2024 All-Area wrestling: Meet the first team

Congratulations to the boys and girls who earned top honors as part of our 20th All-Area team.

Talin Baker

Champaign Central freshman

113 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Baker went into his freshman season with the Maroons known as Ronald Baker III’s little brother. He ended it alongside his brother, competing for a Class 2A state championship at State Farm Center. Baker didn’t need to spend his first year adjusting to high school competition, as he compiled a 31-8 record and won regional and sectional titles on his way to state.

He needs tickets to see ... a Drake concert.

Before he competes, he drinks ... water.

His dream career is ... a professional baseball player.

His favorite school subject is ... math.

His favorite athlete is ... Ronald Baker III.

His favorite TV show is ... “Young Sheldon.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Martin Luther King Jr., Michael Jackson and a pharaoh.

Three things on his bucket list are ... winning a state wrestling title, seeing Niagara Falls and going jet skiing.

Jack Barnhart

Centennial senior

285 pounds

Why he made the first team ... After placing fourth at state as a sophomore and sixth as a junior, both at 220 pounds, Barnhart bulked up to the heavyweight class with the same goal of a state title on his mind. The McKendree recruit accomplished that long-awaited goal in his final year of high school wrestling by completing a perfect 44-0 season and becoming the Chargers’ first state champion since Justin Cardani won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.

He needs tickets to see ... a Foo Fighters concert.

Before he competes, he eats ... nothing.

His dream career is ... a professional athlete or musician.

His favorite school subject is ... his guitar class.

His favorite athlete is ... Gable Steveson.

His favorite TV show is ... “The Simpsons.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Michael Jordan, Jimi Hendrix and Jack Johnson.

Three things on his bucket list are ... skydiving, flying a jet and going to the Super Bowl.

Holden Brazelton

St. Joseph-Ogden junior

132 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Brazelton dominated his competition throughout the season, racking up 49 wins, including the 100th of his career, and only five losses. He won Class 1A regional and sectional titles and earned All-Illini Prairie Conference First Team honors. Brazelton fell just short of placing at state this year after finishing third last year and is determined to stand atop the podium as a senior.

He needs tickets to see ... a Zach Bryan concert.

Before he competes, he drinks ... Gatorade or water.

His dream career is ... a wrestling coach.

His favorite school subject is ... math.

His favorite athletes are ... Halle and Hayden Brazelton.

His favorite TV show is ... “Outer Banks.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Vito Arujau, Alice Lookingbill and Kenny Lookingbill.

Three things on his bucket list are ... winning a World Beard and Moustache championship, a Rock Paper Scissors world championship and an air guitar championship.

Grant Brewer

Oakwood/Salt Fork senior

150 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Brewer was one of Oakwood/Salt Fork’s three seniors who led by example this year. He finished with a 41-6 record, claiming a regional title, placing third at sectionals and wrestling his way to sixth in Class 1A at the state meet on a team that ended up winning a 1A regional championship for the second straight season.

He needs tickets to see ... the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Before he competes, he eats ... a peanut butter sandwich with honey and drinks ice-cold water.

His dream career is ... a physical therapist or a nurse.

His favorite school subject is ... his certified nursing assistant College Express class at Danville Area Community College.

His favorite athlete is ... Spencer Lee.

His favorite movie is ... “Masterminds.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... David Goggins, Inky Johnson and Theo Von.

Three things on his bucket list are ... going on a mission trip, traveling to Jamaica and skydiving.

Dalton Brown

Oakwood/Salt Fork senior

175 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Brown had a nearly identical season as Brewer. Brown posted a record of 44-8 and won a Class 1A regional title. He made it one step further in sectionals, taking a runner-up finish, and then placed sixth in the state tournament.

He needs tickets to see ... a Miami Dolphins game.

Before he competes, he eats ... peanut butter and drinks water.

His dream career is ... an airplane pilot.

His favorite school subject is ... agricultural science.

His favorite athlete is ... Tyreek Hill.

His favorite TV show is ... “Young Sheldon.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Elvis Presley, Paul Walker and Ronald Reagan.

