Uppinghouse still undefeated after 40 matches; QHS wins first WB6 wrestling championship in more than 40 years

MOLINE, Ill. — Senior Owen Uppinghouse continued his perfect season with a pin in his championship match in the 165-pound weight class, and the Quincy High School wrestling team won the Western Big Six Conference championship for the first time in more than 40 years on Friday at Wharton Field House.

Quincy finished with 164 points. Rock Island came in second with 157.5 points, and Moline scored 151 points to place third.

Brody Baker claimed a championship for the Blue Devils at 144 pounds, as did Todd Smith in the heavyweight division. Bryor Newbold placed second at 175 pounds, and four other Blue Devils placed third in their divisions.

Uppinghouse spent less than three minutes on the mat on Friday. He pinned Geneseo’s Brennan Lambin in 39 seconds, Galesburg’s Nathan Maloy in 51 seconds and Moline’s Deanthony Simpson in 97 seconds. His record is 41-0 this season.

Baker (31-12) pinned Galesburg’s Isaac Admire in 3 minutes, 10 seconds, then pinned Rock Island’s Elijah Venegas in 1:32. He captured the title match by an 8-6 decision over Geneseo’s Malaki Jackson. 

Smith improved to 32-7 this season by winning in the quarterfinals by a 13-5 decision over Moline’s Bennett Gorgal, then pinning Sterling’s Charlie Reyes in 1:16 and Galesburg’s Larry Randolph in 3:32.

Newbold dropped to 36-5 after suffering a 13-1 major decision loss to Rock Island’s Amare Overton, who improved to 34-2. Newbold pinned Moline’s Jaxson Soliz in 3:43 and claimed a technical fall victory over Sterling’s Tatum Allen in 5:56 in the semifinals.

Placing third for the Blue Devils were Hugh Sharrow (26-17) at 113 pounds, Evan Wakefield (23-20) at 126 pounds, Cale Mixer (23-17) at 138 pounds and Eli Roberts (29-14) at 150 pounds.

Not only will Quincy be the host of the Class 3A regional on Friday, Feb. 2, but it also will be the host school for the sectional on Feb. 9-10.