Area youth wrestlers score multiple state medals from IKWF, IESA

Dozens of youth wrestlers from around the Ottawa/Streator/Morris area who had qualified in the previous weeks competed in a pair of Illinois' youth wrestling state tournaments this past weekend.

The IKWF State Championships were held at the Peoria Civic Center.

The nWo secured four individual championships – Layla Giertych (girls intermediate 82 pounds), Aydan Del Muro (boys intermediate 148), Maximus Pearch (boys senior 135) and Wesley Janick (boys senior 110) – plus a fourth-place finish from Mason Villarreal (boys senior 144).

For the Ottawa Wolfpack, Carter Noonan (boys senior 84) captured his division’s IKWF championship with a 4-0 performance. Cash Lucas (boys novice 93) and Maddox Noonan (boys intermediate 69) both scored runner-up finishes, Cortez White (boys novice 178) was third, and Brooks Noonan (boys bantam 62) finished fourth.

For Streator Wrestling Club, Pyper Antolik (girls bantam 95) brought home a sixth-place finish.

For Sandwich Wrestling Club , Blakley Richards (boys novice 60) and Khloe McCaslin (girls intermediate 53) each scored second-place finishes. Jaslyn Ramirez (girls novice 90) was fourth and Jace Young (boys bantam 52) sixth.

Morris Wrestling Club received a second- courtesy of Connor Walls (boys bantam 95), a third- from Quinton O’Donnell (boys bantam 70) and a fourth-place finish from Sophia Boaz (girls bantam 95).

Brooklyn Sharwarko (girls bantam 45) scored a fourth-place finish for the Lil' Coalers Wrestling Club.

Stephanie Hawkins (girls novice 102) finished second for the L-P Crunching Cavs.

Another group of qualifying youth wrestlers were at the IESA State Meet held at DeKalb’s Convocation Center.

Coal City was led by individual state titles won by Dominic Zuccarello at Class A 135 pounds and Max Christensen at A 145, both a perfect 4-0 at state. Ryder Gill was runner-up at A 95, Phoenix Senodenos placed third at A 105, and Carter Wix finished fourth at A 126.

Ottawa Shepherd scored two IESA titles. Logan Huenefeld at AA 119 and Wyatt Mikkelesen at AA 135 won their respective brackets to be crowned IESA champions, both going 4-0. Dakota Harmon placed second at AA 90, going 3-1, while John Pitts was fifth at AA 185.

Kharter Sullivan (AA 65), Parker Valentine (AA 75) and Aiden Wiggins (AA 135) all placed fourth for Morris Grade School.

For Sandwich, Brantley Green won the A 70 IESA title with a 4-0 performance. Eli Futrell was runner-up at A 145, while Jaxon Brunoehler finished fourth at A 85.

Seneca’s Deklyn Thompson went 3-1 to finish second at A 85.