Chris Moore will try to end his high school career this weekend the way he started it: by winning a state title.

Moore, a McHenry senior, won a state title as a freshman with Aurora Christian at 113 pounds in Class 2A. He now enters the Class 3A Individual State Tournament in Champaign at 170 pounds with a 39-0 record and is ready to win a state title on the Illinois campus where he’ll wrestle collegiately.

“That would be great,” Moore said. “That’s ultimately the goal: Win a state championship before college.”

He’ll lead a group of 28 McHenry Country-area wrestlers who will compete at the state tournament starting Thursday. Wrestlers from McHenry, Jacobs, Dundee-Crown, Huntley, Hampshire, Crystal Lake Central, Prairie Ridge, Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake South, Woodstock, Marian Central, Richmond-Burton, Harvard and Marengo will all compete during the weekend.

In Class 3A, McHenry’s Moore and Pedro Jimenez (145) and Jacobs’ Dominic Ducato (113) and James Wright (132) all return to the state tournament. The Warriors’ Ryan Hanson (106), D-C’s Porter Leith (195), Huntley’s Adam Pena (126) and Hampshire’s Joey Ochoa (285) all will make their tournament debut.

Moore has come close to winning his second state title before. He finished runner-up at 160 in Class 3A last season with McHenry and finished runner-up at 138 at the IWCOA state tournament with Marian as a sophomore when the IHSA canceled its state tournament because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There’s a chance Moore could compete against Mount Carmel’s Colin Kelly for a state title for a second straight season. Moore dedicated the past year to finishing his shots after losing to Kelly, and he’s ready to show his hard work pay off.

“It’s just one last sprint,” Moore said. “You have to take it, enjoy it, don’t take it for granted.”

Crystal Lake Central will send Ben Butler (160), Cayden Parks (170), Greco Rendon (126), Jon Barrick (195) and Leo Diaz (285) to the Class 2A tournament. Prairie Ridge’s Jake Lowitzki (106) and Tyler Evans (120), Cary-Grove’s Gabe Simpson (182), Crystal Lake South’s Andy Burburija (285) and Woodstock’s Zach Canaday (182) all will join the Tigers.

Butler, Barrick, Evans and Burburija will all try to place for the first time after qualifying for the tournament last season. Butler and Evans are each ranked third by Illinois Matmen in their respective weights while Burburija is No. 5 and Barrick is No. 6.

Central coach Justen Lehr said the experience of competing in an environment like the state tournament can help make a long tournament run seem less daunting.

“It’s not as emotionally overwhelming,” Lehr said. “The more times that they have qualified multiple times and placed, I think the excitement is there but the pressure isn’t as bad.”

Marian’s Andrew Alvarado (113), Vance Williams (132), Nick Davidson (138), Ethan Struck (152) and Max Astacio (160), Richmond-Burton’s Emmett Nelson (126) and Brody Rudkin (145), Harvard’s Marques Merida (132) and Riley Vest (220) and Marengo’s Eddie Solis (195) all qualified for the Class 1A tournament, where familiarity from Saturday’s Oregon sectional could play a factor.

Struck, Astacio and Williams each lost to defending state champions in their sectional finals while Nelson lost to one in his sectional semifinal. Nelson is ranked No. 2 in his weight and will try to improve on his runner-up performance at last season’s state tournament while Astacio and Williams are each No. 3 and Struck is No. 6.

Despite close losses from his wrestlers, Marian co-coach Jordan Blanton is confident in his group.

“Every single guy that we’re bringing there has the potential to make the finals and has the potential to knock off a returning state champion to win a state championship of their own,” Blanton said. “Our message has been in order to be the best, you have to beat the best.”

Blanton has experience competing in the Oregon sectional as an R-B alumnus. He’s seen sectional champions lose to the same wrestlers in the state-title match, and he’s excited to see who can make history in Champaign.

“This tournament creates legends,” Blanton said. “No one can take away what you accomplish here.”

IHSA Individual State Tournament qualifiers

Class 1A

Marian Central: Andrew Alvarado (113), Vance Williams (132), Nick Davidson (138), Ethan Struck (152), Max Astacio (160)

Richmond-Burton: Emmett Nelson (126), Brody Rudkin (145)

Harvard: Marques Merida (132), Riley Vest (220)

Marengo: Eddie Solis (195)

Class 2A

Crystal Lake Central: Ben Butler (160), Cayden Parks (170), Greco Rendon (126), Jon Barrick (195), Leo Diaz (285)

Prairie Ridge: Jake Lowitzki (106), Tyler Evans (120)

Cary-Grove: Gabe Simpson (182)

Crystal Lake South: Andy Burburija (285)

Woodstock: Zach Canaday (182)

Class 3A

McHenry: Ryan Hanson (106), Pedro Jimenez (145), Chris Moore (170)

Jacobs: Dominic Ducato (113), James Wright (132)

Dundee-Crown: Porter Leith (195)

Huntley: Adam Pena (126)

Hampshire: Joey Ochoa (285)