Wrestling: Smith sparks Rockets to regional title

STERLING – Rock Falls junior Konner Smith had a rare opportunity on Saturday afternoon – a chance to mug for the crowd at the end of an action-packed championship bout.

By the end of the Class 1A Newman Regional, all of the Rockets had smiles on their faces.

Rock Falls finished with 144 points, 21.5 more than second-place squads Princeton and Seneca, to capture its second regional title in the past 3 years. The Rockets advance to the Polo Dual Team Sectional, where it will face Mercer County, winner of the Rockridge Regional, on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

“This feels really great,” sophomore Niles Ager said. “We put in the effort, and this is the outcome. Everything didn’t go great, but you just make do with what you have.”

It wasn’t all calm waters for the Rockets. Hunter Sathoff, a contender for a title at 195 pounds, didn’t compete due to a concussion. He was checked on Friday, but not cleared to compete. Also, Matt Mammosser lost in the waning seconds of a 182-pound semifinal, costing Rock Falls more team points.

“We did what we had to do,” Rock Falls coach Derick Cox said. “I knew it was going to be close. I knew it wasn’t going to be like a few years ago when we had the 70-point lead. If we didn’t come out and wrestle and compete and finish, then Seneca, Princeton and Newman, in a tournament like this, can get you.”

The signature bout of the tournament was the 132-pound final between Smith and Princeton’s Austin Wetsel. Smith allowed two first-period takedowns, and trailed 5-2 when Wetsel escaped 30 seconds into the final period.

The score stayed that way until 10 seconds remained in the bout, when Smith was able to turn Wetsel and get him to his back. The takedown and three back points produced a 7-5 win, and brought a substantial Rock Falls cheering section to its feet.

“My coach told me not to do anything stupid,” Smith said, “because I usually roll around. In the last few seconds, we were scrambling, and I tried something a little stupid, but it worked.”

Smith even had the luxury of smiling to the crowd in the waning seconds of the bout.

“I knew at that point the match was basically over,” Smith said. “With me on top of him on his back, I knew there was no chance of a reversal there.”

Rock Falls had two other champions in Ager, at 160 pounds, and 113-pounder Tristen Dudley.

Ager built up a 7-2 lead on Amboy’s Damion Ullrich with three takedowns and an escape, then hung on for an 8-5 decision. Ullrich scored his only takedown of the bout with 7 seconds remaining, but it was too little, too late.

Dudley was dominant the whole way en route to a technical fall win against St. Bede’s Jordan Elnicki.

Second-place finishers included 220-pounder Francisco Arellano and 285-pounder Lukas Pounders.

Arellano and Princeton’s Chaz Williams were engaged in a 2-2 battle early in the third period when Arellano suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a cradle. Williams won by pin in 4:15.

Pounders and St. Bede’s John Barnes were the only entrants at 285 pounds. Barnes, ranked sixth by Illinois Matmen, racked up 10 takedowns and three back points on his way to a win by technical fall.

Taking third for Rock Falls were Lucas Schauff (106), Quentin Johnson (120), Breu Knox (126) and Mammosser (182). Schauff just recently joined the team to secure points in a three-man bracket.

The Rockets had a 6-3 record in contested bouts in the final round.

Newman placed fourth as a team with 116 points. Leading the way for the Comets was 126-pounder Cael Sanders, the team’s lone champ. He scored a 4-0 decision against Amboy’s Collin Doege, after they had split bouts during the regular season.

Sanders scored first on a reversal early in the second period, then put the bout on ice with a takedown with 48 seconds to go in the third period.

“Posting my arm on the mat was the key,” Sanders said. “He couldn’t hit a double, because that’s where he got me last time.”

Second-place finishers included Cade Bianchi (120), Eli Monier (138) and Brandon Ahlgrim (152). Taking third for the Comets and securing berths in next weekend’s Oregon Sectional were Hunter Webb (132) and Noah Leffelman (220).

Amboy was fifth as a team with 101 points. Leading the way for the Clippers was Dallas Appleman, a champ at 195 pounds. He wasted little in pinning Princeton’s Skyler Spencer in 1:44.

“I just went out there and treated it like another match throughout the season,” Appleman said. “I just wanted to take him down, put him out, and get done quick.”

Doege (126), Ullrich (160) and Leffelman (182) finished second. Chris Jones (152) bounced back from an overtime semifinal loss to take third place.

AFC finished eighth as a team with 47 points. Sectional qualifiers for the Raiders were Payton Hilliker, second at 145, and Sam Hahn, third at 113.

Top 3 teams

1. Rock Falls 144

2. Seneca 122.5

3. Princeton 122.5