Dual team sectional preview: Vandalia vs. Shelbyville

VANDALIA – It’s the rematch that not many expected. The Vandals will take to the mats at the dual team sectional at Litchfield High School next Tuesday night, but they will face Shelbyville instead of Monticello. Both schools defeated Vandalia during the regular season, so revenge was on the minds of all 14 wrestlers regardless, but an injury to one of Monticello’s best wrestlers allowed Shelbyville to sneak by the early-favored Sages in their regional and advance to meet the Vandals. Shelbyville earned a 32-31 victory against Vandalia on Dec. 11, but a lot has changed for both sides since that hotly-contested battle. The Vandals have a full lineup – with senior Rodney Tedrick now to battle at 138 pounds – and freshman Trevor Philpot has shown improvement since getting pinned by Shelbyville’s Zach Stirret in December. The Rams lost their regular 113-pounder Lyle Jefson to an injury, and Lucas Duckett reversed his loss to Seth Purcell, with a 7-4 win in the sectional championship bout. Several others matches were close the first time around, and Vandalia coach Jason Clay said that scoring points in each bout will be of the upmost importance. “There will probably be some decided victories to both sides, so it will come down to a handful of swing matches,” Clay said. “If we split those, it may come down to bonus points, so every point matters. “There are places where we missed out on points (on Dec. 11),” Clay said. “I definitely think we can come out on top, but it won’t be an easy win.” Vandalia has eight state qualifers at 106, 113, 120, 145, 152, 160, 170 and 195 pounds, and Shelbyville has six qualifiers at 126, 138, 145, 152, 170 and 220 pounds. Matchups of state qualifers will be between Vandalia’s Dalton Blankenship and Shelbyville’s Wyatt Fox (145), Vandalia’s Tyler Dagen and Shelbyville’s Adam Hudson (152), and Vandalia’s Seth Purcell and Shelbyville’s Lucas Duckett (170). The dual begins at 6 p.m., and the winner advances to the Class A dual team state tournament at the U.S. Cellular Center in Bloomington. Next Saturday, the winner will battle either Dakota or Lena-Winslow, which will square off at the Rock Falls Sectional. Dakota – which has 10 individual state qualifers – has been favored as the No. 1 team all season. Also at Litchfield, Roxana will be battling West Frankfort for a spot at state. *Probable matchups for the Vandalia/Shelbyville dual are listed below, but are subject to change. **Advantages listed are based off previous results and perceived improvements from each wrestler. They are not meant as a prediction of outcomes. 106 For the Vandals: •Freshman Trevor Philpot •Regional finish: Second •Sectional finish: Fourth •Record: 27-18 For the Rams: •Sophomore Zach Stirret •Regional finish: Second •Sectional finish: DNP* •Record: 31-11 Head-to-head: •Stirrett defeated Philpot, 10-1. Advantage: •Even *Stirrett was disqualified from the sectional after two bouts 113 For the Vandals: •Sophomore Chaston Womack •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Second •Record: 34-11 For the Rams: •Lyle Jefson or TBA •Regional finish: N/A* •Sectional finish: N/A •Record: N/A Head-to-head: •Womack def. Jefson by fall at 1:14 Advantage: •Vandalia *Jefson was injured entering the regional tournament 120 For the Vandals: •Junior Ryne Lipsey •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Fourth •Record: 37-20 For the Rams: •Sophomore Trevor Brown •Regional finish: DNP •Sectional finish: N/A •Record: 16-16 Head-to-head: •Lipsey def. Brown, 19-3 Advantage: •Vandalia 126 For the Vandals: •Sophomore Luke Tessman •Regional finish: Third •Sectional finish: DNP •Record: 24-23 For the Rams: •Sophomore Garrett Brachbill •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: First •Record: 40-4 Head-to-head: •Brachbill def. Tessman by fall at 2:45 on Dec. 11 •Brachbill def. Tessman, 17-1, on Feb. 14 Advantage: •Shelbyville 132 For the Vandals: •Junior Adam Palmer •Regional finish: Third •Sectional finish: DNP •Record: 22-23 For the Rams: •Junior Jarred Hicks •Regional finish: DNP •Sectional finish: N/A •Record: 22-16 Head-to-head: •Hicks def. Palmer, 5-3 Advantage: •Even 138 For the Vandals: •Senior Rodney Tedrick •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: DNP •Record: 22-15 For the Rams: •Junior Jared Finley •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Second •Record: 41-3 Head-to-head: •Finley won by forfeit Advantage: •Shelbyville 145 For the Vandals: •Junior Dalton Blankenship •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Fourth •Record: 41-6 For the Rams: •Junior Wyatt Fox •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Second •Record: 35-6 Head-to-head: •Blankenship def. Fox, 6-5 Advantage: •Even 152 For the Vandals: •Senior Tyler Dagen •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Fourth •Record: 34-13 For the Rams: •Junior Adam Hudson •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Second •Record: 39-2 Head-to-head: •Hudson def. Dagen, 14-3, on Dec. 11 •Hudson def. Dagen, 5-1 on Feb. 15 Advantage: •Shelbyville 160 For the Vandals: •Senior C.J. Runkel •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: First •Record: 40-7 For the Rams: •Junior Ben Houska •Regional finish: DNP •Sectional finish: N/A •Record: 12-24 Head-to-head: •Runkel def. Houska by fall at 1:01 Advantage: •Vandalia 170 For the Vandals: •Senior Seth Purcell •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Second •Record: 39-4 For the Rams: •Junior Lucas Duckett •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: First •Record: 41-2 Head-to-head: •Purcell def. Duckett, 3-1, on Dec. 11 •Duckett def. Purcell, 7-4, on Feb. 15 Advantage: •Even 182 For the Vandals: •Junior Jake Stewart •Regional finish: Third •Sectional finish: DNP •Record: 35-11 For the Rams: •Junior Noah Applegate •Regional finish: Fourth •Sectional finish: N/A •Record: 23-18 Head-to-head: •Stewart def. Applegate by fall at 3:30 Advantage: •Vandalia 195 For the Vandals: •Sophomore Bobby Bradley •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: Third •Record: 39-9 For the Rams: •Sophomore Caleb Cloe •Regional finish: Second •Sectional finish: DNP •Record: 25-16 Head-to-head: •Bradley def. Cloe, 4-2 Advantage: •Vandalia 220 For the Vandals: •Sophomore Kolten Etcheson •Regional finish: DNP •Sectional finish: N/A •Record: 15-24 For the Rams: •Senior Elliott Smithson •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: First •Record: 36-4 Head-to-head: •Smithson def. Etcheson by fall at 5:43 Advantage: •Shelbyville 285 For the Vandals: •Sophomore Kendrick Woolsey •Regional finish: First •Sectional finish: DNP •Record: 30-17 For the Rams: •Junior Andrew Mudgette •Regional finish: Second •Sectional finish: DNP •Record: 30-12 Head-to-head: •Mudgette def. Woolsey, 4-2 (OT) Advantage: •Even