Wrestlers compete at State Tournament with records in sight

Dylan Wehmeyer, Senior Staff Reporter • Feb 17, 2023

After winning his opening match in the State Tournament on Thursday, sophomore Caden Correll’s 48 wins currently stand as the wrestling program’s season-single win record.

Three members of the boys wrestling team — Caden Correll, Cole Gentsch and Cooper Caraway — compete at the 3A IHSA State Wrestling Tournament in Champaign this weekend, each entered Thursday’s opening round ranked among the State’s top five competitors in their weight class.

Seeded second in the 106 lb. weight class, sophomore Caden Correll took to the mat Thursday looking to extend his undefeated 47-0 season.

After failing to advance to State as a freshman, Correll captured 1st place at the Normal Community Sectional on Feb. 11.
Correll’s 47 wins have landed him atop the Wrestling program’s record boards — the nationally-ranked wrestler is Community’s single-season and all-time takedown record holder.

Cole Gentsch was 47-5 heading into the State competition. The 113 lb. sophomore finished 4th in his class at Sectionals to earn his spot on the mat this weekend.
Gentsch and Correll have the chance to make Ironmen history at State — the two underclassmen entered the State Tournament sharing the program’s single-season win record with 47 apiece.

Correll defeated Dekalb’s Kaden Klapprodt (26-14) in his opening match Thursday, advancing to Friday’s quarterfinal round with a 15-4 decision.

Gentsch dropped a 4-1 decision to Shaumburg’s undefeated Brady Phelps (37-0), he will wrestle Friday in the wrestleback bracket.
Junior Cooper Caraway earned second at Sectionals to secure his ticket to State; at 220 lbs, Caraway boasts a 43-5 record heading into the tournament.
Caraway, Community’s single-season and all-time pin leader, squared off against Conant High’s Harley Stary (28-10) in the competition’s opening round Thursday, advancing to quarterfinals via a first-period pin.
The individual accomplishments of Caraway, Gentsch and Correll translated to team success this season. The Ironmen went 17-3 in dual matches and claimed the Big 12 Conference Championship Title for the first time since 1989.

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About the Contributor

Dylan Wehmeyer, Senior Staff Reporter

Dylan Wehmeyer is a senior at Normal Community High School and is involved with Best Buddies and FMP. This is his third year working with the Inkspot; he is a senior staff reporter. A book that moved me is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. A slogan I live by is "You never know what someone is going through. Be kind. Always."