Jake Miller will end his high school wrestling career this weekend at the Class A State Tournament in Champaign.
But Miller won't be the only Murphysboro High School wrestler competing for a title, as Brad Sauer will join his teammate in Champaign.
Both wrestlers will be competing after solid showings at last weekend's Robinson Sectional.
Miller won the 145-pound weight class with relative ease. He pinned Matt Gadberry of Auburn a mere 30 seconds into their quarterfinal bout. He then won a 15-0 major decision over Fithian's Mikal Harden in the semifinals.
Miller wrapped up his day by pinning Herrin's Drake Holland at the 1:05 mark of their championship bout.
Miller is no stranger to the state tournament. He won a title as a freshman, and has finished third in the last two state tournaments. He will receive a bye in the opening round before taking on Anthony Franc of Manteno or Brian Roberts of LeRoy in the quarterfinals.
"I'd like to finish up my career by winning it,'' Miller said. "You just try to treat it like any other tournament. All the wrestlers are pretty tough."
Sauer will be making his first state tournament appearance after being an alternate last year.
The junior advanced by finishing second in the 285-pound division at the sectional. He began his day by pinning Harrisburg's Johnnie Donaldson in 3:14 in their quarterfinal match. Sauer then pinned Litchfield's Dan Perryman in 3:20 of their semifinal bout.
Sauer then ran into Mt. Carmel's Tanner Crum in the championship match, and Crum, who has lost just once all season, pinned Murphysboro's big man in 2:59.
"Crum is a pretty tough kid,'' Sauer said. "He's a solid 260, and pretty strong. He knew what he was doing."
Sauer will try to advance far enough at the state tournament to see Crum again. But he's not overlooking anyone.
"You just have to take it one match at a time,'' Sauer said. "You can't look past anyone. You have to focus on the match in front of you."
Murphysboro's Trey Topp also competed at the sectional, but wasn't able to advance.
Topp, a freshman, dropped his first match of the day to Fithian's Ashton Haton, 8-0. He rebounded by pinning West Frankfort's Alec Meier in the consolation bracket, but his season would come to an end when he was pinned in 28 seconds by Robinson's Payton Stifle.
"For Trey it was a great experience,'' said Murphysboro coach Dan Baker. "He had some upperclassmen in his bracket, and at this level you're going to get that.
"Trey had a great season. I'm real proud of him. His future is bright."
As are the futures of Miller and Sauer, who will do their best to return home from the state tournament with medals.
"Brackets don't mean a lot, but you never know until you there,'' Baker said of the state tournament. "You can't look at your bracket and look ahead. You have to take it one match at a time. You have to look at the match at hand. That's how you wrestle any tournament, including the state tournament.