Marian Catholic senior Joey Baranski has secured a place in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 2A state wrestling tournament after achieving third place at the Hinsdale South Sectional on Saturday.
According to reports, Baranski competed in the 165-pound weight class and will advance to the state competition next weekend at the University of Illinois. This marks his third trip to the state tournament, having previously qualified as a freshman and sophomore.
During the sectionals, Baranski received first-round and second-round byes before defeating Erick Arroyo from Lindblom by technical fall in 2:27 with a score of 20-4. In the semifinals, he was defeated by Santino Tenuta by pin in 5:03. He then rebounded by pinning Brayden McKay from Providence in 51 seconds and Jaylene Johnson from Crete-Monee in 1:41 to secure third place.
Baranski is now preparing to represent Marian Catholic on Illinois’ biggest stage, aiming to conclude his high school wrestling career with a strong performance.