Boys wrestling: Newman takes 2nd; 18 local individuals advance from Class 1A Fulton Regional

FULTON – At the Class 1A Fulton Regional on Saturday, Newman placed second as a team and sent five individuals – along with 13 other Sauk Valley individuals – to next weekend’s Byron Sectional.

The second-place Comets took home three individual championships, as well as a second- and third-place medal, to lead the local contingent. Riverdale topped Newman 183.5-145 to secure the team championship at the 11-team event.

Briar Ivey (138 pounds), Carter Rude (144) and Daniel Kelly (157) were regional champions for Newman. Brady Grennan (132) took second, Zhyler Hansen (126) came in third, and Ben Geske (165) finished fourth for the Comets.

[ Photos: Locals wrestlers start the march towards Champaign ]

In Newman’s championship matches, Kelly took a 17-7 major decision against Fulton’s Skylier Crooks, Rude took a 14-3 major decision against Erie-Prophetstown’s Wyatt Goossens, and Ivey took a 6-3 decision against Riverdale’s Kolton Kruse.

“Just staying on my offense and knowing that I can beat everyone [was the key in the title match]. I think my offense is really good, so as long as I keep going on that and keep on working, I think I’ll be really successful,” Kelly said. “It feels great. I didn’t make it out of regionals last year, so getting first this year is awesome. It’s a great comeback. You’ve just got to have the mentality that you’re going to win every match, and you’re going to get first.”

Hansen pinned Sherrard’s Blake Pender in 47 seconds to secure his third-place finish, and Grennan dropped a 2-1 decision against Rockridge’s Jude Finch, the 2023 third-place finisher at state at 126 pounds, to finish second.

Rock Falls, which finished ninth with 69.5 points, qualified two individuals for the sectional. Jacob Hosler, who finished second at the 1A Riverdale Regional last season as a sophomore, won the 285 title this year. Teammate Josiah Tarbill took second at 120 for another advancing place.

Hosler pinned Erie-Prophetstown freshman Caleb Reymer in 46 seconds to secure the championship.

“Strength helped a lot. Patience was not really there. I kind of rushed a lot, and I just got lucky and caught him in the right move at the right time,” Hosler said about the championship match. “I feel pretty solid just moving on to sectionals, and now I’ll see how I can outdo myself there, and go down to state, hopefully.”

Morrison came in sixth with 110 points, qualifying four individuals for the sectional. Karder White (150) and Brady Anderson (165) led the way with a pair of second-place finishes, while Caleb Modglin (132) and Camden Pruis (138) each took third. Levi Milder (144) just missed the cut for the Mustangs, finishing in fourth place.

“I think my double legs were working real well, and I just tried not to get caught in something,” Anderson said about what fueled him to the title match. “It’s nice to advance on, but obviously, placing second isn’t the idea that I had coming in here.”

Erie-Prophetstown finished seventh with 96 points, qualifying four individuals for the sectional. Goossens (144) and Reymer (285) each took second for E-P, while Tristan Hovey (150) and Victor Bonnell (157) each came in third. Jacob Gibson (132) finished fourth for the Panthers, just missing the sectional cut.

Fulton placed eighth with 75 points, advancing three individuals from the regional. Zander Ketelson (106), Crooks (157) and Mason Kuebel (175) each finished second to keep their seasons alive. The Steamers’ Chris Carroll (285) just missed the qualifying mark, finishing in fourth place.