Eagles Return Five State Qualifiers To Mat

When Sullivan’s wrestling team hits the mat for the season opener November 29 at Pleasant Hill, head coach Matt Peregoy believes it might be the best they’ve ever had.

With five state qualifiers — two that finished all-state — the Eagles look to be loaded as the 2018-2018 season approaches.

“As the competition season draws closer, I am getting more excited,” said Peregoy, whose team cracked the Top 20 at the state tournament last February.

Dillon Witt, Kobie Blankenship, Ian Kilburn, Evan Shetley and Tristan Brown all qualified for the state tournament. Kilburn and Shetley finished ….

With returners Ransom Dudley, Devyn Harmon, Isaac Peregoy, Trey Eplin and Luke Landwehr, Sullivan has an experienced group. Dudley was injured just before the district tournament. Isaac Peregoy was defeated in overtime at the district tournament, which kept him from advancing to state.

“I know both those guys have something to prove and are working hard to do it along with all the rest of the guys,” Peregoy said.

Sullivan worked hard in the offseason and Peregoy believes it looks to be paying off.

“Between top level camps that our guys attended over the summer and their commitment to the weight room, things are looking good,” he said. “Our focus this year is on improving the team aspect and creating a mentality of success. Last season Sullivan broke the top 20 in the state for the first time in its history. We want to continue to build on that success to chase the district title and top five in the state.”

The potential is there, Peregoy said, and the team will have to fire on all cylinders to realize it. To that end, the Eagles have an even more difficult schedule.

“This year, we changed up our schedule a bit as well to take it up another level,” said Peregoy, who has booked the Liberty Wentzville Invitational and the Battle for the Belt in Fayetteville, Ark. 

“Both tournaments are going to put us in a higher level of competition in Missouri as well as surrounding states,” he said.

Peregoy left the dual schedule untouched since the Eagles already face tough schools. And after a few years of mostly traveling and having just a handful of home meets, the Eagles have six this year.

“The Sullivan community has always supported us in the past and this season will give them an opportunity to see us perform and represent,” Peregoy said. “There is no doubt this is an exciting time to be a part of Sullivan wrestling.”

Peregoy also looks for places to incrementally improve the team and that meant bringing Brad Landwehr back to the coaching staff.

“Coach Landwehr brings several years of both competition and coach experience to the program,” he said.