Hillsboro's Dawson Carter stamps ticket to state; district runner-up
Hillsboro sophomore Dawson Carter is headed to the 2016 Division II OHSAA State Wrestling Championships by earning district runner-up placement in Wilmington, Saturday.
Carter is the first HHS wrestler to reach the state wrestling championships since 2014.
The 106-pound grappler, Carter went 3-1 at districts on Friday and Saturday, beginning the tournament on Friday with two wins, starting with a first-round victory by pin fall at the 5:40 mark over Norwood’s Pippy Johnson.
From there in the quarterfinals, Carter defeated Monroe’s Sam Price by a 5-2 decision.
On Saturday, the HHS sophomore took down Eaton’s Wade Monebrake with a decision of 3-0 but lost the championship match to Graham’s Jordan Crace via major decision at 13-2.
For the season, Carter improves to 43-3 overall, now being a district runner-up, sectional champion and South Central Ohio League champion. Carter also won at the Hammer & Anvil Tournament held at Western Brown this season.
Overall, the Indians placed 26th at districts with 21 points, while Highland County counterpart McClain was 28th overall with 18 points.
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McClain’s top placer was senior Jake Badgley, who placed fifth at districts, ending the tournament with a 3-2 record, though individuals have to place in the Top 4 to qualify for state. Badgley is the first alternate in the district.
For Badgley (160 pounds), his record is 43-8 overall on the season. McClain last had a wrestler qualify for state in 2013. His overall career record is 135-57.
At districts over the weekend, Badgley won twice on Friday with a pin fall win at 1:56 over Joey Rudy of Fenwick, followed with a 6-5 decision against Mason Plikerd on Benjamin Logan in the quarterfinals.
Saturday saw Badgley fall to Graham’s Garrett Jordan by a 16-0 tech. fall in the semifinals, and then in the consolation semifinals, the second loss came against Gunnar Dawson of Middletown Madison by pin at 4:56.
In the fifth-place match, Badgley won with a default victory over Drew Moore of Eaton.
This season, Badgley won the 160-pound sectional championship and placed as the runner-up at the SCOL Tournament.
Also at the district tournament, Curran Butler (170 pounds) went 1-2, winning his first consolation match against Dennis Rocklin of Meadowvale, 8-4.
McClain’s Keegan Rawlins (126 pounds) went 1-2 at districts, with his win coming in the first consolation round at 120 pounds. Rawlins won the match by pin fall over Hunter Wolf of Indian Lake at 2:51.
Also wrestling at districts were Hillsboro’s Mason Stanley (152 pounds) and Jed Asmus (182 pounds) and McClain’s Tommy Johnson (138 pounds).