Alton's Antonia Phillips Captures State Championship For Alton, Tigers' Pratt, Kahoks' Dawson Place Second

IHSA STATE TOURNAMENT AT GROSSINGER MOTORS ARENA, BLOOMINGTON

PHILLIPS WINS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR ALTON, DAWSON, PRATT FINISH SECOND, RHODES, ROTTMANN, RHODES PLACE THIRD AT IHSA STATE MEET: Alton's Antonia Phillips took home a state championship, while Collinsville's Taylor Dawson and Edwardsville's Mackenzie Pratt both finished second and August Rottmann of Highland and Abby Rhodes of Edwardsville both finished third in the final day of the inaugural IHSA girls wrestling tournament Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

In the 140-pound division, Phillips won her semifinal bout over Emma Garrett of McHenry by fall at 1:40, then defeated Savannah Hamilton of El Paso-Gridley 6-2 to become the area's first-ever state champion in the sport. Phillips ends the season with a 20-3 record.

PHILLIPS ADVANCES TO SEMIFINALS FOR REDBIRDS, DAWSON MOVES ON FOR KAHOKS, PRATT, RHODES GO THROUGH FOR TIGERS, ROTTMANN GOES THROUGH FOR BULLDOGS: Five Riverbender.com area wrestlers advance to the semifinals in the first-ever IHSA girls wrestling state tournament Friday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

Antonia Phillips of Alton won both of her matches at 140 pounds, defeating Hazel Hartwig of Wauconda by technical superiority 18-2 at 4:51, then won by fall over Noemi Marchan of Chicago Lane at 1:59 to move to the semifinals.

At 125 pounds, Collinsville's Taylor Dawson move to the last four with wins over Dahlia Leighton of Lombard Glenbard East by fall at 2:19 and Carly Ford of Coal City with a pin at 49 seconds.

The Tigers saw Olivia Coll lose her 100-pound opener by fall to Emma Engels of Bartlett at 2:54, but bounced back in the wrestlebacks, defeating Lordes Hernandez of Elgin 15-3, then won over Bentley Hills of Oak Park-River Forest 8-0 to advance to the third round. At 120 pounds, Mackenzie Pratt won her opening bout over Eleanor Aphay of Riverside-Brookfield by fall at 1:35, then pinned Nyah Lovis of Chicago Lane at 1:33 to go to the final four. Abby Rhodes also scored a pair of pinfalls to advance at 130 pounds, winning by fall over Abby Ji of Hoffman Estates at 3:30, then pinned Karla Topete of Berwyn-Cicero Morton at 3:03 to advance to the last four.

Granite City's Samir Elliott was eliminated with two losses at 155 pounds, falling to Dezirae Yanke of Wilmington by fall at 1:17, then lost her first match in the consolation bracket to Alice Ramirez of Evanston at 4:38.

Highland's August Rottmann won both of her bouts at 170 pounds to go on to the final four, defeating Kelli Watkins of Lockport Township 7-5, then pinning Alexandra Strzelecky of Huntley at 2:43 to move to the semifinals.

BOYS WRESTLING

IHSA TEAM STATE FINALS AT GROSSINGER MOTORS ARENA, BLOOMINGTON

In the state championship meets of the IHSA boys team state tournaments at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington, Yorkville Christian defeated Tremont 48-24 to win the Class 1A championship, Joliet Catholic Academy edged Deerfield 39-33 to win the Class 2A title, and in the Class 3A final, Chicago Mt. Carmel Catholic defeated DeKalb 32-27 to win the state championship.

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