Warrenton’s Dan Filipek maneuvered through a tough 160-pound weight class to capture a Gateway Athletic Conference championship Saturday at St. Charles West.

Filipek defeated Holt’s Austin Keller in the championship match by major decision, 10-2, to improve to 25-0 on the season.

“I told Dan it was probably the best I’ve seen him wrestle all year in the final,” Warrenton Head Coach Kevin Fowler said. “That’s the first time I’ve seen Dan go for bonus points instead of riding him out after it was 5-0.”

Fowler has been working with Filipek to be more aggressive this season, and he thinks Saturday’s matches were a turning point for the two-time state runner-up.

“He’s finally decided that he’s on a different level than most kids,” Fowler said.  “I think it’s just a mindset change, and you develop that as you get older. It was an excellent tournament for him.”

Filipek helped the Warriors finish sixth out of 18 teams with 88 points.

Holt won the championship with 243 points.

“Sixth is never something to write home about,” Fowler said. “But I really liked the way we competed after only bringing eight guys. We’re pretty pleased with our performance as a team.”

Stephen LaMotte lost twice in the 132-pound divison, and Brendon Cotner lost a pair of matches in the 285-pound class.

Five other Warrior wrestlers, along with Filipek, picked up wins during the tournament.

Jacob Manion finished second in the 220-pound division after losing a 3-1 decision to Cole Long of Francis Howell in the championship match.

He missed a few scoring opportunities late in the title match before running out of time.

According to Fowler, Manion’s biggest obstacle has been a lack of confidence.

He hopes an impressive showing at a competitive tournament will help going forward.

“He’s got to get through that mental block,” Fowler said. “He’s a lot better than he gives himself credit for, and that’s what he’s battling right now. He just needs to believe in himself, and I think he’s coming out of that little slump he was in.”

James Biship wrestled in a 145-pound bracket that, according to Fowler, is filled with future state qualifiers.

Biship lost his opening match before winning three straight matches in the consolation bracket, giving him a shot at third place.

He lost to Jack Ederer of Fort Zumwalt North by fall.

“We stay in this tournament because, in a lot of ways, it’s going to be tougher than the state tournament for us,” Fowler said. “It was good for him to get three really quality matches against state-level kids. It showed him where he’s at and where he needs to get to.”

Drake Meine (170) and Adrien Gillette (182) finished fifth in their respective weight classes.

Meine picked up a pin over St. Charles’ Anthony Kiel, and won a 7-3 decision over Joseph McCoy of Timberland.

He was pinned by Fort Zumwalt East’s Jacob Eaton in the fifth-place match.

“It was probably the hardest I’ve ever seen him wrestle,” Fowler said. “I think he really turned the corner.”

Fowler was also impressed with Gillette, a first-year wrestler who picked up wins over Timberland’s Ben Holmes (5-3) and Howell Central’s Jordan Denson (11-5).

“A first-year wrestler placing at the GAC Tournament is a really good accomplishment,” Fowler said. “He’s looking better than he has all year.”

Jerrett Villinger rounded out the Warrenton scoring with a 16-8 major decision over Zumwalt West’s Austin Reeves in the 152-pound class.

He lost his final match to Howell Central’s Jonathan Floyd, 4-3.

“I’m of the belief that you have to score points,” Fowler said. “Scoring three or four points isn’t enough. He needs to make the adjustments to get better, and I know he will.”

With districts set for Feb. 12-13, Fowler wants to continue to improve his team’s conditioning heading into the final month of the season.

He hopes his wrestlers will become more aggressive, as well.

“The conditioning is easy to work on,” he said. “But the mindset to score and continue to score is harder to get to. I think we’re getting there, but there is another level we can get to.”

The Warriors compete in the St. Charles Invitational Friday and Saturday.

TOUGH SPOT — Drake Meine locks up Anthony Kiel of St Charles Saturday in the GAC Tournament. Meine finished fifth in the 170-pound division.                     Bill Barrett photo.