Shelbyville Sophomore Adam Hudson captured 4th place at the AAU/IWCOA Freshman/Sophomore State Championships in Springfield on Sunday.
The historic Ram wrestling season continued, even after a 6-pack of Rams went to the IHSA State Meet. Fresh-soph Rams, who didn’t advance to IHSA State, kept wrestling through Sunday afternoon.
The AAU/IWCOA Freshman/Sophomore State Series lumps 1A, 2A, and 3A freshmen-sophomores all together pitting more southern and central Illinois wrestlers against northern Illinois grapplers.
Nine Rams went to the regional meet: Adam Hudson, Jared Finley, Zach Stirrett, Jarred Hicks, Ben Houska, Caleb Cloe, Andrew Mudgette, Matthew Tinsman, and Noah Applegate.
Seen of the nine Rams advanced out of regional. Hudson won the regional, Finley was 3rd, losing to a 3A wrestler. Five others, Stirrett, Hicks, Cloe, Mudgette, and Applegate placed 4th and advanced to sectional.
At sectional, Hudson and Finley both won their sectional championships, while Stirrett placed 4th. All advanced to State.
Once at State, Hudson (145 lbs) went 4-2. He defeated Clayton Overmier of Mahomet-Seymour by a pin in the 2nd period (2:21). Hudson then defeated Josh Alexander of Bolingbrook, 5-1.
Hudson next beat Matt Ferraro of Marmion, 5-2. In the state semifinal, Hudson lost to Fernie Silva of Hononega, 13-4.
Hudson then out-matched Gunnar Helland of Lake Community by a major decision, 16-5. That put Hudson in the 3rd place match in a rematch against Ferraro, whom he had beaten. Ferraro won this time by a 7-3 decision.
Hudson finished 4th in the state.
Jared Finley (132) went 2-2 at State. Finley started State with a bye,
then pinned to Shawn Jager of Downer’s Grove in the 3rd period (4:59).
Finley then suffered the reverse fate in his next match, losing to Phyllip Deloach of Alton, the eventual state champ, bye fall (4:58).
Finley lost to Connor Bundy of Barrington, 8-4, but won his final match at State. Finley defeated Christian Smith of Joliet Central, 4-2 for 7th place.
Zach Stirrett (101) survived regional and sectional, but took two losses after making it to fresh-soph state. He survived until the 3rd period against Dillon Swift of Dakota, but lost by fall (4:48). He also survived until the 3rd period against Charlie Black of New Trier before losing by fall (4:35).
AAU/IWCOA
Fresh-Soph State
101- Stirrett (SH) lost to Swift (Dakota) by fall (4:48); lost to Black
(NTrier) by fall (4:35).
132- 7th Finley (SH) def. Jager (DownGr) by fall (4:59); lost to Deloach (Aton) by fall (4:58); lost to Bundy (Barrgtn), 8-4; def. Smith (JolCent), 3-2.
145-4th Hudson (SH) def. Overmier (Mah-Sey) by fall (2:21); def. Alexander (Bolngbrk), 5-1; def. Ferraro (Marmion), 5-2; Semifinal-lost to Silva (Hon’ga), 13-4; def. Helland (LakeComm) by maj. dec., 16-5; 3rd Place-lost to Ferraro (Marmion), 7-3.
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