IWCOA Boys Freshman/Sophomore Championship has biggest turnout in years

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

With the increase to 40-man brackets, the IWCOA Freshman/Sophomore Championship was assured to be a record-breaker, and it certainly was as it had a total of 591 competitors and with 452 girls competing in the Girls Championship, 1,043 individuals were on hand for the pair of two-day tournaments which took place at Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield.

Fourteen schools had champions and one team had two title winners, Geneseo, which got firsts at 215 from Colten Mooney and at 285 from Josh Stahl to give 2023 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Jon Murray a nice going away present after he served as the Maple Leafs head coach for 23 years and also was an assistant at the school under 2002 IWCOA Hall of Famer Larry Kanke for eight seasons. Both champions also were members of the team’s qualifier for the IHSA Class 2A Dual Team Finals, marking the program’s fifth state appearance since 2013.

Mount Carmel’s Jaxon Jorgensen won the title at 138 after being a part of the Caravan’s team that saw its hopes of repeating as IHSA Class 3A champions dashed by eventual runner-up Hononegah in the quarterfinals. 

The western suburbs were well-represented with five champs as Wheaton Warrenville South’s Rocco Valvano (101), West Aurora’s Gabe Richmond (106), Downers Grove South’s Jadon Dinwiddie (126), Downers Grove North’s Christian Chiarelli (144) and Glenbard West’s Tallis Taylor (150) all won titles, with the last three of those from the West Suburban Conference.

Chicago’s south side had another champion, Marist’s Roberto Rangel (113), the south suburbs also got a title winner, Homewood-Flossmoor’s Adante Washington (132) and the southwest suburbs also had a first-place finisher, Minooka’s Kaden Meyer (175).

The north suburbs had a title winner, Warren Township’s Nicholas Hermsen (157) and the northwest suburbs also had a champion, Jacobs’ Enrique Garcia (120).

Winning a title for a school from the north central part of the state was Marquette Academy’s Reily Leifheit (165), whose school is in Ottawa. And the Metro East area also had a champion, O’Fallon’s Payton Chanerl (190).

Some of the closest championship matches saw Valvano prevailing over IC Catholic Prep’s Mike Bird 4-1 in sudden victory at 101, Mooney edging Freeburg’s Dane Olmstead 1-0 at 215, Hermsen getting past Byron’s Will Julian 5-2 at 157, Richmond beating Downers Grove South’s Tanner Stone 11-7 at 106 and Garcia defeating Buffalo Grove’s Mykola Shamray 7-3 at 120.

Bradley-Bourbonnais had two second-place finishers, Zach Hoffner (113) and Kayden Roach (165) while West Aurora had another finalist who took second place, Malan Hatfield (150), and Downers Grove South also had another finalist who was a runner-up, Ryker Czubak (190). 

Others who settled for second  place were St. Charles East’s Jayden Hernandez (126), Schaumburg’s Aiden Quevedo (132), Huntley’s Gavin Nischke (138), Quincy Notre Dame’s Cale Hilbing (144), Centennial’s Sergio Baity (175) and Notre Dame College Prep’s Sean Cook (285).

Leifheit led all competitors with 32.5 team points while Washington was just behind with 32 points and Meyer was next-best with 31.5 team points. Others who were among the leaders in team points were Richmond (31), Garcia (30.5), Stahl (30), Jorgensen (29.5), Rangel (29.5), Hermsen (29), Chanerl (28.5) and Olmstead (28.5).

Libertyville’s James Scanio had the most total match points with 101 while Meyer (93) was second and Chanerl (91) ranked third. Scanio also led the way in most wins by technical fall with five and Washington’s MarQwuan Young led everyone in the field with five pins. 

Here’s a look at the champions and the medalists in their weight classes from the IWCOA Freshman/Sophomore Championship

101 – Rocco Valvano, Wheaton Warrenville South

Rocco Valvano experienced a very successful freshman season for Wheaton Warrenville South, going 30-12 while falling a bit shy of qualifying for the IHSA Finals at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional after being a runner-up in the DuKane Conference, taking third place at his school’s Ed Ewoldt invite and the Marmion Academy Regional and also finishing fourth at Geneva while competing for coach Matt Janosek’s Tigers..

Valvano decided that he still had more to accomplish so he won the IWCOA Glenbard South Regional and then earned his spot in the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament by taking third place in the Naperville Central Sectional. And following the success that he had in his debut season, he saved his best for last as he capped his tournament run with a title, getting a takedown with 18 seconds left in the first overtime to claim a 4-1 win by sudden victory over IC Catholic Prep freshman Mike Bird in the 101 finals. After opening with a quick fall and an 8-2 decision, he beat Rockridge’s Nate Lower with a 13-5 major decision in the quarterfinals and earned his spot on the title mat with a 13-9 decision over Lincoln-Way East’s Nathan Powers in the semifinals.

“It was really exciting, especially because it was in overtime and I lost to him three times,” Valvano said of Bird. “I got 30 wins for varsity, giving up a lot of weight, too. We had a hard sectional and I was one match away from the blood round. Wrestling with heavier kids, kids that pushed me and they were just better than me and I’d just get beat in the wrestling room. This gives me a lot of confidence. I have to put on some weight for next year and I want to make it downstate. I’m going to Reno Worlds and I placed sixth last year and hoping to get top three.”  

Mike Bird, who went 24-18, was one of five freshmen who were members of IC Catholic Prep’s first-ever IHSA champions, which was coached by Danny Alcocer, that beat two-time defending champion Washington 46-17 in the title meet at the 2A Dual Team Finals in Bloomington. He got the opportunity to compete at state, winning by technical fall in the quarterfinals victory over Geneseo. During his debut season for coach Danny Alcocer’s Knights, he placed third at Washington and Geneseo and was fourth at Antioch. Because he was at team state, he only had to compete in the Evanston Township Sectional, which he won. After opening with a win by technical fall and a major decision, he claimed a win by technical fall over Zion-Benton’s Brayden Sroka in the quarterfinals and advanced to the finals with a 3-1 decision over West Aurora’s Aiden Ambre.

Winnebago’s Cam Whitehead won six six-straight matches to take third place, capping that impressive run with a victory by technical fall over Zion-Benton’s Brayden Sroka, who pinned him in 2:52 in his second match. West Aurora’s Aidan Ambre claimed fifth place by pulling out an 8-7 decision over Lincoln-Way East’s Nathan Powers. And for seventh place, Fremd’s Lucas Crandall prevailed with a 14-11 win by sudden victory over Alton Senior’s Austin Jones.

106 – Gabe Richmond, West Aurora

Gabe Richmond was looking for a better finish for his freshman season after the West Aurora athlete finished one win shy of qualifying for the IHSA Finals at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional. Despite coming so close to a state trip. he’s understandably proud after going 25-9 and also being an Upstate Eight Conference champion while taking second place at the Marmion Academy Regional and third at Antioch to kick off his successful debut season.

