West Holmes’ Louden Dixon battles elite field at national Super 32 wrestling tournament

For nearly all high school senior wrestlers, finishing their final season of prep competition means one thing: championships. To get there, that athlete knows they have to find the toughest competition to match up against.

And that is exactly what West Holmes returning state champion Louden Dixon did. 

Competing Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Defense Soap Super 32 Challenge in Greensboro, N.C., Dixon, wrestling at 157 pounds this season after an Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II state title at 150 last season and a fifth-place finish at 144 in 2024, wrestled to a 3-2 mark with one fall win to end his run at the presitigious tournament. 

All five of Dixon’s opponents at the Super 32 were either state champions, state placers or Fargo Nationals champions.

Dixon fell into the consolation rounds after an opening-round tech fall loss (17-2) to returning Virginia 3A state champion Josiah Sykes (senior). Dixon then came back with three solid victories, downing Joshua Stonebraker (junior, North Carolina state placer) by a 17-0 tech fall at 4:06; Ian Ray (senior, Virginia 4A state champion) by fall at 3:14; and Colton Klug (junior, Wisconsin state placer) by a 7-1 decision. Dixon fell from the tournament after a hard-fought 4-2 decision loss to Ethan Sonne (junior, Fargo Nationals champion) in the consolation round of 32 No. 2.

Dixon and the Knights wrestling team will continue to train at open mats and weightlifting sessions until the first practice of the 2025-26 season begins Friday, Nov. 14.