This Galesburg senior ‘competes with tons of pride’ on mats. Meet Jeremiah ‘Jerry’ Morris

GALESBURG — Galesburg Superior School’s Jeremiah “Jerry” Morris was a 3-activity athlete for the Silver Streaks.

The 18-calendar year-aged was a member of the soccer crew, the boys keep track of and discipline squad, and Morris wrestled for GHS.

Morris professional the most achievements on mats, and he concluded with 83 profession wins — 39 arrived as a senior — and a pair of journeys to point out at 220 pounds.

Morris will build upon what he is learned under the direction of Streaks wrestling coach Greg Leibach and his workers at the collegiate level.

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Morris will grapple for St. Ambrose University, an NAIA faculty situated in Davenport, Iowa. The 2022-23 university 12 months will be the next period of existence for the Preventing Bees’ wrestling plan. They’re coached by Bo Bettinson.

“What seriously experienced me established on there is the total family part,” Morris stated. “They’re a younger system, and they appeared close. They appeared like a family members to me. They seemed like they were being brothers, you know.

“Everybody has every single many others again up there and with them becoming a new application that is great,” Morris extra. “All people understands what they want to complete and it is a thing I want to be a section of.”

Furthermore, Morris likes the proximity St. Ambrose offers.

“It truly is far enough where by I can really feel like I am essentially away at college or university but it can be shut adequate to exactly where my mom — and perhaps even some of my teammates and coaches — can arrive up and check out a twin whilst I am up there,” Morris reported. “I like that it is close ample that I can generate again and persons can occur up and see me. I seriously like that.”

Morris ‘competes with tons of pride’

You can find no doubt Morris will offer leadership for the Fighting Bees. He did for the Streaks.

“Jerry is a model of consistency and day by day perseverance towards advancement. We have an Ironman Award to recognize wrestlers with period-extensive excellent attendance, which is no small feat in a activity as physical as wrestling,” Leibach said. “Jerry is a multiple time Ironman Award winner. He loves the sport and is keen for the subsequent obtainable problem. Which is an great affect in our space.

Story proceeds

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“Jerry also competes with tons of pride for his school and his town. He is happy to be a Streak and wishes to demonstrate other people — opponents, officers, supporters — what is good about Galesburg,” Leibach additional. “His each day presence will surely be skipped, but his example will proceed to have a optimistic influence on our program. I am thrilled, and I know Jerry is, as well, for him to bring back knowledge from the college degree to share with our youthful wrestlers.”

Morris experienced ‘one of best seasons’

This wintertime, Morris didn’t eliminate a match in twin wrestling satisfies and went 39-6 all round. Alongside with qualifying for state, Morris was the 220-pound champion at a few common time tournaments, a Western Major 6 Conference champ, and he was a regional champion.

“It all provides up to a person of the finest seasons in Galesburg wrestling history,” Leibach claimed. “It can be really satisfying to see a male that invests so a great deal get all those benefits and success.”

Serving as a defensive deal with on the gridiron served Morris achieve these feats.

“A good deal of the self-discipline I uncovered in soccer aided me in wrestling. It carried proper above,” he mentioned. “After my senior year of soccer, I was really tapped in many thanks to mentor (Derrek) Blackwell. I was actually centered on what I needed to achieve my senior calendar year for wrestling.”

Check out this earlier story: Morris ‘very hungry’ to play

Morris improved as occupation went on

Morris held obtaining superior as his higher faculty wrestling job progressed.

“His yr-to-year advancement was fulfilling to view,” Leibach said of Morris. “I bear in mind standing up coming to him matside at the sectional when he was a sophomore. He was a male on the increase, eager to pull some upsets, and the upcoming looked promising. I examine that memory with matside moments during his senior 12 months. That long term experienced arrived – a returning state qualifier, a legitimate hammer for the Galesburg aspect.

“We couldn’t hold out for the 220s to come up in competition, because we knew it was ‘Jerry Time.'”

Like Leibach, Morris remembers his sophomore yr, far too, lacking out on a state bid lit a hearth within him.

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“In my early decades of wrestling, I desire I was a tiny little bit improved but I think I experienced a good turnaround,” explained Morris, who misplaced 52 matches — six this winter season — whilst donning a singlet for the Streaks. “My sophomore calendar year, I went down to sectionals and I experienced a heartbreaking loss. I believe that definitely woke me up and obtained me enthusiastic for my junior yr. I finished up heading to state and senior I finished up heading to state.

“I think that loss genuinely bought me likely,” Morris extra. “My superior school career as a entire, I feel I turned out to be a very good athlete all the way around.”

Morris earns prestigious Morris award

Morris did in truth, and he is the male winner of the Don Morris Award, which is named after the late Don Morris. He served as an athletic director and mentor at Rock Island Alleman.

Don Morris was a standout athlete whilst he attended Streator Superior Faculty and later on when he attended St. Ambrose. He was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1975 as a mentor and a participant. Morris is also a founding father of the Western Massive 6.

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The award, which bears Don Morris’ title, goes to male and woman seniors who competed in the WB6 and excelled in academics, group company and athletics. Members in 3 sports activities acquire the greatest precedence.

Jeremiah Morris is honored to be among the those people who have attained the honor.

“I was not expecting to win it at all. I was very fired up that I gained it,” he claimed. “I fully grasp how major of an award it was and for me to win it feels excellent.”

Morris still has ‘untapped’ expertise

Morris continue to has area to expand as a wrestler, and he’ll definitely do that.

“Jeremiah has added new system each individual year of his substantial school job, but there are even now untapped areas technically,” Leibach claimed. “Less than the steering of the St. Ambrose coaches, he is heading to increase new strategies to beat men and women, primarily on his feet.

“Faculty scoring also incorporates using time for mat wrestling that high university does not,” Leibach extra. “Jerry will definitely do the job some methods to keep opponents flat when he’s on prime so he can create that riding time in shut matches.”

Matthew Wheaton can be achieved at (309) 315-6073 or at mwheaton@sign up-mail.com. Observe him on Twitter @matthewlwheaton

This short article initially appeared on Galesburg Sign-up-Mail: NAIA Wrestling: Galesburg’s Morris to grapple for St. Ambrose