January 12, 2025
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Wrestling: ‘It hasn’t hit me’ Jackson Gillen wins Yorkville Christian’s first state title

Mustangs have four top three finishes; Sandwich’s Aidan Linden takes third

By Jacob Bartelson
Yorkville Christian's Jackson Gillen watches as the last few seconds tick off the clock in his state title victory over Griffin Luke in the 170lb 1A match Saturday, Feb 19, 2022 in Champaign.

Yorkville Christian's Jackson Gillen watches as the last few seconds tick off the clock in his state title victory over Lena-Winslow's Griffin Luke in the 170-pound 1A match Saturday, Feb 19, 2022 in Champaign.

CHAMPAIGN – Jackson Gillen couldn’t really explain how he was able to maneuver or time the victorious pin with 14 seconds left in the Class 1A 170-pound state championship Saturday, Feb. 19.

“It just felt right,” the Yorkville Christian junior said following his win over Lena Winslow’s Griffin Luke. “When you get the feeling, you just know.”

“I don’t even know yet,” Gillen continued when asked about being a state champion. “It hasn’t hit me.”

[ Photos: Class 1-2-3A wrestlers compete for the state title Saturday night ]

Gillen’s win was a historic one, the first state championship in Yorkville Christian program history. He was the lone Yorkville Christian champion at the State Farm Center this weekend Champaign, but the Mustangs sparkled as a whole.

Senior Isaac Bourge, Yorkville Christian’s first-ever state qualifier two years ago, lost a 9-4 decision to IC Catholic Prep’s Nick Renteria in the 120-pound final.

Yorkville Christian's Tyler Martinez (right) and Peoria Notre Dame's Joey Mushinsky work against one another in 160lbs during the 1A third place match at the IHSA state wrestling meet on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@shawmedia.com/credit)

Yorkville Christian’s Tyler Martinez placed third in the Class 1A 160-pound bracket following a 3-2 decision over Peoria Notre Dame’s Joey Mushinsky. It was a rematch of the championship bracket quarterfinal that Mushinsky won, 8-4.

“I was dying to get it back,” Martinez said. “This tournament, I would say, you could be as good a wrestler as you want, just comes down to who wants it more. Today, I just wanted it more than these guys.”

Martinez had attended the state finals before as a spectator, but this year served as a first on the mats as a competitor. His cousin Derrick Maisonet won state titles for Plano in 2013 and 2014.

“It feels great, especially because whenever I did come down here to watch; I was watching my cousin,” Martinez said. " My Dad was a state finalist [too].”

Yorkville Christian's Michael Esquivel (right) and Mooseheart's Joshua Gaye work against one another in 285lbs during the 1A third place match at the IHSA state wrestling meet on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022.

Yorkville Christian's Michael Esquivel (right) and Mooseheart's Joshua Gaye work against one another in 285lbs during the 1A third place match at the IHSA state wrestling meet on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@shawmedia.com/credit)

To close the last session before the championship finals, Mustangs’ 285-pounder, Michael Esquivel, won in sudden victory, 6-4, over Mooseheart’s Joshua Gaye for third place.

Upon his victory, Esquivel repeated “100″ coming off the mat. The win served as his 100th career victory.

“100 right there,” Esquivel said with a smile. “My game plan was: I knew he was going to shoot. I knew he was a smaller heavyweight, so I knew he was going to shoot 100%.”

In the final seconds of the match, “[Gaye] left his arm wide open”.

Esquivel then went for an undertook on the right side, when he went to circle around, Esquivel saw his moment.

“I got to go now,” he said. “The gas tank was getting pushed to the limit there and I know knowing him, he would gas out quicker than I am.”

Yorkville Christian’s Aiden Larsen (106) took fifth, while Noah Dial (132) and Drew Torza (152) finished eighth, respectively.

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)

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 victorious decision over McNamara’s Luke Christie in the Class 1A 152-pound third-place match.

With tears in his eyes and trying to catch his breath, Linden recounted how Christie got a late takedown, but he 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 MCL, 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.

Yorkville’s Ben Alvarez (220) and Hunter Janeczko (195) each placed eighth in their respective weight classes.

In the third round of the consolation bracket, Alvarez lost in a sudden victory to Homewood Flossmoor’s Justin Thomas. Janeczko fell in a 5-4 decision to Mt. Carmel’s Elliot Lewis.

Oswego senior AJ Johnson also finished in the top eight at 160 pounds.