State Feature: Dawson Carter to make state debut

Hillsboro sophomore Dawson Carter has become the latest Hillsboro grappler to qualify for the highest level of high school wrestling, as he'll wrestle for the first time in the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament this weekend.

Carter qualified to state tournament by working countless hours in practice, plus extra hours after practice, and then on his own time he adds even more work to his weekly regimen by swimming laps at the local YMCA.

Hard work and dedication have gotten Carter to the biggest high school wrestling event in the state, and he plans to make the most of it in his inaugural trip.

The three-day state wrestling tournament takes place at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus on the campus of The Ohio State University, as he'll wrestle in the 106-pound weight class for the Indians, being the first HHS wrestler to qualify for the state tournament since 2014.

Carter, who won a sectional and South Central Ohio League championship, earned his spot to the state tournament by finishing as the district runner-up over this past weekend with a 3-1 record in the two-day tournament.

His overall record this season is 43-3, and he was undefeated in the SCOL. Last season, he wrestled at 106 pounds but weighed only 97 pounds, where he finished with a 33-18 record. In two seasons, Carter has an overall mark of 76-21.

“It has been pretty awesome to make it,” Carter said. “Last year at districts, I only won one match, so to make it to the finals at districts this year was pretty cool.”

Carter has vastly improved his overall skill at the high school level, gaining the weight needed to compete at the 106-pound weight class, as he’s grown into that role from one year again. Keeping his weight at 106 isn’t easy for the sophomore.

“What really helped me is last year I was 10 pounds underweight, and this year I’ve been cutting weight, which makes me stronger,” Carter said. “Most practices I stay extra, then I go to the Y to put in some more work. Usually in a week, I put in over 20-plus hours, 15 hours being regular practice and the rest is time I’ve put in on my own.

“It is very hard to keep the weight down because it is more physical for me. I don’t have the body weight to really lose weight. I’m cutting from 120 pounds to 106, so it’s pretty tough.”

Head coach James Jones spoke about the work Carter has put in this season and what it has been like to watch him grow as a wrestler this year.

“It has been great to watch Dawson not only progress throughout this year, but from last year,” Jones said. “Last year, he was small for the weight class and did a tremendous job. Throughout this season, he’s gradually improved, and that’s what you want to see. You want to peak at this time of the year and do your best wrestling of the season.

“When he qualified, I told him the hours he stayed after and spent working after practice in our (wrestling) room has paid off, and that’s been the difference. He spent at least three days a week after practice on his own, working on his technique and working on getting into better shape to become a better wrestler.

“He’s had total dedication, especially the last month of the season, and that’s what it takes to place at the state tournament. I guarantee you, there are eight other guys who are doing the same thing, so you better be one of them.”

That work ethic has allowed Carter to have 43 wins and just three losses this season, with those three losses coming in tournaments, as he only had two of those three losses during the regular season.

But just how did he get into the sport? Carter told a story of how his love of the sport began at a young age.

“My mom wanted me to go to bed early, so she wanted me tired,” Carter said while smiling. “She put me and my brother in the wrestling program, so that’s how that began. We were pretty young … I was 5 or 6 years old.”

Speaking of Dawson’s brother … Brandon Carter, who was 45-5 his senior year, is also a former two-time state qualifier for the Indians, also wrestling at 106 pounds, where he won two matches at the state level.

Carter said he took it as a challenge to try qualify to state like his brother did, and in doing so, he has kept the family tradition going.

“It is a little challenge, actually,” Carter said of the two brothers each reaching state. “I want to do better than my brother did, but we have fun with it. He was happy for me when I made state, he congratulated me. Sometimes we get to work out together, and that’s been a help to me also.”

Carter is no newbie when it comes to having success on the mat, as he’s also qualified to the state wrestling tournament at the junior high level.

“When Brandon was making state in high school, back then I was qualifying for state in middle school,” he said. “It wasn’t high school state … it wasn’t like this. It is harder to make high school state, it is a lot tougher. Everyone is so strong compared to me.

“I have to wrestle guys who are older than me. It used to be I’d only wrestle people my own age, but now it is all the way up to seniors, and that makes it tougher.”

As this season comes to a close this weekend at the state tournament, Carter said besides the postseason success, there has been another moment that really stood out for him this season.

“When I won at Western Brown (the Hammer & Anvil Tournament), that gave me more thinking that I was going to place,” Carter said. “There were some ranked kids in there, ranked in the district. After that tournament, I was ranked in the districts too.

“I’ve also went to practice with Western Brown this week to prepare for state. That type of competition and preparation has been great for me because they have state qualifiers also. It has been good for me.”

Coach Jones said it is “unbelievable” how much Carter has won already in his high school career, and he’s only going to get better.

“He’s on a very good pace to battle for the all-time wins record at Hillsboro,” Jones said. “Having a brother who made state has helped tremendously. He has precedence in his family to know what it takes to make state. That helps him know what it takes, and his brother would do the same thing and stay after to put in the extra work.

“And to have a natural athlete and good role model in Coach (Kordell) Ford (who was a state runner-up in ’14) also helps him know what it takes. He helps him develop not only physically, but mentally for the sport for this long season. He’s a hard-working, great young man, and we are glad to have him on the team and glad he’s only a sophomore. Hopefully we, as a program, can build off this.”

It really hasn’t sank in for the 106-pound grappler that he’s about to wrestle on the biggest stage of his career thus far, but it is an opportunity and moment he’s looking forward to taking part of. Carter’s state journey will begin around 4 p.m. on Thursday.

“I want to place … that’s the goal. Though I’m nervous, I want to win at least two matches and place in the Top 8,” Carter said. “But if I just win one match, that would be pretty cool too, because that’s what my brother did. It really hasn’t hit me that I’m wrestling at state, but it will. When I get up there and see all the fans and everything … walk through the tunnel, it will hit me.

“I also have to thank Coach Jones for letting me work extra and my parents for everything they’ve done for me, even cooking the healthy meals to help maintain my weight. Also my brother and Cody Whaley for coming in and helping me practice.”