Richmond was one of seven qualifiers, three medalists, two finalists and the lone champion for coach Andrew Plata’s Blackhawks. Richmond, who captured the 106 title with an 11-7 decision over Downers Grove South freshman Tanner Stone, was joined on the title mat by Malan Hatfield, who finished second at 150. He claimed first place at the IWCOA Glenbard South Regional and then captured the Naperville Central Sectional title with a 7-3 decision over Stone and then won his first three state matches by fall, with the quickest of those coming in 1:50 in the quarterfinals over Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Cullen Parks. Richmond earned his spot on the 106 title mat with an 8-0 major decision over Barrington’s Matthew Blanke in the semifinals.

“I didn’t start off on varsity, I had to work my way up,” Richmond said. “We had a pretty good season, winning conference, and a bunch of tournaments. I got to sectionals and I lost in the blood round. In Dom Serio’s freshman year, he lost in the blood round and then he won this exact tournament and he was a state finalist this year. The West Aurora program is pretty good and the coaching staff is amazing and they’re very involved in everything, so we have some pretty good practices.”

Tanner Stone is a freshman for coach Zachary Holtzman’s Mustangs, who had five qualifiers who all won medals, and two other finalists, Jadon Dinwiddie, who took first at 126, and Ryker Czubak, who placed second at 190. Stone fell a bit short of a trip to state from the 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional after going 13-4 with one of the highlights of his debut season being a runner-up at his own regional. After winning the IWCOA Regional at Oswego East, he lost to Richmond 7-3 in the Naperville Central Sectional title match. He opened at state with a fall in 1:00 and a 7-0 decision, then won a 3-1 decision over IC Catholic Prep’s Drew Murante in the quarterfinals and reached the 106 title match with a 16-2 major decision over Buffalo Grove’s Stone McKone.

IC Catholic Prep’s Drew Murante, a member of coach Danny Alcocer’s IHSA Class 2A champion Knights, bounced back from his 3-1 quarterfinal loss to Downers Grove South’s Tanner Stone to win four matches in the consolation bracket with the last of those being an 8-6 decision in the third-place match over Morris’ Parker Barry, who lost his second match to Stone before winning five in a row. Barry also tied for third in most wins by technical fall with three. In the fifth-place match, Barrington’s Matthew Blanke captured an 8-3 decision over Buffalo Grove’s Stone McKone and for seventh place, DeKalb’s Julian Hartwig was a winner by fall in 1:45 over Lawrence County’s Kyler Guercio.

113 – Roberto Rangel, Marist

Roberto Rangel was at a tough weight class for Marist but still was able to compete in The Clash Duals in Wisconsin and he also took fourth place at the Illini Classic, where his team won the 24-team competition. Although he was 19-4 after that tournament, he didn’t get the chance to participate in the IHSA state series so he decided to conclude his sophomore season on a high note and he did just that by taking first place at 113 in the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament after getting a win by technical fall over Bradley-Bourbonnais sophomore Zach Hoffner in the title match.

Rangel qualified for IWCOA Frosh/Soph state after winning titles at the Richards Regional and the Shepard Sectional. He was the lone champion and finalist and one of three medalists of the 12 qualifiers for coach Brendan Heffernan’s RedHawks. After opening with a major decision and a pin, he won a 16-3 major decision over West Aurora’s Eric Castillo in the quarterfinals and then captured an 11-6 decision over Normal Community’s Mason Soney in the semifinals.

“I didn’t wrestle at varsity much, but when they needed me, I wrestled, so I got a lot of varsity experience,” Rangel said. “(Marist) We have really good coaches and they always help me in the room whenever I need it and I stay after some times to go over some moves. The coaching has really helped me out in this tournament. I’ve definitely improved and the coaching is what has gotten me here. This gives me a lot of confidence and it’s going to help, for sure.”

Zach Hoffner, who joined Kayden Roach (165) as one of two second-place finishers and three medal winners for coach Micky Spiwak’s Boilermakers, finished 34-14 this season and fell a bit short of advancing to the IHSA Individual Finals from the Class 3A Joliet Central Sectional after winning a title at Reed-Custer and taking fourth place at the SWSC Tom Lahey Tournament and the Rich Township Regional. After qualifying for the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Finals with title wins at the Joliet Central Regional and the Thornton Township Sectional, he opened with two major decisions and won another major decision in the quarterfinals by a 12-2 score over Grant’s Breiydyn Hoffman before claiming a 9-6 decision over Addison Trail’s Santiago Trejo-Huerigo in the semifinals.

In the third-place match, Normal Community’s Mason Soney captured a 12-4 major decision over West Chicago’s Emanuel Rangel, who lost his second match before winning the next five. In the fifth-place match, Addison Trail’s Santiago Trejo-Huerigo won a 5-4 decision over Grant’s Breiydyn Hoffman and for seventh place, Cahokia’s Nathan Fisher claimed an 11-6 decision over Yorkville’s Landon Jenkins.

120 – Enrique Garcia, Jacobs

Enrique Garcia lost in the consolation semifinals of the Class 3A Barrington Sectional to fall one win shy of a trip to the IHSA Individual Tournament after the freshman for coach Gary Conrad’s Golden Eagles had one his best finishes of his 30-10 season, a second-place finish at the Hononegah Regional. He wanted to finish off his debut season on a better note and did that by winning the 120 title at the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament with a 7-3 decision over Buffalo Grove freshman Mykola Shamray after getting an escape and takedown in the final period.

Garcia, the lone qualifier for his school, advanced to the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Finals with a 6-3 decision over Shamray in the Lake Zurich Sectional championship match one week after he won a regional title at Lake Zurich. He won by fall in his first match in Springfield and followed with a win by technical fall. He recorded a pin in 2:34 over Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Raziel Perez in the quarterfinals and earned a second title match in two weeks against Shamray when he claimed a 16-5 major decision over Joliet Catholic Academy’s Matthew Laird in the semifinals.

“For varsity, I went 30-9 and for the IWCOA state series, I was undefeated,” Garcia said. “I lost in the blood round at sectionals, to junior Jackson Olson, he was really tough. I feel a lot more motivated and I’m going to be training a lot more in the offseason just so I can place at state. I’m going to be pushing a lot harder because I do not want to feel that same feeling again. I’m proud of myself, but I just know that I can do better, so I’m going to keep on striving for better things.”

Mykola Shamray, who went 35-9 this season, also fell a bit shy of qualifying from the Class 3A Barrington Sectional. He won titles for coach George Beres’ Bison at Palatine, Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy and Larkin and took third at his school’s invite and at the Dundee-Crown Regional. He won the title at the IWCOA Lakes Community Regional before falling 6-3 to Garcia at the Lake Zurich Sectional to advance to the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Finals. After opening with a fall and a 3-2 decision, he won a 7-4 decision in the quarterfinals over Joliet West’s Joseph Pedrosa and claimed a 9-2 decision over Lincoln-Way Central’s Eric Hoselton in the semifinals.

