Photo Gallery |
Keeping order on the mat: A look at IHSA state wrestling officials

While wrestlers battle for medals, referees shoulder equal responsibility on the mat. The IHSA state wrestling tournament spotlights more than just champions, sharing the mat are the best officials in the state calling the action.

CHAMPAIGN - Champions aren’t the only ones under the bright lights at the IHSA state wrestling tournament. The officials who patrol the mats shoulder a responsibility as heavy as any bracket favorite’s expectations. Their decisions shape momentum, define outcomes, and maintain the integrity of every match. This gallery captures the focus, intensity, and professionalism of the referees who help make the state finals a showcase of the sport at its best.

From quick whistles to split‑second judgment calls, referees navigate the chaos with sharp eyes and sharper instincts. As wrestlers battle for glory, these officials sprint, slide, and signal their way through some of the most high‑stakes bouts of the season. Here’s a look at the people in stripes who keep the action moving.

THURSDAY

IHSA wrestling referee

All photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Varsity Club Collection
Gallery Collection: 02202026SW1

Varsity Club Collection
Gallery Collection: 02202026SW2

FRIDAY

TAGS: IHSA state wrestling referees gallery, Champaign State Farm Center wrestling officials, Illinois high school wrestling tournament referees, behind the scenes IHSA state finals officials, wrestling referees at Illinois state tournament

The Sentinel On This Day |
February 20

Editor's Choice ~

Three things you should do this spring to freshen up your home

Spring is the perfect season for home improvement as it presents many opportunities for first-time homebuyers and experienced homeowners to be more thorough when it comes to maintenance. As the weather warms up, you'll find plenty of indoor and outdoor projects that can improve the functionality of your home and boost its curb appeal while also avoiding unpleasant surprises.

Read the story ...

Sentinel Archive Photos ~

Coaching for gold

Westville wrestling coach Austin Hedrick

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

CHAMPAIGN - Westville head wrestling coach Austin Hedrick shouts instructions to Tigers' Ethan Miller during his 190 pound match ...

Sentinel Article Archive for February 20

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TAGS: Oakwood wrestler Steven Uden wins another match at state, Brazelton wrestles for the Unity Rockets, SJO wins girls basketball regional title, your junk is valuable - don't toss it yet, America needs good people wearing the badge

Viewpoint |
Ride & die with the Epstein Class: They are the elites they pretend to hate

For years, MAGA has attacked minority groups in the name of “protecting women and children.” It turns out the real abusers are wealthy and powerful.

by Sonali Kolhatkar

OtherWords

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s contentious House hearing about the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files offered a clear message to the nation: sex trafficking of women and minors is perfectly acceptable as long as wealthy white men do it.

Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced late sex trafficker, fixer, and political networker, was found to have ties to huge number of the world’s elites on both sides of the political aisle — including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Ehud Barak, Bill Gates, Steve Bannon, Larry Summers, Bill Clinton, and of course, Donald Trump.

For years, Trump’s conservative backers have attacked LGBTQ+ people, drag queens, immigrants, and others, claiming a desire to protect women and children from rapists and groomers. Trump even boasted that “whether the women liked it or not,” he would “protect” them from migrants, whom he slandered as “monsters” who “kidnap and kill our children.”

Trump himself is named more than a million times in the files, according to lawmakers with access to the unredacted documents.

But when given the opportunity to seek justice for countless women and children who were trafficked, abused, and exploited by the world’s wealthiest, most powerful people, the MAGA movement and its leaders have shown a startling disinterest in accountability. During her hearing Bondi tried desperately to deflect attention, claiming that the stock market was more deserving of public attention than Epstein’s victims.

Even the Republican rank and file is now mysteriously detached from the Epstein files.

Polls show that in summer 2025, 40 percent of GOP voters disapproved of the federal government’s handling of the Epstein files. But by January 2026, only about half that percentage disapproved — even after the Trump administration missed its deadline to release millions of files and then released them in a way that exposed the victims while protecting the perpetrators.

While some European leaders are facing harsh consequences for associating with Epstein, no Americans outside of Epstein and his closest associate Ghislaine Maxwell have faced any consequences, legal or otherwise.

Epstein was a glorified drug dealer and his drugs of choice were the vulnerable bodies of women and children...

That’s despite very concrete ties between the Trump administration and the sex trafficker. Not only did Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admit to visiting Epstein island after lying about it (and has so far faced no consequences), but Trump himself is named more than a million times in the files, according to lawmakers with access to the unredacted documents. Several victims identify Trump by name, alleging he raped and assaulted them.

