By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Shawnee Heights senior wrestling standout Rykan Carver earned his first Class 5A state medal Saturday night at Hartman Arena.
Shawnee Heights senior 285-pounder Rykan Carver won a Class 5A state title Saturday at Hartman Arena, taking a 4-3 overtime decision. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Rykan Carver celebrates his 285-pound state title Saturday night at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
And that one medal was THE medal, with Carver winning the 5A 285-pound state championship with a 4-3 overtime win over St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore Stephen Carroll.
"It just feel great,'' Carver said. "It feels like hard work's paying off. I'm very grateful for all my coaches and teammates and family that believed in me and helped me along the way when I didn't really always believe in myself. It feels good.''
Carver said he started thinking he might be able to challenge at state after winning a regional championship a week earlier.
"I was hoping to medal,'' Carver said. "That was really my main goal, just to medal, and then see how far I could take it and I ended up getting all the way, so I'm grateful for that.''
Carver's title match was a nailbiter all the way and included plenty of drama in OT when there was a lengthy delay while T-Bird coach Chad Parks made a rule clarification to the officials.
While waiting for the situation to be resolved Carver said he tried to remain calm while waiting for the match to continue.
"I just take the time to re-focus, listen to my coaches, don't let myself get flustered and just get back out there and do what I've got to do,'' Carver said.
Even though it was a marathon championship match, Carver (38-8) still had plenty of energy left to jump up and down in celebration after winning the match and ending his long journey to the title.
"It was very much a grind,'' said Carver, who plans to study engineering at Kansas State. "It started in the practice room, grinding every day, not missing any practices, showing up at all the weight sessions. Playing other sports, too, helped me, just working on my craft until eventually I got there.''
Shawnee Heights senior Andrew Bonebrake (34-8) also earned a state medal for the T-Birds, posting a fifth-place finish at 138 pounds.
Seaman also had a pair of 5A state medalists, with Viking senior Hunter Reno finishing fourth at 215 pounds and senior Colin Little placing sixth at 144 pounds.
Reno ended his season with a 44-12 record while Little went 40-13 on the year.
