West Holmes High School senior Louden Dixon (157, state ranked third) wrapped up his stellar high school career Sunday, March 15 placing third at 157 pounds with a fall win at :51 in the third-place match over Wyatt Warren (junior, Gallia Academy, 38-5, state ranked tenth) at the Ohio High School Athletic Association DII State Championship Tournament at Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center at The Ohio State University. Dixon scored a takedown fifteen seconds into the match and then used an arm bar and wrist to turn Warren to his back and get the pin at the :51 second mark.
Dixon (51-7) becomes the first West Holmes wrestler in history to end his high school wrestling career as a state champion – DII 150 in 2025 – and a two-time state placer – this season’s third and a fifth-place finish at 144 in 2024. Dixon becomes only the fifth wrestler ever at WHHS to become a three-time state placer (joining Colt Sponseller, Max Rohskopf, Cael Woods and Mason Taylor) and the sixth to become a four-time state qualifier (joins Clint Sponseller, Colt Sponseller, Rohskopf, Cole Woods and Cael Woods). Dixon finishes his career at West Holmes with a 181-32 record with 81 falls.
Dixon put himself into the third-place match with a dominant 7-0 decision victory over Ohio Cardinal Conference foe Aiden Proctor (junior, Madison Comprehensive, 46-7, state ranked fifth) in the consolation semifinals. After a scoreless first period, Dixon chose bottom to begin period two where he scored an escape within five seconds and then a takedown fifteen seconds later. Dixon nearly had Proctor turned for back points but the referee stopped the action with a potentially dangerous call. Proctor chose neutral to begin the final period and Dixon took advantage with another takedown within twenty seconds and controlled Proctor the remainder of the match for the win.
Dixon’s quest for a second straight state championship fell by the wayside Saturday, when lost an intense, hard fought 5-2 decision to Tommy Rowlands (sophomore, Bishop Watterson, state ranked number one) in the championship semifinals.
Saturday morning, Dixon had no problem with John Beltz (Sr., Alliance, 44-9, state ranked number seven) pinning Beltz at 2:35 in the championship quarterfinals. In Friday’s opening round Dixon handled Aidan Keyser (Sr., Vermilion, 42-3, state ranked eighth) with a 16-1 tech fall victory at 4:00.
