Center Grove seniors Drake Buchanan, left, and Hayden Watson both finished their careers with state championships after placing second a year ago.
Daily Journal file photos
The number of wrestlers wanting to end their high school career with a state championship completely dwarfs the number of those who actually do.
Hayden Watson and Drake Buchanan, possessors of a shared vision for as far back as they remember, managed to live their dream.
In February, the Center Grove seniors, each a runner-up in his weight class at the 2021 state meet, forever positioned any career heartache in life’s rear-view mirror.
Watson brought home the first-place medal at 145 pounds at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis; Buchanan later took care of business in the 182-pound division.
Even their won-loss records this season were identical (43-1).
For a second consecutive year, Watson and Buchanan share the Daily Journal’s Wrestler of the Year honor.
Center Grove was fourth in the state as a team, the best such finish in school history.
Leading the way were Watson and Buchanan, wrestlers responsible for a combined 294 victories in their four seasons as mainstays in the Trojans’ program.
“Those two guys have been team captains since their sophomore years,” Trojans coach Maurice Swain said. “We kind of depend on them to lead by example in practices. They set the tone with their intensity, and after practice, they talk to their teammates and give their perspective.
“Hayden and Drake have been through good times and tough times.”
Watson completed his career with 154 victories, tying him atop the school’s all-time victories list with Anthony Schoettle, who wrestled at Center Grove from 2009-13.
“I felt like it could’ve been more,” Watson said. “Last year, I should’ve won (state), but overall I’m pretty satisfied with how it worked out. That was probably the perfect way to go out.”
Watson began his run in the Trojan lineup as a 113-pound freshman advancing to the ticket round of the Evansville Semistate. He went on to finish third in the state as a 132-pound sophomore, was runner-up at 145 in 2021 and then champion in February.
Despite his impressive ascent, Watson calls his 2-1 loss to Floyd Central sophomore Gavinn Alstott at the 2019 semistate the one that still stings most.
“It was definitely one of the best things to happen to me,” said Watson, who’ll attend The Citadel, a military college in Charleston, S.C. “It really pushed me to do extra work in the room.
“I have high expectations for myself. I’ve been doing this since I was 4, so anything less than a state championship …”
Buchanan’s motivations ran parallel to those of Watson.
Capping his high school career the way he did was positive on a variety of levels. Not only for himself, but the team he represented.
“I think it’s cool to have two people as successful as we’ve been to be good role models and set a good precedent for the younger guys,” said Buchanan, who leaves in June for the United States Air Force Academy.
“I’m very happy with my career. Obviously, finishing this year with a state title, I can’t complain. Last year definitely did motivate me to take my wrestling to the next level.”
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The 2022 All-County team for wrestling:
Drake Buchanan, Center Grove senior: State champion at 182 pounds … 43-1 record … Career record of 140-18 … Won Johnson County and Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference titles, as well as sectional and semistate … Placed second at regional.
Joey Buttler, Whiteland junior: Got to experience the spotlight at Gainbridge Fieldhouse by making it to state championship match at 126 pounds before finishing second … 39-2 record … County and Mid-State Conference champion … Finished third at sectional but rebounded to win regional and semistate.
Noah Clouser, Center Grove sophomore: Finished 32-8 after making it to second round of semistate at 170 pounds … County champion … Sectional champ and second at regional … MIC runner-up.
Reese Courtney, Center Grove sophomore: Advanced to 120-pound quarterfinals of Evansville Semistate before losing one-point decision … 31-7 record … County and sectional champion … Conference and regional runner-up.
Royce Deckard, Center Grove junior: Went 34-9 at 220 pounds … Qualified for state finals after taking second at sectional, winning regional and placing fourth at semistate … MIC tournament champion.
Eddie Goss, Center Grove freshman: Made varsity debut a memorable one, going 32-15 and placing eighth in state at 113 pounds … Second at sectional and regional, fourth at semistate … MIC runner-up.
Jackson Heaston, Indian Creek junior: Advanced to state finals, picking up a seventh-place medal at 113 pounds to finish the season with a 42-4 record … County and Western Indiana Conference champion … Won sectional and regional, third at semistate.
Jacob Johnson, Franklin senior: Placed fourth at state finals at 285 pounds … 40-5 record … Sectional champion, second at regional and semistate … Won weight class at Johnson County tournament … 115-32 career record.
Nate Johnson, Center Grove sophomore: Finished 29-8 in heavyweight division after losing in first round at state … Placed second at sectional, third at regional and fourth at semistate … MIC tournament champion … Third at Al Smith Invitational.
Wyatt Krejsa, Center Grove sophomore: Finished 39-6 after placing fifth in state at 132 pounds … Conference and sectional champion, third at regional and semistate … Placed third at Al Smith Invitational.
Charlie LaRocca, Center Grove sophomore: Wrestler of the meet at county tournament after winning 106-pound weight class … 32-6 record … Eliminated during quarterfinals at Evansville semistate … Sectional champion and third at regional … MIC champion.
Michael Tharpe, Center Grove senior: Closed his high school career by producing record of 29-13 and making it to state finals at 126 pounds … Sectional champion, third at regional and fourth at semistate … second at MIC tournament.
Hayden Watson, Center Grove senior: Capped his career with a state title at 145 pounds to finish season with 43-1 record … Won conference, sectional, regional and semistate championships … Tied school’s career wins record with 154.
Honorable mention
Sam Allen, Whiteland; Jude Barger, Franklin; Luke Bechert, Franklin; Eli Brooks, Whiteland: Noah Clouser, Center Grove; Reese Courtney, Center Grove; Bryce Crump, Center Grove; Keegan Grandinetti, Whiteland; Brayden Johnson, Whiteland; Charlie LaRocca, Center Grove; Andre Merritt, Center Grove; Jackson Neibert, Indian Creek; Luke Neibert, Indian Creek; Jakarrey Oliver, Whiteland; Luke Ray, Indian Creek; Nolan Skaggs, Franklin; Lucas Shoemaker, Center Grove; Silas Stits, Center Grove; Vincent Tinoco, Whiteland; Carson Volz, Indian Creek; Julian Weems, Center Grove; Cooper Williams, Whiteland; Caleb Wyss, Franklin
