BLOOMINGTON – Edwardsville’s Mackenzie Pratt and Highland’s August Rottmann won state championships in their respective weight classes, while Alton’s Antonia Phillips and Collinsville’s Taylor Dawson finished in third place on the final day of the IHSA girls’ state wrestling tournament, held Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
There were no team scores kept in the state finals, thus, a team champion was not crowned on Saturday.
Phillips, wrestling at 145 pounds, lost her semifinal bout to Valerie Hamilton of El Paso-Gridley 4-0, but bounced back in the consolation semifinal match, defeating Mikah Merrill of Goreville 11-2, then won the third place bout by fall over Sajra Sulejmani of Lincolnshire Adlai Stevenson at 1:26.
Dawson, going at 130 pounds, lost in the semifinals to Savannah Hamilton of El Paso-Gridley 10-2, then came back to win in the consolation semifinals, pinning Khatijia Ahmed of Glen Ellyn Glenbard West at 2:25, then won the third-place match by fall, pinning Alejandra Cornejo of Kankakee at 3:03.
Pratt won the championship at 140 pounds, winning the semifinal bout over Valeria Rodriguez of Schaumburg 5-3, then claimed the championship by winning by fall over Alivia Ming of Goreville at 1:07. Rottmann won the 170-pound title by taking her semifinal bout over Trinity White of Oak Park-River Forest 6-1, then won the championship match by pinning Nydia Martinez of Joliet Central at 5:10 to become the champion.
In the state boys team championships, also held Saturday, in the Class 1A semifinals, Yorkville Christian defeated Fithian Oakwood 47-24, while Coal City won over Lena-Winslow 46-14. In the third-place meet, the Panthers won over the Comets 46-23 and in the championship meet, the Coalers edged the Mustangs 32-31.
In the Class 2A semifinals, Washington defeated Wauconda 52-20 and Joliet Catholic Academy won over Geneseo 50-15. The Bulldogs took the third and fourth-place meet over the Maple Leafs 37-36, while the Panthers edged the Hilltoppers for the state championship 28-27.
In the Class 3A semifinals, St. Charles East defeated Yorkville 44-25 and Aurora Marmion Academy won over Lockport 36-30. The Porters bounced back to take the third-place meet over the Foxes 45-16, while the Saints won the state championship over the Cadets 28-24.
Phillips Advances For Alton, Dawson Goes On For Collinsville, Pratt In Last Four For Edwardsville, Rottmann Qualifies For Highland In First Day Of IHSA Girls State Wrestling Tournament
BLOOMINGTON – Four Riverbender.com area wrestlers advanced to the semifinals on the first day of the IHSA state girls wrestling tournament on Friday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
Antonia Phillips for Alton, Taylor Dawson of Collinsville, Mackenzie Pratt for Edwardsville, and August Rothmann of Highland all moved on to the last four of their respective weight classes on the first day.
For the Redbirds, Phillips started out with a pin of Taylor Krueger of Geneseo at 2:42 in the 145-pound division, then won her quarterfinal bout, again by fall, over Alima Toheeb-Laval of Homewood-Flossmoor at 4:08 to go to the last four. At 155 pounds, Elanna Hickman lost her opening match to Teagan Aurich of Plainfield South by fall at 2:55 but won her opening consolation bout over Ryann Reeves of Oak Forest 4-3. In the second round of the consolation bracket, Hickman was pinned at 57 seconds by Callie Carr of Darien Hinsdale South and was eliminated.
Dawson, wrestling at 130 pounds, won her opener over Sammie Greisen of Seneca by fall at 1:16, then won her quarterfinal bout by fall over Amaria Ridgner of Richton Park Rich Township at 3:47 to advance to the semifinals.
The Tigers contingent started with Olivia Coll, wrestling at 100 pounds, taking her opening match over Paris Flores of Berwyn-Cicero Morton 10-2, but in the quarterfinals, was pinned by Janiah Slaughter of Huntley at 1:28, then in the second round of the wrestlebacks, lost by fall to Kat Bell of Lombard Montini Catholic at 3:21 and was eliminated. Gigi Lindhorst, going at 110 pounds, lost her opening match to Ella McDonnell of Morris 9-0, then in the first consolation round, was pinned by Nina Matthews of Addison Trail at 3:49 and was also eliminated.
