Senior Salute Winter warrior Nathan Daly

Senior Nathan Daly finished the season with 31 wins against 12 losses. In his Spartan Senior Salute, the Illini Prairie Conference Second-Team nominee shared a little more about himself.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

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Wrestling at 150 and 157, Nathan Daly's 31-12 record was key to a successful 2025-26 campaign on the mats for St. Joseph-Ogden. He finished his final season for SJO, placing third at the Ridgeview regionals.

The senior competes in wrestling and golf with the same mental toughness that fuels his goal of one day joining MARSOC during an exciting military career. He keeps things simple when it comes to motivation, saying the reward of a good meal after the work is done is just one thing that pushes him to compete at his best. Before a match, he's blasting “Pocket Full of Sunshine” by Natasha Bedingfield to lighten the mood and locked in. Here is a closer look at Nathan Daly.

Sentinel: What is your dream job or career?

Daly: MARSOC

Sentinel: Where is your favorite place to eat?

Daly: Chili's

Sentinel: Where do you see yourself living in 20 years?

Daly: A small hut in Dagestan herding sheep.

Sentinel: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where are you going and why?

Daly: Canada for hockey games.

Sentinel: Name an Instagram handle everyone should follow.

Daly: Couldn’t tell ya.

Sentinel: What was the last movie you watched three or more friends?

Daly: Marty Supreme.

Sentinel: Which is better? Dr. Pepper, Coke or Pepsi

Daly: Coke.

Sentinel: What motivates you to be the best at what you do?

Daly: Eating food when I’m done.

Sentinel: What song gets you hyped before a game or match? Tell us the song title and artist, please.

Daly: Pocket Full of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield

Sentinel: What advice would you give yourself if you were a freshman again?

Daly: Don’t take Spanish.

Sentinel: What sports have you played in high school?

Daly: Wrestling and golf

Sentinel: What is the best coaching advice you have ever received?

Daly: Run through that mfer.

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Season photo gallery

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Season Highlights

150, Defeated Connor Mahaffey (Westville), Fall 01:39
150, Defeated Dukeman, Jaxson (Toledo (Cumberland)), Maj Dec 14-1
150, Defeated Dunner, Nick (Rantoul), Fall 00:53
150, Defeated Forfeit, (EPG), FORFEIT
150, Defeated Forfeit, (Hoopeston), FORFEIT
150, Defeated Forfeit, (Prairie Central), FORFEIT
150, Defeated Hilligoss, Alec (Champaign (St. Thomas More)), Fall 01:43
150, Defeated Martin, G (South Vermillion), Fall 02:53
150, Defeated McLaughin, C (LeRoy), Decision 4-2
150, Defeated Moore, Tyler (Chillicothe (Illinois Valley Central)), Fall 03:36
150, Defeated Opperman, Brayden (Pontiac), Fall 01:26
150, Defeated Ramirez, Isreal (Clinton), Tech Fall 16-0
150, Defeated Weeks, Drake (Monticello), Fall 08:008
157, Defeated Pamozzo (Clifton central), Fall 1:38
157, Defeated Simpson (Oakwood 2), Fall 00:10
157, Defeated Soto (Peoria), Fall 01:48
157, Defeated Zander, Lazzerick (Centennial), Fall 04:12

Postseason Highlights

Champ. Round 1 - Nathan Daly first-round bye
Quarterfinal - Won by major decision over Connor McLaughlin (LeRoy)(MD 10-1)
Semifinal - Lost by decision to Devin Glik (Unity) (Dec 5-0)
Cons. Semi - Pinned over Nate Godfery (Heyworth) 29-14 (Fall 5:27)
3rd Place Match - Pinned Isreal Ramirez (Clinton) 20-15 (Fall 3:51)

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Season photo gallery

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2025-25 Illini Prairie All-Conference Wrestling Team

St. Joseph-Ogden and Unity dominated Illini Prairie Conference wrestling honors, combining for eight of 15 first-team spots as 22 area athletes earned all-conference recognition.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Cam Wagner wrestles Murphysboro's Julien Tanner durin their first-round 285-pound match at the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals in February. Wagner, who fell 4-1 in his first-ever state appearance, was named to the Illini Prairie All-Conference Wrestling First Team

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ST. JOSEPH - Area wrestling programs made a strong showing on the Illini Prairie Conference postseason honors list this season, with 22 athletes earning all-conference recognition.

St. Joseph-Ogden and Unity led the area contingent, combining for eight of the 15 spots on the all-conference first team.

