Mahomet-Seymour wrestling wins Apollo Conference Championship

By Fred Kroner

Mahomet-Seymour captured its fourth consecutive Apollo Conference wrestling championship on Thursday (Jan. 25), beating the five other league schools in a series of dual meets at M-S.

Against two opponents (Taylorville, 83-0, and Effingham, 84-0), the Bulldogs didn’t lose a match. M-S also defeated Charleston, 78-5, Mount Zion, 48-18, and Mattoon, 44-25.

Six M-S grapplers were 5-0 for the event: Lukas Alstetter (106 and 113 pounds had two pins), Justus Vrona (126 pounds had two pins), DeAndre Hughey (150 pounds had one pin), Gage Decker (157 pounds had two pins), Brock VanDeveer (190 and 215 pounds had three pins) and Noah Daniels (215 and 285 pounds had four pins).

Alstetter’s fastest pin came in 1:22, Vrona’s quickest fall was in 1:16, Hughey’s pin required 3:01, Decker’s fastest fall was in 17 seconds, VanDeveer’s quickest pin took place in 55 seconds and Daniels finished one match with a fall in 2:14.

Also going unbeaten for the tournament were Giden Hayter (106 and 113 pounds, who was 4-0), Hughey Allen (165 and 175 pounds, who was 2-0) and Garrett Waisath (120 pounds, who was 1-0).

Allen managed a pin in 37 seconds.

Other team leaders were Talon Decker (who was 4-1 with three pins at 138 pounds), Kaleb Collins (who was 4-1 with two pins at 144 pounds), Cale Hillard (who was 3-1 with one pin in 48 seconds at 165 and 175 pounds) and Austin Crull (who was 3-1 with two pins at 285 pounds).

Talon Decker’s fastest fall was in 1:19. Collins produced a pin in 23 seconds, Hillard secured a fall in 48 seconds and Crull notched a pin in 5:11.

Compiling 2-1 records for the day were Colton McClure (with one pin at 120 pounds) and A.J. Demos (175 pounds).

McClure’s quickest pin came in 53 seconds.

Adam Dobrucki (who was 3-2 at 132 pounds claimed a pin in 2:29. Isabelle Leyhe (who was 2-1 at 120 pounds had a pin in 1:50).

For the conference tournament, the Bulldogs posted a cumulative record of 59-11 with 27 pins.

M-S regionals to action on Saturday (Feb. 3) in the eight-school Mattoon Class 2A IHSA Regional.

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On Saturday (Jan. 27), the M-S junior varsity squad had four individual champions—and seven other placers – in the Bloomington Junior Varsity Invitational.

Winning their individual weight classes were Bulldogs Beau Back (3-0 at 144 pounds with two pins), Kaleb Roberts (4-0 at 150 pounds with four pins), Kaleb Spencer (3-0 at 165 pounds with three pins) and Noah Frank (3-0 at 190 pounds with three pins).

Back’s fastest fall was in 58 seconds. Roberts’ quickest pin was in 48 seconds, Spencer’s fastest pin was in 1:32 and Frank’s quickest fall was in 50 seconds.

Two M-S grapplers wound up in the runner-up position: Garrett Waisath (1-1 at 120 pounds) and Preston Sriver (3-1 at 144 pounds).

The fastest of Sriver’s three pins was recorded in 1:01.

Two Bulldogs secured fourth-place finishes: Hawke O’Malley (2-2 at 144 pounds) and Grant Wilson (1-2 at 157 pounds). They each landed one pin. O’Malley’s came in 5:35 and Wilson’s came in 34 seconds.

Placing fifth for M-S were Aiden Banister (2-1 at 126 pounds) and Grant Munds (3-1 at 138 pounds). The quickest of Banister’s two pins was in 1:11. Munds’ lone pin came in 22 seconds.

Pierce Douglas took sixth at 165 pounds.

Overall, 17 Bulldogs participated in the final JV event of the year.

Other squad members with pins were Tristen Phenicie (in 3:10 at 138 pounds) and Camden Snodsmith (in 33 seconds at 157 pounds.

Also winning a match for M-S was Collin Hughes (175 pounds).

The cumulative record for the Bulldogs was 29-22 with 22 of the wins coming on pins.

No team scores were tabulated in the 11-school tournament.