Maxx Fritz (Archived photo)
Maxx Fritz, a junior at Gillespie High School, wrestled in the 152-pound weight class this weekend at the 80th IHSA State Wrestling tourney held at the State Farm Center in Champaign and finished fourth in his class winning three and losing two matches.
Fritz started the tournament by defeating Wilson Ferry on Thursday by fall. Friday morning, he defeated undefeated Trevor Bullington of Leroy 9-2 to set up a semifinal bout where a win would place him in the grand march. Later into Friday evening he faced Arieh Hart of Anna Jonesboro and lost a heartbreaking decision 5-4.
He came back on Saturday morning to pick up his third win of the tournament by defeating Nick Pretto of Wilmington 6-4. Later that day, Fritz wrestled for third place and lost a decision to Mason Sauseda 6-5 to place fourth.
The finish places Maxx among only two Mt. Olive wrestlers who have received three medals at state, with the other one being Brad Stockstill with a third place medal and two championships. Fritz finishes the season with an overall record for the year at 41-6. The six losses were to two state champions in Illinois and three state place winners in Illinois and Missouri and the last three losses were by one point and the other by two points.
The finish by Fritz ties a record for the most wins in a season by a Mt. Olive wrestler with Stockstill who went 41-1 in 1986 in a 3rd place effort and 41-00 in 1988 as a champion.
Also making the first of what is planned to be future state trips was Jonny Darrah at 160 pounds. On Thursday afternoon Darrah won by a 5-1 decision over Elizeo Zamora of Hoopesten. He returned on Friday morning and lost to Kyle Kalkbrenner of Lena Winslow by fall and wrestled his third match at the state tournament 45 minutes later and lost to Mason VanDuyne of Wilmington 7-2.
Darrah ended the season with a record of 33-7 with two losses to Illinois or Missouri state champions and three others to state place winners in Illinois.
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