Penn Hills wrestler Daemon Phipps claims title at Indians’ holiday tournament
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Saturday, January 4, 2025 | 11:01 AM
Penn Hills junior wrestler Daemon Phipps tilts Allderdice’s Caleb Mcfarlane during the 114-pound match Dec. 28 at the Penn Hills Holiday tournament. Phipps won in the first round by pin to move to 6-3 on the season.
Penn Hills wrestler Darnell Jackson locks up with Washington’s Caleb Patton during the 152-pound championship match Dec. 28 at the Penn Hills Holiday Tournament. Patton won by injury default after an accidental clash of heads in the third round. Jackson was ahead 11-3 when the match was stopped.
Penn Hills junior wrestler Daemon Phipps reaches to take off his headgear after winning the 114-pound championship match Dec. 28 at the Penn Hills Holiday Tournament.
Penn Hills wrestler Levi Smith sprawls to stop a takedown attempt from Highlands’ Aiden Burford during the 139-pound championship match Dec. 28, 2024, at the Penn Hills Holiday Tournament. Burford won by pin.
Daemon Phipps needed to sit down for self-reflection after a loss early this season. The Penn Hills 114-pound junior wrestler is determined this year will be different.
“After my first match — I had a tough loss against Kiski — I sat down and talked to myself and to my parents that I can do better,” Phipps said. “I’m better than a lot of people I wrestle usually. There’s no reason I should just be losing to people I’m better than.”
Phipps started on the path to building his confidence by picking up a pair of pins to win the Penn Hills Holiday Tournament on Dec. 28. He improved to 6-3 this season and eventually would like to earn his first berth in the WPIAL Class 3A championships.
During the championship match against Caleb Mcfarlane, Phipps was dominant from the outset. He scored a few takedowns before wrapping up a pin at the 1-minute, 57-second mark of the first round.
“To be at home, like in front of the crowd, feels good,” Phipps said. “I like to perform for my people. You know, I’m just gonna do my best performance out there.”
Penn Hills coach Jeremy Packer said he has noticed Phipps being more aggressive this season.
“You saw the results of that today,” Packer said. “He wants to push the pace. He wants to be aggressive. He wants to go after guys. And he wants, you know, the bonus points. He wants the pin. He wants it, and I think we saw that today.”
Phipps is a strong wrestler who believes he is good on his feet. By utilizing his speed and strength, he can get a hold of his opponents quickly.
Keeping his foot on the gas is the next step of the process. Phipps has a 45-22 career record and led the team with 25 wins last season.
Phipps went 1-2 at the east qualifier last season.
“I want to attack everyone the same way,” Phipps said. “No one gets any pity. I just want to keep being aggressive with everybody.”
Penn Hills had three wrestlers reach the finals. Darnell Jackson nearly gave the Indians a second champion at 152 pounds. But Jackson ran into some misfortune. Jackson was on the wrong end of an accidental headbutt from Washington’s Caleb Patton.
It forced the match to be stopped in the third period, with Jackson ahead 11-3. Patton won by injury default.
“I felt bad for him,” Packer said. “You could tell he was out of it. He really banged his head. I think they butted heads and he took the worst of it, obviously.”
Levi Smith lost to Highlands’ Aiden Burford in the 139-pound final.
Packer said he was happy with how the tournament went.
“We got what we expected,” Packer said. “I think pretty much everyone wrestled for a place. We only entered nine guys because of vacations and illness.”
Tags: Penn Hills
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