Jacksonville Middle School Wrestler McBride Takes Second at IESA State Finals

Jan "Vezy" Vezes McBride walked off the mat at Northern Illinois University's Convocation Center on March 14 having done something no Jacksonville Middle School wrestler had done before: earn a second career state placing at the IESA finals.

The seventh-grader finished second at 90 pounds during the two-day IESA State Wrestling Finals in DeKalb, closing out a 28-6 season and becoming the first multiple state place-winner in JMS program history.

It was McBride's second consecutive trip to the state stage. As a sixth-grader last season, he was the first student from JMS to qualify for state as a sixth-grader, finishing fourth at 80 pounds. This year, he moved up a weight class, worked through a field drawn from across Illinois, and reached the championship bout.

The path to that final ran through a standout semifinal performance. McBride fell behind with an early takedown, responded with an escape and a takedown of his own, then controlled the second period from the top and accumulated near-fall points to advance. The championship match ended in a 5-0 loss, but the semifinal captured the competitive identity his coaches have watched develop across two seasons.

Head coach Jim Chelsvig described McBride in terms that go beyond the scorebook. "He quietly works hard," Chelsvig said. "Always positive, always smiling, always in attendance. He volunteers, supports teammates, and excels academically." During the regular season, McBride also wrestled above his weight class at times to fill lineup gaps, a form of leadership Chelsvig pointed to as defining.

The tournament itself is one of northern Illinois's larger youth sporting events. The DeKalb Wrestling Club has hosted the IESA state finals for more than 25 years, and the 2026 edition drew approximately 6,000 visitors to DeKalb County. The IESA has sanctioned boys wrestling since 1980 and split competition into Class A and Class AA divisions in 2019 based on school enrollment, with JMS competing in one of those tiers based on Jacksonville School District 117's enrollment figures.

McBride has one more season of middle-school eligibility. Given what the first two produced, JMS wrestling has reason to watch the 90-pound bracket closely next March.