Three things on his bucket list are ... building his own farm, seeing the Pyramids of Giza and camping in the rainforest.

Bryson Capansky

Oakwood/Salt Fork senior 1

57 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Capansky, the lone returning All-Area First Team selection for Oakwood/Salt Fork, completed the team’s three-headed monster and ended the season with a 43-7 record. Also a Class 1A regional champion, Capansky placed third at sectionals and made it all the way to the state championship match before taking runner-up honors.

He needs tickets to see ... a Charlotte Hornets game.

Before he competes, he eats ... Clif Bars and drinks BODYARMOR.

His dream career is ... a pilot.

His favorite school subject is ... history.

His favorite athlete is ... Nick Lee.

His favorite TV show is ... “Stranger Things.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Michael Jackson, LaMelo Ball and The Weeknd.

Three things on his bucket list are ... going scuba diving, traveling to Hawaii and visiting Niagara Falls.

Brody Cuppernell

St. Thomas More senior

190 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Cuppernell’s postseason reputation has unfortunately found him just one win short. After falling to Unity’s Nick Nosler in the Class 1A 195-pound state championship match a year ago, he did the same to Unity’s Hunter Eastin at 190 pounds this season. But second place in the state with a record of 35-4 is still plenty good enough to make the All-Area First Team again.

He needs tickets to see ... the Super Bowl.

Before he competes, he eats ... honey.

His dream career is ... playing in the NFL.

His favorite school subject is ... history.

His favorite athlete is ... Robbie Vavrik.

His favorite TV show is ... “SpongeBob Squarepants.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Joe Rogan, Chuck Liddell and Jesus.

Three things on his bucket list are ... skydiving, elk hunting and great white shark fishing.

Hunter Eastin

Unity junior

190 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Eastin’s Class 1A state title made it three years in a row the Rockets have had a state champion, following Nick Nosler in 2023 at 195 pounds and Lexi Ritchie in 2022 at 155 pounds. Eastin finished the season 49-6, defeating St. Thomas More powerhouse Brody Cuppernell in the regional, sectional and state championships. He has every intention of repeating next year.

He needs tickets to see ... the Olympics.

Before he competes, he eats ... nothing specific.

His dream career is ... something involving computers.

His favorite school subject is ... science.

His favorite athlete is ... Kyle Snyder.

His favorite sports team is ... Michigan football.

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Dan Gable, Julius Caesar and Cael Sanderson.

Three things on his bucket list are ... going to the Olympics, visiting all seven continents and skydiving.

Chloe Hoselton

Prairie Central junior

235 pounds

Why she made the first team ... Having only wrestled 18 matches all season to that point, Hoselton kind of came out of nowhere to win the girls’ 235-pound state title. She bested top-seeded Aaliyah Grandberry from Curie in the semifinals and then Unity’s Phoenix Molina in the championship. Along with her state title, Hoselton was also a Fargo All-American, a freestyle state champion and a folkstyle national runner-up.

She needs tickets to see ... a Bruno Mars concert.

Before she competes, she drinks ... a red Gatorade, if anything.

Her dream career is ... a physical therapist.

Her favorite school subject is ... Spanish because her teacher makes it fun.

Her favorite athletes are ... Zach Edey and Parker Keckeisen.

Her favorite movies are ... the “Divergent” series.

If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... her Grandma Sharon, her Aunt Mari Lynn and her sisters, Lauren and Sydney (I can’t choose between the two of them).

Three things on her bucket list are ... traveling to a different country, winning a Fargo national wrestling title and getting a college degree.

Kaden Inman

Unity junior

144 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Inman was fewer than 10 seconds away from being the area’s fourth state champion this winter. He fell victim to a last-ditch move by Illini Bluffs’ Jackson Carroll and finished as the runner-up in Class 1A. A 45-9 junior season that featured plenty of highlights in the regular season and postseason is nothing to scoff at, and he said he’s confident he’ll be back to state next year.

He needs tickets to see ... a UFC event.

