Canton Wrestler Wins State Title, Olympia Freshman Crowned Champion – 2026 IHSA Results

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Connor Williams of Canton High School etched his name into Illinois wrestling history Saturday night, securing the Class 1A state championship at 285 pounds. The senior’s victory at the State Farm Center was a nail-biter, decided by a 2-1 tiebreaker with just 24 seconds remaining in the second overtime period against Jeremiah Luke of Lena-Winslow/Stockton.

“It just feels amazing,” Williams said, still processing the win. “Just amazing. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just surreal. It’s the best I’ve ever felt in my entire life.”

The match was a tense affair, with Williams holding a 1-0 lead until the final 30 seconds when Luke managed to score a point, tying the contest. The pressure mounted as the match went into overtime, but Williams ultimately prevailed with a crucial escape.

Williams finished the season with an impressive 40-1 record, becoming the fourth wrestler in Canton’s program history to claim a state title. He described the intensity of the moment, stating, “If I didn’t win, I was going to die. That’s just how I had to think of it.”

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 1A state finals also saw a remarkable performance from freshman Connor Collins of Olympia High School. Collins secured his own state championship at 106 pounds, defeating Bentley Fields of Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley with a score of 7-3.

Collins’ victory carried a special significance, as he donned the same singlet his father, Josh Collins, wore when he won state titles in the early 2000s. The Olympia freshman finished the season with a record of 40-6.

Beyond the two champions, several other Peoria-area wrestlers earned medals at the state tournament. Princeton teammates Augustus Swanson and Casey Etheridge both secured silver medals in Class 1A. Swanson (47-3) lost a 7-0 decision to Sterling Neman sophomore Landon Near (44-3), while Etheridge (46-7) fell to Belleville Althoff senior Pierra Walton (44-1) by a score of 12-2.

Farmington freshman Isaac Showalter also contributed to the area’s success, earning a third-place medal in Class 1A after bouncing back from a semifinal loss. Showalter (44-1) defeated Winnebago sophomore Cam Whitehead (37-6) with a 2-1 decision.

Rounding out the medalists from the Peoria area, Canton senior Dyllan Steele (32-2) finished fourth at 120 pounds, Princeton sophomore Kane Dauber (29-5) took fourth at 138 pounds, and Olympia senior Darian Holloway (45-7) placed fourth at 285 pounds. Olympia sophomore Brandon Gaither (39-10) secured a fifth-place medal in the 113-pound weight division.