Wrestlers pick up third tourney win

By Editor | February 5, 2025

Five Vandalia wrestlers won weight championships as the Vandals claimed the Rich Lovellette Invitational title.

Vandalia’s wrestlers picked up their third big tournament of the season over the weekend, with its 291 team total being 75.5 points better than second-place Lena Winslow.
Five Vandals won their weight class – Max Philpot at 113, Preston Waughtel at 120, Tyson Waughtel at 126, Dillon Hinton at 150 and Kaden Tidwell at 215 – and Preston Waughtel won the Hammer Award, given to the winner of the weight class determined to be the toughest of the tournament.
106 pounds
Aiden Evans (33-9) placed 3rd and scored 17.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 33-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 33-9 won by fall over Conner Crowder (Harrisburg) 20-21 (Fall 1:01)
Semifinal – Steven Uden (Oakwood) 32-4 won by decision over Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 33-9 (Dec 6-5)
3rd Place Match – Aiden Evans (Vandalia) 33-9 won by medical forfeit over Pierce Bultmann (Rochester) 35-2 (M. For.)
113
Max Philpot (39-0) placed 1st and scored 26.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Max Philpot (Vandalia) 39-0 won by fall over Anthony Laino (Lena Winslow) 14-21 (Fall 3:11)
Semifinal – Max Philpot (Vandalia) 39-0 won by injury default over Pedro Alberto Rangel (Oakwood) 21-10 (Inj. 0:17)
1st Place Match – Max Philpot (Vandalia) 39-0 won by fall over Paxton Pyatt (Murphysboro) 36-2 (Fall 2:55)
120
Preston Waughtel (42-1) placed 1st and scored 27.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) 42-1 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) 42-1 won by fall over Thayden Bailey (Litchfield-Mt. Olive) 11-15 (Fall 0:26)
Semifinal – Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) 42-1 won by tech fall over Kaiden Richards (Murphysboro) 28-7 (TF-1.5 3:02 (18-2))
1st Place Match – Preston Waughtel (Vandalia) 42-1 won by tech fall over Mason Swartz (Oakwood) 34-4 (TF-1.5 3:28 (19-4))
126
Tyson Waughtel (43-0) placed 1st and scored 27.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Tyson Waughtel (Vandalia) 43-0 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Tyson Waughtel (Vandalia) 43-0 won by fall over Kashden Cramer (Westville) 6-21 (Fall 0:31)
Semifinal – Tyson Waughtel (Vandalia) 43-0 won by fall over Sergio Garcia (Murphysboro) 26-12 (Fall 2:33)
1st Place Match – Tyson Waughtel (Vandalia) 43-0 won by tech fall over Ian Akers (Peoria Notre Dame) 41-3 (TF-1.5 3:20 (19-1))
132
Brody Matthews (34-8) placed 2nd and scored 19.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Brody Matthews (Vandalia) 34-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Brody Matthews (Vandalia) 34-8 won by tech fall over Sam Sikora (Lena Winslow) 19-21 (TF-1.5 5:59 (21-6))
Semifinal – Brody Matthews (Vandalia) 34-8 won by decision over Tyler Huchel (Oakwood) 31-7 (Dec 5-3)
1st Place Match – Brandon Green Jr. (Roxana) 29-0 won by fall over Brody Matthews (Vandalia) 34-8 (Fall 1:14)
138
Cole Yarbrough (32-9) placed 3rd and scored 16.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Cole Yarbrough (Vandalia) 32-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Cole Yarbrough (Vandalia) 32-9 won by fall over Harley Pierce (Cumberland) 22-14 (Fall 3:21)
Semifinal – Pedro Rangel (Oakwood) 32-7 won by decision over Cole Yarbrough (Vandalia) 32-9 (Dec 10-3)
3rd Place Match – Cole Yarbrough (Vandalia) 32-9 won by tech fall over Trey Boston (Auburn) 26-13 (TF-1.5 3:02 (15-0))
144
Keagan Turner (31-7) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 31-7 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 31-7 won by major decision over Jaxson Dukeman (Cumberland) 22-15 (MD 15-4)
Semifinal – Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 31-7 won by major decision over Logan Riggs (Roxana) 30-12 (MD 11-3)
