By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
The West Union High School wrestling teams took one young man, Ethan Cantrell, and three young ladies Scotlyn Adams, Leena Blanton and Alexis Cowan to the OSHASS State Wrestling Tournament the weekend of March 11-12.
The weekend did not start off well as the Dragons went 1-3 in the first round of competition. Leena Blanton was the only win for the Dragons as she beat Scully of Watterson 12-6. On the first day of the state tournament, there were only two rounds of wrestling, the first round and then the first round of consolations. which means three of the four Dragons had to wrestle the first round on consolations Friday night after their round one losses.
In the wrestle backs, Scotlyn Adams won with a :45 second pin over Pennington of Alliance to stay alive in the bracket. Unfortunately, Ethan Cantrell and Alexis Cowan both took losses to end their season. Cantrell ended his season 47-5.
“I am very happy with Ethan this year,” said West Union wrestling coach Michael Felts. “He was a state alternate last year as a freshman and now a state qualifier as a sophomore. Ethan’s hard work and dedication to the sport has paid off. I know that his goal of placing at the state tournament was not in the cards this year, but I truly believe it will be next year. He has had a taste of the state tournament and now he knows what it takes to take the next step.”
“Alexis ended her season 30-10. Like Cantrell, she too was a freshman state alternate and sophomore State Qualifier. Unfortunately she came up short of her goal of placing at state also. I am not surprised she made it to state, she has had her eyes set on this goal all year. I know she was going to be one of the best in the state. I did not think she would go 0-2 at the state tournament. She was wrestling very well all year. I have said many times it’s important to understand to ‘shine with the lights on’ this means wrestling under the bright lights of the state tournament. Some kids can handle the lights and some can not. I believe both Cantrell and Cowan have what it takes to be a state placer, I also think the lights got to them a little. This year was amazing for both athletes, now they know what to expect when they get there next year.”
Day Two started off with Adams getting another pin and Blanton dropping a close match to the #2 ranked girl in the state. With Adams’ win and Blanton’s loss, they both were sitting in the blood round. Each of the young ladies needed one more win to guarantee a top 8 podium finish. Adams wrestled a great match, pinning the #6 ranked girl in the state and Blanton came back from 0-3 deficit to get a 5-3 win in the last seconds of her match. With those wins the West Union girls guaranteed theirself top 8 placement.
On Day Three both girls started off in the consolation semifinals. Adams was up first, battling #2 state-ranked Ava Miller, the same young lady that beat Adams in round one. “I told Adams that we were not going to game plan for the match,” Said Coach Felts. “We are going to wrestle our match, and that is just what she did.”
With a 11-2 revenge win over Miller Adams got her 100th career high school win and projected herself into the finals for third and fourth. Blanton took a loss in the conso-semis to fall to the final for fifth and sixth. In the finals both girls wrestled very well, though Blanton came up short and finished sixth in the state while Adams rolled over the #5 ranked girl in the state with a second period pin.
“Both Scoltyn and Leena have been wrestling since eighth grade and have been wrestling year round for the past two years,” added Felts. “All the time, money, traveling, effort and dedication these two have put into this sport has paid off. I am truly blessed to have been a part of their journey, not only their journey but all my athletes’ journey to this point. Cantrell and Cowan are two of the nicest, respectful, hard working athletes I have ever been around. Coaching a group like this has been a blessing. All four of these wrestlers are amazing young people.”
There are moments as a coach you will never forget. This weekend is one of those. The amazing thing is all four of these athletes are back next year.”
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