ROCHELLE — Eight athletes from the Rochelle Wrestling Club battled in the IKWF Rochelle Sectional tournament on Saturday. Benjamin Morris (2-0) earned the 125 Intermediate Division sectional title while Novice Division wrestlers Zachary Johnson (3-1) and Brandin Kirk (2-1) each took third in their respective brackets to clinch berths in the IKWF State Championship meet. The state meet will begin on Friday, March 11 at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford.

Johnson finished third in the 100 Novice Division bracket, winning by fall over Sycamore’s Aiden Gemberling in the quarterfinals before conceding a 17-2 technical fall against Richmond’s Wyatt Franckowiak in the semifinals. Johnson rallied with a fall over Byron’s Cael O’Horo in the consolation semifinals and a 4-3 decision over Rockton’s Evan Musil in the third-place match.

Kirk bounced back after a quarterfinal loss against Carpentersville’s Jesus Reyes Jr. in the 154 Novice Division bracket. After consecutive consolation-round byes, Kirk scored a 3-0 decision over Belvidere’s Caleb Gallano before notching a first-period fall over Polo’s Ethan Dewey.

Morris won back-to-back matches to earn the 125 Intermediate Division title. Morris won by fall over Harvard’s Aydan Rojas and earned an 8-2 decision over Belvidere’s Brian Wadsworth.

Teddy Millard (2-1) took second in the 64 Intermediate Division bracket. Millard received a first-round bye before scoring a 12-4 major decision over Algonquin’s Max Jasso and edging Crystal Lake’s Nico Esche with a 7-3 decision. Millard conceded a 3-0 decision to Crystal Lake’s Anthony Zalud in the finals. Tony Milburn (0-2) finished fourth in the 103 Senior Division bracket.

Other Rochelle Wrestling Club athletes participating in the sectional include Intermediate Division wrestlers Braxton Rosenthal (0-2), Quentin Ansteth (0-2) and Garrett Miller (1-2), who earned a 10-1 major decision over Durand’s Penelope Anderson for his lone win of the meet.

nWo

Three Rochelle wrestlers competing for the nWo Wrestling Club battled in the IKWF Rock Island Sectional on Saturday and earned berths in the IKWF State Championship meet. Senior Division athletes Roman Villalobos (2-0), Brenden Voight (3-0) and Novice Division athlete Aidan Lopez (3-1) will also compete at the state meet beginning Friday, March 11 in Rockford.

Villalobos won the 164 Senior Division sectional title with back-to-back fall victories over Peoria’s Jordan Bair and Peoria’s Austin Webb. Voight went unbeaten to win the 144 Senior Division sectional title, defeating Manito’s Kaleb McGlothlin with a 22-5 technical fall in the quarterfinals before scoring a 12-0 major decision over Yorkville’s Tyler Gleason in the semifinals and earning a 6-3 decision against Geneseo’s Malaki Jackson in the finals.

Lopez placed second in the 80 Novice Division bracket, cruising with a 16-1 technical fall over Morton’s Ryan Schelkopf and outlasting Pekin’s Lincoln Hawkins with an 8-6 sudden victory in the semifinals before falling against LaSalle’s Griffin Kellett.

Alber Athletics 

Rochelle wrestler Benjamin Nadig (3-0) also qualified for the IKWF State Championship meet, winning the 93 Novice Division. Nadig scored a 15-0 technical fall over Woodstock's Jordan Bradley before pinning Gilberts wrestler Gavin Beauchamp. Nadig defeated Belvidere's Cameron Young by 4-0 decision in the finals.