Blue Devils’ Derhake, Panthers’ Lawson reach milestones on first night of Quincy Invitational

QUINCY — Two senior wrestlers entered Friday’s Quincy Invitational at 99 career wins and it did not take long for either of them to reach the century mark. Quincy High School’s Gunnar Derhake and Palmyra’s Luke Lawson each won their first-round matches to reach the 100-win plateau.

At 165 pounds, Derhake defeated Pekin’s Trace Holmes by technical fall in 3 minutes, 21 seconds, to hit the mark.

“It’s really rewarding,” Derhake said. “Looking back to when I was a freshman, I never thought I would get 100 wins in my high school career. It rewards me a lot for all the hard work and dedication over the years.”

Derhake had about 30 friends and family in attendance.

“It was awesome,” Derhake said. “I loved it.”

Derhake had never faced Holmes, but he felt in control.

“After the first takedown, I felt like I had the momentum,” Derhake said. “Everybody was cheering me on. I felt like I could have finished the match earlier, but I had to put a show on for the crowd.”

Lawson pinned Charles Ray, a QHS junior varsity wrestler, in 1 minute, 51 seconds, at 126 pounds. In doing so, Lawson joined his brother Tyler Bitting, a 2016 Keokuk graduate, in the 100-win club.

“It means a lot to be able to show my family that I got 100 wins, too,” Lawson said. “It means a lot to the community of Palmyra and the wrestling program.”

Lawson also added a third name to the list of Panthers to notch their 100th career win this season, joining Elly Lorenson and Brayden Pillars.

“That’s awesome,” Panthers coach Dalton Huffman said. “This is a special team.”

The Blue Devils lead the 18-team field after the first day with 60 points, 12.5 ahead of Mascoutah in second. Palmyra is third with 44.5 points. Pittsfield finished the day in 10th with Quincy Notre Dame and Camp Point Central in 11th and 12th, respectively. The QHS JV squad and West Hancock are tied for 13th. Macomb, Illini West and Highland round out the field.

In every weight class except for 113, 190 and 285 pounds, the wrestlers were split into four pools with six matchups in each pool. The top two finishers in those pools advanced to the top bracket on Saturday and will have the chance at an individual tournament title.

The 113 weight class features just four wrestlers — Palmyra’s Blake Rife, Pekin’s Kayne Hayes and Quincy’s Clayton McClelland and Jackson Buehler — wrestling in a round robin, which will conclude on Saturday. Each pool in the 190 and 285 classes had four rounds on Friday, and the fifth round, which will take place Saturday morning, will determine the bracket seeding.

Quincy advanced 10 wrestlers to the top eight in their weight classes. Wyatt Boeing (126), Evan Wakefield (132), Eli Roberts (150), and Jayden Wilson (175) each won their pool. Four Quincy JV wrestlers — Ray, Austin Ragar (138), Roman Lilo (144), and Payden Wilson (215) — finished second in their pool to move into the top bracket.

“I thought overall our kids did a great job tonight,” Blue Devils coach Phil Neally said. “We should start peaking about right now because here in a few weeks, we’re going to regionals. This is another stepping stone. We want to win this tournament as a team, as individuals. That’s what we strive for. Hopefully we have a couple at the top of the podium.”

Brody Baker, the reigning Western Big 6 Conference champion and sectional qualifier last season at 144 pounds, is not participating in this tournament because of a concussion. Jamison Knapp, normally a JV wrestler, jumped up to the varsity team for this tournament and went winless Friday at 157 pounds.

“(Baker is) resting, doing the right thing, and getting ready for the postseason,” Neally said. “We miss him dearly. The kids are kind of rallying around it and helping each other.”

Palmyra sent five wrestlers to the top bracket with four — Emmett Lorenson (120), Lawson, Tyler Spicknall (138) and Pillars (165) — winning their pool.

Pittsfield’s Joel Noble (132), Jake Oitker (157), Waylon White (165), Fisher McEuen (175) and Bodine Marable (215) each advanced out of their pools, with White and Marable winning theirs.

QND’s Oliver Moore (132) and Bradi Lahr (157) won their respective pools by going 3-0. The Raiders will have four total wrestlers with a shot at a title on Saturday.

For Central, Josh Collins (132) and Paul Schenk (150) advanced to the top bracket. Schenk won Pool D by winning two matches by pin and another in a 7-0 decision over Jacksonville’s John Harper.

Four West Hancock wrestlers — Eli Carel (120), Kai Humphrey (138), Jordyn Phelps (150) and Malachi McKune (215) — are through to the top bracket.

Cohen Green (157) and Jeshua McPheeters (175) were the only Macomb wrestlers to advance. Illini West’s Shawn Watkins (175) improved his season record to 20-1 with two pins and a technical fall victory in Pool B.