Here are the season summaries and state previews for the 36 area qualifiers to the IHSA Wrestling State Finals today through Saturday at Assembly Hall in Champaign. (Rank is Illinoismatmen.com ranking in weight and state class.)
Class 1A
Anthony Luis
Harvard, jr.
Weight: 106
Record: 36-6
Rank: No. 2
Tournaments: Harvard – first; Mid-States (Wis.) – seventh; Princeton – third.
Harvard Regional: First
Oregon Sectional: First
State Finals: Luis is seeded second and will face Belleville Althoff’s Jevon Hey (20-14) in the first round. He is not ranked and placed fourth at the Vandalia Sectional. If Luis advances, he could see No. 3 ranked Braxten Ary (23-5) from Midwest Central in the quarterfinals.
Irvin Pena
Harvard, sr.
Weight: 120
Record: 29-14
Rank: Not ranked
Tournaments: Harvard – sixth; Mid-States (Wis.) – DNP; Princeton – seventh.
Harvard Regional: First
Oregon Sectional: Fourth
State Finals: Pena will wrestle Roxana’s Dalton Brito (21-4) in the first round. Brito is ranked No. 6 and won the Vandalia Sectional.
Chance Shelton
Harvard, sr.
Weight: 132
Record: 36-11
Rank: No. 4
Tournaments: Harvard – first; Mid-States (Wis.) – seventh; Princeton – third (at 126).
Harvard Regional: First
Oregon Sectional: Fourth
State Finals: Shelton has second seeded Nate Jozsa (41-0) from Argenta-Oreana in the first round. Jozsa is ranked No. 1 and took first at the Vandalia Sectional.
Adam Freimund
Harvard, jr.
Weight: 285
Record: 41-5
Rank: No. 4
Tournaments: Harvard – first; Mid-States (Wis.) – second; Princeton – third
Harvard Regional: First
Oregon Sectional: Third
State Finals: In the first round, Freimund will see Bismarck-Henning’s Morgan Supergan (31-2). Supergan is ranked No. 2 and was second at the Stanford Olympia Sectional.
Class 2A
Corey Graham
Marengo, jr.
Weight: 113
Record: 30-9
Rank: No. 8
Tournaments: Richmond-Burton – fifth; Lincoln – second; Sycamore – fourth.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Third
State Finals: Graham wrestles Chicago Bowen’s Cory Wilson (22-6) in the first round. Wilson is an honorable mention selection and placed second at the Rich East Sectional.
Grant Sutton
Richmond-Burton, so.
Weight: 120
Record: 37-2
Rank: No. 2
Tournaments: Richmond-Burton – first; Harvard – first; Palatine – second.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Second
State finals: Sutton will meet B.J. McGhee (41-1) in the first round who handed Sutton one of his two losses this season. McGhee is ranked No. 1 but placed third at the Rochelle Sectional after a loss to Morris’ Kenny Baldridge in the semifinals.
Branden Peshek
Johnsburg, so.
Weight: 120
Record: 32-7
Rank: No. 9
Tournaments: Barrington – fourth; Richmond-Burton – second; Harvard – third; Fos Valley Conference – second.
Hampshire Regional: Second
Antioch Sectional: Third
State finals: In the first round, Peshek faces Geneseo’s Hunter Grau (35-10). Grau is an honorable mention selection who placed second at the Rochell Sectional.
Cameron Kennedy
Richmond-Burton, sr.
Weight: 126
Record: 40-1
Rank: No. 1
Tournaments: Richmond-Burton – first; Harvard – first; Palatine – first.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Second
State finals: Kennedy goes against East Peoria’s Casey McWhirter (25-6). McWhirter is ranked No. 10 and placed third at the Rochelle Sectional.
Brian McKay
Johnsburg, sr.
Weight: 126
Record: 29-10
Rank: HM
Tournaments: Barrington – DNP; Richmond-Burton – first; Harvard – second; FVC – third at 132.
Hampshire Regional: Second
Antioch Sectional: Fourth
State finals: In the first round, McKay goes against Boylan’s Alex Butler (36-8). Butler is an honorable mention who won the Rochelle Sectional.
Nick Remke
Marian Central, so.
Weight: 138
Record: 36-8
Rank: No. 10
Tournaments: Richmond-Burton – fifth; Harvard – first; Kaneland – second.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Third
State finals: Remke will wrestler Civic Memorial’s Gage Overton (29-12) who placed second at the Mattoon Sectional. Overton is not ranked.
Kyle Fugiel
Crystal Lake Central, jr.
Weight: 145
Record: 36-5
Rank: No. 2
Tournaments: Conant – third; Prospect – third; Dvorak – fifth; FVC – first.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Second
State finals: In the first round Fugiel will see De La Salle’s Brendan Shilney (26-18). Shilney is not ranked and placed third at the Rich East Sectional.
Garrett Sutton
Richmond-Burton, jr.
