A pair of three-time state qualifiers will lead a contingent of four Galesburg Silver Streaks to the IHSA Boys and Girls State Wrestling Championships the next two weekends.
Making their third straight state appearances for the Streaks boys wrestling team are juniors Gauge Shipp and Rocky Almendarez. Senior Emilio Torres will be making his state debut at the tournament set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday at State Farm Center on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign.
The Streaks compete in Class 2A of the three-class tournament.
Shipp, who is unbeaten in 46 matches this season, is the No. 1 seed in the 138-pound weight class. He advanced to state as the 138-pound champion at the Rochelle Sectional last Saturday. Shipp will face Highland sophomore Tyson Rakers (39-10) in the first round.
A three-time Western Big 6 Conference champion, Shipp recorded his 100th career high school win this year and is on track to set the GHS record for career victories.
Almendarez posted a 36-7 record this season and will compete in the 132-pound weight class at Champaign this weekend. He will face Oak Forest senior Caden Muselman (32-3) in a first-round match.
Shipp and Almendarez both earned sixth-place state medals last year as sophomores.
The top 6 finishers in each weight class earn medals.
Torres, who posted a 34-15 record this season, will compete at 170 pounds. He will face Deerfield senior Aiden Cohen (43-4) in the first round.
Galesburg sophomore Annalisa Gibbons earned a trip to the IHSA Girls State Wrestling Championships by qualifying at 140 pounds out of the Geneseo Sectional. She is the first GHS female wrestler to advance to state.
She will complete in the second-ever girls state tournament set for Feb. 24-25 at Grossing Motors Arena in Bloomington. More than 1,200 girls competed in this year’s Girls State Series across the 14 weight classes.
