PLANO, IL, Feb. 6 - Jacob Stryker is a senior, a four-year wrestler at Mooseheart who went to Plano on Saturday with one more shot to qualify for an Illinois High School Assn. sectional meet. Junior Smith is a freshman who turned in a solid afternoon of wrestling at Plano's regional.

Together, the tandem are the Ramblers who are still standing in the state wrestling postseason. Stryker and Smith return to Plano on Friday for the sectional meet, where berths in the state meet await the very best.

"I thought we wrestled well," Mooseheart coach Mark Johnson said. "We finished sixth out of eight, and I think that's the best we've ever done at a regional, especially a tough regional. It would have been nice to get a few more through, but we did a nice job today."

Both Mooseheart wrestlers qualified as third-place wrestlers. With only three qualifiers advancing to the sectional, there was plenty of pressure in their third-place matches. Stryker, wrestling at 275 pounds, pinned Dwight's Christian Kulla with 1:01 left in the second period. To get to that match, Stryker had to defeat Plano senior Wil Riddle in the wrestleback rounds.

"I kind of felt like it was either him or me who was going to have it end right here," Stryker said. "I felt that I'd rather it'd be me to move on and accomplish my dreams. I wanted to keep moving on to the sectionals. Hopefully I can keep moving on and get to the state meet."

Stryker has been a fixture with the Ramblers for four years.

"He's wrestled really hard," Johnson said. "I anticipate he'll come here Friday for the sectional and do his best."

Smith qualified at 171 pounds. He advanced without having to wrestle for third place because he had already defeated his consolation match opponent, Plano's Andy Porter, in the opening round.

"I didn't expect to come this far this year, especially as a freshman," Smith said. "Coach (Johnson) was behind me and the team was behind me too, especially my cousin, Jasper (Cheneyon).  I came in here with the attitude that I was going to make the sectional."

Johnson began a wrestling program for Mooseheart's middle school-aged wrestlers just one year ago, and Smith was one of those who participated. So, where freshmen have typically entered the Ramblers high school program as total novices to wrestling, Smith already had some experience.

"He had the opportunity to learn some skills," Johnson said. "It's nice to see him on the podium. He deserves it, he's got another three years with us, and hopefully we can get him downstate."

In all, Mooseheart had five wrestlers ready to wrestle for third place. Chris Villaruel (130 pounds), Martin Gutierrez (152) and Brendan Douglas (189) lost their consolation matches in a regional that featured area Class 1A powers such as Reed-Custer, Coal City, Seneca, Lisle as well as the hosts. Coal City won the team title and had champions in nine of the 14 weight classes.