WRESTLING

EIGHT WRESTLERS WIN ON STATE MAT — Eight of the 12 Greater Alton area wrestlers competing at the individual state tournament at Champaign's State Farm Center won on Thursday.

In Class 3A, Alton's Phyllip DeLoach (145), Nicholas DeLoach (152) and Qiant'e Wagner (160) all won on the mat. Phyllip defeated Corey Knudsen of Lake Forest 5-3, Nicholas beat Huntley's Brandon Meyer 8-3 and Wagner bested Tom Czernek of Glenbard North 9-8.

Wagner (43-3) now wrestles David Rojas (37-7) of Chicago Mount Carmel, while Nicholas battles Keone Derain (37-4) of St. Charles East and Phyllip meets Johnny Mologousis (32-8) of LaGrange Lyons.

In Class 2A, Civic Memorials Drake Boverie (132) and Brayton Williams (152) both won Thursday.

Boverie won against Crete-Monee's Cresencio Betancourt 4-2 and Williams bested Collin Groleau of LaSalle-Peru 4-2.

Now, Williams (26-5) earns a date with Luke Fortuna (34-6) of Lombard Montini and Boverie will face Noah Keefe (38-6) of Lincoln-Way West.

Roxana moved all three of its wrestlers on in Class 1A. James Henseler (106), Dalton Brito (126) and Jarod Foiles (132) all won in the circle Thursday.

Henseler beat Trace Thomas of Deer Creek-Mackinaw 6-0, Brito prevailed 10-0 over Harvard's Reiss Bielski and Foiles topped Omar Otero of DePaul College Prep 16-3.

Foiles (38-12) now battles Tanner Coleman (32-0) of Peoria Heights, Brito (39-5) gets Jake Worms (36-4) of Illini Bluffs and Henseler will wrestle Harvard's Josh Fiegel (43-2).

Redbird wrestlers Connor Broyles (120) and Darian Pierson (285) dropped their first round matches and await to see if they will compete in wrestlebacks. Granite City's Devon Simpson (138) also lost in 3A and has to wait to see if he'll be in wrestlebacks.

In 1A, East Alton-Wood River's Drew Sobol (106) and Zac Blasioli (152) both suffered losses and have to wait to see if they are still alive at state, too.

Wrestling continues at 8:30 a.m. on Friday morning with quarterfinal round action.