Martial Arts instructor John Morrow Morrow Grabs Four 1sts at River City Martial Arts Tourney

John Morrow won first place in four events at the 6th annual River City Friendship Invitational Martial Arts Tournament at Burlington High School. Morrow is the owner and chief instructor of Morrow's Academy of Martial Arts in downtown Moline. Morrow competed in the Black Belt Over 50 division, scooping up first-place trophies in the Forms, Weapon Forms, Breaking, and Sparring competitions. His opponents were Black Belts from Clinton, Burlington and Mount Pleasant. In Sparring, Morrow defeated Lorenzo Ortiz of Mount Pleasant 5 to 2. He won 3 to 2 over Don Horst of Clinton. In Breaking, Morrow broke four boards at three stations with a punch, strike and side-kick in 3.5 seconds. This fall, Morrow and four students -- Jeff Wood, Brown Belt of Moline; Theresa Switzer, Green Belt of Cambridge; and Aaron and Sierra White of Rock Island -- have won 13 straight first places in form and sparring. Morrow is now the Eastern Iowa Over 50 Black Belt Champion.