Josh Finley Country Financial / WMIX Sports Ram of the Week
Dalton St. Angelo – Mt. Vernon Rams Wrestling (120 lbs)
This week’s Josh Finley Country Financial / WMIX Sports Ram of the Week is Mt. Vernon Rams wrestler Dalton St. Angelo, who captured a regional championship and earned a trip to the IHSA State Finals after an impressive postseason run in the 120-pound weight class.
St. Angelo began his postseason dominance at the Carbondale Regional on January 31, where he powered through the bracket in commanding fashion. He opened with a 15-0 technical fall over Mascoutah’s Jacob Martell in just 2:11, followed by a pinfall victory in 2:22 against Waterloo’s Dominic Goodman in the semifinals. In the championship match, St. Angelo secured the regional title with a fall in 5:10 over Carbondale’s Ayden Swan.
He carried that momentum into the Granite City Sectional on February 13 and 14. After earning a first-round bye, St. Angelo rolled to a 16-0 technical fall in 3:26 over Bloomington’s Lincoln Steers in the quarterfinals. He dropped a hard-fought 8-4 decision in the championship semifinal to Chatham (Glenwood)’s Jaxon Ferguson but showed resilience in the consolation bracket.
The Rams standout responded with a dominant 15-0 technical fall in 2:41 over Normal West’s Jacob Payne in the consolation semifinal before closing out the tournament with a 17-0 technical fall in 4:42 over Steers to secure a third-place finish and a berth to the IHSA State Finals.
Competing Thursday at the IHSA State Finals in Champaign, St. Angelo faced Morris’ Paxton Valentine in the opening round and battled against elite competition, ultimately falling by 11-0 major decision. Dalton will wrestle in a wrestleback match tomorrow (Fri.) against Harrison Brown from Oak Park (Fenwick)
From multiple technical falls and a regional championship to a sectional podium finish and state qualification, St. Angelo’s postseason run has showcased both dominance and toughness on the mat. His performance at 120 pounds has been a key highlight for the Mt. Vernon Rams wrestling program as he continues to compete on the biggest stage in Illinois high school wrestling.