NUIC Wrestling Update

By Al Zipsie

Lena-Winslow/Stockton the defending wrestling 1A state champions are rolling again this season.

They are unbeaten in duals headed into the Abe's Rumble after Christmas. The Panther/Hawks won the Erie/Prophetstown Holiday tournament on December 21st.

Lena-Winslow/Stockton ran away with the championship with 282 points. The second-place team had 147. The Panther/Hawks won 16 medals. With six first places, four-second places, four thirds, one fourth and a sixth place.

Winning championships were Garret Luke a freshman at 106, Marey Roby at 132, Jason Hermann at 152, Andrew Haas 160, Case Harmston 170 and Gennings Dunker at 285. Finishing second was Dillon Raab at 113, Winston McPeek at 138, Wyatt Raab at 152 and Gavin Keefer 182. Third places came from Zach White at 120, Jaden Rice at 126, Simon Rillie at 145 and Drew Mesendike 170.

It was an all Panther/Hawk final at 152 as Hermann beat Wyatt Raab to up his record to 10-2 on the season. Garret Luke is now 12-0 at 106. Roby is also unbeaten at 11-0 at 132. Hermann is 10-2 at 152, Haas 9-0 at 160 beat Marcus McKenna of Polo 10-8 for the title.

Harmston 11-1 at 170. Dunker is 9-1 at 285. Winston McPeek suffered his first loss after 11 straight wins dropping a 4-1 decision in the 138-pound title.

Dakota was at the tough Dvorak Tournament on December 21-22. Defending state champion Andrew Wenzel came up just short of his first elite Dvorak title. Wenzel a junior was the runner up at 170 losing a major decision to unbeaten David Ferrante of Huntley. Wenzel 20-2 on the season pinned Keondre Jackson of Freeport in the semifinal.

Maddux Blakely of Dakota took fifth place at 113. He lost a tough 3-2 match to Markel Baker of Freeport in the consolation semifinal. Evan Riggle finished 8th at 182. He is wrestling well after an injury ended last season.

For Dakota, wrestling go to Facebook Dakota wrestling history.

Lombard Montini topped the 35 team field. Dakota was a solid 12th place.

Also from the Stateline at the Dvorak. Host Harlem Chad Richards took fifth at 182 while Kyetin Lindquist was 7th at 145. Hononegah and Boylan had no wrestlers place.

For Freeport Keondre Jackson at 170, lost to Wenzel then beat Richards and took a solid third place with a 5-2 decision. Baker took fourth place at 113.

At the Stillman Valley Holiday tournament the host Cardinals finished a strong second only three points behind the champion Caprentsville Dundee-Crown. Stillman Valley had a trio of champions in Donovan Crumpacker at 113, Aiden Livingston 120 and Logan Lagerhausen at 145. Logan Jennings was the runner up at 195. Winnebago had Hayden Faworski win the 138 title and Mannix Faworski second at 170.

Lena-Winslow/Stockton is the top-ranked team in the state. Dakota is ranked sixth. They face off in a dual at West Carroll on January 16. The matchups should be outstanding for this dual.

Here is our first NUIC basketball rankings for this season.

Boys

1. East Dubuque. 6-0. Headed into Dekalb Holiday Tournament on December 26th.

2. Dakota. 9-3. Won seven straight and the Forreston Holiday Tournament for the first time since 2005. Defeated Sterling Newman 55-54 for the championship.

3. Lena-Winslow. 6-2.

4. Galena. 6-3.

5. Aquin 6-4.

6. Warren 5-1.

7. Scales Mound 6-3.

8. Orangeville 5-2.

9. Eastland 4-3.

10. Durand 6-4.

Girls

1. Eastland 15-0. Hoping to get back to the state title game again they are rolling unbeaten at 15-0.

2. Aquin 10-1.

3. Amboy 11-0.