Wrestling roundup: Blue Devils’ Garrett wins individual crown as QHS takes third overall

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Kayden Garrett’s individual championship helped the Quincy High School wrestling team finish third among 25 teams in the 60th Murdale Invitational at Carbondale High School.

Garrett, a senior wrestling at 170 pounds, won his first two matches in pool play with a second-period pin and a 21-6 technical fall. In the championship bracket, Garrett pinned Mount Vernon’s Maddux Randall in 3:46 and scored an 8-0 major decision over Carlyle’s Owen Birkner.

In the title match, Garrett led Cahokia’s Corran Midgett 11-0 before recording a pin in 4:54.

The Blue Devils’ Bryor Newbold also wrestled for a title, finishing second at 182. Newbold won all three of his matches in pool play by pin with two of those coming in the second period. In the championship bracket, he pinned Carterville’s Noah Johnson in 3:05 and Fairfield’s Landon Stewart in 4:00 before getting pinned by Mount Vernon’s Jared Shaffer in 1:37.

Two QHS wrestlers finished fourth in their respective weight classes — Evan Wakefield (113) and Gage Bringer (195). Wakefield won his first three matches with two pins and a 13-12 decision in which he built a 10-3 lead and fought off a pin in the closing seconds. Bringer opened with a pin in 36 seconds and a 13-5 major decision.

Four others also medaled as Dylan Becker (132) and Max Miller (160) each took fifth and Hugh Sharrow (106) and Gavin Schumacher.

Saukees’ Davis finishes fourth

PRINCETON, Ill. — Pittsfield’s Mason Davis worked his way into medal contention with a pair of major decisions and finished fourth at 170 pounds in the 58th Lyle King Princeton Invitational Tournament.

After receiving an opening-round bye, Davis scored a 10-1 victory over Riverdale’s Zach Bradley and an 8-0 victory over Byron’s Kyle Jones. In the semifinals, Davis lost 4-1 to LeRoy’s Tyson Brent, who won the championship and is now 18-0. He was pinned by Redd-Custer’s Rex Pfeifer in the third period of the third-place match.

Saukees freshman Tucker Cook won his first match at 182 pounds by pinning Litchfield’s Hunter Hancock in 4:22 and scored a pin in 1:13 over Illini Bluffs’ Calvin Crowder in the consolation bracket. Cook finished 2-2 and out of medal contention.

Panthers’ Griffin, Thompson take second

FAIRBURY, Ill. — A pair of Central wrestlers reached the championship match in the respective weight class, while four other wrestlers — two from Central and two from Illini West — finished in the top four Saturday at the 36th Prairie Central Hawk Classic.

Central’s Conner Griffin took second at 152 pounds, winning three consecutive matches by pinfall to reach the finals. He opened with an 11-2 major decision over Beardstown’s Jason Gil, then pinned Plano’s Liam Scheonsee in 2:29, Illini West’s Roger Gille in 2:31 and Peoria Richwoods’ Mike Vincent in 5:08.

In the championship, Sandwich’s Aidan Linden scored a 21-2 technical fall over Griffin in the second period.

At 113, the Panthers’ Jack Thompson also wrestled for a title. He scored a 9-0 major decision over Beardstown’s Luis De La Cruz and a 12-4 major decision over Richwoods’ Rykis Doss. In the title match, he was pinned by Colfax Ridgeview’s Danny Tay in 3:14.

Illini West freshman Shawn Watkins finished third at 160, winning his first three matches by pin, sticking Herscher’s Jeremy Painter in 3:19, Central’s Hunter Bolton in 3:40 and Beardstown’s Johann Avile in 2:51. After an 8-3 loss in the semifinals, Watkins took third by pinning Beardstown’s Wyatt Peterson in 1:31.

At 138, the Chargers’ Jacob Carpenter took fourth. He won his first two matches before getting pinned in his final pool match and again in the third-place match. The Panthers’ Paul Schenck (106) and Konnor Bush (145) each took fourth as well. Schenck won one match by pin before losing in bracket action.  Bush won his first three matches by pin before dropping his final two matches.

Four wrestlers finished fifth for the Panthers — Kayne Mitchell (120), Joseph Friday (138), Hunter Bolton (160) and Kyus Mitchell (170).