Two weeks since a solid showing at the state track meet, Bellmont’s Alexis Harvey was still in shape, and it showed in the Midwest Meet of Champions all-star meet at Northrop.
FORT WAYNE – After wrestling most of the season at 126 pounds, the decision was made to drop Bishop Dwenger junior Dominic Garrett to 120 pounds for the postseason. That has proved to be a good move.
“He set himself on a mission once he saw his draw this week,” Bishop Dwenger coach John Tone said. “He found a way each round (at the sectional) to make it to the finals and set himself up for next week.
“He had a good shot at advancing in the state tournament by going back down to 120. He has lost to some quality competition all year at 126. He has taken some lumps, but he is right there with anybody. He is ready to go.”
Garrett (23-10) entered last week’s Carroll Sectional with double-digit losses, hardly the record for a top-notch contender. But Garrett won three matches, spending a total of four minutes and 47 seconds on the mat.
After receiving a first-round bye, Garrett beat Churubusco’s Cody Thomas by fall in 43 seconds in the second round, Whitko’s Lane Wolfe in 3:46 in the semifinals and Eastside’s Brandon Miller in 18 seconds in the championship.
“I was expecting a lot tougher matches, but I went out there aggressive and it worked out for the best,” Garrett said. “The 10 losses were to top guys, against some good competition. I have gotten more aggressive in my matches, but those were tough matches. They help a lot, just experience-wise, just getting that experience with good wrestlers, and you always get better each and every match.”
Garrett lost twice each to Snider’s Erique Early and Bobby Humphrey.
“He is one of the hardest workers in our room,” Tone said. “He bumps up a few weight classes in our practices to go against heavier kids, more skilled kids to really push himself and make himself better.”
The sectional championship was not only the first Garrett’s career, but it was the first tournament title in three years of wrestling.
“It was good timing,” Tone said.
Garrett will wrestle against Leo’s Ryan Fawcett (24-9) in the first round of the Carroll Regional on Saturday. Of the eight wrestlers in the weight class, Woodlan’s Shaun Snyder has the best record at 24-3. Wolf and Miller, two of Garrett’s quick-pin victims at the sectional, also advanced to the regional, which begins at 9 a.m. with the finals around 12:30 p.m.
“This is the first time I have been first in a tournament, so now going onto regionals it’s like my hump,” Garrett said. “I have made it to regionals each year, but I have never won that first match.”
