Wrestling: Marian Central sends five among 10 local qualifiers from Class 1A Oregon Sectional

OREGON – Marian Central sophomore Andrew Alvarado excelled in the biggest tournament of his life by just trying to keep things simple.

“I just made sure I had a good warmup in the first and second day, for sure. The warmups really helped me overall,” the Hurricanes’ 113-pound wrestler said. “I felt like I kept my composure really well. I stayed calm, didn’t risk too much stuff and stuck to the basics. I feel like that won me the match.”

Alvarado recorded a pin and two major decisions to take the title at the Class 1A Oregon Wrestling Sectional Tourmament on Saturday. He will be joined by four of his Marian teammates at next weekend’s state tournament in Champaign at the University of Illinois.

Vance Williams (132), Ethan Struck (152) and Max Astacio (160) all took seconds and Nick Davidson (138) was fourth for Marian. Richmond-Burton’s Brody Rudkin (145) was second and Emmett Nelson (126) was third, Marengo’s Eddie Solis (195) took second and Harvard’s Riley Vest (220), who was second, and Marques Merida (132), who was fourth, also qualified.

“I’m really proud of the five guys we got through,” Marian co-head coach Jordan Blanton said. “Our guys came ready to wrestle. Not every match went the way we wanted.

“It was a roller coaster of a weekend, but at the end of the day, I was proud of how our guys competed. Guys like Andrew Alvarado coming in and winning that sectional is a huge accomplishment.”

Alvarado (18-8) beat Amboy’s Landon Blanton 14-3, a major decision, for the title.

The Hurricanes’ Ethan Struck, a transfer this season, got a big win in the semifinals to guarantee his first trip to state since he was a 106-pound freshman at Marengo.

Struck knocked off Erie-Prophetstown’s No. 1-ranked Jase Gunder 3-1 to get his spot in the finals.

“Everyone was making a big deal about it and I said, ‘It’s just a match. I’ll just do what I do,’” Struck said. “When I see people tensed up before a match I’ll start popping jokes and stuff.

“It was believing in myself and my coaches. We watched his match in the quarterfinals. My goal was to stay in great position. The one time he slipped up, I took my opportunity and score on him.”

With the score at 1-1 in the third period, Struck found that chance and scored a takedown with 40 seconds to go.

Williams, who knocked Struck out in the blood round (the consolation semifinals) last year, wrestled the state’s two top-ranked wrestlers, beating Polo’s Wyatt Doty (No. 2) in the quarterfinals 7-4, then losing to Dakota’s Phoenix Blakely, a three-time state champion, by technical fall in the championship.

“I knew I was going to be able to do (qualify),” said Williams, who is 38-7. “With my training and my training partners, I knew I was going to be able to do it. I still have room to improve from that finals match.”

Nelson (43-2) and Marian’s Kaden Harman, who met three times previously and both placed at state last year, wrestled a blood-round match. Nelson won by fall in 5:05.

“It’s always fun wrestling him. We have a rivalry going on right now,” Nelson said. “It’s sad that the season ended that way for him. To wrestle him in the blood round after he placed last year, it (stinks). This sectional is the best one in the state.”

Rudkin (37-8) won a close match (5-2) in his semifinal and lost a close one (4-3) to Stillman Valley’s AIden Liviginston for the title.

“I was a little tired that last match,” Rudkin said. “It feels good to go downstate.”

Solis (37-9) lost by pin in his title match, but was thrilled at earning his first trip to state. He won by first-period pin in his semifinal match, assuring a state berth.

“The main thing is the mentality you have to have,” Solis said. “Be your best. I ended up pinning him. It was joyous. I was very happy. That’s the first time I’ve gone in high school.”

Vest (30-10) lost by pin in the 220 championship, but looks forward to a picture he will take in Champaign with his father Mike.

“It was a dream come true to go downstate,” Vest said. “I had a picture with my dad (Mike) I don’t know how many years ago (at the state tournament). Just hoping to recreate that picture. We hoped my brother would make it and he never did. I wanted my dad to have one son make it there.”

Vest lost to Lena-Winslow/Stockton’s Mike Haas last year 3-1, but came back and beat Haas to reach the final.

“I went in and pushed the pace to start and took him down,” Vest said. “After that I knew I had it in the bag.”