And it’s not just Trump. Epstein was an equal opportunity fixer. He was just as friendly with liberals as he was with conservatives, including Summers, Clinton, and, disconcertingly for the American left, Noam Chomsky. For elites like Epstein, ideological differences were superficial. The real distinction was money, power, and connections.

Epstein was a glorified drug dealer and his drugs of choice were the vulnerable bodies of women and children, offered up to his friends and allies as the forbidden currency he traded in. A useful moniker has emerged to describe the global network of elites whose power and privilege continues to protect them from accountability: the Epstein Class.

Georgia Senator John Ossoff, who faces reelection in 2026, is deploying this label, understanding that voters — at least those who haven’t bought into the MAGA cult — are increasingly aware of the double standards that wealthy power players are held to.

“This is the Epstein class, ruling our country,” said Ossoff in reference to those who make up the Trump administration. “They are the elites they pretend to hate.”

He’s right. And if the Trump administration won’t hold them to account, Americans should demand leaders who will.

About the author:
Sonali Kolhatkar is host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, an independent, subscriber-based syndicated TV and radio show. She’s an award winning journalist and author of Talking About Abolition: A Police Free World is Possible, and Rising Up: The Power of Narrative in Pursuing Racial Justice. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.

Spartans' free throw shooting seals 53-40 regional championship win

Balanced scoring and ice-cold free throw shooting carried St. Joseph-Ogden past Bismarck-Henning 53-40 in Thursday's regional final.

BISMARCK - St. Joseph-Ogden turned a dominant first half and clutch free throw shooting into a 53-40 regional championship victory over Bismarck-Henning on Thursday night, despite a 26-point effort from the Blue Devils' Gentry Elson.

Nine Spartans contributed to the scoring as SJO built an 11-point halftime lead and never looked back. Kayla Osterbur paced the balanced attack with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Atleigh Miller added 12 points. Kaitlyn Beyers sparked the offense off the bench with nine points, including three first-half three-pointers that helped limit Bismarck-Henning to just 15 points before the break.

The Spartans sealed the victory at the free throw line, converting 18 of 25 attempts. Osterbur went 7-for-9 from the stripe in the second half, while Ashlyn Miller was a perfect 4-for-4 down the stretch. Their efficiency at the line offset Elson's 19-point second-half surge as the Blue Devils increased their aggression in the paint.

Addison Brooks and Ashlyn Miller each contributed six points in the winning effort for SJO (20-10), which captured its first consecutive regional title after defeating Prairie Central 43-29 two years ago.

The Spartans advance to the Pontiac sectional on Tuesday, where they will face Manteno (26-6) in a first-ever meeting between the programs.

TAGS: SJO girls basketball regional championship 2025, St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans beat Bismarck-Henning, Kayla Osterbur 13 points nine rebounds, Illinois high school basketball sectional bracket

2026 State Wrestling |
A view from the mat

CHAMPAIGN - Over 250 high school wrestling athletes are in Champaign-Urbana for the IHSA Boys' Individual Wrestling State Finals. The Sentinel is inside the State Farm Center on the University of Illinois campus, hunting for defining moments and eye-opening action to share with our readers with our first state final live feed. Check back regularly to get a glimps of the once in a lifetime moments by Illinois' elite prep wrestlers.

Whenever we get a great photo today, you will see here with our live updates.

Live Feed Closed

Added Friday, 1:05 AM

Comet wrestler Steven Uden suffers heartbreaking defeat

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Oakwood's Steven Uden gives his all while wrestling Mercer County's Boston Morford during their 113-pound Class 1A quarterfinal match. Uden lost the bout in a heartbreaking 7-4 decision for the Comet junior. Later today, he will wrestle the winner between St. Joseph-Ogden's Ben Wells and McNamara's Evan Johnson en route a possible third place finish.

Added Friday, 12:50 AM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Bentley Fields celebrates while acknowledging Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley family members and fans after his quarterfinal victory over Dixon's Riley Paredes. Fields moves on in the championship side of the Class 1A 106-pound bracket to face undefeated Farmington freshman Isaac Showalter in Friday evening's semifinals.

Added Friday, 12:35 AM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Barrington's Ryan Dorn stuffs the head of Montini's Mikey Malizzio down during the 132-pound Class 3A semifinal match on Thursday. Confident and in control, Dorn won the match 4-2, earning semifinal match Friday evening against Joliet Catholic's Jason Hampton.