SJO placed four wrestlers on the top squad, including sophomore Ben Wells at 113 pounds, junior Cam Wagner at heavyweight and senior standouts Coy Hayes at 165 pounds and Vance McComas at 175 pounds.

Unity matched the Spartans with four first-team selections. Seniors Hunter Shike at 144/150 pounds, Abram Davidson at 165 and Chason Daly at 215 earned the recognition, while freshman Hayden Smith rounded out the Rockets’ first-team honorees.

Two additional area wrestlers also earned first-team recognition. St. Thomas More freshman Jamir Woods was honored at 126 pounds, while Rantoul Township senior Brandon Almanza was selected at 165/175 pounds.

Unity added five wrestlers to the second team, highlighting the depth of the Rockets’ lineup this season. Vince Abon, A.J. Daly, Ben Mullins, Devin Glik and Bradley Smith were each recognized for their performances on the mat.

Spartans’ Cam Getty and Nathan Daly also received second-team honors, while Rantoul senior Michael Anthony completed the area’s list of second-team selections.

Several of the conference honorees also competed on the state stage this season. St. Joseph-Ogden’s Wagner and Wells, along with Unity wrestlers Davidson and Daly, qualified for the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals. Unity’s Josh Heath was also a state qualifier and received honorable mention recognition from conference coaches.

Illini Prairie Conference
All-Conference Wrestling Team

1st team:

Nick Litchfield, 132-pounds
Senior, Monticello

Will Osborne, 144-pounds
Junior, Monticello

Lucas Maier, 175-pounds
Sophomore, Pontiac

Brayden Quas, 157-pounds
Sophomore, Pontiac

Jack Voigts, 126-pounds
Freshman, Pontiac

Brandon Almanza, 165/175-pounds
Senior, Rantoul

Ben Wells, 113-pounds
Sophomore, St. Joseph-Ogden

Coy Hayes, 165-pounds
Senior, St. Joseph-Ogden

Vance McComas, 175-pounds
Senior, St. Joseph-Ogden

Cam Wagner, 285-pounds
Junior, St. Joseph-Ogden

Jamir Woods, 126-pounds
Freshman, St. Thomas More

Hunter Shike, 144/150-pounds
Senior, Unity

Hayden Smith, 144/150-pounds
Freshman, Unity

Abram Davidson, 165-pounds
Senior, Unity

Chason Daly, 215-pounds
Senior, Unity

2nd team:

Owen Moser, 175-pounds
Senior, IVC

Aiden Komnick, 120-pounds
Sophomore, Monticello

Kellan Lamb, 126-pounds
Sophomore, Monticello

Drake Weeks, 150-pounds
Senior, Monticello

Max Sinkosky, 175-pounds
Senior, Monticello

Hunter McCullough, 285-pounds
Junior, Pontiac

Andrew Patino, 113-pounds
Sophomore, Prairie Central

Michael Anthony, 215/285-pounds
Senior, Rantoul

Cam Getty, 126-pounds
Senior, St. Joseph-Ogden

Nathan Daly, 150-pounds
Senior, St. Joseph-Ogden

Vince Abon, 106-pounds
Sophomore, Unity

A.J. Daly, 138-pounds
Freshman, Unity

Ben Mullins, 157-pounds
Junior, Unity

Devin Glik, 150/157-pounds
Senior, Unity

Bradley Smith, 190-pounds
Sophomore, Unity

Honorable Mention:

Maison Toliver, 165-pounds
Junior, IVC

Hunter Toliver, 126-pounds
Junior, IVC

Malikai Bremer, 215-pounds
Senior, IVC

Weston Hicks, 138-pounds
Freshman, Monticello

Luke Andruczyk, 144-pounds
Junior, Monticello

Zach Perry, 157-pounds
Sophomore, Monticello

Noah Davis, 138-pounds
Junior, Pontiac

Braden Opperman, 150-pounds
Freshman, Pontiac

Trey Zimmerman, 106-pounds
Freshman, Prairie Central

Elijah Mowery, 190-pounds
Sophomore, Prairie Central

Harley Schultz, 175/190-pounds
Senior, Rantoul

Tyler Seals, 165/175-pounds
Junior, Rantoul

Alex Nutter, 215/285-pounds
Senior, Rantoul

Alex Mager, 190/215-pounds
Sophomore, Rantoul

Aiden Hundley, 138-pounds
Junior, St. Joseph-Ogden

Yashua Walker, 132-pounds
Freshman, St. Thomas More

Lane Sexton, 157-pounds
Junior, St. Thomas More

Josh Heath, 175-pounds
Senior, Unity

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Unity, St. Joseph-Ogden send 11 wrestlers to Class 1A sectionals

Eleven area qualifiers emerged from Saturday’s regional meet at Ridgeview High School in Colfax. Five Spartans and six Rockets will compete Friday, February 13, at Olympia High School in the hunt for a berth to state.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Ben Wells defends himself against a shot from Prairie Central's Andrew Patino during their bout at the Illini Prairie Conference duals last month. Wells won the regional title for his weight class, advancing to sectionals this weekend.

