Lebanon Reporter

Local Sports

Related Photos

  • Western Boone’s Austin McCloskey looks up at the referee as he tries to take down John Tatom in the championship match at 160-pounds at the Zionsville Sectional. Reporter photo by Will Willems

    SPT - LR012913 -Wrestling1.jpg

  • Lebanon’s Collin Campbell tries to complete a takedown of Westfield’s Michael Steele in the championship match at 145 pounds Saturday. Reporter photo by Will Willems

    SPT - LR012913 -Wrestling2.jpg

Reader comments

Click here to submit a comment
January 29, 2013

McCloskey stays unbeaten in overtime thriller

Tigers’ Campbell three-peats as sectional champ

By Will Willems Sports Editor

Zionsville — It may have been the toughest match of the season for Western Boone’s No. 1-ranked 160-pounder Austin McCloskey Saturday afternoon at the Zionsville Sectional.

McCloskey faced third-ranked John Tatom, and won 5-4 in double overtime to win his second-straight sectional title.

“It feels good,” McCloskey said. “That is the guy I will probably be wrestling in the state finals. It is good to see him for the first time and hopefully the next time I see him it is a more decisive victory.”

McCloskey took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Tatom was called for fleeing the mat. Tatom tied it with an escape to start the second period and got a controversial takedown to go up 3-1 at the end of the second.

McCloskey got a point for an escape to make it 3-2, then tied the match with about 30 seconds left when Tatom was called for stalling.

“I knew I needed to hand fight more, pull and attack,” McCloskey said of the third period. “That is what I did and I was able to wear him out.”

After a scoreless one-minute in the first overtime, McCloskey got an escape in the first 30-second period of the second overtime to go up 4-3.

Tatom matched that to start the second 30-second period, but was called for stalling again with three seconds left to give McCloskey the win.

For more of this story, read Tuesday's Lebanon Reporter.

Text Only
Local Sports