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Vandals Jr. High Wrestling Team wins State Title

Vandalia, IL, USA / Vandalia Radio
Todd Stapleton
Mar 13, 2023 | 5:44 AM
Vandals Jr. High Wrestling Team wins State Title


After 2 days of wrestling at the IESA State Tournament, the Vandalia Jr High Wrestling team brought home the first team state championship in the school’s history. The Vandals, in their first season of IESA wrestling, knocked off 3x defending state champion Coal City 164-149.5. The Vandals had 8 medalists, including 2 in the finals and 5 in the 3rd place match. Aiden Evans (85) and Max Philpot (95) both made the finals before their first loss and finished 2nd. Zayne Zinkgraf (112), Keagan Turner (135), and Dominic Swyers (215) placed 3rd. Riley Hinton (90) and Elijah Mabry (100) finished 4th. Brody Jay (275) won the only 5th place match for the Vandals.

65 A

Zander Pratt (1-2) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Jaxon Brunoehler (Sandwich) 3-2 won by major decision over Zander Pratt (Vandalia) 1-2 (MD 10-0)
  • Cons. Round 1 – Zander Pratt (Vandalia) 1-2 won by fall over Leo Bouikidis (Green Oaks Oak Grove) 0-2 (Fall 3:25)
  • Cons. Round 2 – Ashtyn Copley (Colfax Ridgeview) 2-2 won by decision over Zander Pratt (Vandalia) 1-2 (Dec 6-0)

85 A

Aiden Evans (3-1) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 3-1 won by decision over Mike Scott (Manhattan) 0-2 (Dec 6-0)
  • Quarterfinal – Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 3-1 won by fall over Kazmyn Barber (Dixon Reagan) 2-2 (Fall 1:00)
  • Semifinal – Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 3-1 won by decision over Jake Hardesty (Canton Ingersoll) 3-2 (Dec 7-2)
  • 1st Place Match – Pierce Bultmann (Rochester) 4-0 won by decision over Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 3-1 (Dec 7-0)

90A

Riley Hinton (4-2) placed 4th and scored 16.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Jack Ragan (Dixon Reagan) 3-1 won by fall over Riley Hinton (Vandalia) 4-2 (Fall 3:14)
  • Cons. Round 1 – Riley Hinton (Vandalia) 4-2 won by fall over Giovanni Hernandez (Marseilles Es) 0-2 (Fall 0:24)
  • Cons. Round 2 – Riley Hinton (Vandalia) 4-2 won by fall over Boone Alderks (Oregon JHS) 1-2 (Fall 3:13)
  • Cons. Round 3 – Riley Hinton (Vandalia) 4-2 won by major decision over Charlie Tustin (Manhattan) 2-2 (MD 10-1)
  • Cons. Semi – Riley Hinton (Vandalia) 4-2 won by decision over Jake Baughman (LeRoy) 3-2 (Dec 7-5)
  • 3rd Place Match – Ezekiel Young (Monticello) 4-1 won by decision over Riley Hinton (Vandalia) 4-2 (Dec 5-0)

95A

Max Philpot (3-1) placed 2nd and scored 24.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Max Philpot (Vandalia) 3-1 won by fall over Gabe Marella (Poplar Grove North Boone) 0-2 (Fall 0:41)
  • Quarterfinal – Max Philpot (Vandalia) 3-1 won by fall over Tyson Price (Coal City) 2-2 (Fall 0:51)
  • Semifinal – Max Philpot (Vandalia) 3-1 won by fall over Eric Bush (Johnsburg JHS) 3-2 (Fall 1:28)
  • 1st Place Match – Owen Petersen (Coal City) 4-0 won by decision over Max Philpot (Vandalia) 3-1 (Dec 3-0)

100A

Elijah Mabry (3-2) placed 4th and scored 18.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Elijah Mabry (Vandalia) 3-2 won by fall over Casey Janicki (Channahon) 1-2 (Fall 0:43)
  • Quarterfinal – Elijah Mabry (Vandalia) 3-2 won by fall over Gavyn Stevens (Knoxville Jhs) 1-2 (Fall 1:54)
  • Semifinal – Ej Chaon (LeRoy) 3-1 won by decision over Elijah Mabry (Vandalia) 3-2 (Dec 9-4)
  • Cons. Semi – Elijah Mabry (Vandalia) 3-2 won by fall over Chase Vogel (Johnsburg JHS) 3-3 (Fall 0:59)
  • 3rd Place Match – Landen Lage (Gibson City Gcms) 4-1 won by decision over Elijah Mabry (Vandalia) 3-2 (Dec 8-5)

112A

Zayne Zinkgraf (5-1) placed 3rd and scored 19.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Zayne Zinkgraf (Vandalia) 5-1 won by major decision over Brayden Liu (Green Oaks Oak Grove) 0-2 (MD 15-4)
  • Quarterfinal – Thomas Sowards (Taylor Ridge Rockridge) 4-0 won by fall over Zayne Zinkgraf (Vandalia) 5-1 (Fall 1:50)
  • Cons. Round 2 – Zayne Zinkgraf (Vandalia) 5-1 won by fall over Jonah Young (Peotone) 1-2 (Fall 3:03)
  • Cons. Round 3 – Zayne Zinkgraf (Vandalia) 5-1 won by decision over Jackson Hjorth (Johnsburg JHS) 2-2 (Dec 5-2)
  • Cons. Semi – Zayne Zinkgraf (Vandalia) 5-1 won by fall over Levi Benton (Oregon JHS) 2-3 (Fall 3:54)
  • 3rd Place Match – Zayne Zinkgraf (Vandalia) 5-1 won by decision over Braiden Krahl (Sherrard JHS) 4-2 (Dec 4-2)

