Barrett Johnson had been to the state individual wrestling finals the previous two years, only to bow out after the second round each time.
This year, the Goodrich senior was not to be denied.
Johnson captured the 189-lb. state title in Division 3 competition March 11-13 at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Johnson is Goodrich’s first state champion since Ryan Tripp in the 2000-01 school year.
He capped his win with a thrilling 3-2 decision against Grant’s Cache Webb in the championship match, breaking a 1-1 tie in the third period by taking down Webb and holding him off in the final seconds for the win.
After being eliminated early the past two years, Johnson said the key to this year’s successful run was ‘working hard, having a good drill partner, and good coaching.?
‘It was an unexpected kind of thing,? Johnson said when asked about his reaction following the title win. ‘I guess I was in shock. I still haven’t realized it.?
Goodrich coach Matt Turnbow said Johnson’s title win was ‘probably one of my happiest moments as a coach.?
‘He’s not only a great wrestler, but he’s a great person,? Turnbow said. ‘He has a lot of dedication and put in a lot of hard work. At the state tournament, he wrestled the best I’ve ever seen him wrestle.?
After Johnson lost in the second round of last year’s tourney, Turnbow said he gave some advice to Johnson.
‘I told him he needed to remember how it was to get put out and carry it into the offseason,? he said. ‘He used it as motivation.?
It was a good weekend for the Goodrich program. Besides Johnson’s title, two other Martian grapplers ? senior Jeff O’Mara (171) and junior Garrett Higdon (103) ? earned third place finishes in their respective weight classes.
Johnson’s road to the state title began when he won a 5-0 decision against Hillsdale’s Drew Sandahl in the opening round. Johnson then followed up by winning a 4-1 decision against Mason County Central’s Nathan Carducci, whom Turnbow said was the likely favorite to win the 189-lb. bracket going into the tournament.
In the semifinals, Johnson shut out Grayling’s Brandon Pratt, winning a 4-0 decision to set up his final-round matchup.
Turnbow said Johnson’s quarterfinal matchup with Carducci, as well as the final match with Webb, were particularly intense.
Higdon earned third place in the 103-pound bracket by winning a 6-4 decision against New Boston Huron’s Andrew Novak. Ironically, Novak earned a 8-6 overtime decision against Higdon in the second round.
In the first round, Higdon dominated Hamilton’s Nate Darling, winning a 15-0 technical fall when the match was stopped at 3:17. After losing to Novak in the second round, Higdon came back to earn a 9-1 decision against Comstock Park’s Elijah Troost.
Higdon then soundly defeated Dundee’s Garrett Stevens, winning a 13-2 decision. He followed that up by pinning Montrose’s David Chesa in 2:15 before winning the rematch with Novak for third place.
Goodrich’s other state finalist, O’Mara, began the tourney by earning a 15-6 decision against Joseph Parrinello of Mason County Central. He then won a 6-4 decision against Central Montcalm’s Joe Bailey before dropping a tight 3-2 decision to Dundee’s Adam MacIver.
O’Mara rebounded by winning a 5-2 decision against Essexville-Garber’s Steve Frye, then won his third-place matchup against Perry’s Abe Cross by the slightest of margins, 1-0.
O’Mara capped off his career with the third place finish following a stretch in which he missed about three weeks after pulling his MCL in the beginning of January.
‘It feels OK now, but I still wasn’t wrestling to where I’d left off (before the injury,? O’Mara said.