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Strong field set for Murdale Wrestling Tournament today

BY GEARY DENISTON

Friday, January 4, 2008 10:38 PM CST

FOR THE SOUTHERN

CARBONDALE - The Murdale Wrestling Tournament will sport the strongest and largest field in its 48 year history with 16 tough teams including local powerhouses Herrin, Carbondale and Murphysboro and defending champion Chatham-Glenwood returning.

All 13 teams from last year's tournament have returned with new entries Harmony (Fla.), Bethalto Civic Memorial and Belleville Althoff. Last year Chatham-Glenwood edged Carbondale by 19 points for the title with Herrin, Belleville East and Murphysboro rounding out the top five.

"We are really excited to have new teams entered this year increasing the field to its largest ever," Carbondale coach Dennis Ragan said. "They should make our tournament that much tougher and more enjoyable for the fans. We have many state qualifiers wrestling including Chris Valdez from Florida at the 112-weight class."

Action starts at 9:30 a.m. at the Carbondale Community High School Gymnasium with the finals starting at 5 p.m.

"We have good people in all the weight classes this year," Ragan said. "It should be really exciting for the fans with great matches all the way up and down the lineup all day long."

Five of last year's winners return as top seeds with Herrin returning two in seniors Jake Holliday and John Kesler. Also back to defend their titles as No. 1 seeds are Carbondale's Jared Ragan, Murphysboro's Jake Miller and DeAndre Billingsley from Belleville East.

Holliday is the most celebrated wrestler in this year's field coming in undefeated at 17-0 at the 125-weight class. The senior will be shooting for his fourth straight title after winning last year at 119 with a 6-4 decision. He took the 112 crown his sophomore year and the 103 his freshman year.

"Jake is going for something that has only been done once before by Larry Long back in the 1980's," Ragan said. "Jake was a state place winner in Class A last year (losing in the semi-finals to the eventual champion at 119), so he is going to be one of the top people to watch."

Kesler also comes in undefeated with a 19-0 record and is the defending champion at the 145-weight class. Last year he won his first title at the same weight with a pin in 90 seconds.

Herrin has two other No. 1 seeds in junior Jon Sargent (a state semi-finalist at 130 last year) at 135 with an 11-0 record and senior Trenton Fortner at 140 with a 13-3 record.

Ragan comes in as a two-time champion and the top seed with an 18-4 record in the 130-weight class. Last year as a junior Ragan won the 125 title with a technical fall after finishing second at 119 as a sophomore and winning his first title as a freshman at 112.

Nic Bleyer is Carbondale's other No. 1 seed at the 152-weight class. The junior has had a good season so far coming in with a 16-7 record.

"Both Jared and Nic are everything a coach wants in a wrestler," Ragan said. "They are ready every day for practice and don't make excuses. They quietly go about their business and are great competitors."

Sophomore Alli Ragan “ Jared's younger sister “ is the defending champion at the 112 weight class and is the second seed this year at 119 with a 17-4 record.

"Alli is in a tough weight class, but a week ago she became the first girl to ever make to the finals of the Granite City tournament," Ragan said. "She also took second in the Mascoutah tournament and the wrestler that beat her there will be here, so if they have a rematch it will be a good one to watch."

Sophomore Jake Miller from Murphysboro “ last year's Class A state champion at 103 “ won last year's 103 title with a major decision and is the No. 1 seed this year at 119 with a 17-1 record.

Belleville East is expected to be strong with the top seeds in the heavier weight classes with Billingsley (15-3) the defending champion at 215 along with Terrance Connors (14-4) at 189 and Joe Rhein (12-0) at 275. Effingham's Scott Prouse also comes in undefeated (14-0) at the 160 weight class after finishing second last year at the same weight.