Before he competes, he eats ... a little bit of fruit and honey and drinks a sip of Gatorade, water or Bang Energy.

His dream career is ... a personal trainer or entrepreneur and influencer.

His favorite school subject is ... physical education, followed by history.

His favorite athlete is ... Jordan Burroughs, my idol since day one.

His favorite movie is ... “Billy Madison.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Bill Gates, Theo Von and Albert Einstein.

Three things on his bucket list are ... winning a national wrestling title, skydiving and climbing a tall mountain.

Carson Maxey

GCMS/Fisher senior

150 pounds

Why he made the first team ... In his final year of high school wrestling, Maxey eclipsed the 100-win milestone and ended the season with a 40-10 record. He took runner-up finishes at both regionals and sectionals before heading to the Class 1A state meet, where he won his first match and then battled through the elimination side of the bracket to place fourth.

He needs tickets to see ... next year’s Super Bowl with a front-row seat.

Before he competes, he eats ... a sandwich and drinks a Gatorade.

His dream career is ... a college wrestling or football coach.

His favorite school subject is ... marketing/entrepreneurship.

His favorite athlete is ... Tom Brady.

His favorite TV show is ... “SpongeBob Squarepants.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... Snoop Dogg, NLE Choppa and Kai Cenat.

Three things on his bucket list are ... traveling the United States, becoming wealthy and living in Arizona or Florida.

Phoenix Molina

Unity sophomore

235 pounds

Why she made the first team ... Molina entered the state tournament just hoping to make it to day two. She reached that goal and then some, coming as close to winning a state title without doing it. Molina showed her grit throughout the tournament, winning 2-1 in the first round, 4-2 in the quarterfinals and 3-2 in the semifinals. She ultimately fell 2-1 by ultimate tiebreaker to Prairie Central’s Chloe Hoselton in the championship.

She needs tickets to see ... any concert, preferably metal or rap.

Before she competes, she drinks ... water.

Her dream career is ... in aerospace engineering or rocket science.

Her favorite school subject is ... chemistry.

Her favorite part of this season was ... bonding with her teammates on the car rides back and forth from Washington.

Her favorite movie is ... “Lilo & Stitch.”

If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Achilles, Alexander the Great and Leonidas.

Three things on her bucket list are ... going to a concert, attending a UFC fight ringside and traveling to ancient Greece and Rome.

Phillip Shaw IV

Danville senior

175 pounds

Why he made the first team ... A fourth-place Class 2A state finisher last year in the 182-pound weight class, Shaw had the same placement this year at 175. He once again fought his way to the semifinals but fell to Rock Island’s Amare Overton, who gave Shaw two of his three losses this season. Shaw ended his senior year with a 36-3 record and Big 12 Conference, regional and sectional titles.

He needs tickets to see ... the Dreamville Festival.

Before he competes, he eats ... peanut butter and tuna.

His dream career is ... a strength and conditioning coach.

His favorite school subject is ... language arts.

His favorite athlete is ... Derrick Henry.

His favorite TV show is ... “Rick and Morty.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... J. Cole, Frederick Douglass and Joseph Greenstein.

Three things on his bucket list are ... going snowboarding, traveling to Asia and winning an eating competition.

Angel Zamora

Hoopeston Area junior

175 pounds

Why he made the first team ... Zamora was the only area wrestler to eclipse the 50-win mark, reaching 100 for his career and finishing the season at 51-4. He dominated the start of postseason competition, pinning his way through both regionals and sectionals. Zamora made it to the Class 1A state semifinals with a 20-2 technical fall and another pin but then lost a couple close matches to place fourth.

He needs tickets to see ... Micro Wrestling.

Before he competes, he drinks ... a cherry-lime Gatorlyte.

His dream career is ... nursing.

His favorite school subject is ... woodshop.

His favorite athlete is ... Jim Thorpe.

His favorite TV show is ... “Breaking Bad.”

If he could have dinner with any three people from any time period, he would pick ... his three brothers.

Three things on his bucket list are ... traveling the world, starting a family and becoming an Olympian.