Realizing their destiny: Lancers' Dickenson, Knights' Hofegesang Bears' Van Scoyoc win state titles

Mar. 4—UPPER MARLBORO — While it always seemed like Linganore's Garhett Dickenson would one day figure out how to win a state wrestling title, the same could not be said for Middletown's Kieran Hofegesang and Oakdale's Cooper Van Scoyoc.

Hofgesang, who didn't start wrestling until he was in eighth grade, didn't even have a firm place in Middletown's starting lineup at the start of last season when he was an inexperienced junior.

Van Scoyoc is a relentless worker. But his results can fluctuate. In the last two weeks alone, he placed third at the Frederick County and Class 4A-3A West regional tournaments at 126 pounds. And in Friday's state quarterfinals, he was on his back twice and trailed returning state champion Alex Bellarin by three points in the final seconds.

Yet, there they were Saturday night at The Show Place Arena, standing above the crowd at the top of podium, along with Dickenson, the relentless, passionate life-long wrestler who was virtually unbeatable this season, as state champions.

"I always knew I would [be a state champion]. I just didn't know when. It was just a matter of time, I think," said Dickenson, who capped a 41-1 senior season with an 8-3 victory over Bowie's Tate Purvis in the Class 4A-3A final at 132 pounds.

"Definitely losing last year [before placing fifth at 132] burned a fire in me where I needed to win one. ... Just meant the world to me that I could finally do it and bring it back to Linganore."

Van Scoyoc and Hofgesang were both moved to tears by their breakthrough victories.

After surviving the quarterfinals with a stunning pin over a returning state champ, Van Scoyoc had a pair of rather business-as-usual victories Saturday, including a 6-2 victory over Woodlawn's Ky-El Ali in the 4A-3A final at 126 pounds.

Struggling to contain his emotions after the match, Van Scoyoc (42-6) called it one of the happiest moments of his life.

"Down, down and all the way up," he said of his last three weeks, which featured the less-than-desired results at counties and regionals. "I came out here, knowing that nothing was expected of me, and I just tried my best. I don't know. It kept me calm. I didn't really overthink anybody. It just kept me humble and calm."

Once Hofgesang, a former basketball player, found his footing in wrestling, he was nearly impossible to beat over the last two seasons.

With long powerful legs and tremendous upper-body strength, he finished 36-3 last season at 195 pounds with county and regional titles and a fifth-place finish at states.

He followed that up by bumping up a weight class to 220 and going 51-2, including a 10-1 victory over Calvert's Cornell Johnson in the 2A-1A state final in that weight class.

"It's been a trip. You can say that for sure," Hofgesang said of the last two seasons. "I can't even describe it. It was amazing [to win a state title]."

There were seven Frederick County wrestlers who advanced to the state final, including the three champions.

In the 4A-3A final at 285 pounds, Linganore's Joel Hopkins (34-5) fell to Old Mill's RJ Duncan 13-8.

In the 4A-3A final at 170, the Lancers' Ethan Arneson (39-4) dropped an 8-1 decision to River Hill's Dylan McCullough.

In the 4A-3A final at 106, Linganore's Josh Arthur (37-6) lost to Magruder's Neil Sharma 4-0 in a rematch of last week's 4A-3A West regional final that Sharma won 2-0.

And, on the 2A-1A side, Middletown's Alex DeVriendt (49-5) dropped an 8-0 decision to Hereford's Owen Bell in the state final at 126 pounds.

Overall, 21 of the 39 Frederick County wrestlers that qualified for the state tournament wound up placing.

Linganore placed seven of the county-high 11 wrestlers it sent to the state tournament.

The rest of the county place-winners in 4A-3A were Linganore's Brennan Considine (third at 120), Chase Witmer (fourth at 182) and Cash Wheat (sixth at 113), Urbana's Cole Kuhar (third at 160), Vincent Corso (fifth at 145) and August Wageman (fifth at 170) and Tuscarora's Cooper Cammarata (third at 113).

In 2A-1A, the other county place-winners were Middletown's Chad Hoy (third at 195) and Oliver Graham (fourth at 152), Brunswick's Seth Crawford (fifth at 106) and Morgon Corwine (fifth at 152) and Catoctin's Nathan Kovalcik (fifth at 182).

And in the girls tournament, the county place-winners were Walkersville's Kaylie Musard (third at 235 pounds) and Catoctin's Emma Taylor (fourth at 105).

Follow Greg Swatek on Twitter: @greg_swatek