In the third-place match, Lincoln-Way Central’s Eric Hoselton captured a 12-9 decision over Joliet Catholic Academy’s Matthew Laird, who was a member of the Hilltoppers’ third-place team in Class 3A, that was coached by 2025 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Cumbee. For fifth place, Joliet West’s Joseph Pedrosa was a winner by fall in 1:27 over Marist’s Colin Phelan and in the seventh-place match, Yorkville’s Nolan Chrisse won an 11-3 major decision over Moline’s Collin Ledbetter.

126 – Jadon Dinwiddie, Downers Grove South

Jadon Didwiddle led the way for Downers Grove South as coach Zachary Holtzman’s Mustangs placed all five of their qualifiers for the IWCOA Frosh/Sophomore Tournament in the top eight at their weights as he was one of three finalists and the lone champion for his team after the sophomore won a 12-2 major decision over St. Charles East sophomore Jayden Hernandez in the 126 title match while Tanner Stone (106) and Ryker Czubak (190) both took second place. 

Dinwiddie, who went 25-11 this season, won titles at the IWCOA Oswego East Regional and Naperville Central Sectional, where he was to meet up with Hernandez in the finals but did not due to a medical forfeit. He opened the event with a win by technical fall before claiming a 7-5 decision. His next two matches were also decisions as he won 11-5 in the quarterfinals over Marist’s Jacob Crawford and got a 10-5 win over Rock Island’s Maricio Parker in the semifinals.

“It feels really good,” Dinwiddie said. “I didn’t compete in the IHSA because I got a concussion the week before. It was a pretty good season and I went 25-11. I had a lot of good wins, but I also got beat up by a bunch of the top-ranked guys. I’ve been telling myself that I’m the best wrestler through my matches and obviously, it’s helping, and I got a major decision in the finals.”

Jayden Hernandez, who won the DuKane Conference JV title, was the lone medalist for coach Jason Potter’s Fighting Saints. He won the IWCOA Glenbard South Regional title but was not able to meet Dinwiddie in the Naperville Central Sectional finals due to a medical forfeit. Hernandez opened with a major decision and a 4-3 decision. He beat New Trier’s Zacarias Slaastad 20-11 in the quarterfinals and won a 13-7 decision over Freeburg’s Lukas Quartz in the semifinals.

Lincoln-Way East’s Joshua Theis was edged by Dinwiddie 7-5 in his second match but then won six in a row to finish in third place following a 3-2 decision over Marist’s Jacob Crawford. In the fifth-place match, Rock Island’s Maricio Parker claimed a 12-3 major decision over Freeburg’s Lukas Quartz and in the seventh-place match, Marquette Academy’s Koby Clark captured a 9-0 major decision over Glenbrook South’s Roman Ocampo.

132 – Adante Washington, Homewood-Flossmoor

Adante Washington qualified for the IHSA Individual Finals last season when he went 25-13 as a freshman while competing for Joliet Catholic Academy. But he did not compete in the state series this season as a sophomore at Homewood-Flossmoor after claiming second place in the SouthWest Suburban Conference Tom Lahey Tournament and third-place finishes at Joliet Central and Hoffman Estates to finish with a 24-9 record for coach Jim Sokoloski’s Vikings.

Washington decided to end his season in a better fashion by competing in the IWCOA Frosh/ Soph Tournament and that paid off as he won the championship at 132 with a win by technical fall over Schaumburg sophomore Aiden Quevedo. He advanced to Springfield after winning titles at the Joliet Central Regional and Thornton Township Sectional and got a pin and a win by technical fall in his first two matches. He followed with two more wins by technical fall, beating Morton’s Lincoln Yerby in the quarterfinals and Marmion Academy’s Jonathan Kopcio in the semifinals. He was the only medalist among the Vikings’ four qualifiers for the competition. He finished second in most team points with 32, which was one-half point behind the leader, Marquette Academy’s Reily Leifheit, the 165 champion. He also ranked second in most victories by technical fall with four.

“It feels great,” Washington said. “I realize I made quite a few mistakes in my matches. I made it to state (IHSA) last year and I lost in the blood round. It’s good to have the feeling that you won.”

Aiden Quevedo, a sophomore who went 32-16, was able to be a member of the first Schaumburg team that qualified for the IHSA Class 3A Dual Team Finals. He competed in their first-ever match in Bloomington and lost a 3-1 decision to Marmion Academy’s Grayson Garcia and the Cadets went on to win their initial IHSA championship. Also during his successful season for coach Mike LeVanti’s Saxons, he won a title at the Lake Park Regional, took second at Buffalo Grove and at the Mid-Suburban League Championship and fell one win shy of qualifying for the IHSA Finals at the Conant Sectional. He took first at the IWCOA Lake Zurich Sectional and became the lone finalist and one of three medalists in Springfield after opening with an 8-6 decision and a pin before prevailing 1-0 over Champaign Central’s Malachi Hutchison in the quarterfinals and he won an 8-0 major decision over Auburn’s Trey Boston in the semifinals.

Lincoln-Way West’s Shane Stream lost his second match and then went on to win six in a row to claim third place with a 9-6 decision over Moline’s Housseyn Ndiaye, who also lost his second match before winning his next five prior to losing to Stream. For fifth place, Auburn/ Franklin/ New Berlin’s Trey Boston won a 6-4 decision over Marmion Academy’s Jonathan Kopcio, who was a member of the Cadets, coached by Anthony Cirrincione and Nathan Fitzenreider, who won the IHSA Class 3A Dual Team championship 42-31 over Hononegah for their first state title. For seventh, Yorkville’s Vincent Konecki claimed a 10-3 decision over Morton’s Lincoln Yerby.

138 – Jaxon Jorgensen, Mount Carmel

Jaxon Jorgensen was disappointed that he was unable to qualify for the IHSA Individual Finals after falling short at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional. But the sophomore got the next best thing by getting the opportunity to compete in the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the second year in a row when defending champion Mount Carmel edged Marist 35-34 at the Yorkville Sectional. Jorgensen, who missed much of the season due to injury, finished 8-6 after the Caravan lost 34-32 to eventual runner-up Hononegah in the quarterfinals. After that, he decided to compete in the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament to conclude his shortened season and that move paid off as he won the title at 138 after capturing a win by technical fall over Huntley’s Gavin Nischke to become the lone medalist for coach Alex Tsirtsis’ Caravan. 

