PARK CITY — A short memory and a focus on the long game served Salina Central senior Abram Owings well in his bid for a second straight state championship.

Just one week after losing by fall to Andover’s Dresden Beard in the regional final, Owings turned the tables when it counted most Saturday, scoring a decisive third-period takedown in the closing seconds to claim the Class 5A 175-pound title at Heartland Credit Union Arena.

“Last high school match, go out with a bang. It’s awesome,” said Owings, who won the 165-pound championship as a junior.

As for facing Beard again so soon after the regional loss, Owings simply redoubled his efforts in the practice room leading up to state.

“All through this week, my main goal was to get to the finals, wrestle my best and get the job done,” said Owings, who owned a head-to-head overtime victory against Beard during their regular-season dual. “I wrestled sluggish (last week).

“I needed to be quicker on my feet, more aggressive, faster in my ties.”

Owings scored first with an escape in the second period, but Beard returned the favor early in the third to tie it. But with less than 20 seconds left, Owings came through with the critical takedown for a 4-1 lead. He then held his hand out, counting down the final seconds.

“I was looking at the clock there, hearing the crowd and all my buddies yelling,” he said. “It was great.”

Owings ends his wrestling career as a three-time state placer after also finishing fourth as a sophomore.

Owings was one of two state champions for Central, with senior Julian Glover closing out the tournament by beating Maize South’s Maxwell Kerr, 8-3, in the 150-pound final for his first title in the last match of his high school career.

“It feels awesome. I’ve worked so hard for it,” said Glover, a three-time state placer who took second last year at 138. “Things went pretty good (this weekend). It was pretty dominant.”

“It’s pretty awesome to end the night on a good note.”

Kerr needed a takedown late in the third period to clinch the victory after Kerr had trimmed his lead to 5-3.

Glover, who will continue his wrestling career next year at Southeast Community College in Nebraska, was a three-time state placer after finishing fifth as a sophomore and second last year at 138 pounds.

Impressive debuts for South, Central finalists

Salina South sophomore Heero Franco fell short of a championship in his first state tournament appearance, as did Salina Central freshman Natalia Garcia in hers.

But both wrestlers left Park City feeling good about their state debuts and optimistic about the future.

Franco lost by fall in the second period of the boys 113-pound final to Goddard junior Oscar Gauna, who also beat him in the regional championship. But he trailed just 9-6 after the first period.

“I feel like I performed well,” said Franco, who came in as the No. 4 seed. “It didn’t go the way I wanted it to (in the final), but I’ll come back stronger next year and do better.”

“Last year I was 0-2 in regionals and then this year I got second (at state). I came in mentally and also physically stronger.”

Garcia also lost by fall in the second period of her 120-pound girls championship to No. 2 seed Brinnley Morris of Shawnee Heights. Morris grabbed an early lead with a takedown and three-point near fall in the opening period.

But Garcia opened the tournament Friday with three straight victories to reach the final.

“It was an outstanding year, I’d say,” Garcia said. “I wrestled good in my last period, but I feel if I would have had more matches earlier in the day, I might have done a little better.”

“This definitely boosted my confidence and showed me that I can be here, and I do belong here.”

Mustangs’ Abbie Slothower places third again

Central sophomore Abbie Slothower battled back from a quarterfinal loss Friday all the way through the girls 125-pound consolation bracket to place third for the second straight year.

After a scoreless first period of her third-place match against Spring Hill’s Sadie Dickie, she started the second with a takedown and followed it with a pin.

“I feel like I ad to work a lot harder this year, and even though it’s not where I canted to finish, I’m pretty proud of how I did,” said Slothower, who jumped three weight classes after competing at 110 pounds last year. “A lot of the girls are a lot stronger (at 125), and it’s a lot tougher.”

“It was kind of sad to lose so early, but working my way back was a lot more challenging.”

Two Salina senior girls also advanced to the consolation finals but had to settle for fourth.

Central 155-pounder Kodie Waite, who had never placed at state previously, hung with Bonner Springs’ Addison Vogel throughout, but dropped a 5-2 decision. South 100-pounder Jenny Nguyen lost by fall to Audrey Yarmer of Hays, but still improved on last year’s fifth-place finish.

“I was pretty excited, and I was pretty proud of myself for how far I’ve come this season,” Waite said.

Nguyen, a former team manager who did not take up wrestling until December of her junior year and leaves South as a two-time state placer. She also overcame recurring problems with a dislocated shoulder.

“I’m pretty happy with the tournament overall, with everything I’ve dealt with,” she said.

Salina South’s boys had one more placer at 165 pounds in Maddox Girard, who finished sixth.