Lemont Wrestling Ties School Records With 10 State Qualifiers

LEMONT, IL — Lemont High School’s wrestling program made it an historic day at the IHSA Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Feb. 15, as it matched single-season school records by advancing ten wrestlers to state finals competition and winning six sectional titles, the school said.

Seniors Grant LaDuke and Drew Nash, juniors Apollo Gothard and Ray Hernandez, sophomore Alex Tagler and freshman AJ Heeg all won sectional titles, the school said. Senior Kyle Schickel posted a runner-up finish; and senior Kyle Zator, junior Mo Jarad and sophomore Evan Schiffman each earned third place in their respective weight classes.

Lemont’s state finals contingent will compete at the 2020 IHSA Class 2A Wrestling Individual state finals, which will be contested Feb. 20-22 at the State Farm Center at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

LaDuke and Schickel join Egan Berta ‘17 and Jake Kirkman ‘17 as the only wrestlers in school history to earn four individual state finals berths, the school said. Gothard, Nash and Zator all will be making their third state finals appearances; Schiffman advanced to the state finals for the second straight season; and Heeg, Hernandez, Jarad and Tagler will be making their state finals debuts. Gothard, LaDuke, Nash, Schickel and Schiffman all have won state medals.

Lemont previously advanced ten individuals to the IHSA State Finals in 2012, and saw six individuals win sectional crowns in 2017, the school

The IHSA Class 2A Individual State Finals begin with first-round matches at 2:15 p.m. Feb. 20, and preliminary round winners advance to compete in the quarterfinal round at 6:45 p.m. First-round wrestlebacks begin at 11 a.m. Feb. 21, and championship semifinals will take place at 7 p.m., according to the school.

The final day of competition on Feb. 22 will include quarterfinal and semifinal wrestlebacks beginning at 9 a.m., and third and fifth place matches at 1 p.m. The final session commences with the Grand March at 5:30 p.m., which will be followed by championship matches.

Tickets for the IHSA Class 2A State Finals are $10 or $12 per session; all-session passes are available for $50 or $60. Tickets may be purchased at the State Farm Center.