Trophy hunting

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Last year, Yorkville's wrestling team was one win away from advancing to the Class 2A team state tournament for the first time since 1995.

On Tuesday, the Foxes finally leaped over that hurdle. Yorkville advanced to the team state meet at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington on Saturday with a dominating 41-11 win over Sterling at the Class 2A Woodruff Sectional, though the match was held at West Aurora.

The Foxes will take on Champaign Central, a 45-20 winner over Carbondale, in the first round. The tournament favorite, Montini, is on the other side of the bracket, meaning Yorkville will run into that squad only in the state finals.

"Last year we were one win away, so this year, it's nice that we're there," Yorkville coach Shane Darnell said. "I'm pleased with the way we performed. Obviously, we're not done yet. We still have three matches left. That's what we're working toward. We want to win the next three matches."

Starting at 160 pounds Tuesday, the Foxes got off to a fast start. Brant Corwin won by decision at 160, Patrick Dabbs won by major decision at 171 and Brendan Mahaney pinned Jason Long in 1:51 at 189 to open a 13-0 lead.

But Sterling won two consecutive matches to get back in the meet and was down only 19-11 heading into Yorkville junior Jed Lightfoot's match at 125.

Lightfoot was in command against Dylan Devers when he wowed the crowd with a stunning move that led directly to a pin in 3:02.

"I learned that move when I was a little kid," Lightfoot said. "It just comes naturally after a while. It was a big win."

Lightfoot's win started a six-match winning streak by Yorkville to end the match. Nathan Messenger's 6-3 decision at 135 clinched it for the Foxes with three matches to be decided. Yorkville went on to win all three to win the dual going away.

The win validated the patience Darnell and his staff showed during an injury-plagued regular season. Instead of worrying about Western Sun Conference action and the regular season, the team put its focus and effort toward the postseason, and it paid off with a regional title and now a sectional championship.

"It really means a lot," Lightfoot said. "I was injured, (as was) A.J. (Messenger) -- everybody was constantly getting injured. Darnell and the rest of the coaches kept telling us to stick with it. We were patient. It ended up working out for us. It seems to be our time right now."

Yorkville has won three state championships in wrestling, in 1976, 1993 and 1994, and took third in 1995 under Rob Long. The 1976 title came with Dennis Hastert -- future Speaker of the House -- at the helm. It is Yorkville's seventh overall trip to the team state meet.

Now the Foxes have a chance to add to the trophy case Saturday.

"This is what we love to do," Lightfoot said. "It's almost like we're brothers. We're with each other all the time. It's cool to go to state. We've got a good chance to make the finals. We'll see what happens."