Holden Brazelton led a trio of St. Joseph-Ogden wrestlers who competed at the IHSA Class 1A
state finals last week at State Farm Center in Champaign.
While Brazelton didn’t reach the podium for a top-six finish at state for the first time in his high
school career, he still had a standout junior season for the Spartans.
Brazelton won his first-round match at 132 pounds by defeating Vandalia freshman Cole
Yarbrough via a 16-1 technical fall. But Brazelton lost his quarterfinals match, with Rockridge
junior Jude Finch winning a 9-2 decision. Finch went on to win a state title.
The loss to Finch dropped Brazelton into the wrestle backs, where he won his first match by
defeating Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher senior Shawn Schlickman in a 15-0 technical fall.
But Brazelton, who placed sixth in state at 120 as a freshman in 2022 and was third in state at
132 as a sophomore in 2023, sustained a 6-3 loss to Sterling Newman senior Brady Greenan in
his next wrestle back match to end his season. Brennan went on to place third at the state
finals.
Brazelton finished with a superb 47-3 record, with only one loss in the regular season and postseason before he reached the state finals.
Two of Brazelton’s teammates also wrestled in Champaign, but were unable to come home with
a win at state.
Senior Emmitt Holt lost both of his matches at state, falling in close fashion both times at 106
pounds. Seneca freshman Raiden Terry beat Holt via a 3-2 decision in a first-round match
before Brandon White of Dakota defeated Holt in a 5-3 decision in a first-round wrestleback
match. Holt finished his season with a 37-4 record.
Sophomore Coy Hayes also lost both of his matches at state, wrestling at 150 pounds for the
Spartans. Coal City senior Brant Widlowski, who went on to place fifth, pinned Hayes in one
minute in a first-round match before Hayes lost an 8-3 decision to Richmond-Burton senior
Brody Rudkin in a first-round wrestleback match. Hayes concluded his season with a 29-10
record.
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