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COLFAX - The mat narrowed and the margins tightened Saturday at Ridgeview High School, where every takedown carried postseason weight and every whistle pushed area wrestlers closer to Olympia. By the end of the Class 1A regional, 11 wrestlers from Unity and St. Joseph-Ogden had done enough to keep their seasons alive, earning advancement to next Friday’s IHSA Individual Sectional at Olympia High School.

St. Joseph-Ogden sent five wrestlers through, highlighted by two regional champions who controlled their brackets. Sophomore Ben Wells (40-6) delivered a composed performance at 113 pounds, defeating Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley’s Ian Rotramel (30-13) by a 10-4 decision to claim the title. At 285, junior Cam Wagner (28-6) imposed his pace early and often, earning a major decision over GCMS’ Carson Sexton (32-12) to secure another championship for the Spartans.

Unity matched that top-end success with a dominant run from Abram Davidson. The senior capped his day as the Rockets’ lone regional titlist, scoring a technical fall at 3:58 against GCMS junior Cooper Miller (37-10) at 165 pounds, finishing with a 22-7 advantage that underscored his control from start to finish.

Depth carried Unity through the rest of the bracket, with five Rockets finishing as regional runners-up. AJ Daly (35-12) placed second at 138, Hayden Smith (36-12) followed at 144, Devin Glik (24-17) earned a runner-up finish at 150, Ben Mullins (33-14) placed second at 157, and senior Josh Heath (36-11) closed the group with a second-place showing at 175.

St. Joseph-Ogden added critical points and sectional qualifiers through grit in the placement rounds. Senior Vance McComas was the Spartans’ lone runner-up finisher, while Nathan Daly at 150 pounds and Coy Hayes at 165 battled back to secure third-place finishes, each doing enough to extend their postseason run.

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley captured the team championship with 309.5 points. Unity finished second with 158 points, and St. Joseph-Ogden placed third with 142.5, placing both area programs firmly in the sectional conversation heading into Friday.

St. Joseph-Ogden competitors at the regional were: (106) Weston Hubbard, freshman (12-6); (113) Ben Wells, sophomore (37-6); (120) George Hale, sophomore (26-17); (126) Camden Getty, senior (35-9); (144) Alec Bowlin, junior (5-18); (150) Nathan Daly, senior (28-11); (157) Alex Vaughn, junior (25-10); (165) Coy Hayes, senior (35-7); (175) Devan Swisher, senior (18-13); (190) Vance McComas, senior (26-16); (215) Liam Carter, sophomore (29-15); (285) Cam Wagner, junior (25-6).

Unity’s regional lineup included: (106) Vincent Abon, sophomore (23-20); (120) Deklyn Thomas, freshman (5-25); (126) Bryson Williams, freshman (7-28); (132) Sam Hollett, freshman (7-21); (138) AJ Daly, freshman (33-11); (144) Hayden Smith, freshman (34-11); (150) Devin Glik, senior (21-16); (157) Ben Mullins, junior (31-13); (165) Abram Davidson, senior (38-6); (175) Josh Heath, senior (34-10); (190) Bradley Smith, sophomore (24-16); (215) Chason Daly, senior (27-17); (285) Cristian Sellers, senior (10-25).

The sectional round at Olympia High School awaits Friday, February 13, where only the top finishers will punch their tickets to state, and the stakes will rise with every bout.

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TAGS: Unity High School wrestling sectional qualifiers, St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling regional results, IHSA Class 1A wrestling Olympia sectional, Ridgeview wrestling regional results, Illinois high school individual wrestling

Spartans dominate South Vermillion in 61-13 dual meet victory

A dominant performance across the lineup lifted St. Joseph-Ogden to a lopsided dual meet victory Tuesday night. SJO earned a 61-13 dual meet win over South Vermillion.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Spartans' Nathan Daly stops a shot by Wildcats' Gavin Martin in the first period of their 150 pound bout on Tuesday. Daly went on to win the match 53 seconds into the second period to give SJO at 39-6 lead midway through the match on Tuesday.

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ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden’s wrestling team continued its strong season with a decisive 61-13 dual meet victory over South Vermillion County on Tuesday night, rolling to wins in 12 of the 14 contested bouts. The victory improved the Spartans’ dual record to 18-4, reflecting a lineup that controlled the match from the opening weight class.

