Wrestlers bring home state medals

Four of five local wrestlers who competed in the ISHA state finals returned from Champaign Saturday with medals.

Coal City had three of their four state qualifiers place among the top six to win a medal.

Making it to the championship match were junior Alex Friddle (120) and sophomore Daniel Jezik. Both ended up in second place.

Friddle (45-2) lost 4-2 to Cameron Johnson of Aurora Christian (38-6) in the title bout at 120 pounds. The second place finish betters his third place medal from a year ago at 113 pounds and fifth place when he was a freshman.

Jezik went up against undefeated senior Danny Braunagel (54-0) of Althoff Catholic in the championship match. Braunagel showed his strength by earning a 23-7 techincal fall at the 4:08, meaning Jezik brought home the silver medal. The Coaler sophomore finished in sixth place a year ago.

Placing fifth for Wilmington was feshman Jack Narine (43-10). Narine battled his way back in the 106-pound wrestlebacks to make it to the match to decide fifth place. Narine went up against Jack Wehrle of Vandala (39-13, freshman) and edged him 5-4.

At 113 pounds, Coal City freshman Connor Huston (38-13) finished sixth after losing in the wrestleback finals 6-2 to Tyler Eby (34-7, senior) of Aurora Chirstian.

Three-time state qualifier Ryan Wasielewski (44-8, junior) did not place for Coal City. Wasielewski won by pinning his prelim opponent at 145 before losing in the quarterfinals 6-3 to Eli Ibarra of Aurora Christian. He won he third match 15-0 over Tyler Thiessan of Litchfield but could get past Alex McGuire of Roxanna in the semi-final wrestlebacks.