GRANITE CITY - Granite City’s wrestling team showed marked improvement at the 2025 William “Red” Schmitt Holiday Tournament, finishing 16th out of 27 teams and climbing five spots from last year’s results. The two-day event showcased the efforts of the Granite City Warriors as they secured victories from 12 different wrestlers and highlighted four place winners in the top eight of their brackets.
The tournament, held recently, featured standout performances from sophomores Eli Miller and Adrian Mendez, who finished fourth and sixth, respectively. Freshman Lucas Cooley placed seventh, and junior Jace Brown secured eighth place. These results contributed to the team’s overall progress and individual wrestler records.
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First-year head coach Kyle Thompson expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, emphasizing the youth and potential within the roster.
“We have a young roster right now, we have about 10 sophomores in the lineup, and out of those 10 guys, we had four of them get to the championship bracket this morning. We haven’t had that in a while, so I’m happy with where we’re at right now,” Thompson said. He acknowledged areas for improvement but highlighted the team’s toughness and progress.
Eli Miller, who wrestled in the 190-pound third-place bout, was noted by Thompson as a reliable competitor.
“He’s done pretty well this year; he placed third at the Joe Bee Invitational (in Springfield), and he’s been one of our solid guys in the lineup this year. He’s been a guy we can count on to get wins and to get extra points for us,” Thompson added.
As the Warriors prepare for the second half of their schedule, the focus remains on maintaining health, hunger, and momentum heading toward regionals.
Thompson also extended gratitude to the Granite City community and supporters who contributed behind the scenes during the tournament, including those managing hospitality, concessions, and event operations.
“The biggest thing now is you’re trying to get them through this last stretch, get us to regionals, everybody stays healthy and stay hungry. I think if we can do that, we’ve got a good chance of getting some guys through,” Thompson said. “We just continue to say thank you to Granite City, the community, and the young Warriors for continuing to support us, and just helping us through this weekend, and with this tournament.”
