Meet the 2025-26 Times All-Area Wrestling Team

Fourteen of the area's top girls and boys wrestlers make up the 2025-26 Times All-Area Wrestling Team.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 10:18pm

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The Times Sports staff has selected the 2025-26 Times All-Area Wrestling Team, featuring 14 of the top high school wrestlers from the Illinois Valley region. The team includes state champions, regional and sectional title winners, and state qualifiers from schools like Sandwich, Marquette, Seneca, Ottawa, and Streator.

Why it matters

Wrestling is a popular high school sport in the Illinois Valley, with many talented athletes competing at the regional, sectional, and state levels each year. Recognizing the top performers on an all-area team highlights the excellence and hard work of these student-athletes, while also generating excitement and interest in the sport within the local community.

The details

The 2025-26 Times All-Area Wrestling Team features 14 wrestlers, including state champions Cooper Corder of Sandwich and Wesley Janick of Marquette. Other standouts include Lily Deibel of Marquette, Sammie Greisen of Seneca, Lily Gwaltney of Ottawa, Joshua Kotalik of Sandwich, Chase Rod of Seneca, Alex Schaefer of Marquette, Raiden Terry of Seneca, Juliana Thrush of Ottawa, Laila Vaughn of Streator, and Landen Venecia and Wes Weatherford of Seneca. Many of these wrestlers won regional and sectional titles, and several qualified for the IHSA Individual State Finals.

  • The 2025-26 wrestling season took place during the 2025-26 school year.
  • The IHSA Individual State Finals were held in Champaign in March 2026.

The players

Cooper Corder

A junior from Sandwich High School who finished the season 43-1 and captured the IHSA Class 1A state title at 150 pounds. He also won regional and sectional championships.

Lily Deibel

A freshman from Marquette High School who posted a 23-6 record, won the Normal West Regional title, and qualified for the IHSA Individual State Finals at 105 pounds.

Sammie Greisen

A senior from Seneca High School who compiled a 43-6 record, placed second at the Normal West Regional, won the DeKalb Sectional, and qualified for the IHSA Individual State Finals at 125 pounds.

Lily Gwaltney

A wrestler from Ottawa High School who recorded a 35-7 record, finished runner-up at the Normal West Regional, and qualified for the IHSA Individual State Finals at 110 pounds.

Wesley Janick

A freshman from Marquette High School who posted a 35-4 record, won the IHSA Class 1A state championship at 120 pounds, and also claimed the Princeton Regional title.

Joshua Kotalik

A sophomore from Sandwich High School who finished with a 46-8 mark, won the Princeton Regional title at 175 pounds, placed second at the Byron Sectional, and earned a sixth-place medal at the IHSA Individual State Finals.

Chase Rod

A sophomore from Seneca High School who ended the season with a 30-13 record, placed third at the Coal City Regional, fourth at the Geneseo Sectional, and qualified for the IHSA Class 1A Individual State Finals at 150 pounds.

Alex Schaefer

A junior from Marquette High School who completed the season with a 34-5 mark, placed runner-up at the Princeton Regional, and finished fifth, earning a medal, at the IHSA Class 1A Individual State Finals at 215 pounds.

Raiden Terry

A junior from Seneca High School who finished the season with a 39-5 record, won titles at the Coal City Regional and Geneseo Sectional, and qualified for the Class 1A Individual State Finals at 120 pounds.

Juliana Thrush

A senior from Ottawa High School who was named the 2025-26 Times Girls Wrestler of the Year for the second straight season. She finished 31-5, was runner-up at the IHSA Individual State Finals, and won titles at the Normal West Regional and DeKalb Sectional at 235 pounds.

Laila Vaughn

A sophomore from Streator High School who ended the season with a 41-5 mark, claimed the Normal West Regional title at 115 pounds, finished runner-up at the DeKalb Sectional, and qualified for the IHSA Individual State Finals.

Landen Venecia

A senior from Seneca High School who ended the campaign with a 36-10 record, finished second at the Coal City Regional, and qualified for the Class 1A Individual State Finals at 190 pounds.

Wes Weatherford

A junior from Ottawa High School who finished the season with a 37-8 record, won the Morris Regional title at 190 pounds, was runner-up at the Geneseo Sectional, and qualified for the Class 1A Individual State Finals.

Addison Yacko

A junior from Streator High School who finished 22-12 on the season, won the Normal West Regional championship at 110 pounds, and came one win short of advancing to state at the DeKalb Sectional.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

The 2025-26 Times All-Area Wrestling Team showcases the incredible talent and dedication of high school wrestlers in the Illinois Valley region. These athletes have proven themselves at the highest levels of competition, winning state titles, regional and sectional championships, and earning spots at the IHSA Individual State Finals. Their success highlights the growth and popularity of wrestling in the area, and the recognition they receive will inspire the next generation of wrestlers to strive for greatness.