February 07, 2025
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State wrestling: Aidan Linden brings home 3rd, Alex Alfaro 5th for Sandwich

Mustangs have 4 top-3 finishes; Sandwich’s Aidan Linden takes 3rd

By Jacob Bartelson
Sandwich’s Aidan Linden moves around Stillman’s Jack Seacrist in the Class 1A 152lb. semifinals at State Farm Center in Champaign. Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, in Champaign.

Sandwich’s Aidan Linden moves around Stillman’s Jack Seacrist in the Class 1A 152lb. semifinals at State Farm Center in Champaign. Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, in Champaign. (Gary Middendorf - gmiddendorf@shawmedia.com/Gary Middendorf)

CHAMPAIGN – Sandwich senior Aidan Linden ran halfway around the arena until he found his family waiting with hugs and tears. Linden was moments removed from an emotional 6-4 victory over McNamara’s Luke Christie in the Class 1A 152-pound third-place match Saturday at the IHSA Boys Wrestling Individual State Finals.

With tears in his eyes and trying to catch his breath, Linden recounted how Christie got a late takedown, but Linden responded with a dump of his own for the win.

For Linden, his road to Champaign had plenty of uncertainty along the way.

“I came for first. I couldn’t get it, but this was the first year I was here,” Linden said. “I’ve been injured for a long time, couldn’t wrestle last year, [and I] couldn’t wrestle the year before, and it just feels so good right now.”

The combined two-year injury history includes a torn knee ligament, meniscus and “two torn hamstrings”.

“All from wrestling,” Linden said

Considering all of those circumstances, as tears streamed, his finish “means more than anything else”.

“I couldn’t put it into words,” Linden said.

Sandwich’s Alex Alfaro placed fifth in the 182 weight class, and Evan Reilly (138) placed eighth.