SJO jumped out early behind a fall from Weston Hubbard at 106 pounds and never looked back. Levi Lee (113) and Ben Wells (120) both added forfeit victories, while George Hale edged out a 9-8 decision at 126 to keep the Spartans unbeaten through the first four weights. Camden Getty (132) and Aiden Hundley (138) followed with falls, extending the lead to 33-0 before South Vermillion put points on the board.

Nathan Daly (150) restarted the momentum for St. Joseph-Ogden with a fall, and the middle weights continued to dominate. Alex Vaughn (157) earned a technical fall, and Coy Hayes (165) added another tech fall as the Spartans built an insurmountable advantage. Caleb Dwyer (215) closed out the upper weights with a forfeit win, and Cam Wagner capped the night with a first-period fall at 285 pounds.

With the dual meet complete, St. Joseph-Ogden now turns its attention to hosting duties. The Spartans will host the Illini Prairie Conference Meet on Friday, beginning at 4:30 p.m., with eight teams competing simultaneously across four mats in dual competition on Friday and Saturday.

ABOVE: St. Joseph-Ogden's Alec Bowlin lifts South Vermillion's Garret Pate during their 144-pound match. Bowlin, who scored on the shot and picked back points, was pinned in the first round by Pate. BELOW: SJO's Cam Wagner shoots in for a takedown. The junior went on to pin Wildcats' Drew Hess in a minute and 17 seconds into their 285-pound match.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

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St. Joseph-Ogden High School wrestling dual meet win, SJO wrestling 61-13 South Vermillion recap, Illini Prairie Conference wrestling host preview, high school wrestling dual meet Illinois Indiana, St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling 18-4 season

Spartans' Daly falls in final match, finishing the day 3-2 at multi team dual

St. Joseph-Ogden's Nathan Daly tries to pin Hoopeston Area's RaSiah Jones during their 157 pound match on Saturday at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. Daly dominated in the first two periods but Jones scored two takedowns late in the third period to win by a 19-18 decision. SJO went on to win the final match of the day over the Cornjerkers, 42-34. Daly, a junior, finished day with three wins and two losses. See more photos from this match here . . .

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

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Related articles:

• St. Joseph-Ogden secures hard-fought victory over Pontiac at IPC meet
• A perfect season, SJO goes 9-0 into 2024 IHSA football playoffs
• SJO rolls past Prairie Central at IPC Meet, Walsh notches first period-pin in rout
• St. Joseph-Ogden ties Monticello at conference wrestling meet, Wagner averts SJO loss

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SJO places fourth at IPC golf tournament, Prairie Central wins team title

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Strong finish for SJO — Spartans take 4th at Illini Prairie tourney with 343 strokes. Pruemer leads SJO with 11th-place finish 11 over par.

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PONTIAC - St. Joseph-Ogden turned in a steady team performance to finish fourth at the 2025 Illini Prairie Conference Golf Tournament on Monday at Wolf Creek Golf Course. The Spartans posted a team score of 343, just behind third-place Bloomington Central Catholic at 332 and runner-up Monticello at 327. Prairie Central captured the conference championship with a team total of 322 strokes.

Saints' Vaughn Oakey led the field with an even-par 72, claiming the individual title. Sages’s Max Henrard and Prairie Central’s Easton Friedman tied for second with rounds of 73. St. Thomas More’s Wyatt Kirby carded a 75 to finish fourth overall.

SJO was paced by senior Asher Pruemer, who fired an 83 to finish in a four-way tie for 10th place, dropping to 11th thanks to a tie-breaker. Teammate Trevor Ames followed with an 84, while Garrett Loschen and Devan Swisher each shot 88. Graham Ray (94) and Nathan Daly (103) rounded out the Spartan lineup.

Team Leaderboard (Top 5)

1. Prairie Central                322
2. Monticello                     327
3. Bloomington Central Catholic   332
4. St. Joseph-Ogden               343
5. St. Thomas More                348

Top 10 Individual Finishers

1. Vaughn Oakey, Bloomington Central Catholic   72
2. Max Henrard, Monticello                      73
2. Easton Friedman, Prairie Central             73
4. Wyatt Kirby, St. Thomas More                 75
5. Cayden Masching, Pontiac                     77
6. Tyler Clarkson, St. Thomas More              79
7. Kaleb Hendrix, Monticello                    81
8. Keller Schrock, Illinois Valley Central      82
8. Tucker Stoller, Prairie Central              82
10. Spencer Stockwill, Rantoul                  83
11. Asher Pruemer, St. Joseph-Ogden             83

