Ryner takes fourth, Ladd places fifth for best finishes by Macomb wrestlers since 2013

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Two Macomb wrestlers placed in the top five in Class 1A at the Illinois High School Association individual state wrestling meet at State Farm Center for the highest finishes by the Bombers since 2013.

Max Ryner placed fourth in the 195-pound division after he was pinned by Coal City’s Joey Breneman in 5:26. Ryner (52-6) started his day in the consolation bracket, pinning Eddie Solis of Marengo in 5:24. He then defeated Chris Peura of Seneca by a 9-3 decision. Ryner lost to Peura in his first match on Thursday by a pin.

Ryner won four consecutive matches in the consolation bracket to reach the third-place match.

Ethan Ladd also medaled in the 220-pound division, winning by a 4-3 decision over Jacob Bischoff from Leroy in the fifth-place match. Ladd finished the season with a 51-8 record. 

He blanked Craig Markello of Robinson 3-0 in his first consolation match on Saturday for his second consecutive shutout. Ladd then was beaten by technical fall in 5:58 by Kody Marschner of Braidwood Reed-Custer.

Marschner went on to finish in third place. Gabriel Kaminsky of Nazareth, who defeated Ladd in the quarterfinals on Friday, lost 2-1 in the state championship bout.

Zach Wilson was the last Macomb wrestler to place at the state meet, taking sixth at 152 pounds in 2016. Ladd and Ryner’s finishes were the best performances for a Bomber since Matt Surprenant took third place at 182 pounds in 2013.

Ladd and Ryner are the 16th and 17th Macomb wrestlers to finish in the top six at the state wrestling meet.

The weekend was especially memorable for Bombers coach Luke Ladd, who returned to State Farm Center to coach his son 24 years after he qualified for the state meet in 1999 at 215 pounds. Luke Ladd lost his only match that year in a 6-5 decision.