By Fred Kroner
In the two-day Illini Prairie Conference dual-meet wrestling tournament, which ended on Saturday (Jan. 15) at Monticello, St. Joseph-Ogden placed fifth after going 4-4.
Two Spartans were conference champions after finishing the tournament with 8-0 records: sophomore Emmitt Holt (113 pounds) and freshman Holden Brazelton (120 pounds).
Junior Owen Birt was 7-1 and placed second at 195 pounds.
In all, 10 SJ-O competitors won at least one match at the conference tournament.
Landen Butts was 6-2 at 132 pounds, Lexi Wirth was 3-1 at 126 pounds, Austin Cotter was 4-4 at 285 pounds, Peyton Sarver was 2-2 at 220 pounds, Matt Falls was 3-5 at 138 pounds, Quincy Jones was 1-3 at 220 pounds and Garrett Denhart was 1-0 at 138 pounds.
SJ-O’s dual-meet wins at the conference were over Rantoul (48-18), St. Thomas More (36-18), Pontiac (40-33) and Chillicothe IVC (36-21).
The Spartans’ losses at the tournament were to Stanford Olympia (50-24), Monticello (60-23), Tolono Unity (62-13) and Prairie Central (48-32).
Unity captured team honors.
The Spartans’ match against Pontiac was settled in the last bout when Birt posted a pin in 1 minutes and 11 seconds. SJ-O’s lead was 34-33 entering Birt’s match.
Birt and Butts each collected three pins at the conference event. Holt had two pins.
For the season, Brazelton is 26-1 with a 24-match winning streak. Holt is 20-2 and has won 16 matches in a row.
SJ-O (6-13) returns to action on Thursday (Jan. 20) at El Paso in a meet that will also include Clinton.