Jorgensen, who won a title at the J. Sterling Morton Regional and took third place in the Chicago Catholic League, qualified for the IWCOA State Finals by taking first place at the Shepard Sectional. After opening the competition with two major decisions, he recorded a fall in 1:38 over Wheaton North’s Jay Doherty in the quarterfinals and then earned his spot in the 138 title match by capturing a 5-3 decision over Granite City’s Braxton Tolley in the semifinals.

“Most of the season, I was hurt, so I didn’t get back into wrestling until conference,” Jorgensen said. “And at sectionals, I just had a bad tournament. (Being on Mount Carmel’s state team) That was a really fun experience, probably one of my favorites. Beating Marist was probably my favorite experience at Mount Carmel. We just have great coaches and it’s a really tough room where you have good partners every day.”

Gavin Nischke, a sophomore who was the lone medalist for coach B.J. Bertelsman’s Red Raiders, went 32-18 this season and fell a bit short of qualifying for the IHSA Individual Finals from the Class 3A Barrington Sectional. He finished second at the Hononegah Regional and took fourth place at Geneseo. He earned his trip to the Frosh/Soph Tournament in Springfield by winning the regional and sectional titles at Lake Zurich. After opening with a victory by technical fall and a pin, he captured a 15-4 major decision over Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Jayden Cooper in the quarterfinals and then won by fall in 4:36 over Amboy co-op’s Caiden Heath in the semifinals. 

In the third-place match, Granite City’s Braxton Tolley won by fall in 1:53 over Amboy/ Ashton-Franklin Center/ LaMoille/ Ohio’s Caiden Heath. For fifth place, Hersey’s Nolan Variano, who was a member of coach Joe Rupslauk’s Huskies who qualified for the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the first time since 1997, won by technical fall over Wheaton North’s Jay Doherty and in for seventh place, Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Jayden Cooper captured a 5-1 decision over Schaumburg’s Brody Hinkle, who was a member of coach Mike LeVanti’s Saxons, who qualified for the IHSA Dual Team Finals for the first time .

144 – Christian Chiarelli, Downers Grove North

Christian Chiarelli turned in a successful freshman season at Downers Grove North by going 29-14 but he was disappointed about taking fourth at the Class 3A Naperville North Regional to miss out on joining his brother Caden at the Hinsdale Central Sectional. So he decided to compete in the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament and he not only qualified for state, he won the title at 144 with an 11-5 major decision over Quincy Notre Dame sophomore Cale Hilbing.

Chiarelli, who was the lone medalist for coach Chris McGrath’s Trojans, also finished fourth at Geneva this season. After taking second at the IWCOA Oswego East Regional, he won the title at the Naperville Central Sectional to earn his trip to Springfield. He opened with a victory by technical fall and followed that with a pin before edging St. Laurence’s Khalid Eid 4-3 in the quarterfinals and he won an 8-2 decision over Bolingbrook’s Elijah Flowers in the semifinals.

“I lost in the regionals in the third-place match, so I was an alternate for sectionals,” Chiarelli said. “I think this puts me in a good spot for next year. In the Downers Grove North program, we have some really good coaches. And we had a really good senior class that pushed me really well and they were really cool and you could learn from them. And my brother, Caden, is a junior and he’s my wrestling partner.”

Cale Hilbing went 35-15 this season but came up a bit shy of qualifying for the IHSA Individual Finals from the Class 1A Clinton Sectional. He won a title at Rochester, took second in his school’s invite, was third at the Canton Regional and finished fourth at Quincy Senior. He qualified for the IWCOA Frosh/Soph State Tournament after claiming titles in both the Southeast Regional and at the Granite City Sectional. After opening with a pin and a 12-3 major decision, he won 4-0 over Olympia’s Austin Kistner in the quarterfinals and claimed a 3-0 decision over Naperville North’s Timothy Garmon to become the lone medalist for coach Adam Steinkamp’s Raiders.

Olympia’s Austin Kistner, who got to compete with his team against eventual champion Coal City in their first trip to the IHSA Dual Team Finals since 2017, bounced back from his loss in the quarterfinals with four-straight wins to claim third place, capping things with a 7-4 decision over Naperville North’s Timothy Garmon. In the fifth-place match, St. Laurence’s Khalid Eid won a 9-0 major decision over Bolingbrook’s Elijah Flowers. And for seventh, Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy’s Jayden Patterson-Veal captured a 12-5 decision over Schaumburg’s John Gough, who was a member of coach Mike LeVanti’s Saxons, who earned their first-ever trip to the IHSA Dual Team Finals.

150 – Tallis Taylor, Glenbard West

Tallis Taylor and Malan Hatfield both fell one win shy of earning a trip to the IHSA Individual Finals while competing at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional. So it wasn’t that surprising that the two sophomores would meet up not once, or twice, but three times against each other in IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament title matches. And on each of those occasions, Glenbard West’s Taylor defeated West Aurora’s Hatfield with the third matchup in the 150 state title match, where Taylor claimed his biggest margin of victory over Hatfield with an 11-1 major decision.

Taylor took second place at the Naperville North Regional and Oak Park and River Forest invite and was third at his school’s Chappell invite and finished with a 24-9 record for coach Pat McCluskey’s Hilltoppers. Taylor beat Hatfield 6-1 for the IWCOA Glenbard South Regional title and edged him 11-10 for the Naperville Central Sectional championship. After opening state competition with a win by technical fall and a 4-0 decision, Taylor captured a 13-6 decision over Olympia’s Kaden Collins in the quarterfinals and earned a 7-0 decision over Hinsdale South’s Brady Miller in the semifinals to become the lone finalist and one of two medalists for his team.

“This felt a lot more competitive this year, there were a lot more kids,” Taylor said. “I lost in the blood round at Hinsdale. (Competing for Glenbard West) I think we have a really good culture and we have a lot of history. The coach is really nice, the coaches are all close to the kids and we have a really close group of people. We’re just a super-close team.”

Malan Hatfield, who finished 24-12 this season, won a title at the Upstate Eight Conference, took second at the Marmion Academy Regional, placed third at Larkin and took fourth at Geneva for coach Andrew Plata’s Blackhawks. He joined 106 champion Gabe Richmond as one of two finalists for West Aurora after getting a pin in his opener, following that with an 8-2 decision and then capturing a 14-1 major decision over Byron’s Cael O’Horo in the quarterfinals and then getting a victory by disqualification over Belleville East’s Landon Weidler in the semifinals.

Stagg’s Samer Suleiman lost his second match and then won six in a row to claim third place with a 9-1 major decision over Sparta/ Steeleville’s Gavin Watson, who won seven-straight matches after losing in his opener. For fifth place, Hinsdale South’s Brady Miller won by disqualification over Belleville East’s Landon Weidler. And in the seventh-place match, Robinson’s Ben Mullins won by fall in 2:22 over Olympia’s Kaden Collins, who also was a member of coach Josh Collins’ Spartans, who qualified for the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals for the first time since 2017. 