St. Joseph-Ogden Scores

Asher Pruemer     83
Trevor Ames       84
Garrett Loschen   88
Devan Swisher     88
Graham Ray        94
Nathan Daly      103
Team Total: 343 (4th place)

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Unity topples SJO in conference meet wrestling showdown

CHILLICOTHE - In a clash between perennial rivals, Unity soared to a commanding victory over St. Joseph-Ogden in a dual meet that showcased the prowess of Unity's senior wrestlers. The match, held on Saturday, January 18, 2025, underscored Unity's dominance as they clinched a decisive 49-17 win over their opponents on the way to the Illini Prairie Conference title.

Unity, boasting a lineup featuring four seasoned seniors who were all state finalists last season, delivered a masterclass performance from start to finish. Leading the charge was Hunter Eastin, the defending state champion who stepped up in weight to 215 pounds for this encounter. Eastin's technical proficiency was in play as he pinned his opponent from SJO, Nathan Phillips, in 2 minutes and 10 seconds, contributing crucial points to Unity's overall score.

Unity's Hunter Eastin is declared winner after his 5-2 win over St. Thomas More's Brody Cuppernell in the 190 pound title match at the 2024 IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals. See more photos from his state victory here. Eastin made short work of St. Joseph-Ogden's Nathan Phillips in their 215 pound match at the Illini Prairie Conference Meet.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Joining Eastin in Unity's formidable senior quartet were Kaden Inman, Holden Brazelton, and Ryan Rink, each bringing their own stellar track records to the mat. Inman, a senior standout who narrowly missed the state title last year, left no room for doubt in his match at 144 pounds, securing a dominant technical fall victory over SJO's Landen Butts with a commanding score of 19-4. Brazelton, who recently transferred to Unity from St. Joseph-Ogden, won his 150-pound match with a convincing tech fall, earning 17 unanswered points against his opponent, Thomas Ware.

Ryan Rink, another integral part of Unity's senior cadre, demonstrated his resilience and skill at 175 pounds, overpowering his counterpart from SJO with an 18-3 tech fall victory. These performances highlighted Unity's depth and experience, underscoring their status as a force to be reckoned with in the conference and beyond.

The dual meet began with early momentum swings, as SJO claimed forfeit victories at 106 and 113 pounds, courtesy of Ben Wells and Jackson Walsh, respectively. However, Unity quickly turned the tide with a series of strategic victories, starting with Zayden Mansfield's hard-fought decision over Camden Getty at 120 pounds, setting the stage for Unity's dominant run.

St. Joseph-Ogden's only bright spot was once again at heavyweight. Sophomore Cameron Wagner stuck Unity's Jaden Dene at 5:45 to give the Spartans their only contested win against the Rockets.

Throughout the match, Unity's conditioning and mental toughness, exemplified by Bryce Martin's controlled decision over Eli Birt at 126 pounds and Taylor Finley's decisive pin at 138 pounds. Keegan Germano and Abram Davidson continued Unity's winning ways with pins at 157 and 165 pounds, respectively, solidifying their team's dominant victory.

As the final whistle blew, Unity celebrated a resounding 49-17 triumph over St. Joseph-Ogden. With the postseason around the corner, Unity looks locked and loaded for another trip to Bloomington for the state team dual championships.

With state-ranked seniors Inman, Brazelton, Rink, and Eastin leading the Rockets, the program is poised take this year's Class 1A team title.

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Box Score

106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Unity), FORFEIT; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Forfeit, (Unity), FORFEIT; 120 - Mansfield, Zayden (Unity) over GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO), Decision 14-8; 126 - Martin, Bryce (Unity) over BIRT, ELI (SJO), Decision 11-4; 132 - Forfeit, (Unity) over Forfeit, (SJO), Double Forfeit; 138 - Finley, Taylor (Unity) over HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO), Fall 4:28; 144 - Inman, Kaden (Unity) over BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO), Tech Fall 19-4; 150 - Brazelton, Holden (Unity) over WARE, THOMAS (SJO), Tech Fall 17-0; 157 - Germano, Keegan (Unity) over DALY, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 3:55; 165 - Davidson, Abram (Unity) over MOORE, JONATHON (SJO), Fall 3:58; 175 - Rink, Ryan (Unity) over SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO), Tech Fall 18-3; 190 - Winfrey, Desmond (Unity) over Carter, Liam (SJO), Maj Dec 16-2; 215 - Eastin, Hunter (Unity) over PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 2:10; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Dene, Jaden (Unity), Fall 5:45.

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