Junior High Wrestling Coach Tony Wright submitted this feature and photographs.
Well-wishers, staff, and students at Morrison Junior High, 300 Academic Drive, Morrison, IL, will hold a send-off Friday morning, March 8, 2024, at approximately 8:00 a.m. Three State Wrestling qualifiers are chasing a State title: left-to-right, Eli Modglin, Uryah Wright, and Cael Wright.
Action begins at the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center at 11:30. If you cannot make it to DeKalb, IL, you can follow the action on www.trackwrestling.com. Search for “IESA 2024 State Tournament.”
Five Morrison Junior High Wrestlers took to the mats on Saturday, March 2, at the IESA Sectional Wrestling Tournament. Uryah Wright, Cael Wright, Eli Modglin, Mason Grismore, and Trevor Tipton made the trip to Rockridge Community Unit School District in Taylor Ridge, IL. After a long day of wrestling, three Colts earned the opportunity to chase a State title this coming weekend. Uryah Wright and Eli Modglin marched their way to the Sectional finals.
Uryah Wright redeemed an upset loss from Regional weekend in the semis against Coltin Hartman of Fulton, IL. A week ago Wright held a four-point lead with only 15 seconds left in the match. Hartman caught Wright in a spladle to pin him in dramatic fashion. Uryah got payback this weekend, as he controlled the match and pinned Hartman in the second period. In the finals, Wright matched up against another Fulton nemesis, Hudson Price. These two have met eight or nine times in two years. Wright scored two takedowns to earn a 4-3 victory and a Sectional title. Uryah holds the first place finish sign.
Eli Modglin went untouched on his way to a Sectional title and a State berth. He dominated his first two matches with pins. In the finals he matched up against Rockridge’s Noah Behr, where he continued his dominance, rolling to a 9-0 major decision. Modglin, in only his second year of Wrestling, didn’t surrender a single point on Saturday, as he punished his opponents, outscoring them 21-0. Modglin will make his way to the IESA State Tournament as a relative unknown. My guess is, the State of Illinois will know who he is after the weekend. Eli holds his first place finish sign.
Cael Wright earned his second trip to the State Tournament. Cael had to earn his berth the hard way, as he suffered a controversial last-second loss in the semi-final bout. Tied 6-6, Wright ran a chicken to score what looked like two back points, to win the match in the final seconds. As time expired his opponent, Boston Morford of Mercer County, slipped out of the hold to reverse him. When the chaos settled the sequence was scored a reversal and no backpoints for Wright, causing him to lose 6-8. Wright recovered quickly to beat his “bloodround” opponent 14-0, before pinning his opponent in the third-place match. Cael is at right, in the third post.
Mason Grismore and Trevor Tipton competed hard this weekend as well. Grismore suffered two consecutive losses. He was winning both matches, but inexperience got the better of him. Grismore is in his second year of wrestling and has made vast improvements. I expect to see him at the State Tournament next year. Tipton, in his first year of wrestling, went 1-2 on the weekend. Undersized in the heavyweight division, Tipton was simply unable to overcome the disadvantage. He competed well and earned a first-round wrestle back win over a Riverdale opponent. We hope to see Tipton continue wrestling in the future, as he could be really good in this sport.