MSHS Wrestling captures fifth consecutive IHSA 2A Regional title, DeMay breaks school dive record
By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
All Mahomet-Seymour wrestling coach Rob Ledin needed to motivate his squad was to share how the regional seeds indicated a tough three-team competition.
On paper, M-S was a scant four-point favorite entering Saturday’s Class 2A tournament at Urbana High School.
With a margin that is anticipated to be close, every extra bonus point for pins, technical falls and major decisions is paramount in importance.
The Bulldogs got the message.
By the time the regional ended, with M-S annexing its fifth consecutive regional championship, all 14 varsity members had posted at least one win and 11 registered at least one pin.
The across-the-board success resulted in a 22-point margin of victory over runner-up Danville.
M-S totaled 170 points. Danville had 148 points and third-place Centennial had 139.
The Bulldogs advanced eight wrestlers into a two-day sectional, which they will host, starting on Friday.
Two Bulldogs were regional champions: junior Chance Decker (138 pounds) and sophomore Daniel Renshaw (195 pounds).
Four of their teammates were in the finals and placed second: Braeden Heinold (120 pounds), Noah Schnepper (126 pounds), Gage Granadino (152 pounds) and Daunte Roberts (182 pounds).
Also continuing their seasons as individuals were third-place finishers Owen Straub (113 pounds) and Wyatt Heimann (170 pounds).
Straub and fourth-place finishers Brayden Bone (220 pounds) and Seth Buchanan (285 pounds) each collected two pins.
Another fourth-place finisher, Peyton Myers (132 pounds) had a pin and a technical fall.
Other squad members who contributed a pin to the team’s point totals were Payton Ragona (103 pounds), Cameron Livingston (145 pounds) and Tyler Kittivanichkulkrai (160 pounds).
In addition to sending eight athletes into the sectional meet, M-S’ entire team will participate in the dual-meet postseason series with a match on Feb. 19.
Boys’ basketball
The Bulldogs reached a season’s high for points in the first half on Friday (45) en route to a 72-48 Apollo Conference triumph over visiting Mount Zion.
Three players scored in double figures, led by Connor Kamphaus with 14 points. Grant Coleman scored 13 points and Kobe Essien had 10 points.
Cole Lener, Jack McHale and Lucas Turner each added eight points.
Essien and Turner were the rebounding leaders with six apiece.
Kamphaus and Lener each handed out three assists.
On Saturday, M-S (9-13) dropped a 68-63 decision at Effingham.
Coleman scored a team-high 22 points, his 12th 20-point game this season.
Braden Finch hit a season-high 11 points and Kamphaus added 10 points.
Coleman, Finch and Lener each pulled down four rebounds.
Kamphaus had a team-high six assists. Lener had five assists and three steals.
M-S returns to action on Tuesday at Urbana.
Girls’ basketball
Kailyn Northrup matched her season’s high with 19 points on Saturday as the Bulldogs (12-14) rallied in the fourth quarter to post a 53-48 win at Mattoon.
The Green Wave led, 20-16, at halftime and 36-35 after three quarters.
Makayla Rosenbery added 14 points for M-S.
Northrup and Lakeida Nichols each cleared eight rebounds. Nichols dealt out six assists.
M-S fell behind 19-2 in the first quarter on Thursday at Charleston and dropped a 49-22 Apollo Conference decision to the Trojans.
The Bulldogs were limited to six total field goals for the game with no player having more than two baskets.
Nichols led M-S with eight points, seven rebounds and four steals.
Northrup also scored eight points and hit the team’s only three-pointer.
Abby Kyle and Ashley Wheeler each grabbed four rebounds.
The Bulldogs return to action tonight at Danville.
Boys’ swimming
Diver Dalton DeMay broke the M-S six-dive school record on Saturday (223.80 points), helping the Bulldogs place second in the eight-school Illini Prairie Conference meet.
DeMay won his specialty.
The meet champion was Bloomington Central Catholic with 554 points. M-S had 492 points. Third-place Pontiac totaled 439 points.
Gavin Groff was a two-event runner-up placing second in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle races.
Will Larson placed second in the 200-yard individual medley and fifth in the 100 butterfly.
Max Katz was the diving runner-up and added a seventh-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle.
Ryan Whitehouse placed third in the 100 backstroke and sixth in the 50 freestyle.
Zach Orr was fifth in the 100 breaststroke and seventh in the 200 individual medley.
Evan Herriott took fifth in the 100 freestyle.
Ben Jennings ended seventh in the 200 freestyle and ninth in the 100 backstroke.
Levi Frost placed 10th in the 500 freestyle.
The 400 freestyle relay of Larson, Groff, Max Katz and Herriott captured third place.
The 200 medley relay foursome of Katz, Whitehouse, Groff and Herriott was fourth.
The 200 freestyle relay unit of Larson, DeMay, Whitehouse and Herriott was also fourth.
