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.