157 – Nicholas Hermsen, Warren Township

Nicholas Hermsen didn’t get the opportunity to compete in the IHSA state series this season but that didn’t prevent the Warren Township athlete from completing his sophomore season on a high note and that’s just what he did by participating in the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament where he claimed the 157 championship at the State Finals in Springfield with a 5-2 decision over Byron sophomore Will Julian. One of four individuals from his school that qualified for the state finals, Hermsen was the only medal winner for coach Brad Janecek’s Blue Devils.

Hermsen, who finished with a 17-9 record, opened his season with a second-place finish at Neuqua Valley and concluded it with a third-place showing at the Lake County Invite. He began the IWCOA series in a good fashion by winning a title at the Lakes Community Regional and then followed up on that by taking first place at the Lake Zurich Sectional. Hermsen got wins by technical fall in his first two matches at the state finals before capturing a 13-3 major decision over Lockport Township’s Christian Czerwinski in the quarterfinals and then he earned his spot on the 157 title mat by claiming a 10-2 major decision over Yorkville’s Maximus Delgado.

“Warren Township is a great program and I wanted to go there before high school.” Hermsen said. “We had two state champions last year and this year and multiple state qualifiers. It’s an amazing opportunity to go to a school and a program like that. They’re always pushing me to my limit, and it shows. I had some tough luck and I was not able to make the best of it, so I came here and I did it. I know that I’m capable if I keep pushing myself and keep working, I know that next year I can make a big statement and put my name out there.”

Will Julian was hoping to bounce back from one of the most frustrating tales of anyone in the IHSA state series. The Byron sophomore was one of five individuals ranked among the top six in Class 1A at 157 who were at the Oregon Sectional. And he missed advancing to the IHSA Individual Finals in Champaign by one victory while the top four finishers at Oregon, Newman Central Catholic’s Briar Ivey, Riverdale’s Blake Smith, Erie/ Prophetstown’s Wyatt Goossens and Wheaton Academy’s Chasen Kazmierczak, also took the first four spots on the awards stand at state, with Smith and Ivey trading the top two positions from sectional to state. Julian, who went 39-5, also fell one win shy of a trip to the IHSA Finals from his own sectional in 2024. He won titles at Metamora, Orion and the Byron Regional, and took third at the Lyle King Princeton Invitational Tournament for Tigers coach Mike Elsbury, who’s retiring this season. Julian kicked off his IWCOA Tournament with titles at the Huntley Regional and Sterling Sectional. He won his first two matches in Springfield with pins, then got a win by technical fall over Wauconda’s Brody McKenna in the quarterfinals and won a 9-7 decision over Glenwood’s Julian Rammelkamp in the semifinals to become the lone medalist for his school in the event. 

In the third-place match, Yorkville’s Maximus Delgado claimed a 2-0 decision over Lockport Township’s Christian Czerwinski. In the fifth-place match, Glenwood’s Julian Rammelkamp, a member of coach Jerod Bruner’s Titans, who qualified for the Class 2A Dual Team Finals for the second year in a row, got a win by technical fall over Glenbard North’s Xavier Smiley. And in the seventh-place match, Wauconda’s Brody McKenna captured a 12-8 decision over Stillman Valley’s Ethan Waugh, who tied one other individual for second place for the most falls with four.

165 – Reily Leifheit, Marquette Academy

Reily Leifheit took fourth place last season at the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament as a freshman for Marquette Academy and he hoped that his experiences in Springfield in 2024 could help him to qualify for the IHSA Individual Finals this season. But as many others who competed in the Class 1A Oregon Sectional learned the hard way, not every deserving individual would be able to advance, and Leifheit was one of those who fell one win shy of their goal. As a result, he competed in the Frosh/Soph Tournament again and this time he won the 165 title by recording a fall in 4:46 over Bradley-Bourbonnais sophomore Kayden Roach. 

Leifheit went 38-7 this season and took second at Plano, Unity, Orion and the St. Bede Academy Regional and third at Reed-Custer. He used first-place finishes at the IWCOA Normal Community Regional and Heyworth Sectional to qualify for the Finals. Leifheit got a pin in his opener and followed with a win by technical fall before getting a fall in 2:39 over Rochester’s James Escobar in the quarterfinals and then won a 14-0 major decision over Montini Catholic’s Kevin May in the semifinals to become the lone finalist for coach Trent Lyons’ Crusaders.

“We had a couple of kids that came in that are looking good and I’m just excited for next year,” Leifheit said. “I’m going to work harder than ever.”

Kayden Roach finished with a 34-15 this season but the Bradley-Bourbonnais sophomore was unable to advance to state from the Class 3A Joliet Central Sectional. He claimed second place at Reed-Custer, thirds at Chicago’s Sullivan and the Rich Township Regional and a fourth at the Tom Lahey SouthWest Suburban Conference meet and advanced in the IWCOA series with titles at the Joliet Central Regional and the Thornton Township Sectional. He was one of three medalists and joined Zach Hoffner (113) as second-place finishers for coach Micky Spiwak’s Boilermakers. He opened with a win by technical fall and followed with a 13-4 major decision before recording a pin in 4:54 over Downers Grove North’s Rex Chavez in the quarterfinals and then claiming a 7-1 decision over Metamora Township’s Mark Aeschliman in the semifinals.

In the third-place match, Metamora Township’s Mark Aeschliman won a 7-2 decision over Notre Dame College Prep’s Jeremy Hamm, who lost to Leifheit in his second match and then won five in a row. For fifth place, Rochester’s James Escobar won by medical forfeit over Montini Catholic’s Kevin May, who was a member of the Broncos’ third-place team in Class 2A that was coached by Mike Bukovsky, a 2023 recipient of the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Illinois Chapter. For seventh place, Barrington’s Samuel Cushman won by fall in 1:42 over Addison Trail’s Alen Bautista.

175 – Kaden Meyer, Minooka

Kaden Meyer suffered the same fate as many other top-notch competitors at the rugged Class 3A Joliet Central Sectional when the Minooka sophomore came up a bit short of advancing the the IHSA Individual Finals despite going 36-9 and winning a title at Joliet Central, finishing second at Hinsdale Central and in the Southwest Prairie Conference, placing third at the 3A Normal Community Regional and finishing fourth at the Illini Classic for the Indians, who are coached by Mike Kimberlin, who is one of the 15 inductees in this year’s class for the IWCOA Hall of Fame. Meyer wasn’t content with the success he had this season so he decided to compete in the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament and wound up capturing first place at 175 with a victory by technical fall over Centennial sophomore Sergio Baity in the title match.

