BETHLEHEM — As a freshman four years ago, Kostya Golobokov walked into The Hill School wrestling room as a novice.
“He didn’t know anything about the sport,’ said Mark Pearson, the school’s head coach.
On Saturday, Golobokov captured his second career medal at the National Prep School Championships. He finished sixth in the 285-pound weight class after losing the fifth place match in overtime to Toby Okwara, from Charlotte Latin (N.C.), at Lehigh University.
“Kostya had a very good career,’ Pearson said. “He’s improved by leaps and bounds.’
Golobokov, who finished seventh at the same meet last season, described winning two medals as a nice accomplishment.
This year, he said he was “going for first place.’
The tournament’s second seed at 285, Golobokov — a native of Moscow, Russia who lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. — reeled off three straight victories Friday, including a first-period pin in the quarterfinal round, at Stabler Arena to remain undefeated.
But in the semifinals Saturday, the senior fell behind 6-0 early. Golobokov rallied late, but dropped a 7-5 decision to Miles Brown, a senior from Sidwell Friends in Washington, D.C., the No. 6 seed.
Brown scored an early takedown and registered near-fall points to take command of the match.
“The loss was kind of upsetting,’ said Golobokov, a three-year varsity performer for the Blues. “I knew (Brown) would be tough to beat. He kept me on my back for a while. And I was worn down from the first day.’
After losing his consolation semifinal bout to John Martisch, from The Hotchkiss School (Neb.), Golobokov battled Brown to a 2-2 tie through regulation. Then after two additional periods without points, Brown scored the decisive escape in the third extra period to clinch fifth place.
“The overtime period is really determined by a lot of luck,’ Golobokov said.
Of The Hill School’s eight qualifiers and six participants, Golobokov was the only team member to reach the medal stand this weekend.
The Blues finished 25th in the overall team standings with 25 points.
Dymir Davis-Carruth won his initial two bouts Friday to reach the quarterfinals at 220 pounds. The sophomore, seeded seventh, opened with a 13-3 major decision over Michael Okaro, from St. Benedicts (NJ), then knocked off the No. 10 seed Colin Lawler, a freshman from Kinkaid (Tex.).
A pin by Jake Nordhausen, the second seed from Loyola-Blakefield (Md.), midway through the third period, sent Davis-Carruth to the consolation round. A 1-0 loss to Haverford’s Mickey Kober in his next match ended Davis-Carruth’s season.
Zach Sheehan, an unseeded junior from The Hill School, won his initial bout Friday at 132 pounds with a 14-2 major decision over St. Paul’s Peter Curtin.
Following a second-round loss, Sheehan rebounded to register two more victories. He posted consecutive decisions over Everett Roach, from Choate Rosemary (Neb.) and Josh Hemintakoon, a junior from Phillips Exeter (Neb.).
Sheehan’s season ended on a second-period by Philip Conigliaro, the No. 9 seed from Belmont Hill (Neb.).
Pearson praised the performance of Nolan Butcher, a junior who placed at the state tournament one week earlier despite being unranked, and also won two matches at the national tournament.
