3 Louisville wrestlers win KHSAA state titles, including 1st Fairdale wrestler in 33 years

WINCHESTER, Ky. — Walking the halls of Fairdale High School, Jude Powell found inspiration from the only state wrestling champion in program history — Thomas Sanders in 1990.

“I remember seeing the picture of him and wishing I could be in his spot one day,” Powell said.

Make room for another photo on Fairdale’s wall of fame.

Powell sealed his place in history Saturday, beating Union County’s Gavin Ricketts 3-1 in the 175-pound final of the KHSAA State Wrestling Championships at George Rogers Clark High School.

“It’s so cool,” Powell said. “I can’t wait to return to school and get my picture up there.”

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It was a night full of history, as Paducah Tilghman won its first team championship and ended Union County’s seven-year reign over the event. The Blue Tornado produced four individual champions and finished with 185.5 points. Union County was the runner-up with 162.

Trinity (102) finished in fifth place. Powell helped Fairdale finish seventh with 75 points and was one of three Louisville wrestlers to win championships.

Trinity senior George Ferree won his second straight title, pinning Johnson Central freshman Dalton Matney in the 165-pound final. St. Xavier junior Carter Guillaume won the 285-pound title, beating previously undefeated and No. 1-ranked Stephan Whitehead of Madison Southern.

Powell’s match was his third of the season against Ricketts, with the two splitting the previous two and both going to overtime. The latter was the only loss of the season for Powell (50-1).

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“I believe I wanted it more,” said Powell, who plans to wrestler in college at Indiana Tech. “Because of that loss, I was able to improve and learn from my mistakes.”

The youngest of 11 children — eight brothers and two sisters — the 18-year-old Powell was the state runner-up at 165 pounds last year.

Fairdale coach Joe Jarvis preached the “unfinished business” mantra to Powell all season.

“He has the mentality of a state champion,” Jarvis said. “It’s very hard to have somebody who stays so driven and focused and is just waiting to compete. He’s so focused that nothing on the outside ever gets to him.”

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Powell thanked his teammates for helping him take the final step this season.

“Taking my beatings and beating on me,” he said. “That’s what got me here. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”

Ferree finished off a 50-4 season with his pin of Matney. Ferree won the 157-pound state title last year but said it wasn’t completely satisfying because the victory was sealed on a stalling violation.

“That kind of haunted me ever since because I felt like people could always hang an asterisk,” Ferree said. “But tonight was my moment to prove to people that I was worthy of this title and that I deserved it. It feels great to go down in the books as one of those great Trinity wrestlers.”

Guillaume was the 285-pound state runner-up last year and capped a strong junior year with his victory. He also was a second-team Courier Journal All-State football selection as an offensive lineman.

Guillaume’s 2-1 victory over Whitehead was sealed with a somewhat controversial stalling call in the final seconds.

“Guys all year try to slow him down because he has great offense,” St. X coach Efren Quirino said. “The kid kept holding on to his hand and tried to keep him from getting the leg attacks, which he’s really good at and is rare for a heavyweight. They try to slow him down … and the referees noticed that.”

Guillaume (46-6) didn’t consider it an upset to beat the No. 1-ranked Whitehead.

“I peak in the later tournaments,” he said. “I knew I was going to come out here and take care of business. Coming up short last year really fueled me for this year. It feels great.”

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At George Rogers Clark High School, Winchester

Team scores (top 10 and Louisville-area schools): 1. Paducah Tilghman 185.5; 2. Union County 162; 3. (tie) Great Crossing, Johnson Central 119; 5. Trinity 102; 6. Walton-Verona 77.5; 7. Fairdale 75; 8. Ryle 74; 9. St. Xavier 68; 10. Oldham County 61.5; 21. (tie) Moore 18; 32. (tie) Pleasure Ridge Park 11; 39. Fern Creek 8; 40. South Oldham 7; 42. Male 5; 43. Bullitt Central 4; 51. (tie) North Oldham 2; 54. (tie) Central 1.

106 pounds: 1^st – Braden Blevins (Simon Kenton) def. George Dennis (Harrison County), 7-5; 3^rd – Madden Brown (Oldham County) def. Roman Valera (Central Hardin), 3-2

113: 1^st – Landen Evans (Ryle) def. Ren Birk (Great Crossing), 7-0; 3^rd – Mason Orth (Campbell County) def. Kaygen Roberts (Boyle County), 5-2

120: 1^st – Jayden Raney (Union County) def. T.J. Meyer (Walton-Verona), 3-2; 3^rd – Amari Hardin (John Hardin) def. Anthony Condi (Frederick Douglass), 3-2

126: 1^st – Jordyn Raney (Union County) def. Jayven Williams (Paducah Tilghman), 1:03; 3^rd – J.D. Morris (Johnson Central) def. Rowdy Benner (Great Crossing), 10-7

132: 1^st – Leland Reeves (Taylor County) def. Augustus Roberts (Great Crossing), 3-1; 3^rd – Hunter Jenkins (Union County) def. Colin Tucker (Wayne County), injury 1:59

138: 1^st – Jayden Frazier (Paducah Tilghman) def. Miller Brown (Oldham County), 13-11; 3^rd  – Hunter Isaacs (Walton-Verona) def. Isaac Johns (Woodford County), 6-4

144: 1^st – Caleb Mays (Paducah Tilghman) def. Bryant Beane (Trinity), 1-0; 3^rd – Mason Schweitzer (Walton-Verona) def. Chris Begley (Madison Southern), 11-9

150: 1^st – Malachi Rider (Paducah Tilghman) def. Malahcia Harris (Trinity), 5-1;  3^rd – Justin Kubwimana (Lafayette) def. Ethan Sentelle (Great Crossing), 7-5

157: 1^st – Braedon Herron (North Hardin) def. Aiden Butler (Great Crossing), injury 2:58; 3^rd – Charlie McKune (Moore) def. Lucas Ricketts (Union County), 10-0

165: 1^st – George Ferree (Trinity) def. Dalton Matney (Johnson Central), 1:26; 3^rd – Brandon Burchett (Fairdale) def. Owen Lamer (Taylor County), 2:50

175: 1^st – Jude Powell (Fairdale) def. Gavin Ricketts (Union County), 3-1); 3^rd – Jack James (Paducah Tilghman) def. Seth Davis (Johnson Central), 2:35

190: 1^st – Uriah Virzi (Paducah Tilghman) def. Lane Kiser (Trinity), 5:54; 3^rd – Zach McCoart (Johnson Central) def. K’Shaun Brown (Union County), 9-4

215: 1^st – Austin Silva (John Hardin) def. Chase Price (Johnson Central), 4-3; 3^rd – J.T. Adams (Paducah Tilghman) def. Luke Hyden (Walton-Verona), 1:51

285: 1^st – Carter Guillaume (St. Xavier) def. Stephan Whitehead (Madison Southern), 2-1; 3^rd – Jimmy Mooney (Paducah Tilghman) def. Emauryon Arnold (Holmes), 6-5

Orville Williams Outstanding Wrestler – Leland Reeves (Taylor County)

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA state wrestling: 3 Louisville wrestlers win state championships