The Shadow
Covington’s Chris Bowden trailed Madison County junior Ethan O’Connell 4-2 with 1:04 left in the third period of their 130-pound Group A State Championship match Saturday night at the Salem Civic Center.
The Covington junior didn’t get in a hurry, wrestling his game over the final minute.
An illegal move by O’Connell brought Bowden to within one (4-3) with a minute remaining and with 21 seconds left in the match Bowden got two points for a takedown and added two back points to take a 7-4 lead.
O’Connell was awarded one point down the stretch for an escape, but Bowden became Covington’s seventh state champ as he held on for the 7-5 decision to claim his first state title.
“I did it,” said an emotional, but ecstatic Bowden following his title match. “Wrestle hard. That’s what gets you here. I worked by butt off to get here.
“This is bittersweet,” added Bowden. “He (O’Connell) pinned me earlier in the season so this was an awesome way to get revenge in the state finals. It’s the best feeling in my life.”
Bowden joins the likes of Robbie Royston, Jason Stainer, Justin St. Clair, Randy Phillips, Patrick Driscoll and Chad Sizemore as the only Cougar wrestlers to win state championships.
“Chris has worked really hard to get where he is today. He’s come a long way in three years,” said Covington coach Ray Sullins. “I’ve been telling people that he is probably one of the more athletic 130-pounders in the state.
“Chris wrestled really aggressively and took the match to his opponents this past weekend,” added Sullins. “If you look at the past few years, most kids who won state championships were the ones who came out aggressive. It was definitely a great way to end the season on a high note.”
The win completed a 33-4 season for the Covington junior.
So what’s left on the table for Bowden after nabbing the 130-pound Group A title?
“I want to be the first Covington wrestler to repeat as state champion. It’s never been done,” said Bowden.
Bowden’s brother, Josh LaPrade, rounded out his year with an eighth place finish at 189 pounds. LaPrade, battling a foot injury, drew Arcadia’s Victor Rodriguez in the consolation semifinals Saturday morning and was pinned in 4:28. The match was tied at 19-all before Rodriguez won by pinfall.
LaPrade forfeited his seventh/eighth place match to George Mason’s Manuel Veiga-Diez due to injury.
“It was unfortunate for Josh to get that injury,” said Sullins. “He’s had a good year and he probably could’ve finished in the top four. Josh had a good year for us and he’ll be back here next year.”
Glenvar won its second straight team championship as they out-pointed Galax, 140-120, while Strasburg was third with 118 points. Covington, with just two wrestlers, finished 19th in the state with 31 points.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
103 – Wesley Gibson (Castlewood) dec. Lance Ford (Strasburg), 8-3
112 – Kahlil Carazo (Glenvar) dec. Casey Paglia (Northhampton), 10-3
119 – Maximo Gonzalez-Paredes (Manassas Park) dec. Edu Rojas (Galax), 5-4
125 – Jose Rojas (Galax) pinned Tyler Tate (Glenvar), 3:20
130 – Chris Bowden (Covington) dec. Ethan O’Connell (Madison County), 7-5
135 – Jon Addington (J.J. Kelly) dec. Aaron Beverly (Parry McCluer), 7-1
140 – Colby Dean (J.I. Burton) dec. Dylan Smith (Lebanon), 4-2 OT
145 – Darian Sizemore (Galax) pinned Jason Ayers (Glenvar), 3:45
152 – Julian Minter (Radford) tech falled Jonathan Falls (James River), 18-1
160 – Zach Hill (Glenvar) dec. Elliot Wohlgamuth (Castlewood), 9-4
171 – Colin Barnes (Strasburg) dec. William Wright (Rural Retreat), 6-3
189 – Alex Asimakopoulos (Glenvar) dec. Robert Wallace (Clarke County), 3-1 OT
215 – Jared Austin (Buffalo Gap) dec. Logan Large (Clarke County), 9-6
285 – Garret Fosdyck (Mathews) pinned Lucas Ryan (Stonewall Jackson), 1:39
