Deep O’Fallon team wins Mascoutah Invitational title

If ever there was an example of a “team champion” the O’Fallon Panthers displayed it on Saturday at the 46th annual Mascoutah Invitational Wrestling Tournament.

Senior Alex Williams placed second in the 120-pound weight class and Alec Ziegler (106) also earned a second-place medal to pace a balanced Panthers lineup as O’Fallon nipped Southwestern Conference rival Collinsville for the title in the 30-team event at Mascoutah High School.

Williams lost to Jevon Pargo of Collinsville in the 120-pound final while highly-touted Trevor Edwards of Mattoon outwrestled Ziegler for the 106-pound title, but O’Fallon also had 11 other wrestlers earn medals in finishing the two-day event with 271 1/2 points, 25 1/2 more than Collinsville.

The win in the prestigious, early season event is the second in four years and third since 2008 for O’Fallon, which might have been the first team to win the title Saturday without a champion.

But the Panthers had everything else going for them.

“Honestly, this is actually the kind of team that we have. We’re just very solid throughout the lineup,” Panthers coach Glenn Exton said. “We had 13 wrestlers place in the top eight in their respective weight classes. And if the wrestler in the other division, doesn’t have trouble with his weight, I think we would have had 14 medal winners.

“I’m proud of the kids. It was a very good team effort.”

In addition to the two second place wrestlers, O’Fallon also got third place finishes from Alex Fulton (113), Jack Bond (152), Nick Kelly (160), Mason Hewitt (182) and Kobey Bosworth (195).

Collinsville, led by champions Pargo (120) and Derron Miller (195) finished second with 246 points. Two-time defending champion Alton (198), Carbondale (186) and Murphysboro (153) rounded out the top five teams.

Collinsville comes up short

In addition to the titles won by Pargo and Miller, Collinsville also had a pair of runnersup in Cole Zabala (138) and Aaron Engle (145). It was another solid day of wrestling for coach Tom Blaha’s Kahoks who after losing to Alton in a dual meet earlier in the week, came back and placed higher their SWC rivals.

“I’m pleased. We lost a tough match against Alton. But the kids bounced back and gave a very good effort today,” Blaha said. “The goal is to keep working hard, keep everybody healthy and get them ready for February and the postseason. That’s when we want to be at our very best.”

Witzig, DeWayne Hill continue undefeated streaks

A Class 2A State Tournament runner-up a year ago, Triad senior Cole Witzig combined with teammate Merik Fulton to remain undefeated by winning championships and sharing the honor as the most outstanding wrestlers of the tournament.

Fulton improved to 15-0 by winning the 132-pound title while Witzig won the 182-pound crown.

Witzig’s title wasn’t easy, as he defeated Keontay Holmes of Alton 6-4 for the title.

“He (Holmes) is a big strong wrestler and we knew that going in,” Witzig said. “The key was to wrestle a very technically sound match. I did that.”

Witzig is now 14-0 for the season.

Another wrestler keeping his perfect season alive was Belleville East senior DeWayne Hill who improved to 23-0 in the 220-pound weight class with a win over Garrette Benson of Mattoon in the final.

Other local champions

Other metro east area wrestlers claiming titles on Saturday were Alejandro Lopez of Alton (145 pounds) and Trent Rakers of Highland (160). Rakers is now 10-0 on the season.

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 8:04 PM with the headline "Deep O’Fallon team wins Mascoutah Invitational title."