Polo grappler headed to state tournament
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The Polo High School wrestling team had mixed feelings coming out the of two days of the Byron Class 1A Individual Wrestling Sectional Feb. 12-13.
The Marcos did have some success in the tournament as heavyweight Jake Peterson finished in second place to earn a spot at the IHSA Class 1A State Finals this coming weekend, but the other two wrestlers in the competition fell short of their state finals dreams.
Peterson drew a by in the first round, and then won two straight decisions to move into the championship. There he lost, for only the second time this season, but will get his chance at revenge at the state finals.
Seniors Drew Cheatham, wrestling at 171 pounds, and Bryce Garnhart, 135, won their first matches, but dropped their second moving them to the wrestlebacks.
They both picked up wins in their first match in wrestlebacks, but fell in their second to end their sectional competition.
As a regional champion Peterson got to wait for his first sectional opponent, and he would face off against Kewanee's Marselle Dunn after Dunn pinned Syler Pentrancosta of Genoa-Kingston.
Peterson controlled the match with done, taking him down every time the kewanee wrestler attacked, and won the match by a 9-3 decision.
Peterson's next match was against Rock Island Alleman's Alex Wilson, and it went down to the wire. In the end, Peterson was able to hold on for the 3-2 decision, and Wilson went on to beat Dunn and finish third to make a trip to state also.
In the final Peterson matched-up against Riverdale's Mitchell Keppy, who he had defeated twice earlier in the season. This time it was Keppy that came out on top, pinning Peterson in 1:18, but the second place finish will advance Peterson to state.
He will take his 33-2 record into his first round match against Trent Trudeau of Argenta (37-6), and the winner will take on Tanner Crum of Mt. Carmel (37-1), who was the number one heavyweight in the final IHSA rankings.
Cheatham got things rolling right away in his first match against Sam Depoorter of Rock Island, and he dominated his opponent on his way to a 16-2 major decision.
His next match was against Sterling Newman's Austin Baldwin, and Cheatham never could find his rhythm. He fell by a 7-1 decision, and Baldwin went on to finish second and earn a trip to the state competition.
Cheatham came right back in the first round of the wrestlebacks to take on Zach Houghton of Durand, and he didn't waste any time pinning him in 0:43. In his final match he faced Harvard's Andy Kick, and was knocked out of the sectional with a 9-3 loss.
Cheatham finished the season with a 29-14 record.
Garnhart found himself opening up the sectional competition against Orion's Joe DeVolder, and even though the match went into the third period Garnhart was able to advance with a pin in 4:48.
Next up for Garnhart was Dillon Cowan of Harvard, and he was never able to get going. He battled Cowan until the end, but came up short losing a 7-0 decision. Cowan eventually finished third and will be wrestling at the state meet this weekend.
In the wrestlebacks Garnhart got started against Quinn Johnson of Rockford Lutheran, and in a back and forth battle he won by a 10-6 decision. Next he faced Fulton's Alex Cole, and in another close battle Garnhart came up short losing a 3-0 decision to end his tourney.
Garnhart finished the season with a 30-15 record.
