Free Press Advocate

Wooters places fourth at IWCOA state

Published by admin on Tue, 06/29/2021 - 4:54pm

by shawn long
Sports writer
Wildcat Aiden Wooters placed fourth in state during the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association wrestling state finals on Thursday.
Wooters (182) was one of five Wildcats to make the trip down and the only one to medal.
Wilmington wrestling coach Rob Murphy couldn’t have been more proud of not only his six that went down to state but the girls and Landon Dooley, who wrestled really well in the Fresh/soph tournament.

Six Wildcat matmen looking to place, Narine could be fourth three-time state placer

Published by admin on Tue, 06/22/2021 - 3:18pm

by shawn long
Sports writer
Six Wildcat matmen will have a chance to place when they compete in the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association state wrestling tournament on Thursday.
Wilmington coach Rob Murphy is proud of his wrestlers especially seniors Jack Narine and Aiden Wooters, who made state in their final year.

Prescott takes seventh in girls wrestling state, Shields short of placing

Published by admin on Tue, 06/22/2021 - 3:18pm

by shawn long
Sports writer
Junior Aubin Shields and freshman Priscilla Prescott made WHS history last week by qualifying for the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association state wrestling tournament in the Springfield, IL.
Prescott placed seventh in her weight class to become the first WHS female wrestler to qualify and medal at state.

IHSA planning girls state wrestling event for next year

Published by admin on Tue, 06/22/2021 - 3:15pm

by shawn long
Sports writer
The Illinois High School Association Board of Directors finalized a schedule and location for the first-ever IHSA Individual Girls Wrestling State Finals that will be held in 2022.
That’s good news for four area female wrestlers—two from Wilmington and one each at Reed-Custer and Coal City—who competed among boys in the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Assocation’s finals. While the IWCOA hosts a girls only state tourney, it will be the first time the IHSA will sanction a girls only tourney.

Chicago Hope Sectional will house 24 state ranked wrestlers

Published by admin on Tue, 06/15/2021 - 4:43pm

by shawn long
Sports writer
If the Coal City wrestling regional was easy for some, it will only get more difficult from here on. The Chicago Hope Sectional tournament, sponsored by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officals Association, will include 24 state ranked wrestlers strewn throughout the weight classes from 16 different Class 1A teams. That is just one of four individual sectionals taking place on Saturday.

Wildcat matmen crown two regional champions

Published by admin on Tue, 06/15/2021 - 4:37pm

by shawn long
Sports writer
WHS wrestlers had a great day during the independent Coal City Regional as they qualifed 10 of their wrestlers for the Chicago Hope Sectional tournament which will be held Saturday.
The ‘Cats had two champions, four who earned second place, three in third place and Parker Adams (145) in fifth place.
The ‘Cats crowned Landon Dooley (113) and Aiden Wooters (182) as champions.

Lady ‘Cats place three at state track

Published by admin on Tue, 06/15/2021 - 4:34pm

Three Lady Wildcats travelled to Charleston to compete in the IHSA state track meet Thursday. On a very warm and humid day, the Lady Cats ended a multiple medal drought spanning 23 years.  
The last state medal a Wilmington girl earned in track  was in 2005 when Anna Strong brought home a medal in the 300 meter hurdles.
The Lady Cats have not had multiple medals since the 1998 season.
The Cats brought home three state medals this season and finished 19th out of the 68 teams scoring points.

Lady 'Cats break 16-year medal drought

Published by admin on Fri, 06/11/2021 - 9:44am
 Three Lady Wildcats travelled to Charleston to compete in the IHSA state track meet Thursday. On a very warm and humid day, the Lady Cats ended a medal drought spanning decades.  

Lady ‘Cats upended by Coal City in sectional

Published by admin on Tue, 06/08/2021 - 3:29pm

Clark booms two through,
not enough to beat Coalers
by shawn long
Sports writer
The Wilmington soccer team had their season come to an end on Tuesday during a 4-3 loss to Coal City in the first game of the regionals.
The Lady Coalers jumped on the Lady ‘Cat goalie with a goal at 29:53 mark in the first half.
Sophomore Alexa Clark responded with one of her two goals on a half point shot to tie things at 1-1. Wilmington soccer coach Travis Ivanhoff knew Coal City would fight hard and he was right.

‘Cats cursed by Blue Devils in regionals

Published by admin on Tue, 06/08/2021 - 3:27pm

Walinski drives in two, not
enough to carry the ‘Cats
by shawn long
Sports writer
Things didn’t work out for the Wilmington baseball team, who went one-and-done during the playoffs, falling 7-4 to Peotone on Wednesday, a team they had beatened twice before.
Before Wednesday’s regional game, the Wildcats swept the Devils 8-6 and 12-2, and in both games, they jumped on the Devils early.
It was Peotone who took the early lead as Austin Massat hit a three-run home run in the first inning to give them a 3-0 lead.