OREGON – Amboy sophomore Jose Lopez is headed to the biggest wrestling meet of the year, the IHSA State Tournament, after advancing from the IHSA Class 1A Oregon Sectional over the two-day event Feb. 14-15.

Lopez, 28-15 on the season, finished fourth in the 150-pound bracket in Oregon with three victories and two loses.

In his first match, Lopez won by a 6-3 decision over Chase Siguenza of Wheaton St. Francis. He kept the winning trend in the championship bracket quarterfinal with a 7-6 decision victory over Riverdale’s Kolton Kruse.

Lopez lost in a semifinal by a fall (2:40) to Stillman Valley’s Henry Hildreth but bounced back with a consolation bracket semifinal victory over Richmond-Burton’s Dalton Youngs via a 6-5 decision.

With the win over Youngs, Lopez had already qualified for state by being a top four wrestler in his bracket, but for placing sake, Lopez dueled in the third-place match against Kewanee’s Ben Taylor. Lopez lost by major decision, 10-0.

Lopez’s next mission is the IHSA State Tournament, which kicks off Thursday, Feb. 20 and runs through Saturday, Feb. 22 at the State Farm Center in Champaign on the University of Illinois campus.

“I’m immensely proud of Jose for qualifying for the state tournament. He has been working hard in the practice room all season and weightlifting with Coach (Joe) Flanagan after practice as well,” said Amboy wrestling coach Michael Olson. “Jose is wrestling up a weight class this year, and that can be difficult, but he met the challenge and defeated some really tough kids at the sectional.

“I look forward to seeing how far Jose will advance not only this season but in years to come. If he keeps up the hard work, I foresee him bringing home state medals in the future.” 

The Clippers had five wrestlers compete at the Oregon Sectional.

Freshman Aden Spinelli, 106 pounds, finished his season with a 31-9 record as he made it to the consolation bracket’s third round. Spinelli received a bye in the first round, lost by a 12-6 decision to Cael Wright of Morrison in a championship bracket quarterfinal, pinned Sebastian Lara of Lisle in 3:43 for a consolation Round 2 victory, and fell to Nate Lower of Rockridge via a 13-3 major decision in the third round.

Senior Josh McKendry (22-14) took to the mats at 138 pounds as he lost his first match by a 7-5 decision to Mauricio Glass of Lena-Winslow, received a bye in the first round of the consolation bracket, and lost in the second round to Levi Benton of Oregon by pinfall at 4:31.

Caiden Heath, AHS sophomore, finished the season with under 10 loses (36-9). At 144 pounds at Oregon, he was pinned in the first round at 5:34 by West Carroll’s Connor Knop, received a bye in the first round of the consolation bracket, and lost to Thomas Sowards, of Rockridge via a 16-1 technical fall in the second round.

Junior Evan Flanagan (28-14) wrested at 215 pounds with a first-round loss to Aiden Fisher of Orion by fall (1:32), received a bye in the first round of the consolation bracket, and lost by a 6-0 decision to Jeremy Johanki of Wheaton Academy.

The wrestling season isn’t over for the Amboy freshmen and sophomores as they are in the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association State Frosh-Soph Tournament. The regional is March 2 in Morrison, sectional is March 9 in Sterling, and the finals are March 15-16 at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield.