Sixteen Area Wrestlers Earn State Trip From Olympia Sectional

Wrestlers from Sacred Heart Griffin, PORTA, Riverton, Williamsville, and Rochester qualify for state tournament

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

The 1A Olympia sectional wrestling tournament saw 16 area wrestlers earn a spot at the upcoming state tournament. Sacred Heart Griffin's Casen Lyons and PORTA's Justin Zimmerman were sectional champions, while the host Olympia Spartans will be sending 7 wrestlers to the State Farm Center in Champaign.

Why it matters

The Olympia sectional is a key qualifying event for the Illinois high school state wrestling tournament, which is one of the most prestigious athletic competitions in the state. Earning a spot at state is a major accomplishment for these young wrestlers and their schools.

The details

The 16 wrestlers who qualified for state come from several area schools, including Sacred Heart Griffin, PORTA, Riverton, Williamsville, and Rochester. Casen Lyons of Sacred Heart Griffin and Justin Zimmerman of PORTA were the sectional champions in their respective weight classes. The host Olympia Spartans will be sending 7 wrestlers to the state tournament at the State Farm Center in Champaign.

  • The Olympia sectional tournament took place this past weekend (February 14, 2026).
  • The IHSA state wrestling tournament will be held at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Thursday, February 20, 2026.

The players

Casen Lyons

A wrestler from Sacred Heart Griffin High School who won the sectional championship in his weight class.

Justin Zimmerman

A wrestler from PORTA High School who won the sectional championship in his weight class.

Olympia Spartans

The high school wrestling team from Olympia High School, which hosted the sectional tournament and is sending 7 wrestlers to the state tournament.

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What’s next

The IHSA state wrestling tournament will be held at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Thursday, February 20, 2026, where the 16 area wrestlers who qualified at the Olympia sectional will compete for state titles.

The takeaway

The strong performance by area wrestlers at the Olympia sectional highlights the depth of wrestling talent in this region of Illinois and the importance of the state tournament as a premier high school athletic event.