Weight: 152
Record: 34-0
Rank: No. 2
Tournaments: Richmond-Burton – first; Harvard – first.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Second
State Finals: Garrett Sutton is the No. 2 seed and will face Oak Forest’s Patrick Kristin (25-13). Kristin placed fourth at the Rich East Sectional.
Damon Cloe
Marengo, sr.
Weight: 152
Record: 23-3
Rank: No. 6
Tournaments: Lincoln – first; Sycamore – fourth.
Hampshire Regional: Second
Antioch Sectional: Second
State Finals: Cloe wrestles Chicago Bowen’s Bobby O’Banner in the first round. O’Banner (27-6) is an honorable mention selection and placed third at the Rich East Sectional.
Mike Zelasco
Crystal Lake Central, jr.
Weight: 160
Record: 25-5
Rank: No. 4
Tournaments: Dvorak – seventh; FVC – third.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Third
State Finals: Zelasco sees Oak Forest’s Jim Kluk in the first round. Kluk (25-14) is an honorable mention selection and placed second at the Rich East Sectional.
Andrew Marsden
Crystal Lake Central, so.
Weight: 170
Record: 39-4
Rank: No. 2
Tournaments: Conant – first; Prospect – first; Dvorak – fourth; FVC – first.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: First
State Finals: Marsden is the second seed and faces Peoria’s Martez Cox in the first round. Cox (39-3) is ranked No. 8 and placed fourth at the Rochelle Sectional.
Travis Keeling
Hampshire, sr.
Weight: 170
Record: 38-7
Rank: HM
Tournaments: Richmond-Burton – first; FVC – third.
Hampshire Regional: Second
Antioch Sectional: Second
State Finals: In the first round Keeling wrestles Rock Island’s Michael Cole (32-7). Cole is ranked No. 5 and placed second at the Rochelle Sectional.
Justin Ellman
Crystal Lake Central, sr.
Weight: 182
Record: 23-12
Rank: Not ranked
Tournaments: Prospect – DNP; Dvorak – DNP; FVC – fourth.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Second
State Finals: Ellman faces Urbana’s Alex Lynch in the first round. Lynch (26-14) is not ranked and placed third at the Mattoon Sectional.
Anton Krocko
Hampshire, so.
Weight: 182
Record: 30-9
Rank: Not ranked
Tournaments: FVC – sixth.
Hampshire Regional: Third
Antioch Sectional: Third
State Finals: Krocko wrestles Taylorville’s Brock Letcher in the first round. Letcher (34-3) is ranked No. 12 and won the Mattoon Sectional.
Christian Nugent
Johnsburg, sr.
Weight: 195
Record: 30-3
Rank: No. 4
Tournaments: Barrington – fourth; Richmond-Burton – first; Harvard – second; FVC – first.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: Second
State Finals: Nugent sees Joliet Catholic’s Anthony McInerney in the first round. McInerney (30-9) is not ranked and placed third at the Rich East Sectional.
Cody Barnes
Woodstock North
Weight: 195
Record: 20-14
Rank: Not ranked
Tournaments: Sycamore – 13th; FVC – sixth.
Hampshire Regional: Third
Antioch Sectional: Third
State Finals: Barnes faces Rich South’s Roy Hickman in the first round. Hickman (32-3) is ranked No. 7 and placed second at the Rich East Sectional.
Brent Pfaff
Crystal Lake Central, sr.
Weight: 195
Record: 16-9
Rank: Not ranked
Tournaments: FVC – fourth.
Hampshire Regional: Second
Antioch Sectional: Fourth
State Finals: Pfaff meets second seeded Pat Vitek from Nazareth Academy in the first round. Vitek (37-0) is ranked No. 3 and placed first at the Rich East Sectional.
Darwin Stone
Crystal Lake Central, sr.
Weight: 220
Record: 16-9
Rank: Not ranked
Tournaments: Dvorak – DNP; FVC – sixth.
Hampshire Regional: Second
Antioch Sectional: Third
State Finals: Stone faces Cahokia’s Shelton Pippen in the first round. Pippen (35-9) is an honorable mention selection and placed second at the Mattoon Sectional.
John Lesiak
Marengo, sr.
Weight: 220
Record: 16-3
Rank: No. 8
Tournaments: N/A
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: First
State Finals: In the first round Lesiak wrestles Springfield’s Alex Gelber (32-5). Gelber is ranked No. 7 and placed first at the Mattoon Sectional.
Brandon Boyle
Johnsburg, sr.
Weight: 285
Record: 28-7
Rank: No. 8
Tournaments: Barrington – second; Richmond-Burton – first; Harvard – second; FVC – second.
Hampshire Regional: First
Antioch Sectional: First
State Finals: Boyle meets Sterling’s Curtis Lilly in the first round. Lilly (33-5) is No. 3 and placed second at the Rochelle Sectional.
Class 3A
Austin Ryan
Jacobs, sr.
Weight: 106
Record: 34-3
Rank: No. 6
Tournaments: Richmond-Burton – first; Lake Park – first; FVC – second.
