On February 15^th, four wrestlers from Dominion High School set out on a 3+ hour drive to Churchland High School in Portsmouth Virginia. They were Jack Creamer, Robert Creamer, Diego Pena, and Ian Slebrch. This was only the second time in Dominion Wrestling history that there have been four wrestlers sent to the state tournament.

Robert Creamer, who lost in last year’s state semifinals, was looking to go out on top in his final year wrestling for the Titans. With a nagging knee injury, Robert had vigorously been rehabbing the weeks prior to be able to wrestle in the state tournament. In the quarterfinal match on Friday, Robert faced off against Austin Mills, a junior from Louisa County in the 145-weight class. In the middle of the second period, Robert was up 10-1, presumably on his way to the state semis, until an attempt to pick up Mills reaggravated that knee injury he worked so hard to shake off. “I had gotten my foot stuck and jammed into the mat,” Creamer said, “and then it just gave out on me.” After the trainer checked out Robert’s knee, he would have to forfeit.

Only one wrestler could come out victorious with a state title: sophomore, and brother to Robert, Jack Creamer. Wrestling in the 106-weight class, Creamer advanced through the first two days against some tough competition. “I wrestled some good kids this weekend,” Creamer said. “I just followed the same plan for each (wrestler).”

On Saturday at 3:35 pm, Creamer was ready to wrestle for a state title. With the stands packed and his teammates supporting him, Creamer was in a deadlock. After being tied after both the first and second periods, the match would head to overtime tied at two. On a take-down, Creamer would win and take the title 4-2.

“There are few word to describe the feeling of winning the state championship.” Creamer said, “I knew I worked hard enough to achieve it and I felt like all the hard work finally paid off.”

Creamer is now the second state champion wrestler in school history alongside Adeeb Atariwa (2015), “I also want to thank my coaches for helping me to prepare for this,” Creamer said. Head Coach Billy Young expected this from the sophomore, being there with him through the offseason and regular season programs that go on throughout the year. “Jack works more than everyone else in the offseason:  training, lifting, and wrestling.  Seeing him win state is awesome.  His match could have gone either way, but he pulled it out in overtime.  Hopefully this means that we will get more athletes.”

As for the other two wrestlers, Ian Slebrch lost both of his first two matches of the double-elimination state tournament, while Diego Pena lost his first, won his second, and was eliminated in the third. Nonetheless, four great efforts from the Titan state wrestlers.