Editor’s note: Tony Wright submitted this report of the IESA State Wrestling Competition, held on Friday, March 13, 2026. He took the photo of Head Coach Jesse Kennedy, left, and Kennedy’s son, Assistant Coach Ryan, right. Ryan Kennedy took the tournament photos.
Uryah Wright wrapped up his decorated Middle School career. The boy, known for wearing the pink sparkly cowboy hat, placed 6th at the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Wrestling Tournament. After making his fourth trip to the State Tournament, he earned his fourth straight medal. As such, he will leave Morrison Junior High School as “the most-decorated Wrestler in school history,” finishing in 5th, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th. This year didn’t end the way he had hoped. It didn’t start the way he had hoped, either. Uryah suffered a shoulder injury preparing for a National-level tournament in October 2025, which laid him up until after the new year. He then broke his hand in February 2026 and was out of competition until the Regional Tournament. Like champions do, he prepared the best that he could: shadow wrestling, running the treadmill, and doing physical therapy, to prepare as much as possible for competition.
Uryah entered Friday morning, as one of the favorites to potentially win the 112 lb bracket. In his opening round match he did what he usually does–dominate. Wright scored a takedown and nearfall points in the first period. In the second period, he bundled up a cradle and pinned Noah Komnick of Monticello. Later that evening in his Quarterfinal match, Wright would do much of the same to Olympia’s Connor Phillips. Wright in the first period scored a takedown, followed by a second period takedown, and nearfall. In the third period he scored a cradle for the pin.
That set up a Semifinal showdown with Forrest Prairie Central’s Kelan Spisok. No stranger to success, Spisok had placed 1st and 3rd in his two trips to the IESA State Tournament. Wright initiated the attacks early, but it was Spisok who countered Wright’s attacks and to score a first period takedown. The second period would go much the same as Wright attacked. Spisok countered and was able to catch Wright for a takedown and nearfall coming out of a scramble. Uryah scored a reversal with 30 seconds to go, but he was unable to turn Spisok, losing 10-2 and ending his State title run. It was an unceremonious ending to his middle school career. Wright reinjured his shoulder and was forced to medically forfeit his last two matches, but still finished in 6th place. He is standing at far left.
The other Colt in action was Ashyr Deyo. He made his first trip to the State Tournament sporting leopard print hair for the occasion. Deyo would prove to have one of the most dramatic runs of the tournament. In his Friday morning bout he faced Camp Point Central’s Kristopher Higdon. Deyo started off hot with a first takedown and four nearfalls to carry a 7-0 lead to the second period. He added another takedown early in the second period and was cruising with a 10-0 lead. But Higdon rolled Deyo late in the second period, nearly pinning him, to tighten the match 10-6 going into the third period. Deyo, with choice, chose top and gave up two penalty points on illegal moves, making the match 10-8 with 30 seconds to go. In the end, Deyo held on and rode Higdon out for the victory.
In his Quarterfinal match he continued the drama facing Jameson Quinn of Knoxville. Deyo scored early in the first period. Riding hard, he put legs in and was turning Quinn in a power half, in what looked to be for sure nearfall points. The ref stopped the match for being potentially dangerous. Quinn would choose bottom in the second period. He scored a reversal and a rideout, sending it to the third period with Deyo leading 3-2. He chose down, thinking Quinn would have to let him to his feet eventually. In a turn of events, Quinn was able to catch Deyo’s arm, after an attempted stand up, and turned Ashyr in a butcher, for two nearfall points and a 4-3 lead. They went out of bounds with 34 seconds left on the clock. Deyo tried valiantly to escape, but it was Quinn who held on for a narrow victory.
In Saturday morning’s wrestleback, Deyo provided his only match that didn’t cause grey hair. He easily controlled Summit Heritage’s Enes Guru before pinning him in the second period, setting up a bloodround match with Caleb Olano of Jerseyville Community.
The first period was a shoving match between what looked like two grizzly bears, with Olano running Deyo out of bounds multiple times. In the second period Deyo chose top, put in a boot and turned Olano for four nearfall points. Olano worked his way off his back and scored a reversal, before locking his hands for the first time in the match–giving Deyo a penalty point and a 5-2 lead going into the third period. In the third, Deyo countered Olano’s attacks all period. With ten seconds to go, Olano took a shot; Deyo countered with a front headlock. Ashyr then whipped Olano over to his back in what looked like a match-sealing takedown. Olano bridged out and ended up on top, tying that match 5-5, with seven seconds left out of bounds. On the restart Deyo attempted to stand up, Olano stopped him. Deyo put his hand down attempting to kneeslide out and Olano illegally locked his hands around Deyo’s stomach for the remaining three seconds. Somehow, in the heat of the moment, the referee completely missed the clear infraction, sending the match to overtime. It was in overtime that Olano was able to score a match-winning takedown, ending Deyo’s bid for a medal.
Message from Tony Wright: Anyone who knows me, knows I love the sport of wrestling! There are no promises of success in this sport; only the promise that you will be challenged. You will deal with adversity, and you will fail…repeatedly. That’s exactly what I love. As agonizing as challenges and defeat can be, it teaches us. It teaches us to get back up, to persevere, to overcome adversity, and to continue going despite the circumstances. The sport of wrestling demands discipline, dedication, self-control, and commitment. For those of us that choose to go on this journey, we must embrace the hardships and challenges as part of daily life. It is in those hardships that Wrestlers are hardened like steel–fired, then hammered, and shaped on an anvil over and over. Like Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (NIV). We Wrestlers like to grind in obscurity hour after hour chasing unpromised dreams. As an older, retired Wrestler it is much easier for me to look back and be grateful for the journey that Wrestling has taken me on. It has taken me all over the world in a variety of forms, from local to international competitions; camps; mission trips; coaching UFC events. None of those experiences compare to the privilege of being on this journey with my sons. We have traveled together, faced adversity together, laughed together, cried together, and enjoyed the satisfaction of victory and a job well done at times.
I was blessed to walk in the Grand March in 2024 with Uryah (and his pink hat), a memory I will never forget. I have sat with him in the lonely hallways after crushing defeats, and watched him pick himself back up and finish the job when–maybe–he didn’t want to. As a parent I think I’m proudest in those moments. I love watching my children succeed; who wouldn’t? But watching them face and overcome challenges helps me know they are ready for life’s challenges.
Thank you for the followers and the continued support. Join us at our Banquet on Sunday, March 22, at 4:30 p.m. at Manny’s Too in Fulton, IL, to celebrate a great season! If your kid isn’t wrestling yet, I think it’s time they give it a try. Enjoy the journey!