West Holmes' Loudon Dixon wins state wrestling title
Loudon Dixon became just the third West Holmes Knights wrestler to fight his way to the gold, capturing the 150-pound title in Division II at the state wrestling tournament at Value City Arena.
West Holmes juniors Louden Dixon (150 pounds) and Peyton Martin (120) earned All-Ohio recognition with Dixon snaring his first state championship and Martin earning an eighth-place finish at the Division II state wrestling tournament at Value City Arena inside the Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University on March 9.
Dixon became the third Knights wrestler to earn the title of state champion with a 7-3 decision victory over James Lindsay of Bishop Watterson. Dixon also became a two-time state placer after finishing fifth at 144 last season.
Martin earned his first state podium finish in his first state tournament. Martin dropped a 4-1 sudden victory decision to Tristian Eckles of East Liverpool in the seventh-place match.
Also competing for the Knights was junior Cam McCluggage (190), who exited the tournament with an 0-2 record against stiff competition.
In the team race, the Knights (31 points) tied for 16th in the 97-team field. Bishop Watterson (103) easily won the Div. II team title ahead of St. Francis DeSales (74.5) and Perkins (72.5).
“State champ Louden Dixon,” Knights coach Scott Vaughn said following Dixon’s title-clinching match, “that sounds so good to say out loud. This kid has earned this. All the time he’s put in and sacrifices he’s made got him to this point. We’ve always known he was capable of achieving this.”
In the championship match, Dixon and Lindsay felt each other out over the first minute and then began to attack until a blood stoppage was called with 30 seconds left in the period for Dixon’s scraped-up lower lip. Blood time was again called with eight seconds left and then ended in a 0-0 tie.
Dixon chose bottom to begin the second period and scored an escape 10 seconds into the stanza. Dixon scored a double leg takedown 15 seconds later to go ahead 4-1 but was called for clasping hands, awarding a penalty point to Lindsay.
Lindsay scored his own escape after Dixon kicked him out, cutting Dixon’s lead to 4-3 as the period ended.
In the decisive third period, Lindsay chose bottom and scored an escape with 1:50 left. After a hard scramble by both wrestlers, Dixon’s lip began to bleed again, resulting in a stoppage with 54 seconds to go.
Dixon stalked Lindsay once the action got back underway and scored the state championship winning points with a single leg to double leg takedown with 15 seconds left to put him ahead 7-3.
Dixon then rode out Lindsay to become a state champion and end his junior campaign at 52-5.
“Louden did this (state title) in dominant fashion without giving up a point, except giving up the three points in the finals (two escapes and a penalty point),” Vaughn said. “His road to a championship wasn’t easy either. He had to go through a returning state qualifier in the quarters, a West Virginia state runner-up in the semifinals, and in the finals defeated a junior that is now a three-time state placer (runner-up, runner-up and fourth). I know he is going to take a day or two off, but then he has already talked about getting back to work. He’s got the taste, and he wants more. He is going to do anything to get back up there again.”
Martin became the 27th West Holmes wrestler to earn All-Ohio honors, placing eighth after dropping a 4-1 sudden victory. He completed his season with a 46-8 record.
“We knew Peyton had a really competitive district,” Vaughn said. “The four qualifiers from our district placed first, fourth, seventh and eighth at state, and the alternate was a state placer last year. Peyton was battle tested and wrestled well in his first trip to the Schott. He beat the Kenston District champ in his first match. He felt that he should’ve been in the semifinals, so that championship quarters loss was tough. Peyton did a great job getting his head right to win his match to be a state placer, especially avenging a loss from earlier this season. He is not going to be satisfied with eighth place. He’s already talked about wanting more next season.”
McCluggage’s first state tournament ended after an 0-2 opening day. McCluggage began his tournament facing three-time state placer Lincon Shulaw of St. Francis DeSales, falling to the top-ranked Div. II 190-pounder by fall at 1:03.
McCluggage put up a good fight against Cole Donovan of St. Marys Memorial in the consolation first round but dropped a 2-1 decision. McCluggage finished his junior campaign at 26-18.
“Cam had an amazing district tournament to qualify for the state tournament,” Vaughn said. “At state he drew the No. 1 wrestler in the state and eventual third-place finisher in the first round. I think he was a little shell shocked in that first match, which is easy to happen. Even though he lost his second match, I liked how he came back in the consolation round and battled. He lost a very close match, and that shows that he belongs on this stage. I’d really like to see this light a fire under him this offseason. Now that he’s made it, his goal should be to get back and be on the podium Sunday evening.”