BYRON — The Oregon High School varsity wrestling team scored 251 points to win the IHSA 1A Byron Regional on Saturday, Feb. 8. The Hawks landed four champions and 12 sectional qualifiers during the tournament. Oregon had three runner-ups and five third-place finishers.
Isaiah Perez (35-7) won the title at 120 pounds, recording a fall over West Carroll’s Jack McIntyre and a 6-5 decision against Byron’s Jackson Norris. Preston LaBay (27-5) won the title at 126 pounds, notching falls over Lena-Winslow’s Hunter Burris and Winnebago’s Chase Whitehead. Nelson Benesh (38-6) won the title at 132 pounds, earning back-to-back falls against Byron’s Hunter King and Lena-Winslow’s Sam Sikora to clinch the crown.
Levi Benton (19-4) won the title at 138 pounds, recording falls over Galena’s Alfredo Jimenez, Winnebago’s Aiden McGlinn and Lena-Winslow’s Mauricio Glass to seal the title. Josiah Perez (36-5) took second at 113 pounds, reaching the final round after a fall over Byron’s AJ Kiddell. Andrew Young (25-6) took second at 175 pounds, advancing to the finals after a fall over Genoa-Kingston’s Ayden Lucio and a 12-0 major decision over Galena’s Dameon Polton.
Seth Rote (13-11) took second at 190 pounds and made the finals behind back-to-back falls over Genoa-Kingston’s Andrew Rocha and Byron’s Dalton Norris. Briggs Sellers (31-15) placed third at 285 pounds, scoring a 7-2 decision against Winnebago’s Josh Cowman in his final bout to clinch a sectional bid. Ethan Mowry (28-12) placed third at 157 pounds, notching a fall over West Carroll’s Cole Herrell in the third-place match to punch his ticket to the sectional meet.
Jayden Berry (21-16) placed third at 150 pounds, recording a fall over Lena-Winslow’s Reece Demeter to advance to the sectional tournament. Jackson Messenger (32-14) placed third at 144 pounds, pinning Dakota’s Harlan Kinney to clinch a sectional tournament berth. Jordan Lowe (26-15) placed third at 106 pounds, pinning Lena-Winslow’s Carson Hill for a sectional bid.
