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Brusly's Austin Franklin won his fourth consecutive Division III championship with a fall in 4:56 over Ouachita Christian's Matthew Matherne.

Brusly's Austin Franklin joined the ranks of Tim LeBlanc, Austin Schermer and Trevor Schermer to become the third Panther wrestler to win four consecutive Division III state championships.  And he did that against an opponent he should know well.  In three of his four finals wins, Franklin's opponent was Ouachita Christian's Matthew Matherne.  In 2014, as a freshman, Franklin defeated the eighth-grade Matherne 13-4 in the finals.  In 2015, he defeated North Vermillion's Gavin Becker, while Matherne mixed things up by facing another Brusly wrestler, one Kendon Kayser.  In 2016 Franklin and Matherne met again in the finals, which was a 12-7 win for Franklin.  This year, Franklin's last, the Brusly senior defeated Matherne via a fall in 4:56.

The two came in with great records.  Matherne was 33-0 with tournament wins at The St. Michael Warrior Open, the Central Wildcat Open, the Bulldog Brawl, the NW High (TX) Invitational, the Eagle Open, the Zachary Big Horse and the Ken Cole.

Franklin came to Bossier City with a 31-1 match record.  He won the Raider 8, the Brusly 8, the Florida Beast of the Beach, the Brusly Invitational and the Greater Baton Rouge championships.  His only actual loss was a 13-11 Sudden Victory loss to St. Paul's Grant Hughes in the semifinals of the Louisiana Classic, where Franklin was the #1 seed.  In the consolation semifinals, he scored a 14-6 Major Decision over Rummel's Dylan Hezeau.  Franklin forfeited his next match, giving Holy Cross' Brady Butler third-place.  Franklin beat Butler 10-6 earlier in the championship quarterfinals.

In a combined total of 62 matches this season, Franklin and Matherne only had three common opponents.  Franklin pinned a Fontainebleau foe in 1:36 and 1:28, while Matherne dominated the same wrestler 12-1.  A McKinley opponent lasted into the third period against Franklin, but only made it into the second period against Matherne.  The only opponent that might have foretold of things to come at the state championship was from Holy Cross.  Matherne had a tough time and won his match 6-4.  It was easier for Franklin, who pinned the Tiger in 1:01.

Matherne is certainly worthy of a title, and will probably work twice as hard as he has before in preparation for his last try.  Woe be to the wrestler who meets Matherne in 2018.

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1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
Austin Franklin	Matthew Matherne	Adam Verrett	Charlie Carr	Glen Almodovar	Dawson Ashford
Brusly	Ouachita Christian	St. Louis	De LaSalle	John Curtis	Basile
#1 Seed	#2 Seed	#4 Seed	#3 Seed	#7 Seed	#5 Seed
Senior	Junior	Junior	Junior	Senior	Sophomore

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Early Championship Rounds

Round 1: #7 Glen Almodovar (JC) pinned Braxton Heywood (NV) in 4:45.

C1: #6 Kaleb Settoon (CC) pinned Nathan Sistrunk (KAP) in 0:49.

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Quarterfinals

#1 Austin Franklin (BRU) pinned #8 Mark Pennison (HAN) in 1:44.

#4 Adam Verrett (StL) pinned #5 Dawson Ashford (BAS) in 7:24 (OT).

#3 Charlie Carr (DLS) defeated #6 Kaleb Settoon (CC) via a 15-5 Major Decision.

#2 Matthew Matherne (OC) pinned #7 Glen Almodovar (JC) in 0:43.

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Semifinals

#1 Austin Franklin (BRU) pinned #4 Adam Verrett (StL) in 1:41.

#2 Matthew Matherne (OC) defeated #3 Charlie Carr (DLS) via a 16-0 Technical Fall in 4:48.

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Consolation Rounds

C2: #5 Dawson Ashford (BAS) pinned Nathaniel Sistrunk (KAP) in 4:25.

CSF: #4 Adam Verrett (StL) defeated Glen Almodovar (JC) 9-5.

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Championship Consolation Rounds

#4 Adam Verrett (StL) pinned #3 Charlie Carr (DLS) in 1:35 to place 3rd.

#7 Glen Almodovar (JC) defeated #6 Dawson Ashford (BAS) 10-6 to place 5th.

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Finals

Brusly's Austin Franklin won his fourth consecutive Division III championship with a fall in 4:56 over Ouachita Christian's Matthew Matherne.

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