Wrestling: Yorkville Christian’s Isaac Bourge, Jackson Gillen win semifinals, to go for state titles Saturday

Yorkville Christian’s Isaac Bourge and Jackson Gillen will wrestle for state championships Saturday night in Champaign, as both won Class 1A semifinal matches on Friday at State Farm Center.

They lead area wrestlers remaining heading into the final day of the state meet.

Bourge, who in 2020 was Yorkville Christian’s first-ever state qualifier, won a 3-1 decision over Coal City’s Grant Widlowski in the 120-pound semifinals. He’ll face IC Catholic Prep’s Nick Renteria in the final. Gillen at 170 pounds won a 5-3 decision over Canton’s Joseph Norton in the semifinals. He will face Lena-Winslow’s Griffin Luke in the final.

Three other area wrestlers lost Class 1A semifinal matches Friday and are in wrestlebacks.

Sandwich’s Aidan Linden at 152 lost a 12-2 major decision to Stillman Valley’s Jack Seacrist. Teammate Alex Alfaro at 182 lost a 3-1 decision to Unity’s Grant Albaugh. At heavyweight Yorkville Christian’s Michael Esquivel was pinned in 52 seconds by undefeated Rock Island Alleman Charles Jagusah.

In Class 3A, Yorkville’s Hunter Janeczko lost his 195-pound quarterfinal match to Marist’s Peter Marinopoulos, but came back to pin Lincoln-Way East’s Connor Lindaur to remain alive in wrestlebacks. Teammate Ben Alvarez also lost his quarterfinal match, but remains alive in wrestlebacks, as does Oswego’s AJ Johnson in Class 3A.

Yorkville Christian’s Aiden Larsen (106), Noah Dial (132), Drew Torza (152), Tyler Martinez (160) and Esquivel and Sandwich’s Evan Reilly (138) and Linden are still alive in wrestlebacks