November 12, 2024
Shaw Local
NewsSubscribePrep SportseNewspaperObituariesFriday Night DriveNewsletterStarved Rock CountryEvent CalendarGames and Puzzles

Wrestling: Augustus Swanson, Team Illinois win Greco Roman national championship

By Kevin Hieronymus
Augustus Swanson of Princeton wrestles for Team Illinois’ 16 U Greco Roman Fargo National Championships in Fargo, N.D. against Clifton Backhish of Deleware. He will be a sophomore at Princeton High School.

Augustus Swanson of Princeton wrestles for Team Illinois’ 16 U Greco Roman Fargo National Championships in Fargo, N.D. against Clifton Backhish of Deleware. He will be a sophomore at Princeton High School. (Photo provided by Augustus Swanson)

Augustus Swanson is a national champion.

The Princeton High School sophomore contributed to Team Illinois’ 16 U Greco Roman Fargo National Championship over the weekend in Fargo, North Dakota.

Swanson was honored to be part of the national championship.

“My team was successful as we were the national champions and three of our teammates were individual national champs. So, it was pretty cool knowing I helped with some points for the team and just great being teammates with all those guys,” he said.

“Everybody there is a great wrestler. Forty-five states and Puerto Rico had teams represented. Some we wrestle against during the season, and some I trained with at Young Guns in Washington, Illinois. Although I did meet lots of new guys and hope to be teammates with again in the future.”

Augustus Swanson (right) of Princeton, shown with teammate Blake Smith of Riverdale High School, contributed to Team Illinois’ 16 U Greco Roman Fargo National Championship over the weekend in Fargo, N.D.

Augustus Swanson (right) of Princeton, shown with teammate Blake Smith of Riverdale High School, contributed to Team Illinois’ 16 U Greco Roman Fargo National Championship over the weekend in Fargo, N.D. (Photo provided by Augustus Swanson)

Swanson went 1-2, which he called, “not exactly what I planned.” He beat Vaughn Graffe from Oregon to get in the win column.

“The match I won 9-0 by tech fall and in the two loses, I still had some points in those matches. But just need to continue working so I don’t come up short,” he said. “It was an awesome experience, and I know how much harder I have to work so in the future I can make it to the podium and become All-American.”

Swanson looks to improve on what was an impressive freshmen year at PHS. He was a state qualifier, posting a 42-10 record with a team-best 24 pin falls and 130 near falls. He also had 43 takedowns.