Entering the 2025-26 high school wrestling season, Macomb High boys coach Luke Ladd looked at Jeshua McPheeters as a wild card.
But the junior came up all aces in qualifying for the Illinois High School Association Class 1A State Finals that began Thursday at State Farm Center in Champaign.
“Coming into the season, you want to talk about a wild card,” said Ladd of McPheeters. “He didn’t even qualify for sectionals last year.”
“It was an unknown,” he added. “His confidence was there. He’d hit the weightroom hard and put in a lot of work over the year. He put on a lot of muscle.”
“It was definitely something that I was really looking forward to and really wanted to do in my high school career,” said McPheeters of reaching the state finals.
PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news.
Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today!
