Peacock makes 
the cut

EUREKA — James Peacock overcame two surgeries from a band saw accident two days after Christmas and overcame just enough wrestlers on the mat Saturday to advance to sectionals from the Eureka 1A Regional.

Peacock made quick work of Hunter Sant of El Paso-Gridley in the semifinals with a fall in 45 seconds to secure his berth to the Macomb Sectional. In the championship match, Peacock fell to Eureka’s Darrell Quast by fall. He battled back from a 6-0 deficit to close within 6-5 before being pinned.

The Academy sophomore from Princeton was just happy to get to wrestle, cleared to compete just three days before regional.

“I cut my index finger and thumb. It was two days before Christmas, and I never thought I’d be regional,” he said, referring to the accident as a Christmas present. “The doctor signed me off if I taped it to my other fingers.”

Peacock said his semifinal match with Sant was a “nice icebreaker,” trying to finish it off quickly. He admitted to being nervous in the finals and said he wasn’t conditioned to go three periods yet.

Peacock will face Clinton senior Brett Murphy (19-15) in his first sectional match.

St. Bede’s Brendan Zimmerman also had a shot of advancing, but fell to EPG’s Tristun Reeves 13-7 in the third-place match at 182.

The host Hornets, ranked 11th in 1A, took the regional championship by a 263.5 to 138.5 margin over IVC.