Wrestling: Seven locals advance to state quarterfinals with first-round wins

Several local wrestlers won their first-round bouts at the IHSA Individual State Tournament on Thursday afternoon at State Farm Center in Champaign to advance to the quarterfinals.

Rock Falls’ Aaron Meenen won a 7-5 decision over Canton’s John Davis at 120 pounds, while Newman’s Brady Grennan (126 pounds) won a 10-1 major decision over Roxana’s Brandon Green, and Carter Rude (138) pinned Tolono Unity’s Kaden Inman in 5:53.

Polo’s Josiah Perez (106) won a 6-0 decision over Litchfield’s Vinny Moore, while Wyatt Doty (138) pinned Roxana’s Logan Riggs in 42 seconds. Erie-Prophetstown’s Jase Grunder (152) pinned Kewanee’s Max Kelly in 4:23, and Fulton’s Zane Pannell (170) pinned Robinson’s Jared Hermann in 2:30.

Dixon’s Ayden Rowley (113) was pinned by Decatur Lutheran’s Clinton VerHeecke in 2:45, and Shaun DeVries (285) was pinned by Reed-Custer’s Gunnar Berg in 3:47. Amboy’s Landon Blanton (113) lost an 8-4 decision to Warrensburg-Latham’s Logan Roberts.

Byron’s two state qualifiers split their opening-round matches. Kyle Jones (182) won a 3-0 decision over Westville’s Craig Johnson, while Jared Claunch (220) was pinned by Beardstown’s Owen O’Hara in 2:27.

Riverdale wrestlers went 4-1 in the first round. Dean Wainwright (106) pinned Auburn’s Drayven Hamm in 3:15, Brock Smith (138) won a 15-0 technical fall over Kyle Roth of El Paso-Gridley in 2:05, Collin Altensey (160) won a 15-0 tech fall over Lawrenceville’s Brian Seed in 3:40, and Alex Watson (170) pinned Auburn’s Joey Barrow in 3:26. Tharren Jacobs (113) lost an 8-0 major decision to Farmington’s Keygan Jennings.

The first-round winners will wrestle this evening in the quarterfinals, while the other locals will be back on the mat for the first round of wrestlebacks Friday morning.