Eureka Men Compete at Regionals
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. – On Thursday and Friday, members of the Eureka Men's Wrestling team competed in Regionals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Eureka freshman Trevor Hedges (Canton, Ill./Canton) finished in eighth place at 133. Hedges pinned Simpson's Zach Westerfield in 0:56 and University of the Ozarks' John Raymundo in 0:23 in Championship Rounds 1 and 2 before losing to Wartburg's Joe Pins by technical fall in the Quarterfinals. Hedges pinned Luther's Cristian Chavez in 2:26 in Consolation Round 4 before losing to Coe's Bryce Parke by technical fall in Consolation Round 5. In the 7th place match, Hedges lost by decision to Central's Brock Beck (13-8).
Nathan Berta (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) took eighth place at 141. Berta advanced from Round 1 on a bye and then pinned Schreiner's Jayden Bustillos in 2:06 in Championship Round 2. Berta lost by technical fall to Wartburg's Kyler Romero in the Quarterfinals. He then pinned Millikin's William Tucker in 1:00 in Consolation Round 4 before losing to Ozarks' Jacob Dado by decision (9-2) in Consolation Round 5. In the 7th place match, Berta lost by major decision to Luther's Ryan Cripe (13-3).
At 157, another EC freshman, Mikie Hartnett (Morton, Ill./Morton), lost by technical fall to Millikin's Nathan Callaway in Championship Round 1 and by decision (9-7) to Coe's Gabe McGeough in Consolation Round 2.
Anthony Sartori (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) competed at 165 and lost to Luther's Bryce McDonough by technical fall in Championship Round 2. Sartori then won over Micah Dennis from Fontbonne by decision (14-8) before going out to Millikin's Chance Cole in Consolation Round 4, losing by decision (14-8).
At 174, freshman Tyren Moore (Chicago, Ill./Quincy) was pinned by Millikin's Dejon Glaster in 55 seconds. Moore later lost to Austin Roos from Central by technical fall in Consolation Round 3.
Thomas Culp (Quincy, Ill. / Quincy) wrestled at 197 for Eureka. Culp lost by decision to Cornell's Treyten Steffen (6-1) in Championship Round 2 and by technical fall to Montgomery Mills of Westminster in Consolation Round 3.
Eureka ends the 2023-24 season with a 4-2 record in duals, a second-place finish at the first-ever SLIAC Wrestling Championship, 7 wrestlers winning all-conference awards, Coach Biehl and company being awarded SLIAC Coaching Staff of the year, and Trevor Hedges receiving SLIAC Newcomer of the Year. In just their second season and with a wealth of talented young wrestlers, it is clear there is a bright future ahead for Eureka Men's Wrestling.