Liam Kelly’s quest for another state wrestling title was back on track Friday night.
A year after winning the Class 3A 157-pound title, the Mount Carmel senior went into the postseason top-ranked in 3A at 165 by Illinois Matmen.
But officials at the Morton Regional on Jan. 31 blocked Kelly from competing because of a non-contagious skin condition — granuloma annulare — even though he had a doctor’s note clearing him to compete.
The condition, which Kelly has had for years, has never prevented him from competing before. But the IHSA backed the Morton officials’ decision and declined to return Kelly to the individual bracket.
That led Kelly’s father Michael to sue the IHSA in Cook County Circuit Court, seeking to get Liam cleared to compete in the Hinsdale Central Sectional.
Judge Alison Conlon granted the request for an emergency temporary restraining order on Wednesday and the IHSA accepted the ruling.
Kelly was added to the 165-pound sectional bracket as a 13th wrestler, so he didn’t bump any of the three qualifiers from the Morton Regional.
He scored three technical falls on Friday night and was on the mat for less than six minutes total.
The sectional continues Saturday with the top four finishers at each weight advancing to next weekend’s Class 3A state finals at State Farm Center in Champaign.