GRANITE CITY - Brayden Drew, a senior wrestler competing at the 165-pound weight class for Alton High, won the championship in his class at the 64th William "Red" Schmitt Holiday Wrestling Tournament in Granite City on Dec. 30, 2025, getting a 12-1 win over Colin Peyton of Batavia, getting a third period takedown and two near falls of four points each to win the bout and the title.
Drew won all five of his matches en route to the championship, and in a post-match interview, was extremely happy with his results. He also notched his 100th career high school win in the Red Schmitt Tournament.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
He is an Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds.
"I feel amazing," an exhausted but happy Drew said after the championship match. "I feel like my hard work's been paying off each year, just trying to get better. It feels all worth it with moments like this."
Being aggressive and staying on top of things were the components to victory, according to Drew.
"In the practice room, my coach (Eric Roberson) always emphasizes last takedown, first takedown," he said. "Just always going throughout the match, never quitting, and we train that a lot at Alton, and we just make sure we're always ready."
The championship could mark a major stepping stone for Drew to enjoy more success, as it has for others in the past, and he's excited about the prospects ahead.
"Yeah, definitely," Drew said with a smile. "A big tournament win like this could always propel much bigger wins, much bigger matches in the future. So, definitely."
With the second half of the season ready to begin, including the IHSA Class 3A postseason tournaments in February, Drew is determined to keep battling and enjoy the rest of the season.
"The rest of the season, just keep battling, keep winning," Drew said, "always maintain that mindset to score first and score last. So I've just got to keep building on that, and bring it into the new year."
He's also feeling very confident about his prospects and chances for the 2026 portion of the season.
"I feel really confident," Drew said. "I feel like I'm always prepared, with what my coaches tell me, and how I've trained. I feel great. I got my 100th win at this tournament, so it's always a good feeling, a big milestone like that. So, it's an overall great day."
