By darrenkinnard

Perfect ending: Tieffel wraps up unbeaten season with second straight state title

Posted: February 21, 2024
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CHAMPAIGN — Benton senior Mason Tieffel is no stranger to the top of the podium at wrestling meets, including the IHSA State Championships in Champaign. Tieffel capped off a fantastic high school career by completing a perfect 55-0 season, making it back to back 1A 138 pound state championships.

Tieffel dominated Vandalia sophomore Dillon Hinton for the second week in a row. He beat him by major decision to win the Vandalia Sectional, then did the same in the state finals, winning 18-6.

Tieffel, who has signed to wrestle at Kent State in college, finished his Rangers’ career 187-8 with two state championships, a state runner up, and a third place finish in his four years at state. Tieffel’s third place came in his freshman year, as the IWCOA held an unofficial state tournament, when IHSA canceled the postseason due to the pandemic.

Tieffel was not the only area wrestler to reach the state finals. Carlyle freshman Preston Waughtel won the 1A 113 pound class to finish 50-0 on the season. His older brother, Tyson, was upset in the 1A 120 finals, preventing a state championship repeat, finishing 50-1 for the season. Mt. Vernon junior Dillon White lost 10-3 in the 2A 138 finals to Washington’s Wyatt Medlin, and Herrin’s Blue Bishop fell 5-3 to Stanford Olympia’s Bentley Wise in the 1A 150 finals.

Here’s a list of all the medalists from the region:

Champion

1A 113: Preston Waughtel, Carlyle (50-0)

1A 138: Mason Tieffel, Benton (55-0)

1A 285: Jason Dowell, Althoff (32-2)

2A 126: Colby Crouch, Triad (40-1)

2A 157: Bryce Griffin, Civic Memorial (49-2)

Runner-Up

1A 120: Tyson Waughtel, Carlyle (50-1)

1A 150: Blue Bishop, Herrin (46-2)

1A 215: Drake Champlin, EAWR (51-4)

2A 138: Dillon White, Mt. Vernon (40-4)