By Fred Kroner
Two Mahomet-Seymour wrestlers qualified for the Class 2A IHSA state tournament based on their performances at the M-S Sectional on Saturday (Feb. 10).
Senior Gage Decker (157 pounds) and sophomore Justus Vrona (126 pounds) will continue on individually.
Decker won three of his four sectional bouts and placed third. Vrona’s sectional record was 4-2. He finished in fourth place.
The top four placers in every weight class qualified for the state tournament, which will be held at the UI State Farm Center from Thursday (Feb. 15) through Saturday (Feb. 17).
Five Bulldogs lost in the match that would have secured them a state berth: Colton McClure (120 pounds), Talon Decker (138 pounds), A.J. Demos (165 pounds), Brock VanDeveer (190 pounds) and Noah Daniels (215 pounds).
McClure and VanDeveer each produced two pins at the sectional. The quickest for McClure was in 1:51 and VanDeveer’s fastest was in 5:27.
Demos had a pin in 2:44, Talon Decker’s one pin came in 4:28 and Daniels’ quickest fall was in 5:49.
Overall, the Bulldogs’ 13 sectional competitors had a cumulative record of 22-25 with 10 of the wins by pin.
The team’s quickest at the tournament was in 1:09 by Vrona.
Other M-S grapplers who earned sectional wins were Lukas Alstetter (106 pounds) and DeAndre Hughey (150 pounds). Alstetter secured a pin in 2:40.
