Area grapplers win 13 of 21 first-round matches at state

Local wrestlers fared well in the first round at the IHSA state wrestling tournament in Champaign on Thursday, as 12 Class 1A wrestlers and another in Class 2A won and advanced to this morning’s quarterfinals.

Dixon’s lone qualifier, Connor Sperling, bounced back from a 4-1 deficit in the first period to beat Chicago Heights Marian’s Jeffery Griffin 6-4 to claim the area’s only victory in 2A. Sperling will meet up with Springfield’s Terrion Taborn in the next round.

Five 1A locals pinned their initial opponents. Morrison’s Joe Eads stuck Lisle’s Drew Sonnefeldt in 3:17 at 132 pounds, while teammate Dylan Keller beat Coal City’s Danny Norton in 3:51 at 152. Rock Falls’ Niles Ager pinned Chicago Austin’s Chumyia Powell in 2:09 at 182 pounds, while both local 195-pounders won via fall: Polo’s Ethan Cain stuck Wilmington’s James Cox in 2:37, and Amboy’s Dallas Appleman beat Chicago Hope’s Freddy Vastarella in 43 seconds.

Eads will face Benton’s Oliver Davis in the quarterfinals, while Keller will get Shelbyville’s Garrett Brachbill. Ager will square off against Beardstown’s Wyatt Logsdon in the next round, with Cain facing St. Joseph-Ogden’s Wesley Kibler, and Appleman getting Clifton Central’s Justin Coggins.

Fulton’s Tyler Fleetwood won by technical fall over PORTA’s Joe Burris in 3:57 (15-0) at 106 pounds, while twin brother Taylor Fleetwood won a 3-2 overtime decision over Bismarck-Henning’s Cody Miller at 220. Tyler will face Chicago Military’s Shawn Sparacino in the quarterfinals, while Taylor advances to face Coal City’s Brock Crawford.

Morrison’s Augustus Linke joined Tyler Fleetwood in the 106 quarterfinals, winning a 16-4 major decision over Heyworth’s Andrew Sims. Linke will face East Alton-Wood River’s Drew Sobol in the next round.

Newman’s Hunter Webb won his first-round match at 132, topping Illiana Christian’s Jesse Ellis 6-2. Webb will face PORTA’s Trey Hild in the quarterfinals.

Erie-Prophetstown had a trio of first-round winners. Grady Todd beat Kaleb Featherly 5-0 at 138, and will face Coal City’s T.J. Jezik in the quarters. Garrett Passmore won a 12-2 major decision over Auburn’s Sydney Landers at 160, and will go up against Plano’s Zach Tomac in the next round. Dylan Binion beat Chicago Bowen’s Maurice Paino 8-4 at 182, and will meet St. Joseph-Ogden’s Griffin Meeker this morning.

Five other 1A wrestlers will have to wait until the quarterfinals are finished to see if they get a chance to come through wrestlebacks. At 138 pounds, Newman’s Cael Sanders lost 6-0 to LeRoy’s Dustin Jensen, while Fulton’s Tony Heinitz was pinned in 4:51 by Warsaw’s Will Lucie.

Morrison’s Reilly Dolan lost a 13-5 major decision to Wilmington’s Robert Shields at 145; Fulton’s Cole Grant was pinned in 5:58 by Wilmington’s Nick Pretto at 152; and Rock Falls’ Tyler Meyers suffered a technical fall in 3:18 to Wilmington’s Nick Hawkins at 170, losing 20-5.

Sterling’s trio of competitors will also have to wait to find out their fate. Isaac Figueroa lost a heartbreaker to Donnell Washington of Chicago Heights Marian, falling 10-5 in sudden victory at 120 pounds. Jaden Urrutia, battling through a sprained ankle, was pinned in 5:49 by East St. Louis’ Tyler Dunn at 126, while Keegan Kaye was pinned in 3:31 by Danville’s Porfirio Perez at 160.

The Class 1A quarterfinals begin at 8:30 a.m. today, followed immediately by the 1A first-round wrestlebacks. The 2A quarters will start at approximately 11 a.m., followed with the 2A first-round wrestlebacks.