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Here are the Springfield-area high school wrestlers advancing to sectionals

bill welt, state journal-register
·5 min read
Auburn's Dresden Grimm wrestles against Vandalia's Owen Miller in the Class 1A Auburn Regional final at 138 pounds on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
Auburn's Dresden Grimm wrestles against Vandalia's Owen Miller in the Class 1A Auburn Regional final at 138 pounds on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.

Auburn, Chatham Glenwood and Jacksonville each celebrated team regional titles on Saturday.

Auburn, in particular, prevailed by the slimmest margins over Vandalia in a loaded home regional.

Here's a rundown of each regional featuring The State Journal-Register's area wrestlers.

The top three individuals advanced to sectionals while the aforementioned top teams additionally qualified for the team dual sectionals later in the month.

CLASS 1A

AT AUBURN

Regional team champion: Auburn

Area individual regional champions: 106 — Vinny Moore, Litchfield (35-5); 113 — Alex Powell, Litchfield (38-4); Joey Ruzic, Auburn (44-2); 138 — Dresden Grimm, Auburn (32-2); 170 — Joey Barrow, Auburn (34-13); 182 —Skylar Fay, Auburn (37-10); 195 — Cory West, Sacred Heart-Griffin (31-1); 285 — Cole Edie, Auburn (41-2)

Other area individuals advancing: 126 — Braxton Kieffer, Litchfield; 132 — Ethan Dyer, Taylorville, Shay Westhoff, Litchfield; 138 — Hunter Law, Litchfield; 145 — Quinten Chizmar, Auburn; 152 — Zander Wells, Hillsboro; 160 — Jake Schwartz, Carlinville; 182 — Seth Kenter, Litchfield; 195 — William Blue, Taylorville; 220 — Clinton Lovens, Auburn

Sectionals up next: Individual — Carterville, Friday, Feb. 10; Team — Vandalia, Tuesday, Feb. 21

What to know: Auburn advanced to dual team sectionals by a smidgen. Senior heavyweight Cole Edie’s pin against Shelbyville’s Andre Townsend secured the team win with 207 points. The Trojans narrowly bested Vandalia’s 205.5 and draws Cahokia in the Vandalia dual team sectional. Auburn standouts Joey Ruzic and Dresden Grimm each recorded a pin in their regional title matches as they begin their postseason journey back to the individual state medal stand. Ruzic won the school’s first individual 1A state title at 113 pounds and returns in the same weight class while Grimm was third in the 1A state finals at 132. Teammates Joey Barrow and Skylar Fay also won first place via pin. SHG senior Cory West dominated his regional with two pins in the first period.

Auburn's Joey Ruzic begins his Class 1A Auburn Regional final at 113 pounds against Shelbyville's Pierson Wilkerson on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
Auburn's Joey Ruzic begins his Class 1A Auburn Regional final at 113 pounds against Shelbyville's Pierson Wilkerson on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.

AT MACOMB

Regional team champion: Canton

Area individual champions: 182 — Bryar Lane, Petersburg PORTA (45-3); 220 — Owen O’Hara, Beardstown (32-1)

Other area individuals advancing: 106 — Zach Bryant, Petersburg PORTA; 120 — Hunter King, Petersburg PORTA; 126 — Mike Minor, Petersburg PORTA; 132 — Jonny Marquez, Beardstown; 138 — Bryan Gil, Beardstown; 160 — Memo Hernandez, Beardstown; 195 — Logan Peterson, Petersburg PORTA; 285 — Isaak Espenschied, Petersburg PORTA

Sectionals up next: Individual — Clinton, Friday, Feb. 10; Team — El Paso-Gridley, Tuesday, Feb. 21

What to know: PORTA settled for second place as a team behind advancing champion Canton. Senior Bryar Lane won all three of his matches via pin. He topped Quincy Notre Dame’s Taylin Scott via pin in the second period. Beardstown senior Owen O’Hara triumphed over Macomb’s Ethan Ladd with a 6-2 decision. Both wrestlers had a combined 75-6 record. PORTA senior Isaak Espenschied (36-11) dropped to Canton’s Asa Reed in a 5-2 heavyweight decision.

