (Roxana) 42-2, Jr. over Ryne Peavler (Shelbyville) 35-6, Jr. (M. For.)
3rd Place Match
Artan Mustafa (Vandalia) 39-12, Sr. over Maxon Stearns (Murphysboro) 37-12, So. (Fall 7:12)
175
1st Place Match
Ross Miller (Vandalia) 40-10, Jr. over Carson Thornton (Mt. Zion) 31-8, Jr. (MD 13-3)
3rd Place Match
Colin Hughey (Trico/ Elverado) 37-5, Sr. over Talan Keoughan (Fairfield) 35-7, Sr. (M. For.)
190
1st Place Match
Danny Jackson (Red Bud/ Valmeyer) 41-5, Fr. over Casen Lyons (Sacred Heart-Griffin) 38-11, So. (TF-1.5 0:00 (19-4))
3rd Place Match
Ethan Miller (Westville/ Georgetown-Ridge Farm) 42-7, Jr. over Tucker Cook (Pittsfield) 39-10, Sr. (Fall 7:37)
215
1st Place Match
Drake Champlin (East Alton-Wood River) 39-1, Sr. over Keller Stocks (Mt. Zion) 42-7, Jr. (TF-1.5 0:00 (18-0))
3rd Place Match
Kaden Tidwell (Vandalia) 46-3, Sr. over Tristan Staggs (Litchfield/ Mt. Olive) 38-11, Jr. (TF-1.5 0:00 (18-0))
285
1st Place Match
Jason Dowell (Althoff Catholic) 30-0, Sr. over Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 34-16, So. (Fall 1:45)
3rd Place Match
Julien Tanner (Murphysboro) 30-4, Jr. over Andre Townsend (Shelbyville) 40-8, Sr. (Fall 1:42)
Coal City has seven champs, qualifies 13 at own sectional
Last year’s IHSA Class 1A runner-up and the 2023 IHSA Class 1A state champion Coal City will be well-represented at this weekend’s IHSA Class 1A Individual State Finals at the State Farm Center in Champaign with seven champions and six other qualifiers from its own Coal City Sectional. Also, Chicago Hope Academy set a new school record after qualifying nine individuals.
De La Salle Institute and Reed-Custer both qualified five individuals while Clifton Central/ Iroquois West advanced four individuals to state. On Tuesday, the Coalers will host a dual team sectional featuring them, Chicago Hope Academy, King College Prep and Northridge Prep with the two winners advancing to next weekend’s Class 1A Dual Team Finals in Bloomington.
Leading the way for coach Mark Masters’ Coalers were title winners Owen Petersen (40-2 at 113), Cooper Morris (37-5 at 126), Brody Widlowski (24-0 at 138), Aidan Kenney (36-10 at 144), Mason Garner (32-6 at 157), Landin Benson (38-2 at 175) and John Keigher (32-1 at 215),
Finishing in second place for the Coalers were Culan Lindemuth (33-11 at 120) and Brock Finch (29-8 at 165). Taking third place were Luke Munsterman (37-12 at 132), Noah Houston (29-13 at 150) and Cade Poyner (33-7 at 190) while Jason Piatak (33-17 at 106) claimed fourth place.
De La Salle Institute had three champions, Jeremiah Lawrence (15-1 at 120), Terrelle Jackson (24-10 at 190) and David McCarthy (28-2 at 285). The other Coal City Sectional title winners were Reed-Custer’s Colton Drinkwine (44-5 at 106), Chicago Hope Academy’s Josiah Willis (40-9 at 132), Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington’s Dylan Crouch (45-3 at 150) and Northridge Prep’s Adam Haddad (36-2 at 165).