Added Friday, 12:20 AM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Charles East's Matt Medina suffers a leg injury while trying to avoid a takedown by Montini's Gavin Ericson. Ericson, a junior with a 33-11 record, defeated Medina in fast-paced 5-0 decision. The Fighting Saints' 285-pounder moved into the consolation bracket and wrestles Normal Community's Mason Caraway on Friday for his next match.

Added at 11:59 PM

Sandburg's Brady Ritter is a real head turner

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Sandburg junior Brady Ritter resists an attempt from Hampshire's Michael Brannigan to roll him on his back during a brief shift in the match's momentum. Ritter (left) went on to win the match via tech fall 20-3 at 3:40 in their Class 3A 157-pound match Thursday evening.

Added at 11:44 PM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Wheaton Academy's Tyler Jones tries roll out of a takedown attempt by Paris' Joshua Lamour during their preliminary 165-pound Class 1A match. Jones went on to win the bout via technical fall, 17-2.

Added at 10:31 PM

Lena-Winslow's Arrison Bauer wrestles Vandalia's Eli Mabry at state

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Lena-Winslow's Arrison Bauer (45-5) lifts Vandalia's Eli Mabry (35-8) for a takedown during their first-round 144-pound match in the Class 1A division. Bauer went on to win the match, advancing to the quarterfinals with a 15-2 major decision. Mabry moved to Friday's wrestlebacks, where he will face 26-11 junior Johnny Conseugra-Lopez from Lisle.

Added at 10:09 PM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden’s Cam Wagner prepares for his Class 1A 285-pound match against Murphysboro’s Julien Tanner. Trailing 1-0 after the first two periods, Wagner tied the match at 1-1 with an escape before surrendering a takedown, losing 4-1. The Spartan junior moves into the wrestlebacks, where he will face Clifton Central’s Josh McCurry on Friday morning.

Added at 9:55 PM

Knoxville freshman James Long wrestles at state

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Knoxville freshman James Long lets out a scream while wrestling against Byron's Will Juilian in their Class 1A 190-pound match Thursday morning. Long would later lose the match at 4:44 by fall after suffering two more injury episodes to his shoulder. The Bullets' rising star moves to the consolation bracket where he will face Westville's Ethan Miller on Friday morning.

Added at 8:51 PM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Heyworth's Tristan Stamp (right) looks for a shot in on Pinckneyville's Jonathan Ramaker during their Class 1A 175-pound match. Stamp went on to win the match, advancing in the winner's bracket after earning a 13-3 major decision over Ramaker.

Added at 8:37 PM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Canton's Jacob Hardesty shoots in for a takedown on Althoff's Dawson Hawthorne. Hardesty (33-7) fell in a close 5-4 decision to Hawthorne in their Class 1A 132-pound match.

Added at 7:36 PM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Murphysboro's Sergio Garcia is overwhelmed while trying to keep his emotions in check as he removes headgear after his Class 1A 126-pound match against Newman Cathoic's Zhyler Hansen. Now with a shot for a third place finish, Garcia (43-11) moves into the consolation bracket to face Peotone's Jonah Young (22-11) Friday morning.

Added at 7:19 PM

Clinton's Briley Carter wrestles at state

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Clinton's Briley Carter tries to escape on a restart during his 120-pound match against Chicago Hope Academy's Nolan Callahan. Carter, who was 13-4 heading into the preliminary match, fell by major decision, 10-1. The Maroon junior moved to the consolation bracket with the loss and will face Vandalia's Riley Hinton in the next round.

Added at 3:58 PM

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden head wrestling coach Bill Gallo checks the time left on the match clock during Spartan 113-pound wrestler Ben Wells' match against Murphysboro's Drevean Bramlett (40-7). Wells lost the match by technical fall at 5:19 by a score of 19-4. Gallo and Wells will have another shot at state medal on Friday in the consolation bracket.

Added at 3:40 PM

Ian Rotramel wrestles Landon Comwell at state meet

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Robinson's Landon Comwell tries to get away from Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley's Ian Rotramel during the 113-pound match. Comwell, a senior with a 35-14 record, fought hard but could not gain an advantage at any point to go on the attack, losing by major decision, 14-5. Comwell wrestles again Friday morning when he will face York Christian's Phoenix Senodenos in the consolation bracket.

TAGS: Wrestling photo gallery, area high school wrestlers at State Farm Center, local wrestlers competing at IHSA state tournament, Robinson Maroons' wrestling, SJO Wrestling, Clinton wrestler competes at state, Heyworth wrestler wins preliminary match

Throwback Thursday |
Keeping it close, Minooka finishes second at state

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Normal, IL - Minooka's Sammi Hermann and Alli Papesh block an attack by Mother McAuley's MaryKate Boland during the IHSA State Volleyball Finals at Redbird Arena on Saturday, November 12, 2016. The Indians pushed the Mighty Macs to three sets in the Class 4A title game, losing 19-25, 25-19, 19-25.

