Identical twins Jamal and Jamel Morris were born five minutes apart. They both enjoy drawing and math. Neither is too talkative.

Their wrestling coach at Cardinal Gibbons, Frank Pettineo, said they’re so alike that a little scar on Jamal’s cheekbone is the only way he can tell them apart.

“Two years and they still don’t know which is which,” Jamal joked. “Only a handful knows who is who based on our personality and stuff like that.”

The brothers first got the itch for wrestling in middle school. Before then, their knowledge of the sport was watching the WWE with their father, Alonzo.

Since they live in Miami with their family, Jamal and Jamel take the Tri-Rail, which is a block from their home, to school in Broward County every day. Though they were also interested in Miami Columbus, transportation would have been an issue.

Last year, Jamal, the older twin, became just the third Cardinal Gibbons freshman to win a state title, joining four-time champion Jonathan Taylor and two-time winner George Bancroft.

In the 112-pound weight class, Jamal earned a 12-9 decision over Chase Singletary of Tampa Bay Christian. Jamel, meanwhile, finished fourth in the 106-pound division.

“We average 100 wrestlers a year, and I’d had seven kids ever be four-years starters for me,” Pettineo said. “Out of all those kids since 1988, now I have the twins that have done it immediately. It’s not that common to have freshmen that strong.”

So far this year, Jamal has been competing in the 126-weight class and Jamel at 120. Pettineo anticipates them advancing to the 135 and 140 divisions, respectively, next year because of how fast they have been growing.

Alonzo is proud and nervous when he watches his sons wrestle. The family made sure to instill in their boys the importance of priorities.

“Their education came first before any sports,” Alonzo Morris said. “They apply themselves, and they’re determined. If they don’t get their education, you can’t play sports. They work hard at what they do.”

Pettineo believes the Morris’ winning attitudes and upbringings have been major factors in the boys’ early success.

“They say no to second,” Pettineo said. “They’re getting better and better all the time. A lot of their strength is their power at the lower weight class. They’re just very powerful young men.”

Next month will mark the fifth year that each has been wrestling. This past weekend, Jamel took first in the 120-pound weight class at the Region 1-4A championship, while Jamal finished second in the 126-pound division.

Like any siblings, there is a rivalry, but more to push the other to do better. They’re not afraid to give advice to one another. According to Jamal, Jamel is the “technique guy” while he’s the “takedown guy.”

“If one loses, they both lose,” Alonzo Morris said. “They don’t fight anymore. They help one another out. When one hurts, they both hurt.”

Jamel hopes that this weekend the Chiefs can bring home their fourth Class 1A state title and first since 2005. Nine wrestlers advanced to the meet in Lakeland.

“I think we can win it if we all wrestle hard, and we just need to do what we have to do to help the team out,” Jamel said. “Work hard and never give up.”

Down the road, Jamal and Jamel can envision themselves attending the same college and wrestling there. Until then, they’ll continue to put in the work and study.

“They present a very humble way of being champions, and that’s just what their legacy is,” Pettineo said. “They’re well-known in the wrestling community, well-respected in their church community. It’s a wonderful family. They’re just nice kids, and it’s nice to have that kind of attitude with what they’ve accomplished.”