After a grueling four matches, Apollo’s Kevin Lopez and Daviess County’s Jackson Stoner are one win from a Wrestling State Championship at their respective weight classes. The two Owensboro natives have advanced to the finals, and standing in their way are the two athletes they fell to in the Region Tournament.
Wrestling at 113, Lopez made quick work of Simon Kenton’s Kaiden Dauenbaugh (22-5), Oldham County’s Lukas Shuck (8-1), and Greenwood’s Thomas Sang (12-5), before outlasting Martin County’s Jeremy Mollett 4-3 in the semi-finals. His finals opponent is Union County’s Peyton Fowler.
“Kevin has put in a lot of work,” Apollo Head Coach Courtney Johns said. “He is a great young man and a coachable kid. Kevin has wrestled some tough competition all year. Coming into the season, we, as a coaching staff, figured Kevin would finish somewhere in the top four. I think many people in the wrestling community didn’t think he would win his semi-finals match, but he wanted it.”
Wrestling at 132, Stoner’s path to the finals saw him cruise past Montgomery County’s Daxton Baker (21-5), Fairdale’s Mohamed Talasow (16-7), and Conner’s Cordion Abernathy, before beating the reigning state champion Corban Nance of Anderson County 19-9. His finals opponent is Union County’s Brennen Clifford.
Daviess County Head Coach Colton Gonzalez acknowledged that with Stoner it is all about his mentality.
“Since the second match from yesterday till today, the main goal has been for him to focus on believing that he is just as good, if not incredibly better than these kids he’s wrestling,” Gonzalez said. “The second thing is just being able to go out there and score points. Not looking at the score clock or the scoreboard. …Because when we start going on the attack, there’s not many people in this building that can beat us.”
The consolation bracket matches are scheduled to take place at 2 pm ET, leading into the finals.