LEFT: Minooka's Isabella Dailey celebrates with members of her team after the championship volleyball match. MIDDLE: Sammi Hermann waves to fans from the podium after receiving her state medal. RIGHT: Minooka's Alli Papesh hammers a shot for a kill between Mother McAuley's MaryKate Boland and Nancy Kane. Papesh finished the match with 20 kills and 10 digs. BELOW: Minooka team members celebrate the moment with their Class 4A second-place trophy.

All photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Guest Commentary |
The Super Bowl halftime show was a hare too much for Glenn Mollette

Bugs Bunny, Blue Bunny, Big Bunny... The Super Bowl halftime show didn't work for Glenn.

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Glenn Mollette

The Super Bowl is now in the history books and already forgotten by most Americans. I don’t know if there was more talk about the Seahawks and the Patriots or the Super Bowl halftime show.

I admit that I had never heard of Bad Bunny until he was announced a few months back as this year’s halftime entertainment. Later, I heard him talk at the Grammy awards but I couldn’t understand anything he said. Actually, I don’t understand Spanish or any other languages. I often go to Mexican restaurants but don’t understand what the waiters and cooks are saying to each other. I hope they are saying how glad they are to see me or something nice like that.

Whenever I am in an Asian restaurant and the workers are talking I don’t understand them either. I’ve been to a few foreign countries and I never understand what they are saying. It really is helpful when people in France or Germany are able to communicate in English. Seems like the people in cities like Berlin or Paris speak better English than the people further away from the cities.

I guess I am growing more and more disadvantaged. I work with a number of people from Myanmar. They are extremely nice but most of them struggle with English. They have been in America for years and seem to be managing. They are managing better here than I would in Myanmar.

Years ago, I spent a couple of weeks in South Africa. That country has twelve official languages. English is their predominant language. Thus, it was easier for us to navigate in the country. Yet, I don’t know how a country functions with so many official languages.

I thought it was Bugs Bunny and then I thought it was Blue Bunny and then Big Bunny.

I’ve heard people say they loved the Superbowl show and some say they hated the show. I’ve heard others say they watched alternate shows. Then there a handful of people like me who wishes they would cancel the halftime show or just have the marching band from the local university entertain us. That won’t happen because the Super Bowl is about Super money. Big money. Advertising spots went from $8 to $10 million each with total advertising revenue for NBC estimated at $700 million.

Still, I didn’t understand a word Bad Bunny had to say. By the way it’s taken me forever to get his name straight. I thought it was Bugs Bunny and then I thought it was Blue Bunny and then Big Bunny. I apologize for being slow to understand that his name is Bad Bunny. He doesn’t act bad. He looks like a nice fellow. He is from Puerto Rico and he seems to carry a tune well. Yet, I don’t know what he is saying. Although I wasn’t raised Hispanic, I love Hispanic people. At this stage of my life, I just don’t have time to learn another language. Maybe I will have to.

I hope that next year’s Superbowl halftime show will be in English. Oh yea, I couldn’t understand Lady Gaga. Until she sang, I thought there was something wrong with my television. I have read Bad Bunny is fluent in English. This is America. Most Americans only speak English.

I guess it must have worked for the National Football League. However, it didn’t work for me.

About the author ~

Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.

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The Sentinel On This Day |
February 18

Editor's Choice ~

How origami influences science

Have you ever imagined the power of a piece of paper? Paper was said to be documented during the Eastern Han period (25 – 220 CE), when paper was primarily used for artwork, writing and for packaging staffs.

In 105 CE, Chai Lun, a Chinese court official has brought up the idea of paper. His paper making skills mainly involved fishnet, old rags, hemp waste and bark of trees.

Read the story ...

Sentinel Archive Photos ~

Rockets wins shootout by 11

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Unity's Nate Cain fights for a rebound with Cissna Park-Crescent-Iroquois' Quinn Steffen (right) at ...

Sentinel Article Archive for February 18

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TAGS: Unity basketball beats CPCI, SJO - Unity basketball game, who is in control of your school, warm up after hard day's work with pork chili, elite wrestlers from the area head to IHSA state meet

Photo Gallery |
Keeping order on the mat: A look at IHSA state wrestling officials

The Sentinel On This Day |
February 20