Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Tuesday, Mar 15, 2022
WHITESIDE NEWS
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Morrison Junior High sends five wrestlers to state tournament Five wrestlers represented Morrison Junior High School at the IESA State Wrestling Finals on Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb. Morrison Junior High School had a send-off for the wrestlers on Friday before their trip to state. After their return, a caravan and a ride through town on a firetruck was held Sunday afternoon. Levi Milder wrestled in the 105-pound weight class; Kamden White in the 112-pound class; Brady Anderson in the 135-pound class; Asher Ernst in the 145-pound class; and Luke Carpenter in the 275-pound class. Out of the five qualifiers. Anderson came home with a second-place finish and White had a sixth-place finish. The team is coached by Tony Wright.
Morrison Junior High state wrestlers pictured before their send-off on Friday morning are (from left) Asher Ernst, Levi Milder, Brady Anderson, Kamden White and Luke Carpenter. Nancy Rutledge - Shaw Media
Erie-Prophetstown sends four wrestlers to state tournament By SARAH FORD For Shaw Media
Photo provided
Erie-Prophetstown Junior High wrestlers are pictured at the state tournament at NIU over the weekend. From left are Derek Naftzger, Jake Ivey, Tim Plote and Tristan Hovey.
River Bend sends two wrestlers to state tournament in DeKalb On Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, River Bend Middle School wrestlers Talon Meyers and Mason Kuebel competed at the IESA state tournament in DeKalb. Sixth grader Talon Meyers wrestled at 65 pounds and went 3-2 in the tour-
nament, finishing fourth and ending his season with a 15-2 record. Eighth grader Mason Kuebel wrestled at 167 pounds, using four pins in the tournament to run his IESA record to 24-0 while winning the third state title at the youth level in Fulton.
Pictured at the IESA State Tournament are (from left) Coach Aaron Kuebel, Talon Meyers, Mason Kuebel,and Coach George Graham Photo provided
The Erie-Prophetstown Junior High wrestling team had four qualifiers for last weekend’s IESA state wrestling tournament at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Both Erie and Prophetstown schools had send-offs on Thursday before the wrestlers’ trek to state. Tristan Hovey, seventh grade, wrestled at 126 pounds; Jake Ivey, eighth grade, wrestled at 126 pounds; Tim Plote, sixth grade, wrestled at 155 pounds; and Derek Naftzger, seventh grade, wrestled at 155 pounds. Jordae Crow was an alternate at 167 pounds. Out of the four qualifiers, Hovey, who was undefeated for the season
entering the tournament, was able to come home with a sixth-place finish. “Our season was one focused on growth and improvement. Out of the 30 kids we had out, only six were eighth graders, so we were a fairly young team overall,” said coach Kyle Foster, Erie High School chemistry teacher and STEM coach. “We had a lot of improvement from top to bottom throughout the season. Our best kids got better, and our most raw kids saw an incredible amount of improvement throughout the season. We were able to get 10 sectional qualifiers, with two being fifth graders! All of our kids showed an incredible amount of spirit throughout the season, and I’m very excited to see where we go as a group.”
