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

GALESBURG — Galesburg High School's Jeremiah "Jerry" Morris was a three-sport athlete for the Silver Streaks. 

The 18-year-old was a member of the football team, the boys track and field squad, and Morris wrestled for GHS. 

Morris experienced the most success on mats, and he finished with 83 career wins — 39 came as a senior — and a pair of trips to state at 220 pounds.

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

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Morris will grapple for St. Ambrose University, an NAIA school located in Davenport, Iowa. The 2022-23 school year will be the second season of existence for the Fighting Bees' wrestling program. They're coached by Bo Bettinson.

"What really had me set on there is the whole family aspect," Morris said. "They're a young program, and they seemed close. They seemed like a family to me. They seemed like they were brothers, you know.

"Everybody has each others back up there and with them being a new program that's good," Morris added. "Everybody knows what they want to accomplish and it's something I want to be a part of."

Additionally, Morris likes the proximity St. Ambrose offers.

"It's far enough where I can feel like I'm actually away at college but it's close enough to where my mom — and maybe even some of my teammates and coaches — can come up and watch a dual while I'm up there," Morris said. "I like that it is close enough that I can drive back and people can come up and see me. I really like that."

Morris 'competes with tons of pride'

There's no doubt Morris will provide leadership for the Fighting Bees. He did for the Streaks. 

"Jerry is a model of consistency and daily determination toward improvement. We have an Ironman Award to recognize wrestlers with season-long perfect attendance, which is no small feat in a sport as physical as wrestling," Leibach said. "Jerry is a multiple time Ironman Award winner. He loves the sport and is eager for the next available challenge. That's an awesome influence in our room.

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"Jerry also competes with tons of pride for his school and his town. He is proud to be a Streak and wants to show others — opponents, officials, fans — what is great about Galesburg," Leibach added. "His daily presence will surely be missed, but his example will continue to have a positive impact on our program. I'm excited, and I know Jerry is, too, for him to bring back knowledge from the college level to share with our younger wrestlers."

Morris had 'one of greatest seasons'

This winter, Morris didn't lose a match in dual wrestling meets and went 39-6 overall. Along with qualifying for state, Morris was the 220-pound champion at three regular season tournaments, a Western Big 6 Conference champ, and he was a regional champion. 

"It all adds up to one of the greatest seasons in Galesburg wrestling history," Leibach said. "It's really satisfying to see a guy that invests so much get those rewards and results."

Serving as a defensive tackle on the gridiron helped Morris accomplish those feats. 

"A lot of the discipline I learned in football helped me in wrestling. It carried right over," he said. "After my senior year of football, I was really tapped in thanks to coach (Derrek) Blackwell. I was really focused on what I wanted to accomplish my senior year for wrestling."

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

Morris improved as career went on

Morris kept getting better as his high school wrestling career progressed. 

"His year-to-year improvement was enjoyable to watch," Leibach said of Morris. "I remember standing next to him matside at the sectional when he was a sophomore. He was a guy on the rise, eager to pull some upsets, and the future looked promising. I compare that memory with matside moments during his senior year. That future had arrived - a returning state qualifier, a true hammer for the Galesburg side.

"We couldn't wait for the 220s to come up in competition, because we knew it was 'Jerry Time.'"

Like Leibach, Morris recalls his sophomore year, too, missing out on a state bid lit a fire inside him. 

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"In my early years of wrestling, I wish I was a little bit better but I think I had a good turnaround," said Morris, who lost 52 matches — six this winter — while donning a singlet for the Streaks. "My sophomore year, I went down to sectionals and I had a heartbreaking loss. I think that really woke me up and got me excited for my junior year. I ended up going to state and senior I ended up going to state.

"I think that loss really got me going," Morris added. "My high school career as a whole, I think I turned out to be a pretty good athlete all the way around."

Morris earns prestigious Morris award

Morris did indeed, 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 coach at Rock Island Alleman.

Don Morris was a standout athlete while he attended Streator High School and later when he attended St. Ambrose. He was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1975 as a coach and a player. Morris is also a founding father of the Western Big 6.

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The award, which bears Don Morris' name, goes to male and female seniors who competed in the WB6 and excelled in academics, community service and athletics. Participants in three sports receive the greatest priority. 

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

"I wasn't expecting to win it at all. I was pretty excited that I won it," he said. "I understand how big of an award it was and for me to win it feels great."

Morris still has 'untapped' talent

Morris still has room to grow as a wrestler, and he'll certainly do that. 

"Jeremiah has added new technique every season of his high school career, but there are still untapped areas technically," Leibach said. "Under the guidance of the St. Ambrose coaches, he's going to add new ways to beat people, especially on his feet. 

"College scoring also includes riding time for mat wrestling that high school does not," Leibach added. "Jerry will surely work some ways to keep opponents flat when he's on top so he can build that riding time in close matches."

Matthew Wheaton can be reached at (309) 315-6073 or at mwheaton@register-mail.com. Follow him on Twitter @matthewlwheaton