Area wrestlers clash in Riverside

RIVERSIDE — It was a busy weekend in wrestling, especially in Riverside, where Highland hosted the 2026 Gary Curtis Invite.

A pair of area teams took fifth and sixth respectively in both the boys and girls tournament. Highland and Mt. Pleasant took the No. 5 and No. 6 spots on the boys’ side, and Pekin and Van Buren County did the same on the girls’ side.

The Highland boys scored 102.5 points to take fifth, with Mt. Pleasant finishing right behind them with 97.5. Neither team had a champion, though Highland had three in the Top-3, and six in the Top-4.

Mid-Prairie was 10th in the boys’meet, with 60.5 points. WACO finished 12th, with 41.5 points, and New London took 14th, with 15.5 points.

On the girls’ side, Pekin scored 108.5 points, including a champion in 145-pounder Hailey Pedrick. Van Buren County was right behind Pekin, with 104.5 points.

Mt. Pleasant and MId-Prairie finished eighth and ninth, with 80 and 79 points respectively. Courtney Smith took first for Mt. Pleasant at 235 pounds.

Highland had one winner, and finished 11th place, with 75 points. Adley Sweeting was a champion at 120 pounds.

Columbus/Winfield-Mount Union was 14th, with 30 points. WACO scored 26, for 16th.