Like other high school sports that had their seasons altered due to the covid-19 pandemic, wrestling had their schedule moved from the winter to the late spring season. Also like other fall or winter seasons, postseason regional, sectional or state final tournaments were canceled. In lieu of the IHSA not having a state final, members of the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association got together, along with Illinoismatmen.com, and will have one of their own. Regional tournaments were held over the past weekend. Qualifiers will move on to sectional tournaments this Saturday.
Monmouth-Roseville, United and Knoxville were among the schools that participated in a Class 1A regional tournament in El Paso on Sunday. Several wrestlers did well enough to move on to the sectional tournament at Heyworth High School this coming weekend.
Recent Monmouth-Roseville graduate Jesus Rojas took 2nd place in the 220 pound weight class. Rojas went (2-1) with both victories coming via pinfall. Rojas teammate and fellow recent graduate Ashton Anderson took 4th in the 138 pound class. Anderson was (2-3) on the day.
United freshman Jake McElwee went (1-2) with a pin in the same weight class. McElwee took 5th and will also wrestle in the sectional tournament on Saturday.
Knoxville High School will have four wrestlers taking part in the next round. Junior Hunter Fox won the 170 pound weight class and Dilan VanBeveran placed 2nd at 195. Jaxin Johnson was also 2nd in the 182 class, with freshman Hunter Johnson taking 6th in the 106 pound weight class.
Other wrestlers that took part in the regional tournament was Gabe Ortiz-Mora and Jay Raymond from Monmouth-Roseville and Parker Cassidy, Ty Lafferty and Hunter Austin from United.
To keep updated on the tournaments, go to https://iwcoa.net/
