February 19, 2025
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Princeton sending 5 wrestlers to state

St. Bede, PC-Hall, Mendota seasons end at Oregon Sectional

By Shaw Local News Network and Drake Lansman
Sterling Newman’s Danny Kelly and Princeton’s Casey Etheridge wrestle at 165 pounds at the 1A Oregon Regional on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.

Sterling Newman’s Danny Kelly and Princeton’s Casey Etheridge wrestle at 165 pounds at the 1A Oregon Regional on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Earleen Hinton)

Princeton sent six wrestlers to the Class 1A Oregon Sectional on Saturday, and five of them advanced to the IHSA State Tournament next weekend.

Augustus Swanson (120 pounds), Kane Dauber (132) and Ace Christiansen (144) each placed third, while Casey Etheridge (165) and Cade Odell (285) finished fourth.

“It’s happiness, fatigue,” Odell said after his semifinal wrestleback. “I was elated. I was here my sophomore year and I lost in sudden death to a Lena-Winslow heavyweight at the time. So it’s nice to come back and do it here and actually make it out this time.”

Swanson, who placed fifth at state at 106 last year, lost to Richmond-Burton’s Adam Glauser in the semifinals but bounced back to win by fall in his semifinal wrestleback and by 13-5 major decision in the third-place match.

Oregon’s Nelson Benesh and Princeton’s Kane Dauber wrestle for third place at 132 pounds at the 1A Oregon Regional on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.

Oregon’s Nelson Benesh and Princeton’s Kane Dauber wrestle for third place at 132 pounds at the 1A Oregon Regional on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Earleen Hinton)

Dauber, a freshman, lost 20-15 in the semifinals but earned his state berth with a 12-6 decision in a semifinal wrestleback and a pin in the third-place match.

Christiansen, who finished third in state at 138 last season, lost by 15-3 major decision to Richmond-Burton’s Emmett Nelson in his semifinal. He won 7-1 in his semifinal wrestleback and won by medical forfeit in the third-place match.

Etheridge was edged 5-4 by Wheaton Academy’s Tyler Jones in the semifinals then won by 16-4 major decision in his semifinal wrestleback to earn a return trip to state before losing by 7-2 decision in the third-place match.

Odell, who placed fourth in state at 285 last year, lost 7-1 to St. Francis’ Jaylen Torres in the semifinals. He won 9-6 in his semifinal wrestleback then lost 4-3 in the third-place match.

“Earlier this year I dealt with a pretty bad injury, and I wasn’t even sure I was going to be able to wrestle at regionals,” Odell said. “Just coming back here and just being able to wrestle my butt off, it’s just all glory to God, really.

“It’s just kind of the bow on my career, you know.”

Princeton’s Cade Odell (top) and Byron’s Jared Claunch wrestle for third place at 285 pounds at the 1A Oregon Regional on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.

Princeton’s Cade Odell (top) and Byron’s Jared Claunch wrestle for third place at 285 pounds at the 1A Oregon Regional on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Earleen Hinton)

Also for Princeton, Jacob Paull (113) saw his season end in wrestlebacks.

St. Bede freshman Mikey Benge (113) came within a win of state as he lost by 21-4 technical fall to Dakota’s Brandon White in a semifinal wrestleback.

Max Moreno (126), Andre Pineda (157), Jordan Coventry (165) and Garrett Connelly (190) also lost in wrestelbacks for the Bruins.

Other area wrestlers whose season ended in wrestlebacks were Putnam County-Hall’s Alex Tucker (190) and Mendota’s Komen Denaul (132), Gavin Evans (157), Corbin Furar (175) and Angil Serrano (285).

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