Meyer qualified for the IWCOA Finals with first-place finishes at the Joliet West Regional and the Thornton Township Sectional. He was the lone medalist for Minooka after opening with a first-period pin and following that with a victory by technical fall. He collected another win by technical fall over Naperville North’s JT Hill in the quarterfinals and earned his spot on the 175 title mat by capturing a 14-6 major decision over Libertyville’s James Scanio in the semifinals. He ranked second in total match points (93) behind Libertyville’s James Scanio (101), third in most team points (31.5), behind Marquette Academy’s Reily Leifheit (32.5) and Homewood-Flossmoor’s Adante Washington (32) and tied for third in wins by technical fall (3).

“Coach Kimberlin is a great dude,” Meyer said. “He always coaches us real well and he’s a funny dude to be around. He’s a real nice coach who always cares about you. If you’re having a bad day, he’ll pick you up. He always loves wrestling and he loves coaching and is still a very strong guy. We’re still trying to build back our team since we lose kids to private schools. But Kimberlin does a great job going to the local clubs and always has the IKWF and IESA kids come into the room to wrestle. It’s a great tradition at Minooka. The Joliet Central Sectional was definitely the toughest of all the sectionals and our regional was the toughest, at Normal. This year my goal came up a little bit short, losing at sectionals. It’s just motivation after coming here to win and tech’ing, majoring and pinning everyone here.”

Sergio Baity went 24-10 this season and came up a bit short of advancing to the IHSA Finals in his hometown from the Class 2A Lincoln Sectional. The sophomore took second place in the Big 12 Conference and at the Mahomet-Seymour Regional. Baity qualified for the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Finals by winning the Clinton Regional and taking second at the Heyworth Sectional. The lone qualifier for coach Colin Rotramel’s Chargers, he recorded pins in his first two matches and then was a winner by technical fall over Stagg’s Jihad Suleiman in the quarterfinals and advanced to the 175 title match with another fall, this one in 2:37, over Prairie Ridge’s Aiden Rodriguez

In the third-place match, Libertyville’s James Scanio was a winner by technical fall over Prairie Ridge’s Aiden Rodriguez. Scanio led everyone in the competition in total match points (101) and also for the most wins by technical fall (5). For fifth place, J. Sterling Morton’s Santiago Moya claimed a 5-4 decision over Granite City’s Eli Miller. For seventh place, Lincoln-Way Central’s Justin Langford recorded a pin in 2:10 over Proviso West’s Isiah Robinson. 

190 – Payton Chanerl, O’Fallon

Payton Chanerl posted a 20-9 record during his sophomore season but was not able to qualify for the IHSA Individual Finals from the Class 3A Joliet Central Sectional after claiming thirds at Glenwood and the Edwardsville Regional for coach Chris Schlachter’s Panthers, so he decided to go after the next best thing, which was seeing how well he’s fare in the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament. And that proved to be a good call on his part since O’Fallon’s lone qualifier claimed the title at 190 with an 11-5 decision over Downers Grove South freshman Ryker Czubak.

Chanerl qualified for the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Finals in Springfield after winning titles at both the Belleville West Regional and the Granite City Sectional. In his first match, he won a 21-7 major decision and followed that with a win by technical fall. In the quarterfinals, he captured an 18-9 major decision over Normal Community’s Daniel Bourbulas and then earned his spot in the 190 title match with an 18-6 major decision over Joliet West’s Jacob Tyderek in the semifinals. He ranked third in total match points with 91.

“I wasn’t expecting to become a state champ since I’m wrestling like 10 pounds up since I’m at 182,” Chanerl said. “I ran into a bad weight class at sectionals. I beat plenty of state qualifiers this year, but I got unlucky with the hardest sectional bracket in the state, where I had the top six in the state at Joliet. This was an amazing experience. After having the downfall at sectionals, it was just nice to come here and be able to win. I wasn’t expecting to win this since I was pretty bummed out. Next year, I’m going to be a state qualifier, that’s the goal.”

Ryker Czubak finished with a 14-11 record in his freshman season and only had one top-four finish in a varsity event prior to competing in the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional, which was a third-place showing at his school’s regional tournament, but despite that, he fell one win shy of earning a trip to the IHSA Individual Finals in Champaign in his debut season for coach Zachary Holtzman’s Mustangs. He advanced to the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Finals with titles at both the Oswego East Regional and the Naperville Central Sectional. He recorded falls in his first two matches in Springfield before recording another pin in 4:03 over Shelbyville’s Hayden Mudgette in the quarterfinals and then he captured an 8-0 major decision over Metea Valley’s Bohdan Postoroniuk in the semifinals to become one of five medal winners and joined 126 champion Jadon Dinwiddie and 106 runner-up Tanner Stone as finalists for Downers Grove South.

Rock Island’s Rowan Stockwell lost his second match and then won six-straight to claim third place, with the last of those wins being an 11-2 major decision over Morris’ Malachi Congo, who fell to Czubak in his second match and then five in a row. In the fifth-place match, Metea Valley’s Bohdan Postoroniuk won a 14-8 decision over Joliet West’s Jacob Tyderek. And in the seventh-place match, Lena-Winslow/ Stockton’s Aiden Larson was a winner by fall in 3:23 over Normal Community’s Daniel Bourboulas.

215 – Colten Mooney, Geneseo

Colten Mooney and Josh Stahl gave retiring Geneseo coach Jon Murray, a 2023 IWCOA Hall of Fame Inductee, one final highlight when they closed out the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament by winning titles at 215 and 285, respectively. Mooney went 34-15 and fell one win shy of qualifying from the Class 2A Washington Sectional for the IHSA Individual Finals. The sophomore won titles at Morton and the Western Big 6 Conference and was second at the Dixon Regional as well as being a member of the Maple Leafs’ fifth team under Murray that advanced to the IHSA Dual Team Finals, where they fell in the quarterfinals to the eventual champs, IC Catholic Prep.

Mooney captured the championship at 215 in dramatic fashion when he used an escape in the second period to help him claim a 1-0 decision over Freeburg sophomore Dane Olmstead in the title match. He didn’t compete in a regional to start the IWCOA series since he was in the Dual Team Finals, so instead, he advanced with a title win at the Sterling Sectional. After getting a fall in his first match in Springfield, he won a 15-3 major decision before claiming decisions in his next three matches, which included a 7-0 win over Murphysboro’s Caybren Hubbard in the quarterfinals and also a 4-0 victory over Glenbard West’s Phin Codinha in the semifinals.

“Coach Murray has always been a prominent figure in my life and I’ve been training under him my whole life, so it was good to win a Fresh/Soph state title under him,” Mooney said. “I just like our hard work ethic in the room and I love our no-quit determination. Just never stop, all gas, no breaks. I started a little late and then I stopped for a while for COVID and things. So coming back and just working hard in the room and just believing that I could be a state champion. And just praying and working every day in the room and outside of the room in normal life, too, and just trying to be a better person, it helps.”

