Dawson Johnson Wins His Fourth Straight State Wrestling Title: Beavers Head to Team State This Weekend
Cumberland’s Dawson Johnson has joined an elite group of wrestlers who have won four straight State Titles following his performance at the State Wrestling Tournament in Madison last weekend. Johnson became only the 27th competitor to achieve the accomplishment since the Tournament began in 1940. Two other wrestlers later also went undefeated last Saturday to run the number to 29.
Johnson runs his dream season to a record of 58-0 as he heads to Team State this weekend, when he hopes to add one more title before graduation.
Johnson, who will next take his talents to the University of Minnesota next fall, won three straight matches in recording his 4th Championship. This included two pins and a 7-2 decision over Elliott Biba of Iowa-Grant/Highland, who suffered only his second loss of the season.
Dawson’s Freshman brother established his own strong credentials with a third-place finish at 106-pounds, to run his record to an outstanding 56-3 mark.
He took a win in the opening round match before dropping a hard-fought 2-0 decision to defending State Champion Blake Underwood of Marathon in a semifinal match. Johnson had given the sophomore wrestler his only loss of the season a week earlier in the Edgar Sectional. Johnson then bounced back by recording a tech fall in the third-place match to claim his spot on the podium.
Senior Jack Chafer became the Beavers third wrestler to claim a podium position in the D3 field with a fifth in the heavyweight division. The senior wrestler went 2 and 2 on the weekend to move his record to 35-8 on the year after recording a pin and a major decision over Jovan Lopez of Ozaukee for fifth place. It was Chafer’s second consecutive trip to Madison.
Two other Cumberland wrestlers were part of the State Tournament. Sophomore Logan Peterson completed his strong sophomore campaign with a pin in his first match on Thursday, before dropping his next two matches, the first a 2-0 decision to Ashton Meister of Poynette, who finished 4th in the 150-pound weight class. Peterson finishes his second year of high school wrestling with a final record of 30-10.
The other wrestler was Junior Jack Owens, who finishes the Tournament with an excellent 53-17 record. Owens ran into Emerson Moen of Iowa-Grant, in his first 165-pound match, who went on to a 3rd place finish.
The Beavers look to have recorded the toughest draw in Team State with an opening match-up against Fennimore. Fennimore recorded three firsts, a third, and a fourth at the Individual State Championships. The other two teams next Saturday, Coleman and Weyauwega-Fremont, each had one second and a fourth in Madison.
Wrestling Season Ends at Team State
A successful season came to an end in Madison last Saturday, when the Cumberland Beavers dropped a 50-21 decision to Fennimore in a D3 semifinal at the State Wrestling Tournament.
“Our journey to the team tournament was quite an adventure. We knew we had the chance to knock off the number one team in the state if everything fell into place for us, but we had a couple matches going our way that ended up in Fennimore’s favor rather than ours. I am thankful that our community and program were able be part of the process and witness what it takes to get to that next level. Thank you to all of our amazing parents, fans, and supporters,” said Coach Justin Peterson about his team’s performance.
The match was tied 12-12 after the first four weight classes, thanks to pins from the Beavers Braden Johnson and Caleb Hile. “The momentum swings were exciting especially after Braden got a pin in the last moments of this match and Caleb Hile ripped a first period headlock to tie the dual,” said Peterson.
Unfortunately, Fennimore would win the next four competitions to go up 30-12. That’s when two State Champions met at 144-pounds in the most exciting event of the afternoon.
“We bumped Dawson up a weight class to challenge Fennimore’s State Champion Ian Crapp in what many wrestling fans across the state felt was the most exciting match of the year. The match was extremely intense and went into the final period of overtime where Dawson’s determination led to some college level riding abilities to win the match. Anytime you bump up a weight class, you risk giving up strength and power, but to do that against a State Champion and get the win is even more impressive,” added Peterson about Johnson’s eventually one-point victory.
The Golden Eagles recovered, however, to win four of the final five matches and take the victory. The Beavers final points came from DauTre Allen, who pinned his opponent in the 175-pound match.
Fennimore went on to defeat Coleman 46-16 to win the State Championship. Coach Peterson concluded the day by saying, “Our entire team fought hard in every situation. I am extremely thankful for these young men and the effort they gave this year. It has been a joy to watch the juniors and seniors grow into leaders and we wish each of our seniors the best as they pursue future endeavors. We will be back.”
Conference foe St. Croix Falls finished second in the D2 finals last Saturday as the HON had a great showing in Madison.