33 wins. 0 loses. 1 state championship. That is the stat line for Eleanor Roosevelt’s own Chibueze Onwuka, who won his final match of his high school career at the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships on Saturday March 5th. In doing so, Onwuka became the first wrestling state champion ever at Roosevelt.

Onwuka faced off in his 220-pound state final match against Paint Branch’s Cornell Wilson (40-3).“[The match] was really tense” said Onwuka. There was a lot of emotion and nerves bearing down on the 6’0” 220-pound senior, and understandably so. He was one win away from becoming a state champion, not to mention Roosevelt’s first.

Wilson almost had the pleasure of prolonging the Raiders’ quest for the elusive wrestling state championship. With seconds dwindling down, the Paint Branch wrestler slammed Onwuka to the mat, however Onwuka was saved by the bell just as Wilson pinned him.

Overtime. Tied at 2-2, the stakes rose higher. Sudden death only needs one takedown to crown a winner. But the extra round would be all Onwuka needed to make the last valiant push towards winning the title that evaded Eleanor Roosevelt High School since it opened up in 1976.

“My expectations for Chibueze were always high based on his natural ability [and] his athleticism,” said Coach Sean Schmaltz. “He didn’t have a lot of technique when I first met him, he wasn’t always the hardest worker, but that’s something that he definitely changed over the last season. He picked up his work ethic and really pushed the upper weight guys and then also picked up his technique as well and I think that’s what landed him as being the first ever state champion in school history.”

“I was confident I could win this year because of my performance last year,” said Onwuka. Onwuka started wrestling in his sophomore year and, as Coach Schmaltz described, has really come into his own this season and last season.

“ I think it’s awesome,” said fellow senior wrestler Ricky Bryant, who placed 6th in his weight class at the state competition. Bryant added that“[Chibueze] always puts in 100 percent effort. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

Onwuka also is a star linebacker on the Raiders varsity football team. Being a dual athlete has attracted recruiters for both wrestling as well as football. When asked whether he will pursue football or wrestling in the collegiate level, Onwuka explained “ I’m still undecided because I’m being offered for both sports. I just got to find the right program for me.”

In the meantime, he will enjoy the impressive accomplishment of becoming a state champion and making school history. However, according to the Onwuka, even that may be a daunting task to do for him. “I’m still trying to absorb the feeling, [it] doesn’t feel real.”