PT’s Darius McMillon wants to be like his brother
If they made a movie remake of “Twins,” then Darius and Donovan McMillon could easily fill the roles played by Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzeneger.
Darius is a 113-pound freshman on Peters Towship’s wrestling team and Donovan is a 6-1, 200-pound sophomore on the Florida Gators football team.
But the way Darius sees it, it’s just a matter of time before he hits a growth spurt and, then, look out.
“I get a lot of kidding over the size difference because of how big he is,” Darius said. “His freshman year, he wrestled 132. His junior year, he wrestled at 182.”
In Donovan’s final wrestling bout of his career, he made history against Canon-McMillan’s Gerrit Nijenhuis when the two met in the PIAA individual finals in Donovan’s junior season. It was the first time in PIAA history two Washington County wrestlers competed against one another in a state final.
When it was over, Nijenhuis had his second title after a 6-0 decision over Donovan in the PIAA Class AAA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey.
“The goal is to get really bigger this year,” Darius said.
For the next two weeks, Darius will stay at 113 pounds, so he can compete in the PIAA Class AAA Southwest Region Championships this weekend at Canon-McMillan High School. Action gets underway at 5 p.m. this evening, semifinals are 11:30 a.m. Saturday and finals will be at 4 p.m. The top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to the PIAA Championships, which begin Thursday at the Giant Center.
Just down the road from Canon-McMillan, the PIAA Class AA Southwest Region Championships will be held at Peters Township High School. Action there begins 4:30 p.m. today, semifinals are 12:30 p.m. Saturday and finals are 5:15 p.m. The top six wrestlers in each weight class advance to the PIAA Championships.
Donovan McMillon didn’t wrestle in his senior season because he finished up his high school requirements early and started school at Florida in January of what would have been his senior season at Peters Township.
“We’re really close,” said Darius McMillon of his relationship with his brother. “We even practiced together when he would come home for the summer.”
Darius McMillon has only two losses, both at 120 pounds. One wrestler who beat him, Luke Dunlap of South Fayete, didn’t make 113 and the other, Mason Kernan of Bethel Park, stayed at 120 pounds. Overall, he is 20-2.
“I think my strength on the mat is speed, quickness,” said Darius McMillon. “I get to the legs quickly. I think being able to think more on the mat is something I have to work on.”
One positive from having an older brother wrestling in Hershey was experiencing the situation.
“I sat in the front row,” Darius said. “I got to see what the atmosphere was like. And how crazy it is.”
Peters Township head coach Derrick Evanovich said starting at a lower weight benefited Donovan.
“That’s what I thought made him so great,” said Evanovich. “He was a bigger guy who wrestled like a smaller guy.”
Evanovich said Darius is the most talented freshman he’s coached.
“Talent-wise, for being mature as a freshman, he has the talent of a senior,” said Evanovich.