Spicknall, Pillars show ability to motivate each other, win individual crowns at Quincy Invitational

QUINCY — Even though Tyler Spicknall and Brayden Pillars both wrestle for Palmyra and are four weight classes apart, they have developed a friendly rivalry.

That was no different on championship Saturday in the Quincy Invitational as Spicknall worked his way through the 138-pound class and Pillars likewise at 165 pounds.

“We were both talking smack all day trying to beat each other,” Pillars said. 

The smack talk must have worked for both wrestlers as they each won all three of their matches to secure titles — Spicknall with a 14-11 decision over Quincy’s Cooper Kamm and Pillars with a 19-3 technical fall victory over Mascoutah’s Sean Murphy.

“They just want to make each other better,” Palmyra coach Dalton Huffman said. “To have kids like that who can push each other every day and are about the same level is awesome to have. They set a good example.”

Spicknall had to erase an 8-2 third period deficit to keep his undefeated weekend run alive.

“Don’t back down. Don’t quit,” Spicknall said of his mindset going into the third period. “You’re never out of a match. They changed so much scoring that it’s easier to get points now. Never quit.”

Spicknall made up four points with an escape and a takedown in the first 30 seconds. A Kamm escape point pushed the lead back to three, but with 40 seconds left, Spicknall took Kamm down to tie the match at 9.

Spicknall’s next move 10 seconds later helped seal it.

“I work cradles all the time,” Spicknall said. “He just kind of stood straight up into it, and I rolled him back.”

Spicknall held Kamm down long enough to earn a four-point near fall. Spicknall kept Kamm at bay the rest of the 27 seconds to secure the tournament title, his first as a varsity wrestler despite qualifying for the Class 1 state tournament at 132 pounds last season and a 44-9 career record. Spicknall finished third in last year’s Class 1 District 3 tournament and had finished second in two other tournaments and third in another prior to this weekend.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve won a tournament, so to be able to be back and actually win one was really important to me,” Spicknall said.

Spicknall, a junior, has compiled a 26-5 record this season and will look to avenge an early exit at last season’s state tournament where he did not place.

“I know what I said about Brayden, and it sounds like I’m repeating myself, but those kids push each other hard in the wrestling room,” Huffman said. “Tyler will be the first to tell you he’s not the most athletically gifted kid, but he works hard. He outworks talent more than anything. He beats more talented kids all the time. He’s finally coming into his own. He’s a force to be reckoned with. Last year, he had an early out in state. This year, I do not see that happening.”

Pillars won his match in much more convincing fashion. He registered a takedown in the first eight seconds of each of the first two periods before ending the match with his sixth takedown 33 seconds into the third period.

“I was just making sure I was having fun with it, not rushing through everything, wrestling my match,” Pillars said. “A lot of times, I get in my own head and put too much pressure on myself.”

Pillars ran roughshod through the tournament by winning five of his six matches by pin or technical fall. His other victory came in a 14-5 decision over Pittsfield’s Waylon White in the semifinals. Pillars was named the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler and has now won 30 of his 32 matches this season.

“Business as usual,” Pillars said.

The Panthers finished fourth out of 18 teams with 142.5 points, 15 ahead of Jacksonville in fifth.

“I’ll take it,” Huffman said. “My crutch I think is that I expect a lot, and we do as a team. We’re happy with fourth, but we’re not content. I think we still have some growing to do.”

Emmett Lorenson rebounded from a semifinal loss to Quincy’s Derik Lohmeyer to pin Cahokia’s Jamarcus Agnew 3 minutes, 28 seconds into the third place match at 120 pounds. Luke Lawson reached the 126 semifinals but dropped his semifinal bout to Quincy’s Wyatt Boeing and the third place match to Mascoutah’s Macguire Leck. Blake Rife dropped an overtime match to Quincy’s Clayton McClelland in the 113 championship.