STATE CHAMP: Tigers' Surtin captures wrestling title; Edwardsville's Odom, Shells' Maguire both finish third

CHAMPAIGN – Edwardsville's Noah Surtin has accomplished something no individual Tiger wrestler has done before.

Win a state championship.

Surtin won the 113-pound title at Saturday's 82nd IHSA Wrestling Championship individual finals at State Farm Center when he defeated Lombard Montini's Dylan Ragusin in a 7-6 decision to claim the title.

Surtin's title wasn't the only accomplishment for the Tigers on the day; Luke Odom finished third at 126 pounds by going through Saturday's wrestlebacks, starting with a 8-4 decision over Huntley's Zach Spencer in a semifinal bout, then taking a 2-0 decision over Montini's Dylan Burnoski in the third-place bout, wile Josh Anderson, wrestling at 220, was eliminated in the second round of wrestlebacks when he was pinned in 2:56 by Carol Stream Glenbard North's Quintin Terry.

“It's a proud moment for me as a coach, for Noah and for the Edwardsville wrestling program,” said Tiger coach Jon Wagner Saturday night. “Noah's worked really hard and lived a wrestling lifestyle; it's proof that hard work and effort does pay off. I'm really proud of Noah, Luke and Josh for everthing they've accomplished this year; they've all worked hard to get to where they're at right now.”

Edwardsville's wrestlers weren't the only ones representing the area at the state meet; here's a look at how area wrestlers fared over the weekend:

CLASS 3A

Alton's Courteney Wilson also wrestled at the state meet, representing the Redbirds at 152 pounds; Wilson, however, was eliminated Friday in the opening round of wrestlebacks after being defeated in Thursday's opening round. Wilson was ousted by Mount Carmel's Ashton Breen in a 4-2 decision in Wilson's first bout in the wrestlebacks.

CLASS 2A

Civic Memorial's Tyus brothers, Caine and Caleb, both entered the weekend's competition after winning opening-round bouts on Thursday; Caine, wrestling at 106 pounds, dropped his quartefinal bout Friday to Ottawa's Luke Fleming by a 5-4 decision to be relegated to the wrestlebacks, where he was eliminated by Crystal Lake South's Christian Olson in a 14-1 decision. Caleb, wrestling at 113, also went out in the opening round of wrestlebacks, dropping a 6-5 decision to Antioch's Alex Barbarise in the quarters, then being ousted from the tournament in a 2-1 loss to Joliet Catholic's Jack Finnagan.

Jersey's Zeke Waltz fell into the wrestlebacks after a loss Thursday, but was eliminated by Chicago Brother Rice's Dominic Murphy in a 6-2 decision, while Triad's Garrett Bakarich did not advance to the wrestlebacks after his Thursday loss to Lemont's Kyle Zator.

CLASS 1A

Roxana's Alex Maguire had a very successful tournament, taking third place at 145 Saturday; following his win in Thursday's opening round over Orion's Trent Scharpman, Maguire fell to Quincy Notre Dame's Zach Haley in Friday's quarterfinals, dropping a 6-3 decision to be relegated to wrestlebacks; Maguire openined the wrestlebacks with a 1:09 fall over Lisle's Jack Kelly before eliminating Coal City's Ryan Wasielewski in the second round by a 13-4 decision. Saturday, Maguire took a 5-2 decision over Sterling Newman Central Catholic's Brody Ivey to move into the third-place bout, where Maguire defeated Murphysboro's Ryan Chambers 8-0 for third.

Both of East Alton-Wood River's representatives went out of the tournament by early Friday; Jake Erslon, wrestling at 170, was eliminated by Aledo-Mercer County's Steven Speaker II in the opening round of wrestlebacks in an 8-3 decision, while Zach Kincade, going at 220, did not qualify for the wrestlebacks after dropping a first-round decision Thursday.

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