Chicago Hope Academy received second-place finishes from Indigo Berg (37-12 at 106), Nolan Callahan (39-9 at 113) and Tony Jones-Blakely (27-15 at 157). Also finishing in second place were Reed-Custer’s Jeremy Eggleston (44-3 at 138) and Dominic Alaimo (42-6 at 215), Clifton Central/ Iroquois West’s Evan Cox (42-10 at 144) and Gianni Panozzo (44-6 at 150), Northridge Prep’s Joe Kopecky (28-6 at 126), Rickover Naval Academy’s Justin Hernandez (31-5 at 132), De La Salle Institute’s Marquis Mays (22-6 at 175), Horizon Science Academy Southwest Chicago’s Sami Marrero (31-0 at 190) and Seneca’s Jeremy Gagnon (46-2 at 285).
Some of the closest title matches included Widlowski edging Eggleston 4-1 at 138, Crouch getting past Panozzo 8-4 at 150 and McCarthy prevailing over Gagnon 7-1 at 285.
There were four third-place finishers for Chicago Hope Academy, Dylan Galvez (34-14 at 144), Arkail Griffin (46-4 at 165), Ismael Martinez (18-7 at 175) and Roy Phelps (44-5 at 285). Others who placed third were Seneca’s Raiden Terry (47-2 at 106), De La Salle Institute’s Justin Forbes (33-9 at 113), Reed-Custer’s Kaaden Wood (37-11 at 120), Westmont’s Christian Rosa (35-10 at 126), Bishop McNamara’s Alex Kostecka (32-18 at 138), Clifton Central/ Iroquois West’s Giona Panozzo (37-13 at 157) and Phoenix Military Academy’s Kaleb Abney (27-4 at 215).
Additional fourth-place finishers were Perspectives Technology and Leadership Academy’s Donald Bunton Jr. (29-7 at 120) and Nicario Bella (31-8 at 138), Reed-Custer’s Cole Harris (34-14 at 113), Nazareth Academy’s Alek Ramos (20-9 at 126), Bishop McNamara’s Blake Arseneau (25-14 at 132), Northridge Prep’s Javi Rodriguez (23-12 at 144), Chicago Hope Academy’s Santori Knight (35-17 at 150), Westmont’s Sean Patterson (29-20 at 157), Seneca’s
Nick Grant (38-15 at 165), Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington’s Gavin Bafia (26-20 at 175), Wilmington’s Logan Van Duyne (38-6 at 190), Clifton Central/ Iroquois West’s Brody O`Connor (32-15 at 215) and Leo’s Nicholas Armour (31-7 at 285).
Returning state medal winners who competed in the sectional (with their finishes from 2024) were: State champion: Coal City’s Landin Benson (165); Second place: Coal City’s Brody Widlowski (126); Third place: De La Salle Institute’s Jeremiah Lawrence (106); Fifth place: Coal City’s Cooper Morris (113), Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington’s Dylan Crouch (138) and De La Salle Institute’s David McCarthy (285); Sixth place: Coal City’s Owen Petersen (106) and Chicago Hope Academy’s Roy Phelps (285).
The lone two-time IHSA medalist in the Coal City Sectional was Brody Widlowski. Four-time IHSA qualifiers who competed in the sectional were Dylan Crouch and Culan Lindemuth.
IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional place matches
106
1st Place Match
Colton Drinkwine (Reed-Custer) 44-5, Fr. over Indigo Berg (Chicago Hope Academy) 37-12, Fr. (Fall 2:59)
3rd Place Match
Raiden Terry (Seneca) 47-2, So. over Jason Piatak (Coal City) 33-17, Fr. (Fall 3:55)
113
1st Place Match
Owen Petersen (Coal City) 40-2, So. over Nolan Callahan (Chicago Hope Academy) 39-9, Fr. (MD 15-2)
3rd Place Match
Justin Forbes (De La Salle Institute) 33-9, Fr. over Cole Harris (Reed-Custer) 34-14, Fr. (TF-1.5 2:13 (19-4))
120
1st Place Match
Jeremiah Lawrence (De La Salle Institute) 15-1, Jr. over Culan Lindemuth (Coal City) 33-11, Sr. (MD 20-11)
3rd Place Match
Kaaden Wood (Reed-Custer) 37-11, So. over Donald Bunton Jr (Perspectives Technology and Leadership Academy) 29-7, Jr. (Dec 11-8)
126
1st Place Match
Cooper Morris (Coal City) 37-5, So. over Joe Kopecky (Northridge Prep) 28-6, Fr. (Fall 3:11)
3rd Place Match
Christian Rosa (Westmont) 35-10, Sr. over Alek Ramos (Nazareth Academy) 20-9, So. (Dec 4-2)
132
1st Place Match
Josiah Willis (Chicago Hope Academy) 40-9, So. over Justin Hernandez (Rickover Naval Academy) 31-5, Sr. (TF-1.5 5:51 (19-3))
3rd Place Match
Luke Munsterman (Coal City) 37-12, Jr. over Blake Arseneau (Bishop McNamara) 25-14, Jr. (Dec 3-0)
138
1st Place Match
Brody Widlowski (Coal City) 24-0, Jr. over Jeremy Eggleston (Reed-Custer) 44-3, Sr. (Dec 4-1)
3rd Place Match
Alex Kostecka (Bishop McNamara) 32-18, Jr. over Nicario Bella (Perspectives Technology and Leadership Academy) 31-8, Sr. (Fall 1:40)
144
1st Place Match
Aidan Kenney (Coal City) 36-10, Jr. over Evan Cox (Clifton Central/ Iroquois West) 42-10, Jr. (Fall 4:59)
3rd Place Match
Dylan Galvez (Chicago Hope Academy) 34-14, So. over Javi Rodriguez (Northridge Prep) 23-12, Jr. (TF-1.5 4:27 (18-3))
150
1st Place Match
Dylan Crouch (Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington) 45-3, Sr. over Gianni Panozzo (Clifton Central/ Iroquois West) 44-6, Sr. (Dec 8-4)
3rd Place Match
Noah Houston (Coal City) 29-13, Jr. over Santori Knight (Chicago Hope Academy) 35-17, Jr. (Dec 4-2)
157
1st Place Match
Mason Garner (Coal City) 32-6, Jr. over Tony Jones-Blakely (Chicago Hope Academy) 27-15, Sr. (Fall 1:33)
3rd Place Match
Giona Panozzo (Clifton Central/ Iroquois West) 37-13, Jr. over Sean Patterson (Westmont) 29-20, Sr. (MD 11-1)
165
1st Place Match
Adam Haddad (Northridge Prep) 36-2, Sr. over Brock Finch (Coal City) 29-8, Jr. (MD 10-0)
3rd Place Match
Arkail Griffin (Chicago Hope Academy) 46-4, So. over Nick Grant (Seneca) 38-15, Sr. (TF-1.5 5:47 (19-3))
175
1st Place Match
Landin Benson (Coal City) 38-2, Sr. over Marquis Mays (Chicago (De La Salle Institute) 22-6, Sr. (Fall 2:51)
3rd Place Match
Ismael Martinez (Chicago Hope Academy) 18-7, Jr. over Gavin Bafia (Dwight/ Gardner-South Wilmington) 26-20, Jr. (Fall 2:28)
190
1st Place Match
Terrelle Jackson (De La Salle Institute) 24-10, Sr. over Sami Marrero (Horizon Science Academy Southwest Chicago) 31-0, Jr. (M. For.)
3rd Place Match
Cade Poyner (Coal City) 33-7, Jr. over Logan Van Duyne (Wilmington) 38-6, Jr. (Dec 4-2)
215
1st Place Match
John Keigher (Coal City) 32-1, Sr. over Dominic Alaimo (Reed-Custer) 42-6, Jr. (Fall 3:49)
3rd Place Match
Kaleb Abney (Phoenix Military Academy) 27-4, Sr. over Brody O`Connor (Clifton Central/ Iroquois West) 32-15, Jr. (Fall 1:13)
285
1st Place Match
David McCarthy (De La Salle Institute) 28-2, Sr. over Jeremy Gagnon (Seneca) 46-2, Sr. (Dec 7-1)
3rd Place Match
Roy Phelps (Chicago Hope Academy) 44-5, Sr. over Nicholas Armour (Leo) 31-7, Sr. (Fall 2:32)