Coming off his first loss of the season during Tuesday night’s matchup against Freeport, Dixon’s Riley Paredes was annoyed.

Paredes, the top-ranked 106-pounder in Class 1A according to the IWCOA, dropped a 15-2 decision to Freeport’s Treyden Diduch. Diduch is ranked No. 1 in Class 2A.

After his first setback of the season, Paredes was hungry to get back on the mat.

It showed.

He beat Sterling’s Evan Jones 16-0 for a technical fall just a couple of hours later to close things out as the Dukes went on to beat the Golden Warriors 56-16. Dixon also beat Freeport 55-20 to sweep the triangular.

“Just getting back and going to compete again was the big thing and helping the team get some points,” Paredes said. “My coaches were just giving me a good mindset and always helping me through losses. Even though this was my first one [this season], they’ve helped me through many before.”

Now in the final stretch before regionals begin at the end of the month, Paredes said matches like that can only help.

At heavyweight, Dixon’s Dylan Bopes picked up a pair of pins. Fellow senior Dawson Kemp also had a pin against Sterling at 215 pounds on senior night. Bopes ranked 10th in the latest IWCOA rankings, and Kemp was receiving votes.

“It was a really fun atmosphere,” Bopes said. “It felt amazing.”

Dixon junior Jack Ragan was recognized for earning 100 career wins before the meet. He is ranked No. 1 at 120 pounds by the IWCOA.

The Dukes are fifth as a team in the same rankings. Coal City is first, followed by Lena-Winslow/Stockton, Vandalia and Murhphysboro. Oregon is 10th.

Ragan added another win by pin in his 120-pound matchup against Freeport. He won by forfeit against Sterling. The junior said a lot of hard work and dedication went into reaching 100 wins.

“And just grinding,” he said. “Getting after it every match.”

Ragan likes the way his team is wrestling after it beat two schools a class above it.

“I like how everybody’s wrestling,” he said. “Bopes, our heavyweight, he’s looking good. All the way from 106 to heavyweight, we’re looking good.”

Ragan said the team has goals of reaching state as a team and hopefully bringing home a trophy.

Against Freeport, Ryan Rill, Doolan Long and Kazmyn Barber opened the dual with pins at the lower weights. Charlie Connors had a 10-0 major decision at 144, and Preston Richards had a pin at 150. Seth Shaffer edged out a 5-4 decision at 190 for the Dukes. Richards is ranked fourth at 150, and Connors is ranked eighth by the IWCOA at 144.

Against Sterling, Long beat Cael Lyons 3-0. Barber, Connors, Richards, Adam Staples, Neomiah Holloway and Blake Dingley had wins. Kemp and Bopes both had pins.

The Warriors fell 46-30 to Freeport.

Sterling’s Lyons, Landon Heckman (132 pounds), Colt Buntjer (190) and Chase Coyle (106) each had pins against the Pretzels.

Heckman, Jonahas Tyne (pin), Buntjer (major decision) and Coyle (pin) had wins against Dixon.

Sterling coach Nolan Baker said his team is fighting hard.

“We’ve got half the squad that’s on the younger side,” Baker said. “They’re learning lessons every week. We’ve got a lot of guys showing promise in the right direction.

“The more I coach, the more I recognize that the result on a given night is not what your benchmark needs to be. Your benchmark needs to be how hard are you working in the room. How hard are you working towards those goals right now. Guys are doing all the right things. The results will come. We’ve just got to keep hammering.”

Baker said Dixon and Freeport are two solid teams that help them get better. He hopes to see his wrestlers be more aggressive on offense.

Baker highlighted a number of wrestlers who have been standing out this season. Lyons and Buntjer are both receiving votes in the IWCOA Class 2A state rankings.

“Landon Heckman at 132 is fighting like a dog every single match. Cael Lyons is going out there, putting it on the line,” he said. “Chase Coyle is coming up and really developing his game. Cole Buntjer at 190 is figuring out how to use his body and it’s really showing as a sophomore.”

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Sterling’s Landon Heckman grapples with Freeport’s Braylon Cain Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2025, in a triangular meet at Dixon High School. (Alex T. Paschal)