Dane Olmstead, who went 30-6 with a title at Carmi and a second-place finish at the 1A Roxana Regional, fell a bit shy of advancing to the IHSA Finals from the Class 1A Carterville Sectional. He was one of the three qualifiers who all won medals with Olmstead the lone finalist for the Midgets, who are coached by Dan Quartz. He advanced to the IWCOA Finals after taking second place at the Belleville West Regional and fourth place at the Granite City Sectional. Olmstead recorded pins in his first two matches and then won a 16-3 major decision over Sycamore’s Clyde Nott before collecting a victory by technical fall over Joliet Catholic Academy’s Aiden Bishop in the quarterfinals. Then he earned his spot in the 215 title match by capturing a 4-2 decision over Edwardsville’s Braylon Hill-Lomax in the semifinals.

In the third-place match, Glenbard West’s Phin Codinha was a winner by fall in 1:39 over Murphysboro’s Caybren Hubbard, who was a member of coach Shea Baker’s Red Devils, who qualified for the IHSA 1A Dual Team Finals for the first time since 2016. The fifth-place match featured two individuals whose teams were in the IHSA 3A Dual Team Finals, as Edwardsville’s Braylon Hill-Lomax, a member of coach Eric Pretto’s Tigers, who advanced to state for the first time since 2019, captured a 7-2 decision over Joliet Catholic Academy’s Aiden Bishop, who was a member of the Hilltoppers’ third-place team that captured a state trophy for the third time in four-straight years that it has qualified for coach Ryan Cumbee, who is one of the 15 inductees for this year’s class of the IWCOA Hall of Fame. And for seventh place, Richmond-Burton’s Shane Falasca was a winner by fall in 1:25 over Downers Grove South’s Chris Cali. 

285 – Josh Stahl, Geneseo

Josh Stahl only competed in five varsity matches and he won all of them and after being a member of Geneseo’s second qualifier for the IHSA 2A Dual Team Finals in three seasons and the fifth to get to state in its history, he decided to see if he could conclude his sophomore season on another high note by taking part in the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Tournament. Stahl capped an exciting day for retiring coach Jon Murray, a 2023 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee, when he won a 5-0 decision over Notre Dame College Prep sophomore Sean Cook in the 285 title match to become one on two IWCOA champions for the Maple Leafs, with sophomore Colten Mooney preceding him on top of the awards after he took first at 215. Thanks to its late success on the title mat, Geneseo was the only team with two champions in the competition.

Stahl had one other highlight at the varsity level this season and that was taking first place at Orion. Because he was on the Dual Team Final team, which lost to eventual IHSA Class 2A champion IC Catholic Prep, he only had to compete in a sectional tournament to earn a trip to Springfield, and he won the title at the Sterling Sectional. After opening with a fall and then a 4-1 decision, he recorded a pin in 4:36 over Warren Township’s Nolan Lopez in the quarterfinals and then he won by fall in 2:33 over Joliet Catholic Academy’s Daniel Dalach in the semifinals. Stahl and Mooney were the only medal winners for the Maple Leafs at the Frosh/Soph Tournament.

“It’s a lot of fun (being at Geneseo),” Stahl said. “Jon Murray is a legend and he’s been such a great coach. It sucked that I only had him for my freshman and sophomore year but I’m glad he’s going into retirement with the two state champs and I’m happy to have him as my coach. And the coaching staff that is coming up is going to be great. It’s a small town, and if you’re a football player, everybody loves you, and when it comes to wrestling, it’s our top sport and we love all the guys that do it and the team is just so great. This feels amazing. If you told me last week that I’d be a state champ, I wouldn’t have believed you. To be here now, I give all glory to God and I thank Him for putting me in this position.”

Sean Cook was one of two medalists and the lone finalist for coach Anthony Genovesi’s Dons. He was listed as having an 0-0 varsity record but he did get a pin in his team’s dual meet sectional matchup with the eventual IHSA Class 2A champions, IC Catholic Prep, at the Wheeling Sectional. Cook also didn’t appear to be a likely candidate to reach the title mat in at state after qualifying for a trip to Springfield with third-place finishes at his own school’s regional and the Evanston Township Sectional. He opened with a quick pin and then won a 4-0 decision before capturing a pair of two-point decisions, claiming a 4-2 win over Freeburg’s Jack Amann in the quarterfinals and a 7-5 victory over Downers Grove South’s Michael Danial in the semifinals to set up a matchup of two individuals with six wins between them for the 285 championship.

Washington’s MarQwuan Young bounced back from a loss in the quarterfinals with four-straight wins to claim third with a victory by technical fall over Sycamore’s Maddox McRoberts, who lost his second match before winning five in a row. Young also was a member of coach Nick Miller’s Class 2A runner-up Panthers, who lost 46-17 to IC Catholic Prep in the title meet to fall short of a three-peating as IHSA champions, however it was the program’s ninth time that it placed first or second in the past 10 seasons. The third-place match also featured two leaders in falls as Young led the way with five and McRoberts tied one other for second with four. For fifth place, Downers Grove South’s Michael Danial won a 7-0 decision over Joliet Catholic Academy’s Daniel Dalach, a member of the Hilltoppers’ third-place team in Class 3A, which is coached by 2025 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Cumbee. For seventh, Freeburg’s Jack Amann won by fall in 2:52 over Moline’s Alijah Martin.

IWCOA Frosh/Soph State Championship – Place Matches

101

1st Place Match

Rocco Valvano (Wheaton Warrenville South) won in sudden victory over Mike Bird (IC Catholic Prep) (SV-1 4-1)

3rd Place Match

Cam Whitehead (Winnebago) won by tech fall over Brayden Sroka (Zion-Benton) (TF 18-3)

5th Place Match

Aidan Ambre (West Aurora) won by decision over Nathan Powers (Lincoln-Way East) (Dec 8-7)

7th Place Match

Lucas Crandall (Fremd) won in sudden victory over Austin Jones (Alton) (SV-1 14-11)

106

1st Place Match

Gabe Richmond (West Aurora) won by decision over Tanner Stone (Downers Grove South) (Dec 11-7)

3rd Place Match

Drew Murante (IC Catholic Prep) won by decision over Parker Barry (Morris) (Dec 8-6)

5th Place Match

Matthew Blanke (Barrrington) won by decision over Stone McKone (Buffalo Grove) (Dec 8-3)

7th Place Match

Julian Hartwig (DeKalb) won by fall over Kyler Guercio (Lawerence County) (Fall 1:45)

113

1st Place Match

Roberto Rangel (Marist) won by tech fall over Zach Hoffner (Bradley-Bourbonnais) (TF 17-2)

3rd Place Match

Mason Soney (Normal Community) won by major decision over Emanuel Rangel (West Chicago) (Maj 12-4)

