Four Silver Streaks — a pair of boys and a pair of girls — will represent Galesburg at the IHSA State Wrestling Finals.
Galesburg seniors Gauge Shipp and Rocky Almendarez won championships at the Sycamore Class 2A Sectional on Saturday. Almendarez improved to 39-1 by claiming the title at 120 pounds while Shipp remained unbeaten through 41 matches by taking the championship at 132 pounds.
Almendarez and Shipp head to the state finals which get underway Thursday at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
Fans are welcome to attend a send-off for Almendarez and Shipp at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at the GHS wrestling room, formerly Gale School.
At a Class 1A sectional at Olympia, Farmington senior Keygan Jennings advanced by placing second at 132 pounds, while teammate sophomore Bradlee Ellis advanced by placing fourth at 138 pounds. Advancing from Canton were sophomore Dyllan Steele, third at 106; senior Danny Murphy, third at 190; Connor Williams at 285; and sophomore Maddux Steele, fourth at 113.
In a girls sectional at Geneseo, Galesburg senior Hannah Almendarez and junior Annalisa Gibbons advanced by placing second at 100 and 140 pounds, respectively.
Almendarez and Gibbons advance to the Illinois High School Association girls state wrestling finals at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington on Feb. 23-24. A send-off for the girls is at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 22 from the GHS wrestling room.
