NORMAL • In wrestling, it is said that champions come in pairs. For the Alton High wrestling team, champions come in a trio.
Twins Phyllip and Nicholas DeLoach along with teammate Qian'te Wagner took home individual championships on Saturday in the Class 3A Normal Community sectional. It was the second sectional title for Phyllip and first for Nicholas and Wagner.
"This is nice," Phyllip DeLoach said, "But this is another step. The real focus in next at state. Still, it is pretty exciting to be a two-time sectional champion."
Phyllip DeLoach won at 142 pounds. And the matchup had a distinct Metro East flair as he beat Southwestern Conference foe Nick Foster of Belleville West 4-3.
"Phyllip beating Nick for a third time is pretty impressive," Alton coach Eric Roberson said. "That's difficult to do. Nick is a very good wrestler."
"He's a good opponent," Phyllip DeLoach said. "He knows me. He was trying to catch me in certain positions, but I managed to stay out of them."
Phyllip DeLoach also beat Foster in a dual meet and in the championship match of the Belleville West regional last weekend.
"Phyllip is an elite level guy," West coach Al Sears said. "There's a reason he is (37-0). But give Nick credit too. He pushed Phyllip. It was a good close match."
At 152 pounds, Nicholas DeLoach improved to 47-0 after he outlasted sophomore Trevell Timmons of Lockport, 7-4.
"It was one of my best matches," Nicholas DeLoach said. "It was a great match. Everything I tried was perfectly executed. This is my first sectional win, so I'm going to enjoy for a little bit, but I'll get to work on getting ready for state. This is nice, but state is the big prize."
Phyllip DeLoach, who won his first sectional last year, was more happy about his brothers sectional title than his own.
"He was second last year," Phyllip DeLoach said. "It felt like we both lost that match, so we worked even harder to make up for that loss. It was pretty satisfying to see him up on top of the podium."
Wagner also picked up his first sectional title. He pinned Yorkville's Bryce Shewan with 42 seconds left in the 160-pound championship match.
"When it first started I played it safe," Wagner said. "I wanted to see what kind of wrestler he is and when I figured out what he liked to do, I opened it up and got more and more confidence."
After slamming Shewan several times to the mat during the match, Wagner had built a comfortable points lead and would have won on a decision. But Wagner wanted more.
"I got the chance," Wagner said. And I went for it. It feels pretty good to get this win. And I'm happy for the DeLoach's, too. We all go way back. We've been wrestling since sixth grade and have pushed each other ever since then."
One other Metro East athlete took home a title when Belleville West heavyweight Ricky Nelson pinned Nick Wolf of Plainfield North at 2:31.
"He's really coming into his own," Sears said. "He's such a force and it's all starting to click for him."
Nelson pinned all three of his opponents Saturday. His opponent Wolf, in the championship, is the third-ranked wrestler in the state.
O'Fallon senior Keajion Jennings also made it to the title match at 170 pounds, but lost a 6-4 decision to junior Carson Oughton of Minooka. He still advances to the state championship event beginning Thursday at State Farm Center in Champaign.
Others who are moving on are senior Tanner Ambry of Edwardsville at 120 pounds. He decisioned Connor Broyles of Alton 4-3 in the third-place match. Devon Simpson of Granite City, fourth place in 138, Edwardsville senior James Ziegler third place at 152, Edwardsville junior Chris Prosser third place at 160.
In addition, senior Matthew Striegel of Belleville East was third at 170 pounds. Junior James Waters of Edwardsville was fourth at 182 as was Alton senior Darian Pierson in the heavyweight class.
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