Iron sharpens iron: QHS’s Newbold, QND’s Darnell, Pittsfield’s Cook benefit from head-to-head competition

QUINCY — Tucker Cook understands it may be a while before he can get a tattoo, especially one of any significant size, but he already has a plan for what he wants it to look like and say.

The words “iron sharpens iron” will be prominent.

“I believe in that,” the Pittsfield junior wrestler said. “You have to test yourself against the best to be at your best.”

Wednesday night at The Pit, three wrestlers with state tournament aspirations sharpened their skills and their confidence with a trio head-to-head, down-to-the-wire battles.

Quincy High School’s Bryor Newbold, ranked ninth in Class 3A at 175 pounds, bumped up to 190 pounds in order to face Cook and Quincy Notre Dame junior Ryan Darnell — both receiving mention in the Illinois Matmen Class 1A state rankings — and scored a pair of victories.

Newbold was able to ride out a 1-0 victory over Darnell in the night’s signature match and nail down a 5-1 victory over Cook. Meanwhile, Darnell won the matchup with Cook, coming from behind in the third period for a 5-4 victory.

“It proves to me I can go against the kid who is No. 1 in the state, No. 2 in the state, any of them,” said Darnell, ranked seventh. “It boosts my confidence a lot. I can move with anybody, I can hang with anybody, I can wrestle with anybody.”

That’s the benefit of iron sharpening iron.

“It conditions me a little bit better wrestling those full six minutes,” Newbold said. “It gives you experience like you’re going to see at the state tournament where you’re going to have to grit it out and grind it out against two good wrestlers at any given time.”

Newbold had to do so before stepping on the mat. He suffered food poisoning Monday and hadn’t been able to stomach much in the past couple of days.

“It wasn’t very fun coming in dehydrated,” Newbold said.

Yet, he took on the task of wrestling up two weight classes in order to be challenged. 

“It gives me so much confidence,” said Newbold, who also bumped up in a dual at Fort Madison (Iowa) earlier this season and beat state-ranked Teague Smith. “Wrestling guys like that makes you better because it makes you work.”

That should carry over, especially with the Quincy Invitational on tap next weekend.

“I’m coming to win it,” Newbold said.

Cook admittedly benefitted from Newbold’s decision to wrestle up and his battle with Darnell.

“They made me realize my conditioning is not as good as it should be,” said Cook, who is receiving honorable mention in the state rankings. “Especially wrestling against Quincy, which is a Class 3A school, it let me see what I need to do to compete at the 3A level, which should make me more dominant in Class 1A.”

Like the rest of the Saukees, Cook is benefitting from having 17 wrestlers in the room this season. Pittsfield had less than 10 wrestlers last season.

“I got in a scramble situation (against Newbold), and last year, he would have won that scramble situation,” Cook said. “This year, we have more kids in the wrestling room. Some have really, really good hips and are really athletic, which in turn makes me have to work for it more.”

Darnell got a boost scoring the final three points against Cook.

“It reassures me that I can do anything,” Darnell said. “I’m confident in my ability to be able to wrestle through matches. In the postseason, if I go down, I know I’m able to dig myself out of a hole.”

Overall, the Blue Devils dominated the duals, beating Pittsfield 54-6 and shutting out QND 67-0.

Brody Baker’s 2-0 victory over Bradi Lahr at 144 pounds and Todd Smith’s 14-4 major decision over Aidan Brunier highlights the dual victory over QND, while Owen Uppinghouse, ranked No. 2 in Class 3A at 165 pounds, won a pair of matches with a pin and a first-period technical fall.

Pittsfield won its dual with QND 35-33.