PERU – There was plenty to celebrate for the Amboy wrestling team after the IHSA Class 1A St. Bede Regional on Saturday, Feb. 8 at Peru.

The Clippers advanced five wrestlers from the regional to the Class 1A Oregon Sectional on Friday, Feb. 14.

Aden Spinelli was the soul Amboy regional champion as he stood atop the 106-pound podium. The remaining four Clipper sectional qualifiers each earned a third-place medal as Josh McKendry placed at 138, Caiden Heath at 144, Jose Lopez at 150, and Evan Flanagan at 215.

In the team standings, Amboy finished fifth out of 10 teams with 93.5 points.

Sandwich won with 209.5, Princeton was second with 176.5, Marquette took third with 134.5, and St. Bede was fourth with 104.5. Amboy paced Mendota, which took sixth with 85 points.

Before the St. Bede Regional, the Amboy wrestling team got in as many mats visits as possible.

The AHS grapplers competed in the 42^nd annual Bob Mitton Invitation Tournament Friday and Saturday, Jan. 24-25, at Orion High School.

Amboy finished with 88 points to place 14^th out of 24 team. Galesburg won with a score of 183, Byron was second with 178.5, and Rockridge had 176 for third.

For the Clippers, Spinelli took second at 106 pounds, Heath finished third at 144, and Lopez was fifth at 150.

On Wednesday, Jan. 29, Amboy hosted a quadrangular with Dakota, Durand-Pecatonica, and Galena.

Scoring for the Clippers against Galena were 106-pounder Aden Spinelli (pin), 120 Tyler Florschuetz (forfeit), 138 Josh McKendry (pin), and 150 Jose Lopez (26-9 technical fall). In a junior varsity 138-pound match, Keaton Thompson Shaw earned points for Amboy with a 12-6 decision.

Amboy received forfeit points against Dakota from Chase Huggins (126), McKendry (138), and Thompson Shaw (144). Lopez earned a pinfall victory and Evan Flanagan (215) won via decision, 4-0.

McKendry (138) and Lopez (157) pinned Du-Pec, while Florschuetz picked up a 14-6 decision, and Thompson Shaw took forfeit points.

McKendry was recognized for his efforts as part of the Amboy wrestling team on Thursday, Jan. 30 during Senior Night.

What was supposed to be a triangular with Kewanee and Marquette became a dual between the Clippers and the Boilermakers. Florschuetz won via a 16-0 technical fall at 120 and Lopez earned a pin at 157 against Kewanee.