Wrestling: Fulton’s Pannell claims 170-pound title at 1A Oregon Sectional, several other locals advance to state tournament

OREGON – Ten local wrestlers finished in the top four in their weight class at the 1A Oregon Sectional at the Blackhawk Center on Saturday, qualifying for the IHSA Individual State Tournament in Champaign next week.

Fulton senior Zane Pannell was the only sectional champion from the area, and the only Steamer to qualify for state, taking the 170-pound title with a 10-5 decision against Riverdale’s Alex Watson.

[ Photos from Day 2 of the Class 1A Oregon Sectional wrestling tournament ]

“Just offense. Shooting. Staying on the offense the whole time. Not letting him work anything,” Pannell said about how he won the title match. “I think it’s pretty cool, especially winning the sectional, because I think there’s only been like seven people from Fulton to win a sectional. It’s the same feeling as last year. Moving on to state is always fun, up there for a whole week, missing a whole week of school.”

The Dixon Dukes earned two third-place finishes, as junior Ayden Rowley took an 8-4 decision against Riverdale’s Tharren Jacobs at 113, and senior Shaun DeVries won a 3-1 overtime victory against Lena-Winslow’s Henry Engel at 285.

“I just practice hard every day. Countless hours on the mat, in and out of the weight room, and everything like that,” Rowley said, citing reasons for his sectionals success. “I feel like it’s a pretty good feat – there’s not many people who are able to take third at sectionals, or even go to state.”

As he has done several times this season, DeVries pulled out his won at the last moment. After he and Engel went into overtime tied 1-1, DeVries recorded a takedown as the buzzer sounded to avoid going to the tiebreaker round.

“I listened to my coaches very well. They are very, very talented coaches,” DeVries said. “One of them made it nationally, Jacob Hey. The other ones are multiple-time state champ, Micah Hey, and the newest coach, he’s only like 21 years old, very young, Sebastian Quintana. He also went to state multiple times. Listening to their advice and coaching throughout the whole time has made me a better wrestler. If I didn’t have them as coaches, I wouldn’t have won today; I couldn’t have made it to state. It’s really all them.

“It’s incredible. Last time I made it to state I was in middle school, and that was my first year wrestling. So it was kind of like an eye-opening experience. But making it in high school, completely different ballgame. To make it as a senior, it’s kind of like a poetic ending to the year. I started off my career going to state and ended going to state, so we’ll just see how it goes over there.”

The Newman Comets also had two state qualifiers. At 138, Carter Rude finished second, losing an 8-4 decision against Riverdale’s Brock Smith. At 126, junior Brady Grennan pinned Wheaton Academy’s Will Hupke in the blood-round match, and finished fourth.

“I had a plan going into the match, and I executed it well. I knew what I was going to do beforehand, and I’m just closing the gap, just like we talked about,” Rude said. “I mean, it’s not ideal, but it’s the farthest I’ve gotten so far, so I’m happy with it. I’m excited. I love state week. It’s the best.”

“Really relieved, just because that was a tough match for me, being out of shape and stuff. So winning that match meant a lot,” Grennan said about the blood-round win. “Obviously, [finishing fourth] wasn’t my end goal, but I’m still happy with it, advancing on to next week and hopefully taking first.”

The Polo Marcos advanced two of their three sectional qualifiers to state. At 106, freshman Josiah Perez finished second, losing a 9-4 decision against Riverdale’s Dean Wainwright. At 132, senior Wyatt Doty came in third, taking a 6-2 decision against Harvard’s Marques Merida.

“It feels good to move on to state. Not happy about the second-place finish, but first freshman from Polo to make it to state,” Perez said. “Hoping I place top 3 [at state]. Hopefully I wrestle better there than I wrestled here.”

“I just didn’t want to lose. Since it’s my senior year, there’s no next year for me,” Doty said. “That was my ambition throughout the [blood-round] match. I just told myself, ‘Don’t give up. This is your most important match this year, just stay in it for another week.’ And I’ll keep that mentality for next week.”

At 120, Rock Falls senior Aaron Meenen finished third, taking a 6-3 decision against Orion’s Luke Moen.

“I kept my composure no matter if I was winning, losing or tied. I just kept focusing on getting there, winning the match by points,” Meenen said. “You score as many points as you can – if you score more than him, you’re going to win – so just keep grinding and score as many points as I can.

“I feel like I was a true second, but it happens. And third place, well, I’ll be a better seed [at state] than fourth, so it’s all right. I just gotta work at state more. I’m a senior, so this final week is going to be rough, but I just gotta grind through it.”

At 113, Amboy freshman Landon Blanton finished second, losing a 14-3 major decision to Woodstock Marian’s Andrew Alvarado.

“I was a little mad at first, but I’m still going to state and got second, so it’s not that bad after all,” Blanton said. “I’m very happy for that, because I did not want my season to be over yet.”

At 152, Erie-Prophetstown senior Jase Grunder finished fourth. With a 5-0 decision against Riverdale’s Eli Hinde in the blood round, he secured his spot at state.

“I just really wanted to make sure I made it to state,” Grunder said. “After losing in the semifinals, going to blood round, I made it to state and it’s another day to live. I’ll get back out here next week and come back, hopefully, with a state title.”

West Carroll’s Connor Knop (106), Erie-Prophetstown’s Wyatt Goossens (120), Fulton’s Braiden Damhoff (285), and Oregon’s Lane Halverson (138) and Gabe Eckerd (170) just missed the cut for state, losing in the consolation semifinals.