May 09, 2025
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Boys wrestling: Crystal Lake Central ends season with 48-15 sectional loss to Washington

Cayden Parks, Leo Diaz, Ben Butler won for the Tigers

By Michal Dwojak
Ben Butler, right, of Crystal Lake Central tries to keep a hold of the Washington wrestler Tuesday Feb. 21st in the 160 weight class during the wrestling dual sectional held at Sycamore High School.

Ben Butler, right, of Crystal Lake Central tries to keep a hold of the Washington wrestler Tuesday Feb. 21st in the 160 weight class during the wrestling dual sectional held at Sycamore High School. (David Toney for Shaw Local/David Toney)

SYCAMORE – Crystal Lake Central knew it faced a tall task in trying to take down Washington in its Class 2A Dual Team Sycamore Sectional on Tuesday.

The Panthers entered the sectional ranked No. 2 in Class 2A by Illinois Matmen and just had two wrestlers win state titles this past weekend at the Individual State Tournament in Champaign with another five wrestlers placing.

Washington’s talent carried the day in ending the Tigers’ season with a 48-15 loss.

“We didn’t really wrestle as well as we could’ve as a team,” Central senior Ben Butler said. “It wasn’t as competitive as we would’ve wanted it to be. It just [stinks] overall to end our season with a loss like that.”

Central’s Cayden Parks started the night off on a good note and continued his hot streak after finishing fourth in the state at 170. He led off the night with a win by fall in the second period against Washington’s Zane Hulet, who took fourth at 160, to give the Tigers an early 6-0 lead.

The Panthers didn’t waste time, winning their next three matches to build a 13-6 lead before Leo Diaz won by fall in the second period at 285. Washington cruised the rest of the way, winning its next eight matches. Butler ended the night and his high school career with a 7-0 decision at 160.

“They’re a bad matchup,” Central coach Justen Lehr said. “They’re a bad matchup for a lot of people, I’m sure.”

Washington’s heavy hitters showed why the Panthers are considered a favorite to appear in the 2A state-title dual. State champions Justin Hoffer (220) and Kannon Webster (145) won their matches with a 12-3 major decision and by fall, respectively, while state placers Peyton Cox (138), Blake Hinrichsen (182), Wyatt Medlin (126) and Josh Hoffer (195) each won their matches.

Lehr thought there were some matches that could’ve gone his team’s way, but he said he knew heading into Tuesday that Washington would be a tough opponent to beat in order to advance to the IHSA Dual Team State Tournament.

“We knew what was coming,” Lehr said. “We’re trying to be competitive, and I thought we wrestled hard in some matches. I thought we had some matches that could’ve gone our way, at the end of the day the result wasn’t going to be different.”

The Tigers ended the season 20-5, earning a regional title and qualifying five wrestlers for the individual state tournament. Parks led the group with a fourth-place finish and Butler placed fifth at 160.

Central will graduate some talented wrestlers such as Butler, Diaz, Jon Barrick and Greco Rendon, but Lehr is encouraged by his returning group led by Parks and what they learned from a night like Tuesday.

“It’s good for them to see something like this and see what level, where the bar is at,” Lehr said. “If we want to be good, we’re going to have to compete against a team like this.”

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