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Joins Raiders Simpson, Cotton with that honor
Nate Joseph became the second East Peoria wrestler this decade to win back-to-back state wrestling medals.
Joseph, a senior, collected third-place honors Saturday in 215 pounds in the Illinois High School Association Class 2A state final.
He joined Donny Cotton (2006, ’07) with recent top-four finishes in consecutive years for the Raiders. Joseph was fourth a season ago.
Tim Simpson is the only other East Peoria grappler with two state awards.
“It’s nice,” Joseph said of joining that select company at the school, “but it would have been even better to be the only state champion.”
Joseph (39-2) won twice on Friday and two times on the second day at Assembly Hall in Champaign.
“I had fun the whole season,” said Joseph, who went 79-8 the last two years. “Overall, I’m pretty pleased.”
In the first round Friday, Joseph set a Class 2A state-final record for points in 215 in an 18-14 win over Dustin Cole of Mt. Vernon.
In the quarterfinals that evening, he built a 5-1 lead before holding on for a 5-4 decision over Oak Lawn Richards’ Andy Crivellone
Joseph said his objective is to “push kids to the limits” with his better shape, and eventually they will crack.
David Vinton of Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge defeated Joseph in the semifinals Saturday morning, 12-10 in overtime.
Vinton went on to win the state title.
“I kind of came out not as aggressive as I should have been,” said Joseph of the battle with Vinton.
Joseph, who was guided by East Peoria head coach Phil Johns, recovered in wrestlebacks for a third-period pin against Vernon Hills athlete Rory Klema.
Joseph avenged a state-tournament loss to Crystal Lake Central’s Gage Harrah to win the third-place bout.
A 3-2 decision over the Tiger gave Joseph a one-place improvement compared with his first state experience.
“If I wasn’t going to get first, that was a good way to go out — to beat (Harrah),” Joseph said.
In ’09, Harrah downed Joseph, 4-0, in the same match.
Harrah also pinned Joseph the previous week in the Sterling Sectional semifinals.
Harrah, Vinton, Crivellone and Cole all were ranked in the top 11 in the Feb. 10 Illinois Matmen 2A state rankings. Joseph was rated third.
It has been a big year athletically for Joseph, who also was a first-team all-Mid-Illini Conference defensive lineman in football.
Although not part of his plans at the moment, Joseph said he cannot rule out being involved in wrestling in some capacity in the future.
Joins Raiders Simpson, Cotton with that honor
Nate Joseph became the second East Peoria wrestler this decade to win back-to-back state wrestling medals.
Joseph, a senior, collected third-place honors Saturday in 215 pounds in the Illinois High School Association Class 2A state final.
He joined Donny Cotton (2006, ’07) with recent top-four finishes in consecutive years for the Raiders. Joseph was fourth a season ago.
Tim Simpson is the only other East Peoria grappler with two state awards.
“It’s nice,” Joseph said of joining that select company at the school, “but it would have been even better to be the only state champion.”
Joseph (39-2) won twice on Friday and two times on the second day at Assembly Hall in Champaign.
“I had fun the whole season,” said Joseph, who went 79-8 the last two years. “Overall, I’m pretty pleased.”
In the first round Friday, Joseph set a Class 2A state-final record for points in 215 in an 18-14 win over Dustin Cole of Mt. Vernon.
In the quarterfinals that evening, he built a 5-1 lead before holding on for a 5-4 decision over Oak Lawn Richards’ Andy Crivellone
Joseph said his objective is to “push kids to the limits” with his better shape, and eventually they will crack.
David Vinton of Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge defeated Joseph in the semifinals Saturday morning, 12-10 in overtime.
Vinton went on to win the state title.
“I kind of came out not as aggressive as I should have been,” said Joseph of the battle with Vinton.
Joseph, who was guided by East Peoria head coach Phil Johns, recovered in wrestlebacks for a third-period pin against Vernon Hills athlete Rory Klema.
Joseph avenged a state-tournament loss to Crystal Lake Central’s Gage Harrah to win the third-place bout.
A 3-2 decision over the Tiger gave Joseph a one-place improvement compared with his first state experience.
“If I wasn’t going to get first, that was a good way to go out — to beat (Harrah),” Joseph said.
In ’09, Harrah downed Joseph, 4-0, in the same match.
Harrah also pinned Joseph the previous week in the Sterling Sectional semifinals.
Harrah, Vinton, Crivellone and Cole all were ranked in the top 11 in the Feb. 10 Illinois Matmen 2A state rankings. Joseph was rated third.
It has been a big year athletically for Joseph, who also was a first-team all-Mid-Illini Conference defensive lineman in football.
Although not part of his plans at the moment, Joseph said he cannot rule out being involved in wrestling in some capacity in the future.
