EDWARDSVILLE - Ethan Knecht was breaking into the lineup on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, and he delivered a big pin at 138 pounds that helped give Edwardsville a 41-26 win over CBC in an important meet at Warren "Babe" Stahlhut Arena at the Jon Davis Wrestling Center.
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Knecht's win by fall was the key to what Tigers head coach Eric Pretto an incredible night of wrestling. In one way, it was historic as well.
"Tonight was the first double spotlight match we had," Pretto said that evening, with the girls team also going up against Belleville West under the spotlight. "The guys were just super. I'm pleased how our team crossed the line and competed tonight."
It was also the Tigers' annual Senior Night, with all the senior wrestlers and their families being honored, saluted, and thanked for all of their contributions to the program. Pretto felt it was a very special atmosphere throughout the night, and a memory the seniors will always have with them.
"It was excellent on the night," Pretto said, "It was a tremendous night for the sport of wrestling."
Edwardsville is slated for three meets this week one at O'Fallon on Jan. 29, then at East St. Louis on Jan. 30 and Belleville East on Jan. 31.
The Tigers will be host an IHSA Class 3A regional on Feb. 8 at Lincoln Middle School, with Alton, Belleville East, Belleville West, Collinsville, Granite City, O'Fallon, and Quincy, with the qualifiers advancing to the Joliet Central sectional Feb. 14.
Michael McNamara got the festivities started at 106 pounds with a 4-2 win in his bout, but Chace Matheny lost his 113-pound match by fall at 1:19 to give the Cadets a 6-3 lead. Matheny got a second chance at 120 pounds, and scored a pin at 23 seconds to give the Tigers the lead back at 9-6, then Levi Wilkinson won his 126-pound bout by technical superiority at 4:59 to give Edwardsville a 14-6 advantage.
Tyler Perry lost at 132 pounds by technical superiority at 5:05 to cut the lead to 14-11, with Knecht coming through at 138 pounds with a pin at 1:09 to up the lead to 20-11. Ian Trauernicht was then pinned at 2:26 to cut the lead back to 20-16, and Blake Mink lost at 150 pounds14-3 to allow CBC to tie the meet at 20-20.
The deadlock didn't last long, as Logan Hiller took his own 14-3 decision at 157 pounds to gibe Edwardsville the lead back at 24-20, then Graham Taylor won the 165-pound match 6-2 to up the lead to 27-20. Brendan Landau then scored a pin at 175 pounds at 2:12 to increase the lead to 33-20 for the Tigers, effectively clinching the meet.
Simon Schulte was pinned at 1:05 in the 190-pound bout to cut the lead to 33-26, but Roman Janek took a 5-3 win at 215 pounds, and Riley Steinkuhler won the final bout at 285 pounds by fall at 3:07 to make the final 41-26. for Edwardsville.
The state finals are set for State Farm Center at the University of Illinois Feb. 20-22, while the team sectionals will be held at a site to be announced, and the team state finals will be held Feb. 28-Mar. 1 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
