The Waterloo High School wrestling program saw its four boys state qualifiers come up empty-handed this past weekend, but two girls wrestlers will show their skills at state this weekend. 

The IHSA Class 2A boys state wrestling tourney in Champaign featured Waterloo’s Matthew Deutch (113 pounds), Konnor Stephens (132 pounds), Joe Newell (150 pounds) and Jaxson Mathenia (215 pounds). All are juniors except for Stephens.

Mathenia, last year’s state runner-up, opened his 2026 state tourney with a victory over a wrestler from Wheeling before dropping his second match to an opponent from Washington. Unfortunately, his state run ended with a medical forfeit in the next match to Kevahn Flanigan of Civic Memorial.

The only other WHS wrestler to win a match at state this year was Stephens, who won his second of three total matches.

Fortunately, Mathenia, Deutch and Newell should be hungry for a return to Champaign in 2027.

For the WHS girls, juniors Maddy Edler (135 pounds) and Izzy McBride (190 pounds) will wrestle this weekend at the IHSA state tournament in Bloomington. 

Edler and McBride are the first two WHS girls wrestlers to qualify for state.

“We are excited to see what they can do against the best in the state,” WHS girls wrestling head coach Ryan Wiggers said.