CHAMPAIGN — Six Ogle County wrestlers brought home medals during the IHSA State Championship at the State Farm Center in Champaign over the weekend. Rochelle, Byron, Oregon and Stillman Valley sent a combined 10 athletes down south for the state meet.
Rochelle’s Xavier Villalobos (42-6) medaled in second place at Class 2A for the 126-pound weight class. Villalobos won three consecutive bouts to reach the state finals, opening the tournament with a 14-0 major decision over Providence Catholic’s Lucas Forsythe before adding a 5-2 decision against Niles Notre Dame’s John Sheehy in the quarterfinals. Villalobos outlasted Antioch’s Gavin Hanrahan for a 2-1 win in tiebreakers during the semifinals on Friday night.
Rochelle’s Grant Gensler (49-7) took fifth in Class 2A at 165 pounds, winning four of his six matches during the state tournament. Gensler opened the tournament with a 6-4 decision over Bethalto Civic Memorial’s James Wojciekiewicz on Thursday before a loss moved him into the wrestlebacks. Gensler notched a 7-0 decision over Galesburg’s Anthony Makwala on Friday before a 12-0 major decision over Mahomet-Seymour’s AJ Demos clinched a top-6 medal finish. After a loss, Gensler sealed fifth place with a fall over Chicago St. Patrick’s Van Grasser.
Rochelle’s Kaiden Morris (49-5) took fifth in Class 2A at 215 pounds, winning four of his six matches during the state tournament. Morris held off Chicago Brother Rice’s Colin Goggin for a 5-3 decision on Thursday before a loss moved him into the wrestlebacks. Morris recorded a fall over Mattoon’s Mitchelle Clapp and a 7-1 decision over Bloomington’s Kenner Bye to clinch a medalist finish. Morris pinned Burbank St. Laurence’s Xavier Bitner in the fifth-place bout.
Oregon’s Josiah Perez (42-10) finished sixth in Class 1A at 113 pounds, winning three of his six matches during the state tournament. Perez won his first bout of the tournament, outlasting Coal City’s Owen Petersen for an 8-5 sudden victory in overtime on Thursday. After a loss moved him into the wrestlebacks, Perez emerged with a 7-4 sudden victory against De La Salle’s Justin Forbes before clinching a medal finish with an 8-5 decision over Murphysboro’s Paxton Pyatt.
Stillman Valley’s Henry Hildreth (41-8) finished sixth in Class 1A at 150 pounds, winning three of his six matches during the state tournament. Hildreth earned an 8-5 decision over Westville’s Gabriel Kiddoo in the first round on Thursday before a loss moved him into the wrestlebacks. Hildreth clinched a top-6 medalist finish with an 11-7 decision over Clifton Central’s Gianni Panozzo on Friday as well as an 11-4 decision against Salem’s Keyton King on Saturday.
Bryon’s Jared Claunch (41-11) finished sixth in Class 1A at 285 pounds, winning three of his six matches during the state tournament. Claunch fell in the first round, but rallied off three straight victories to guarantee himself a top-6 medal. Claunch started his wrestleback run with a 7-2 decision over Peoria Notre Dame’s Brady Mullens before a forfeit from Chicago Leo’s Nicholas Armour moved him into the quarterfinal wrestlebacks. Claunch sealed his top-6 medal finish with a 7-2 decision against LeRoy’s Tate Sigler during the quarterfinal round of wrestlebacks.
Byron’s Brody Stien (44-7) advanced to the quarterfinal round of the wrestlebacks and won two of his four matches at 165 pounds in Class 1A. Stien won his first state tournament match on Thursday, scoring a 20-2 technical fall against Seneca’s Nick Grant before a loss in the second round of the championship bracket moved him into the wrestlebacks. Stien’s second win was an 8-3 decision against Sterling Newman’s Daniel Kelly in the second round of the wrestlebacks.
Rochelle’s Roman Villalobos (39-12) made it to the quarterfinal round of wrestlebacks and earned two victories over four total matches at 190 pounds in Class 2A. Villalobos recorded both of his wins during the wrestlebacks, scoring a 7-6 decision against Mahomet-Seymour’s Brock VanDeveer before holding on for a 10-8 decision against Highland’s Ashton Zobrist on Friday.
Oregon’s Nelson Benesh (40-10) wrestled two matches at 132 pounds in Class 1A but did not record a victory. Oregon’s Isaiah Perez (37-11) wrestled two matches at 120 pounds in Class 1A but did not record a victory.
