Paducah Tilghman ends Union County’s 7-year run as state wrestling champions
Paducah Tilghman’s Uriah Virzi pinned his opponent with six seconds left in the final match of the KHSAA State Wrestling Championships on Saturday to put a thrilling, dramatic finish on a historic weekend for the Blue Tornado at George Rogers Clark High School.
For Virzi, wrestling at 190 pounds, it was his second individual title after winning it all at 215 pounds a year ago. For Paducah Tilghman, it was the fourth individual title for its wrestlers on the day and helped the Blue Tornado claim its first team championship and end Union County’s seven-year run at the top.
“Being an individual state champ two times, obviously, it’s going to make you feel accomplished,” Virzi said. “But the ability for our whole team to lock in and get the team title? That’s the most excited a man can be. Not only did I get it done, but I can share it with my entire team.”
Tilghman Coach Seth Livingston came to Paducah in 2020. In his first year at state, he brought three eighth-graders among his four wrestlers and finished 19th overall. They improved to fifth place in 2021 and fourth in 2022 with two of those original eighth-graders — Virzi and Malachi Rider — winning state titles.
Now, those two are back-to-back state champs. That other former eighth-grader, Tilghman starting quarterback Jack James, finished third in his weight division on Saturday.
Tilghman had never had an individual champion at the state meet until last year. The year before Livingston arrived, the Blue Tornado finished in a tie for 82nd — last place.
“We’ve got a whole group of people, a huge support system that is committed to this goal — and it’s developing young men and women through the sport of wrestling,” said Livingston, who was recognized as the Kentucky Wrestling Coaches’ Association’s coach of the year on Saturday. “I’m excited. I’m fired up. But we’ve got a huge group of people that have submitted their lives to this end, and it came true.”
Tilghman racked up 185.5 team points to Union County’s 162. Great Crossing and Johnson Central finished in a tie for third with 119 points. Team points are awarded based on individual results. Of Tilghman’s 10 wrestlers at the meet, nine finished on the podium that recognizes the top eight finishers.
“It was gritty. It was rough during the season, and it took these guys going through some stuff to come together,” Livingston said.
The race between Tilghman and Union was close from the outset of the meet on Friday, but Jayden Frazier’s 13-11 sudden victory overtime win for Tilghman over Oldham County’s Miller Brown at 138 pounds clinched first place with several matches to go.
A few weeks ago, Frazier suffered a high ankle sprain against Brown. Since, in both the regional and the State First Round over the last two weeks, Frazier has been wrestling enough to advance but forfeiting other matches to lessen the chance he might aggravate his injury further. The sacrifice paid off.
“I couldn’t forfeit this one,” Frazier said. “I just wanted to be part of history. I didn’t want to be left out of the moment.”
Strong finish for Lafayette wrestler
During Friday’s matches, Lafayette’s Jasitin Kubwimana suffered a defeat to Great Crossing’s Ethan Sentelle, a wrestler he had beaten for the 150-pound region title two weeks ago.
He was devastated. He went home and went for a run to clear his head. He came back Saturday feeling no pressure.
“I didn’t want to lose, but since I lost I was like, ‘Ain’t nothing holding me back now. My back is against the wall,’” he said.
Kubwimana worked his way through the consolation bracket until he met up with Sentelle again. They battled for third place. This time Kubwimana came out on top in a 7-5 decision.
“I didn’t want to go out my senior year letting down my team, my coaches, my family,” Kubwimana said. “That kept me motivated. I’ve got to do this for them and go out strong.”
Kubwimana was the top finisher among Lexington wrestlers. Frederick Douglass’ Anthony Condi finished fourth at 120. At 215 pounds, Bryan Station’s Jahvon Frazier finished fifth and Douglass’ Caleb Mpungu finished eighth.
Warhawks keep improving
While Paducah Tilghman has been around since 1918, Great Crossing has only been a school since 2019, which makes the Warhawks’ tie for third place pretty impressive.
Great Crossing had seven podium finishes among its 11 wrestlers who qualified, including state runners-up Ren Birk at 113, Augustus Roberts at 132 and Aiden Butler at 157.
Great Crossing finished 13th last year.
2023 KHSAA STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At George Rogers Clark High School, Winchester. Top three finishers and Central Kentucky medalists listed. Complete results online at KHSAA.org:
Orville Williams Outstanding Wrestler Award: Leland Reeves, Taylor County.
Team standings — 1. Paducah Tilghman, 185.5; 2. Union County, 162; 3. Great Crossing 119; 3. Johnson Central, 119.
106 — 1. Braden Blevins, Simon Kenton; 2. George Dennis, Harrison County; 3. Madden Brown, Oldham County; 5. Dakota Phillips, Boyle County.
113 — 1. Landen Evans, Ryle; 2. Ren Birk, Great Crossing; 3. Mason Orth, Campbell County; 4. Kaygen Roberts, Boyle County.
120 — 1. Jayden Raney, Union County; 2. TJ Meyer, Walton-Verona; 3. Amari Hardin, John Hardin; 4. Anthony Condi, Frederick Douglass.
126 — 1. Jordyn Raney, Union County; 2. Jayven Williams, Paducah Tilghman; 3. JD Morris, Johnson Central; 4. Rowdy Benner, Great Crossing; 6. Micah Thompson, Boyle County.
132 — 1. Leland Reeves, Taylor County; 2. Augustus Roberts, Great Crossing; 3. Hunter Jenkins, Union County; 6. Robert Nardelli, Madison Central.
138 — 1. Jayden Frazier, Paducah Tilghman; 2. Miller Brown, Oldham County; 3. Hunter Isaacs, Walton-Verona; 4. Isaac Johns, Woodford County; 6. Nicholas Armentano, Great Crossing.
144 — 1. Caleb Mays, Paducah Tilghman; 2. Bryant Beane, Louisville Trinity; 3. Mason Schweitzer, Walton-Verona; 4. Chris Begley, Madison Southern.
150 — 1. Malachi Rider, Paducah Tilghman; 2. Malachia Harris, Louisville Trinity; 3. Jasitin Kubwimana, Lafayette; 4. Ethan Sentelle, Great Crossing.
157 — 1. Braedon Herron, North Hardin; 2. Aiden Butler, Great Crossing; 3. Charlie McKune, Moore.
165 — 1. George Ferree, Louisville Trinity; 2. Dalton Matney, Johnson Central; 3. Brandon Burchett, Fairdale.
175 — 1. Jude Powell, Fairdale; 2. Gavin Ricketts, Union County; 3. Jack James, Paducah Tilghman; 5. Joshua Strayer, Great Crossing; 8. Jacobie White, Harrison County.
190 — 1. Uriah Virzi, Paducah Tilghman; 2. Lane Kiser, Louisville Trinity; 3. Zack Mccoart, Johnson Central.
215 — 1. Austin Silva, John Hardin; 2. Chase Price, Johnson Central; 3. Oscar “JT” Adams, Paducah Tilghman; 5. Jahvon Frazier, Bryan Station; 8. Caleb Mpungu, Frederick Douglass.
285 — 1. Carter Guillaume, St. Xavier; 2. Stephan Whitehead, Madison Southern; 3. Jimmy Mooney, Paducah Tilghman; 7. Paul McClure, Boyle County.