119A

Nic Jackson (0-2) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Aiden Marrello (Island Lake Matthews) 4-2 won by decision over Nic Jackson (Vandalia) 0-2 (Dec 4-2)
  • Cons. Round 1 – Alex Carrier (Canton Ingersoll) 1-2 won by decision over Nic Jackson (Vandalia) 0-2 (Dec 5-2)

126A

Brody Matthews (1-2) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Brody Matthews (Vandalia) 1-2 won by fall over Lucas Dunbar (Port Byron Riverdale) 0-2 (Fall 3:34)
  • Quarterfinal – Brian Hart (Island Lake Matthews) 4-1 won by fall over Brody Matthews (Vandalia) 1-2 (Fall 3:55)
  • Cons. Round 2 – Hudson Meek (Lawrenceville Parkview) 4-2 won by decision over Brody Matthews (Vandalia) 1-2 (Dec 9-4)

135A

Keagan Turner (4-1) placed 3rd and scored 17.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 4-1 won by major decision over Payton Temple (Clifton Nash) 0-2 (MD 12-0)
  • Quarterfinal – Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 4-1 won by decision over Brayden Morrell (Erie) 1-2 (Dec 7-0)
  • Semifinal – Tristin Golden (Kankakee Bishop McNamara) 4-0 won by major decision over Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 4-1 (MD 11-0)
  • Cons. Semi – Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 4-1 won by fall over Caleb Linneman (Alden-Hebron) 3-3 (Fall 3:06)
  • 3rd Place Match – Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 4-1 won by decision over Sage Lelm (Tremont) 4-2 (Dec 3-0)

155A

Dade Kleinik (1-2) place is unknown and scored 2.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Duke Mays (Johnsburg JHS) 4-0 won by fall over Dade Kleinik (Vandalia) 1-2 (Fall 1:52)
  • Cons. Round 1 – Dade Kleinik (Vandalia) 1-2 won by major decision over Milos Kasapovic (Darien Eisenhower) 0-2 (MD 13-4)
  • Cons. Round 2 – Micah Welch (Johnsburg JHS) 2-2 won by fall over Dade Kleinik (Vandalia) 1-2 (Fall 3:07)

167A

Noah Langston (2-2) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Ben Buis (El Paso-Gridley) 4-0 won by fall over Noah Langston (Vandalia) 2-2 (Fall 0:48)
  • Cons. Round 1 – Noah Langston (Vandalia) 2-2 won by fall over Adrian Geronimo (La Grange Gurrie) 0-2 (Fall 3:05)
  • Cons. Round 2 – Noah Langston (Vandalia) 2-2 won by decision over Spiro Zarafonitis (Prospect Heights MacArthur) 1-2 (Dec 3-2)
  • Cons. Round 3 – Liam Kilgore (Mackinaw Dee-Mack) 4-2 won by fall over Noah Langston (Vandalia) 2-2 (Fall 3:52)

215A

Dominic Swyers (4-1) placed 3rd and scored 20.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 4-1 won by fall over Nick Larsen (Mt. Prospect River Trails) 0-2 (Fall 0:33)
  • Quarterfinal – Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 4-1 won by fall over Tony Ramirez (Rock Island Jordan Catholic) 1-2 (Fall 2:01)
  • Semifinal – Shane Falasca (Richmond Nippersink) 4-0 won by decision over Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 4-1 (Dec 2-0)
  • Cons. Semi – Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 4-1 won by decision over Charles Canby (Peotone) 4-2 (Dec 3-1)
  • 3rd Place Match – Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 4-1 won by fall over Caleb Reymer (Erie) 3-2 (Fall 2:08)

275A

Brody Jay (4-2) placed 5th and scored 17.0 team points.

  • Champ. Round 1 – Brody Jay (Vandalia) 4-2 won by fall over Lucas Smerling (Johnsburg JHS) 0-2 (Fall 0:41)
  • Quarterfinal – Cristian Medina (Forrest Prairie Central) 2-3 won by fall over Brody Jay (Vandalia) 4-2 (Fall 0:50)
  • Cons. Round 2 – Brody Jay (Vandalia) 4-2 won by fall over Tamer Eldars (Willowbrook Westview Hills) 1-2 (Fall 1:33)
  • Cons. Round 3 – Brody Jay (Vandalia) 4-2 won by fall over Xavier Moore (Gibson City Gcms) 2-2 (Fall 2:30)
  • Cons. Semi – Charlie Bodiford (Macomb) 4-1 won by fall over Brody Jay (Vandalia) 4-2 (Fall 2:13)
  • 5th Place Match – Brody Jay (Vandalia) 4-2 won by fall over Cristian Medina (Forrest Prairie Central) 2-3 (Fall 0:27)