Coal City becomes only team to send all 14 wrestlers to state

At the Class 1A Coal City Sectional, the host Coalers were one of just six teams across all three classes to have all 14 wrestlers advance to the sectional.

By the end of the sectional competition Saturday, the Coalers were the only one of those six teams to send all 14 of its wrestlers to next weekend’s State Finals in Champaign.

With the dual team state finals coming up the weekend after that, the Coalers will now get to end their season by competing as a full team for two more weeks.

“I’m proud of all of [my teammates], and I’m happy to be down there with them,” Coal City senior Payton Vigna said. “It’s a great feeling. It just shows the work the coaches put in, the work the athletes put in. Our coaches are great at building us up and creating a dominant program.”

The Coalers’ six sectional champions were the most of any team Saturday.

Luke Munsterman (106 pounds), Max Christensen (144), Brody Widlowski (150), Aidan Kenney (157), Mason Garner (165) and Cade Poyner (215) all finished on top.

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IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional Wrestling Coal City's Brody Widlowski wrestles Yorkville Christian's Austin Wadas-Luis, right, in the 150-pound championship match during the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Gavin Roudis (113), Owen Peterson (126), Cooper Morris (132), Brock Finch (175) and Vigna (285) all placed second. Luke Munsterman (138) and Evan Greggain (190) placed third, and Tyson Price (120) was fourth.

“These guys have been committed,” coach Mark Masters said. “The first thing they asked is, ‘Hey, what time do we practice tomorrow?’ The seniors feel the urgency of their senior year. They have eight practices of their high school career, and they feel the urgency to get it done and finish on a high note.”

Wilmington senior Logan Van Duyne is also looking to finish his career on a high note. He won a sectional title at 190 on Saturday, in a gym with a bit more Wildcat purple on display than usual.

Many wrestlers and coaches from other teams were wearing shirts honoring Wilmington coach Nick Dziuban, who died Feb. 2 of cancer at age 37. Landen Venecia of Seneca, who Van Duyne beat in the title match, put on one of the shirts after the match.

IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional Wrestling After losing to Wilmington's Logan Van Duyne, left, in the 190-pound championship match, Seneca's Landen Venecia puts on a shirt honoring the late Wilmington wrestling coach Nick Dziuban before shaking hands during the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Van Duyne, who was competing for the first time since Dziuban’s passing, said the support he felt was a bit surreal.

“I had two hard weeks of practice, so to come out here and see it is paying off was a great encouragement,” Van Duyne said. “Yesterday was a little weird with everyone running around in purple. It kind of caught me off guard, but it was cool to see.”

Reed-Custer will send three wrestlers to state.

IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional Wrestling Reed-Custer's Colton Drinkwine and Coal City's Gavin Roudis, top, wrestle in the 113-pound championship match during the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Sophomore Colton Drinkwine (113) picked up his second straight sectional title, while Jayden Sanchez (132) and Dominic Alaimo (215) placed third.

Drinkwine said having state experience from his freshman season should come in handy this time around.

“It’s a whole different experience from coming here in a local tournament like regionals and sectionals,” Drinkwine said. “I think I’ll be ready for it this year, but last year I wasn’t ready.”

IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional Wrestling Bishop McNamara's Alex Kostecka, bottom, wrestles Chicago Hope Academy's Chance Woods in the 138-pound championship match during the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Bishop McNamara will send three wrestlers to Champaign, led by two-time state qualifier and senior Alex Kostecka (138), who placed second Saturday.

He will be joined by fourth-place finishers Evan Johnson (113) and Kiam Bramer (285).

“I’m really looking forward to hopefully getting up on the podium this year since it’s my last year doing it,” Kostecka said. “I’m just looking to have a fun time and go out there and brawl with a couple of my buddies.”

IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional Wrestling Coal City's Max Christensen, left, wrestles Clifton Central's Evan Cox in the 144-pound championship match during the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Clifton Central/Iroquois West will have senior Evan Cox (144) and junior Josh McCurry (285) compete at state after second and third-place finishes, respectively.

Cox, who will end his wrestling career with back-to-back state trips, said he is excited to put what he learned last postseason to the test.

“It’s what I worked for all year, and I finally got it done,” Cox said. “It definitely helps having more experience. I feel more calm now, and I’ve always been good under pressure while wrestling.”

Three area schools each advanced one wrestler on Saturday.

IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional Wrestling Peotone's Jonah Young, bottom, wrestles Lisle's Alexander Farari in the 126-pound third place match during the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Herscher freshman Colton Carson (215) placed second in his first-ever sectional, while Peotone freshman Jonah Young (126) placed fourth in his.

Manteno sophomore Lucas Hetman (165) also took fourth.

“I think I performed pretty well today, and I’m just super excited for next weekend,” Carson said. “I’m looking forward to just wrestling tough kids, getting good matches and hopefully winning a couple and get on that podium.”

The State Finals begin Thursday at the State Farm Center in Champaign and end on Saturday.