Brooker becomes first PC-Hall wrestler to qualify for state

Putnam County sophomore Connor Brooker made school history Saturday.

Brooker beat Rock Falls’ Izaih James 2-1 to advance to the third-place match at the Class 1A Oregon Sectional, securing a berth in the IHSA State Meet.

Brooker is the first Putnam County-Hall wrestler to advance to state.

“It just means everything,” Brooker said. “I’ve been grinding this whole season, and it’s nice to know it pays off.”

PC-Hall coach Jerry Kreiwald said it’s great for the entire program.

“I think it motivates a lot of younger kids to keep doing better after seeing someone who has put in five years and time over the summer achieve his goals,” Kreiwald said.

Brooker is the only area wrestler to advance out of the sectional. Wrestlers from St. Bede, Mendota and Princeton also competed.

Brooker beat James 3-2 in sudden death overtime in his first match before topping Johnsburg's Dan Calhoun by 6-5 decision in the quarterfinals.

Brooker lost by 5-2 decision to Orion’s Allen Catour in the semifinals, setting up a rematch with James in the semifinal wrestleback with a state berth on the line.

This time, Brooker edged James 2-1.

“He won his first match in sudden death overtime. That shows character and determination,” Kreiwald said. “The second match he went after it. He was determined. He lost in the semifinals and came right back and beat (James) again. It’s always harder to beat a kid a second time. He went right after him. In the first two periods, he took 13 shots. He wasn’t afraid. He kept being the aggressor.”

James was assessed a stalling point with 40 seconds left in the third period.

"I knew that if I pushed the pace, I'd probably be able to get a second stall call," said Brooker, who lost 10-4 to Lena-Winslow's Simon Rillie in the third-place match. "That's just what I did."

Three other area wrestlers nearly joined Brooker at state as St. Bede’s Peter Sampson (285) and Princeton’s Matthew Harris (120) and Augie Christiansen (132) each came up just one win short.

Sampson earned a bye as a regional champion then won by 7-3 decision to reach the semifinals, where he lost 3-2.

In Sampson’s semifinal wrestleback with a state berth on the line, the senior lost 5-3.

Harris, a state qualifier last year as a freshman, advanced to the semifinals by winning 7-4 and 9-7.

Harris was pinned in the semifinals and again in his semifinal wrestleback to fall short of a return trip to Champaign.

Christiansen, a freshman, had a first-round bye after winning a regional title. He was pinned in his quarterfinal match before working his way within a win of state with a pin and a major decision.

Christiansen was pinned in his semifinal wrestleback to miss out on state.

St. Bede’s Noah Setser (132) went 1-2, while teammates Henry Orteza (120), Beau Bonnell (138) and Ethan Fleming (170) each lost their first two matches.

Mendota’s Ty Connelly (160) lost his first two matches.

For Princeton, Cole Reynolds (285) lost his first match then won by pin before his season came to an end with a pinfall loss. Teammates Drew Harp (182) and Matt Cihocki (220) each lost their first two matches.