5th Place Match

Santiago Trejo-Huerigo (Addison Trail) won by decision over Breiydyn Hoffman (Grant) (Dec 5-4)

7th Place Match

Nathan Fisher (Cahokia) won by decision over Landon Jenkins (Yorkville) (Dec 11-6)

120

1st Place Match

Enrique Garcia (Jacobs) won by decision over Mykola Shamray (Buffalo Grove) (Dec 7-3)

3rd Place Match

Eric Hoselton (Lincoln-Way Central) won by decision over Matthew Laird (Joliet Catholic Academy) (Dec 12-9)

5th Place Match

Joseph Pedrosa (Joliet West) won by fall over Colin Phelan (Marist) (Fall 1:27)

7th Place Match

Nolan Chrisse (Yorkville) won by major decision over Collin Ledbetter (Moline) (Maj 11-3)

126

1st Place Match

Jadon Dinwiddie (Downers Grove South) won by major decision over Jayden Hernandez (St. Charles East) (Maj 12-2)

3rd Place Match

Joshua Theis (Lincoln-Way East) won by decision over Jacob Crawford (Marist) (Dec 3-2)

5th Place Match

Maricio Parker (Rock Island) won by major decision over Lukas Quartz (Freeburg) (Maj 12-3)

7th Place Match

Koby Clark (Marquette Academy) won by major decision over Roman Ocampo (Glenbrook South) (Maj 9-0)

132

1st Place Match

Adante Washington (Homewood-Flossmoor) won by tech fall over Aiden Quevedo (Schaumburg) (TF 20-4)

3rd Place Match

Shane Stream (Lincoln-Way West) won by decision over Housseyn Ndiaye (Moline) (Dec 9-6)

5th Place Match

Trey Boston (Auburn) won by decision over Jonathan Kopcio (Marmion Academy) (Dec 6-4)

7th Place Match

Vincent Konecki (Yorkville) won by decision over Lincoln Yerby (Morton) (Dec 10-3)

138

1st Place Match

Jaxon Jorgensen (Mount Carmel) won by tech fall over Gavin Nischke (Huntley) (TF 23-3)

3rd Place Match

Braxton Tolley (Granite City) won by fall over Caiden Heath (Amboy co-op) (Fall 1:53)

5th Place Match

Nolan Variano (Hersey) won by tech fall over Jay Doherty (Wheaton North) (TF 18-2)

7th Place Match

Jayden Cooper (Bradley-Bourbonnais) won by decision over Brody Hinkle (Schaumburg) (Dec 5-1)

144

1st Place Match

Christian Chiarelli (Downers Grove North) won by decision over Cale Hilbing (Quincy Notre Dame) (Dec 11-5)

3rd Place Match

Austin Kistner (Olympia) won by decision over Timothy Garmon (Naperville North) (Dec 7-4)

5th Place Match

Khalid Eid (St. Laurence) won by major decision over Elijah Flowers (Bolingbrook) (Maj 9-0)

7th Place Match

Jayden Patterson-Veal (Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy) won by decision over John Gough (Schaumburg) (Dec 12-5)

150

1st Place Match

Tallis Taylor (Glenbard West) won by major decision over Malan Hatfield (West Aurora) (Maj 11-1)

3rd Place Match

Samer Suleiman (Stagg) won by major decision over Gavin Watson (Sparta) (Maj 9-1)

5th Place Match

Brady Miller (Hinsdale South) won by disqualification over Landon Weidler (Belleville East) (DQ)

7th Place Match

Ben Mullins (Robinson) won by fall over Kaden Collins (Olympia) (Fall 2:22)

157

1st Place Match

Nicholas Hermsen (Warren) won by decision over Will Julian (Byron) (Dec 5-2)

3rd Place Match

Maximus Delgado (Yorkville) won by decision over Christian Czerwinski (Lockport Township) (Dec 2-0)

5th Place Match

Julian Rammelkamp (Glenwood) won by tech fall over Xavier Smiley (Glenbard North) (TF 17-0)

7th Place Match

Brody McKenna (Wauconda) won by decision over Ethan Waugh (Stillman Valley) (Dec 12-8)

165

1st Place Match

Reily Leifheit (Marquette Academy) won by fall over Kayden Roach (Bradley-Bourbonnais) (Fall 4:46)

3rd Place Match

Mark Aeschliman (Metamora Township) won by decision over Jeramy Hamm (Notre Dame College Prep) (Dec 7-2)

5th Place Match

James Escobar (Rochester) won by medical forfeit over Kevin May (Montini Catholic) (MFF)

7th Place Match

Samuel Cushman (Barrrington) won by fall over Alen Bautista (Addison Trail) (Fall 1:42)

175

1st Place Match

Kaden Meyer (Minooka) won by tech fall over Sergio Baity (Centennial) (TF 23-8)

3rd Place Match

James Scanio (Libertyville) won by tech fall over Aiden Rodriguez (Prairie Ridge) (TF 21-6)

5th Place Match

Santiago Moya (J. Sterling Morton) won by decision over Eli Miller (Granite City) (Dec 5-4)

7th Place Match

Justin Langford (Lincoln-Way Central) won by fall over Isiah Robinson (Proviso West) (Fall 2:10)

190

Payton Chanerl (O`Fallon) won by decision over Ryker Czubak (Downers Grove South) (Dec 11-5)

3rd Place Match

Rowan Stockwell (Rock Island) won by major decision over Malachi Congo (Morris) (Maj 11-2)

5th Place Match

Bohdan Postoroniuk (Metea Valley) won by decision over Jacob Tyderek (Joliet West) (Dec 14-8)

7th Place Match

Aiden Larson (Lena-Winslow/ Stockton) won by fall over Daniel Bourbulas (Normal Community) (Fall 3:23)

215

1st Place Match

Colten Mooney (Geneseo) won by decision over Dane Olmstead (Freeburg) (Dec 1-0)

3rd Place Match

Phin Codinha (Glenbard West) won by fall over Caybren Hubbard (Murphysboro) (Fall 1:39)

5th Place Match

Braylon Hill-Lomax (Edwardsville) won by decision over Aiden Bishop (Joliet Catholic Academy) (Dec 7-2)

7th Place Match

Shane Falasca (Richmond-Burton) won by fall over Chris Cali (Downers Grove South) (Fall 1:25)

285

1st Place Match

Josh Stahl (Geneseo) won by decision over Sean Cook (Notre Dame College Prep) (Dec 5-0)

3rd Place Match

MarQwuan Young (Washington) won by tech fall over Maddox McRoberts (Sycamore) (TF 17-1)

5th Place Match

Michael Danial (Downers Grove South) won by decision over Daniel Dalach (Joliet Catholic Academy) (Dec 7-0)

7th Place Match

Jack Amann (Freeburg) won by fall over Alijah Martin (Moline) (Fall 2:52)