Dixon, Stout Reach Division II State Wrestling Semifinals for Holmes County

West Holmes' Louden Dixon and Claymont's Kamden Stout both punched into the Division II state wrestling semifinals during the OHSAA state tournament in Columbus, which ran March 13-15, capping a strong postseason run for the Holmes County area.

Dixon wrestled at 157 pounds, opening his state tournament against Vermilion's Aiden Kyser in the first round before advancing to the semifinals. He closed out his high school career with a third-place finish at that weight class, the final result of a tournament run that carried him further than most wrestlers in the state ever reach.

Stout's advancement to the Division II semifinals marked a milestone for Claymont as well. Sources did not report his weight class, opponents, or final placing, but his semifinal berth stood as one of the notable achievements from the area's contingent in Columbus.

The two semifinal runs were part of a broader surge for local wrestling this postseason. Twenty-six area wrestlers advanced to the Columbus state tournament across the March 13-15 window, a group that included competitors from multiple Holmes and Wayne County programs.

Earlier in the season, Dixon's name had come up in a different context. Waynedale coach Scott Vaughn cited Dixon as one of three missing starters during a dual at the Claymont Super Duals, alongside Wyatt Crabb and Peyton Martin. "Man, we were so close to knocking off one of the best teams in Division I," Vaughn said of a match against Mount Vernon, ranked 12th in Division I. "I am especially proud of the team's performance without three starters."

The Waynedale Knights went on to post competitive results at the Claymont Super Duals despite the absences. Liam Angle and a wrestler listed as Grassbaugh were named Co-Knights Varsity Wrestler of the Dual. Lincoln Goans, Camden McCluggage, and Dylan Sours led the team with 4-1 records, while Ashton Cornwell, Colton Garver, Liam Angle, Gabe Umstead, Logan Leyda, and Finnigan McClintock all went 3-2. West Holmes stood at 4-4 in dual meets at that point in the season.

Garaway also made noise at the state level, placing four wrestlers on the podium at the Division III state tournament to set a school record, another marker of a strong postseason for the county's wrestling programs.

Dixon's third-place finish in Columbus gives West Holmes a concrete result to build on heading into next season.