1st Place Match – Arrison Bauer (Lena Winslow) 36-4 won by major decision over Keagan Turner (Vandalia) 31-7 (MD 13-1)
150
Dillon Hinton (41-2) placed 1st and scored 27.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) 41-2 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) 41-2 won by fall over Gavin Watson (Sparta) 4-1 (Fall 2:31)
Semifinal – Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) 41-2 won by fall over Reece Demeter (Lena Winslow) 27-13 (Fall 3:31)
1st Place Match – Dillon Hinton (Vandalia) 41-2 won by major decision over Gabriel Kiddoo (Westville) 24-6 (MD 12-3)
157
Parker Ray (33-7) placed 3rd and scored 18.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Parker Ray (Vandalia) 33-7 won by fall over Joel Carrington (Murphysboro) 7-7 (Fall 3:10)
Quarterfinal – Parker Ray (Vandalia) 33-7 won by fall over Aaron Orella (Sparta) 1-2 (Fall 2:00)
Semifinal – Braxton Kieffer (Litchfield) 29-10 won by fall over Parker Ray (Vandalia) 33-7 (Fall 5:37)
3rd Place Match – Parker Ray (Vandalia) 33-7 won by major decision over Trevor Gihring (Roxana) 31-11 (MD 10-0)
165
Artan Mustafa (31-10) placed 3rd and scored 18.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Artan Mustafa (Vandalia) 31-10 won by fall over Draven Jones (Litchfield) 3-28 (Fall 0:45)
Quarterfinal – Artan Mustafa (Vandalia) 31-10 won by fall over Maxon Stearns (Murphysboro) 32-9 (Fall 0:56)
Semifinal – Lyndon Thies (Roxana) 33-2 won by fall over Artan Mustafa (Vandalia) 31-10 (Fall 1:47)
3rd Place Match – Artan Mustafa (Vandalia) 31-10 won by major decision over Briar Butler (Harrisburg) 29-10 (MD 14-2)
175
Ross Miller (33-10) placed 2nd and scored 24.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Ross Miller (Vandalia) 33-10 won by forfeit over Russell Dearing (North Mac) 5-10 (For.)
Quarterfinal – Ross Miller (Vandalia) 33-10 won by fall over Rylee McClellan (Roxana) 6-6 (Fall 3:40)
Semifinal – Ross Miller (Vandalia) 33-10 won by fall over Caleb Williford (Harrisburg) 20-14 (Fall 4:38)
1st Place Match – Eli Larson (Lena Winslow) 37-2 won by tech fall over Ross Miller (Vandalia) 33-10 (TF-1.5 5:01 (15-0))
190
Noah Langston (18-6) placed 8th and scored 8.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Noah Langston (Vandalia) 18-6 won by fall over Emmett Grimm (Oakwood) 7-19 (Fall 3:10)
Quarterfinal – Ethan Miller (Westville) 28-5 won by fall over Noah Langston (Vandalia) 18-6 (Fall 5:16)
Cons. Round 2 – Noah Langston (Vandalia) 18-6 won by fall over Andrew Scroggins (North Mac) 8-13 (Fall 3:00)
Cons. Semi – Brendan Hicks (Harrisburg) 26-9 won by fall over Noah Langston (Vandalia) 18-6 (Fall 2:51)
7th Place Match – Bobby Stickelmaier (Peoria Notre Dame) 13-14 won by fall over Noah Langston (Vandalia) 18-6 (Fall 1:43)
215
Kaden Tidwell (40-3) placed 1st and scored 25.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Kaden Tidwell (Vandalia) 40-3 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Kaden Tidwell (Vandalia) 40-3 won by tech fall over Jowan Davis (Sacred Heart-Griffin) 1-2 (TF-1.5 1:38 (18-3))
Semifinal – Kaden Tidwell (Vandalia) 40-3 won by fall over Joe Culp (Peoria Notre Dame) 35-9 (Fall 2:44)
1st Place Match – Kaden Tidwell (Vandalia) 40-3 won by decision over Jeremiah Luke (Lena Winslow) 34-5 (Dec 7-2)
285
Dominic Swyers (28-15) placed 3rd and scored 17.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 28-15 won by fall over Colton Maltby (Rochester) 22-18 (Fall 3:00)
Quarterfinal – Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 28-15 won in tie breaker – 1 over Josiah Sedlacek (Westville) 26-11 (TB-1 3-1)
Semifinal – Julien Tanner (Murphysboro) 19-3 won by fall over Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 28-15 (Fall 3:19)
3rd Place Match – Dominic Swyers (Vandalia) 28-15 won by fall over Matt Brown (Harrisburg) 30-10 (Fall 0:41)