CHAMPAIGN, Ill. • Lavion Mayes became the first Mascoutah wrestler to win an individual state title when he beat Benard Gantt of Cahokia in the 145-pound final Saturday night in the 75th annual Illinois state individual tournament at Assembly Hall.
Mayes, a senior who had wrestled Gantt four previous times with three wins, scored a 15-6 major over the Comanches senior 15-6. Mayes ended his season at 43-1. Gantt, a senior, wound up 32-8.
"It felt just like all the other matches this season," said Mayes, who did a backflip then nearly jumped over coach Chris Lindsay as he leapt into Lindsay's grasp. "Coach assured me it will sink in (winning the title). All I knew I had to get to my shots. Every shot I kept getting on him.....the more the lead went, the more the openings I had."
Mayes, who placed third in 140 last season, was wrestling with a torn medial meniscus in his left knee he hurt during the regionals two weeks ago. The injury won't need surgery and it didn't bother him as he made his run through his weight class.
Against Gantt Saturday night, Mayes took Gantt down six times and each time Gantt didn't have an answer. "I was able to score more and I had more opportunities too," Mayes said. "He changed his style almost every time we've wrestled. He has a good coach (Khris Whalen), he's a smart kid and he knows how to change his style mid-match. I think I countered that pretty well."
For his part, Gantt didn't have an answer for any of Mayes' moves.
"I went out and tried and the moves I had didn't work," said Gantt, fighting back tears. "I went out on my last match and lost. Everything I had didn't work."
After twice finishing second in the state tournament, Civic Memorial senior David Pearce finally won a championship on his last try at 126.
Pearce beat George Fisher of Marmion Academy of Aurora 6-3. He ended 26-2. Fisher, a junior, wound up 36-7.
"That was the greatest feeling ever," said Pearce, who did a backflip after his hand was raised. "That was awesome. It was unbelieveable. It's almost undescribeable. To win....I'll never forget that ever."
There was never a doubt Pearce would stand atop the podium this season, although he did miss the first half of the season after having surgery on his left knee for a torn meniscus.
With that fixed, he was able to perform as an elite wrestler and he showed he was the best Saturday night. Pearce, who finished second in 2009 and 2011, grabbed a 2-0 lead after one period and was up 6-0 after two periods.
Fisher was able to score three times in third period, the last two points coming on a reversal with 28 seconds remaining. But it was too little too late.
"He proved he's the No. 1 kid in Illinois at (1)26 in 2A," said Eagles coach Chad Young. "He knew he was going to win it this year. This was his last shot and he wasn't going to let anything get in his way."
In Class 3A at 182, Taylor McGiffen of Alton was denied a state title as he lost a 9-2 decision to Sammy Brooks (38-1) of Oak Park-River Forest. McGiffen, a senior who finished the season 47-2, is the third second-place finisher in school history and first since Everett Johnesee did it as a heavyweight in 1940. William Vahle (1938) is the other second-place finisher at 155.
Edwardsville senior Blake Blair (41-5) also finished second in Class 3A at 195 after he was beaten by senior Brad Johnson (37-0) of Lockport 3-0. Blair, who was beaten in the finals by Johnson 7-0 at the Lincoln-Way Central Sectional last Saturday, is only the second Tiger to wind up second in the individual meet. Steve Hagestrom did so in 1974 at 167.
Earlier in the day, two local wrestlers won third-place matches.
Jake Tindle of Triad (170) in Class 2A and Kameron Harris of Althoff (182) in Class 1A were winners, while Cole Wysocki of Triad (106), Kyle Graumenz (138) of Triad and David Frazier of Cahokia (152) wound up fourth in Class 2A.
In Class 3A, Mech Spraggins of Belleville West (126) was fourth, as was Josh Dowdy of Granite City (170) and Skyler Procasky of Belleville East (138) finished fifth. In Class 1A, Tyler Floyd of Roxana (160) wound up fifth and Michael Harris of Althoff (126) was sixth.
