CHAMPAIGN-URBANA – History was made for East St. Louis’ wrestling team with Pierre Walton winning the Class 2A title at 165 pounds at the IHSA boys state individual wrestling tournament on Saturday at the State Farm Center, on the campus of the University of Illinois, in Champaign-Urbana.
Pierre Walton pinned Santino Tenuta of Lombard Montini Catholic at 3:47 to become East Side’s first wrestling champion since 1943. After the final, Walton couldn’t stop expressing his joy at his accomplishment.
“It feels great. It feels really good,” an excited Walton said in an interview after the match. “Especially my coaches, they helped me throughout the way. I learned through my coach the whole time. Nobody wanted to wrestle with me. I was wrestling by myself this whole time, just me and my coaches. It feels really great. I am the first guy from East St. Louis in many years to be a state wrestling champion.”
It was quite the match for Walton, who went to the title match by defeating previously undefeated Zachary Montez of Geneseo 6-5.
“It feels great to take out a guy who was undefeated,” Walton said. “So now, that 40-0 turns into 40-1. It feels great!”
It’s another championship for East Side, a school that takes pride in its football championships, and has been nicknamed “City of Champions.” Walton was excited about winning the title for his school.
East Side!” Walton yelled out. “I want to thank coach Steven Doty, and coach Rayvonne Fulton, my two Division-i coaches.”