Huntley Regional: First
Barrington Sectional: Second
State Finals: Ryan faces Marmion’s Anthony Bosco in the first round. Bosco (33-8) is ranked No. 3 and placed third at the Shepard Sectional.
Travis Piotrowski
Prairie Ridge, fr.
Weight: 106
Record: 38-2
Rank: No. 5
Tournaments: Barrington – third; Prospect – first; Glenbrook South – first; FVC – first.
Lake Zurich Regional: First
Barrington Sectional: Third
State Finals: Piotrowski wrestles Shepard’s Santo Marciano in the first round. Marciano (32-8) is an honorable mention selection and placed second at the Shepard Sectional.
Michael Cullen
Cary-Grove, so.
Weight: 113
Record: 42-0
Rank: No. 4
Tournaments: Barrington – first; Palatine – first; Sycamore – first; FVC – first.
Lake Zurich Regional: First
Barrington Sectional: First
State Finals: Cullen is the top seed and will see Glenbard East’s Anfernee Rodgers in the first round. Rodgers (34-12) is not ranked and placed fourth at the Maine East Sectional.
Logan Hanselmann
Cary-Grove, jr.
Weight: 120
Record: 34-9
Rank: HM
Tournaments: Barrington – fifth; Palatine – fifth; Sycamore – eighth; FVC – first.
Lake Zurich Regional: Third
Barrington Sectional: Fourth
State Finals: Hanselmann wrestles top seeded Trayvon Zabala from Joliet Central in the first round. Zabala (43-0) placed first at the Moline Sectional.
Nick Gil
Crystal Lake South, jr.
Weight: 126
Record: 39-5
Rank: No. 6
Tournaments: Barrington – first; Dvorak – fifth; Oak Park-River Forest – second; FVC – first.
Huntley Regional: Second
Barrington Sectional: Second
State Finals: In the first round Gil faces Edwardsville’s Haydon Grammer (21-11), an honorable mention in the state rankings who finished third in the Moline Sectional.
Mike Infelise
McHenry, sr.
Weight: 126
Record: 36-6
Rank: HM
Tournaments: Prospect – third; FVC – second.
Grant Regional: First
Barrington Sectional: Fourth
State Finals: Infelise meets Plainfield Central’s Nick Nasenbeny in the first round. Nasenbeny (37-8) is ranked No. 5 and placed first at the Moline Sectional.
Eric Barone
Crystal Lake South, so.
Weight: 132
Record: 35-7
Rank: HM
Tournaments: Barrington – second; Dvorak – DNP; Oak Park-River Forest – fifth; FVC – first.
Huntley Regional: Second
Barrington Sectional: Second
State Finals: Barone faces Marist’s Mario Leveille in the first round. Leveille (34-10) No. 7 and placed third at the Sherard Sectional.
Nick Peters
Crystal Lake South, sr.
Weight: 138
Record: 36-9
Rank: No. 10
Tournaments: Barrington – second; Dvorak – eighth; Oak Park-River Forest – second; FVC – second.
Huntley Regional: Second
Barrington Sectional: Second
State Finals: In the first round Peters faces Bartlett’s Sal Annoreno (30-2). Annoreno is ranked No. 1 and placed third at the Maine East Sectional.
Mike Underwood
Cary-Grove, sr.
Weight: 138
Record: 40-9
Rank: HM
Tournaments: Barrington – fourth; Palatine – third; Sycamore – second; FVC – first.
Lake Zurich Regional: Second
Barrington Sectional: Third
State Finals: Underwood wrestles Wheaton North’s Sean Murray in the first round. Murray (36-14) is an honorable mention selection and placed second at the Maine East Sectional.
Wade Lardy
McHenry, sr.
Weight: 145
Record: 41-2
Rank: No. 7
Tournaments: Prospect – fourth; Sycamore – first; Batavia – first; FVC – first (at 152).
Grant Regional: First
Barrington Sectional: First
State Finals: Lardy, the second seed, sees St. Charles East’s Keone Derain in the first round. Derain (30-8) is an honorable mention selection and placed fourth at the Maine East Sectional.
Brandon Mabry
Huntley, sr.
Weight: 195
Record: 36-6
Rank: HM
Tournaments: Fenton – second; Harvard – first; Sycamore – fifth; FVC – second.
Huntley Regional: Second
Barrington Sectional: Third
State Finals: Mabry faces Edwardsville’s Blake Blair in the first round. Blair (44-3) is ranked No. 3 and placed second at the Moline Sectional.
Ray Griggel
Dundee-Crown, sr.
Weight: 220
Record: 15-6
Rank:
Tournaments: FVC – first.
Huntley Regional: Second
Barrington Sectional: Fourth
State Finals: In the first round Griggle wrestles top seeded Tom Howell from Marist. Howell (34-5) won the Shepard Sectional.
– Rob Smith
rsmith@shawmedia.com
