INDIANAPOLIS — The Mt. Vernon Marauders pushed four wrestlers into the championship finals during Saturday’s Lawrence Central Sectional and seized one weight-class title to place fourth overall as a team.
Led by sectional champion P.J. Sterrett at 182 pounds, the Marauders scored 157.5 points behind third-place Lawrence North (176.0) and runner-up North Central (221.5). Cathedral won the sectional team title with 297.0 points.
The Cathedral Irish racked up nine weight-class titles to fend off the field, but the Marauders stood their ground, advancing six wrestlers into this upcoming Saturday’s Pendleton Heights Regional.
Sterrett improved his season record to 38-6 after winning four matches en route to an individual championship. Sterrett opened with two forfeit victories, followed by a 3-2 decision in the semifinals against North Central’s Devontay Moore.
In the championship, Sterrett scored a 3-2 decision against Lawrence Central’s Eliseo Caldera to finish atop the winner’s podium.
Mt. Vernon had four wrestlers advance into the championship round.
Chase Wilkerson (35-3) used a first-round bye and a forfeit to reach the 120-pound semifinals where he won by major decision 14-2 over Bishop Chatard’s Ryan Seymour. In the finals, he lost by decision 3-1 to Cathedral’s Lukasz Walendzak (33-3).
Chris Wilkerson (32-6) was runner-up at 132. After a first-round bye, Wilkerson recorded two pins at 1 minute, nine seconds and 2:59 to face Cathedral’s Alex Mosconi (24-2) in the finals. Wilkerson lost by decision 3-0 in the championship match.
Drake Kendrex (37-4), a Hoosier Heritage Conference champion along with Sterrett, reached the 160-pounds finals behind a bye, a forfeit and a fall in 2:59 during the semifinals against North Central’s Quinn Ford. In the finals, he lost by sudden victory 4-2 to Lawrence North’s James Despain (28-12).
The Marauders other regional qualifiers included Aiden Alford (28-18) at 138, who placed fourth, and Max Hayes (30-9), who put together a third-place run at 145.