These are the 12 top Springfield-area wrestlers to watch in the 2023 postseason

CLASS 2A

AT CHATHAM GLENWOOD

Team champion: Chatham Glenwood

Individual champions: 106 — Conner Carroll, Rochester (29-4); 113 — Drew Davis, Chatham Glenwood (42-2); 132 — John Ben Maduena (38-5); 152 — Aden Byal, Chatham Glenwood (39-4); 160 — Dawson McConnell, Lincoln (42-5); 170 — Justin Hay, Chatham Glenwood (27-13); 182 — Maximus Wiezorek (30-13); 195 — Brandon Bray, Chatham Glenwood (33-14); 220 — Alex Hamrick, Chatham Glenwood (40-3); 285 — Mark Helm, Chatham Glenwood (25-8)

Other area individuals advancing: 106 — Tyler Clarke, Chatham Glenwood; 113 — Matthew Miller, Riverton/Williamsville; 120 — Daulton Nunes, Chatham Glenwood; 126 — Larson Nestar, Chatham Glenwood, Giovanni Sundeen, Lincoln; 132 — Drake Pfeiffer, Rochester, Lakin Adams, Lincoln; 138 — Jake Lawrence, Lincoln, Bradley Dollus, Chatham Glenwood; 145 — Nolan Mrozowski, Rochester, Anny Williams, Chatham Glenwood; 152 — Isaac Decker, Lincoln; 160 — Jonah Broughman, Chatham Glenwood; 170 — Colin Ripperda, Riverton/Williamsville; 195 — Nicco Sundeen, Lincoln; 220 — Elias Banks, Riverton/Williamsville; 285 — Mathew Crouch, Riverton/Williamsville, Zach Poole, Lincoln

Sectionals up next: Individual — Highland, Friday, Feb. 10; Team — Chatham Glenwood, Tuesday, Feb. 21

What to know: Glenwood rolls to the dual team sectionals where it will host Mahomet-Seymour. Both teams qualified for the dual state finals last season. Glenwood junior Drew Davis, who captured the individual 2A state title at 106 pounds last season, won both of his matches via pin at 113. Senior teammate Aden Byal pinned his first opponent in 39 seconds before topping Lincoln senior Isaac Decker with a 9-1 major decision. Senior teammate Alex Hamrick, a fifth-place state medalist last season as a heavyweight, pinned Mattoon’s Leo Meyer in the third period to win a big showdown at 220 while junior teammate Justin Hay upended Riverton/Williamsville senior Colin Ripperda with a 6-2 decision.

'Locked in': Senior wrestlers ready to make more postseason noise at Chatham Glenwood

AT JACKSONVILLE

Team champion: Jacksonville

Individual champions: 120 — Deshawn Armstrong, Jacksonville (41-5); 138 — Gabe Ruvalcaba, Springfield High (30-14); 152 — Collin Reif, Jacksonville (42-5); 160 — James Cotton, Jacksonville (34-8); Luca Thies (39-8); 195 — Mason Meyer, Jacksonville (34-8); 220 — Oliver Cooley, Jacksonville (35-11); 285 — Robert Hull, Southeast (24-4)

Other area individuals advancing: 106 — Cedar Ngiramoai, Lanphier; 113 — Hunter Hayes, Jacksonville; 120 — Brayden McBride, Southeast; 126 — Kaden Rios, Springfield High; 132 — Miles Rowe, Jacksonville; 138 — Ian Willner, Jacksonville; 145 — Joe Reif, Jacksonville; 160 — Connor Janssen, Lanphier; 170 — Keyshaun Harris, Springfield High, Keaton Wilhelm, Jacksonville; 182 — Jackson O’Connor, Springfield High; 195 — Christopher Hull, Southeast; 220 — Hunter Reid, Springfield High; 285 — Shamar Richardson, Springfield High

Sectionals up next: Individual — Highland, Friday, Feb. 10; Team — Chatham Glenwood, Tuesday, Feb. 21

What to know: Jacksonville claimed the team title to advance to the Chatham Glenwood dual sectionals with 204.5 points ahead of Bethalto Civic Memorial’s 167. The Crimsons will square off against Mount Vernon. Jacksonville junior James Cotton highlighted the regional with a 7-5 decision over Lanphier senior Connor Janssen (30-4) for a ranked win at 160. Jacksonville senior Collin Reif, who placed sixth at last year’s 2A state finals at 138, came away with the 152 regional title via a 3-0 decision over Troy Triad’s Aiden Postma.

Contact Bill Welt: 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt 

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA wrestling: 2023 regional results for the Springfield IL area