OREGON — The Byron High School varsity wrestling team qualified two wrestlers out of the IHSA 1A Oregon Sectional over the weekend. Brody Stien (42-5) and Jared Claunch (38-8) will each represent the Tigers during the IHSA State Championship meet at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
Brody Stien won the sectional title at 165 pounds. A regional champion, Stien earned a first-round bye before scoring a 12-10 decision against Woodstock Marian’s Nic Astacio in the quarterfinals. Stien followed with an 8-6 decision over Sterling Newman’s Daniel Kelly before posting a 10-8 decision against Wheaton Academy’s Tyler Jones in the sectional finals.
Jared Claunch took third at 285 pounds during the sectional meet. Claunch won five bouts in the tournament, opening with a fall over Riverdale’s Jake Baustian before losing by fall to Wheaton St. Francis wrestler Jaylen Torres in the quarterfinals. Claunch won four straight wrestlebacks, posting a fall over Ottawa Marquette’s Adrian Schaefer before outlasting Mendota’s Angil Serrano for a 2-1 tiebreaker win in the third consolation round. Claunch finished with a fall over Wheaton Academy’s Hezekiah Garcia and a 4-3 decision over Princeton’s Cade Odell.
Byron had eight wrestlers participating in the sectional tournament. Jackson Norris (34-5) finished as an alternate at 120 pounds and Will Julian (39-5) finished as an alternate at 157 pounds. Dylan Dach (27-18) and Jarett Ross (31-11) each advanced to the third round of the wrestlebacks, while Damien Palacios (26-14) and Hunter King (22-20) reached the second round of the wrestlebacks.
