Carrie Towns Photography

CTP has had some amazing athletes in front of the camera.  I’ve seen the Zoe’s Wheatland-Grinnell Thunderhawks bring home the trophy.

Zoe Schultz slams a spike during the 1A title game.

I’ve stood on the sidelines as Golden Plains fought hard to the very end, but came up short. I’ve seen the heartbreak. I feel the heartbreak.

Hallie (Spresser) Walker drives to the hoop during the championship game. 2014

When I follow these athletes many from middle school to high school I get attached to them. I want them to succeed.  I’ll be honest I had tears when Bryce Arnberger won state wrestling in 2016. I know how much work he put in to be a champion and how proud his family was of him.

Colby High School State Champion Bryce Arnberger. 2016

But NOTHING prepared me for sitting mat-side as my nephew won state this February for Holcomb High School. I repeat that NOTHING prepared me!

Tanner Johnson 10 years old Golds Gym Wrestling Club,  2013.

I try every year to make it to at least one tournament during the regular season to take pictures of my nephew Tanner Johnson.  This wrestling season I just couldn’t seem to get there. Between bad weather and our household being sick it just wasn’t in the works. Thankfully Open Spaces Sports covers most of the tournaments he attended so we watched at home. When the matches were really close I’m surprised they couldn’t heard us cheering.

When we arrived in Hays for State wrestling I saw something in Tanner that I hadn’t seen before. Was it determination and confidence? No, he’s always had both. This year there was something different.  All the hard work he had put in through Golds Gym, to middle school and finally high school was going to pay off. He was ready. He came into the tourney with a 31-1 record. The one loss was at the prestigious Rocky Welton Tournament in Garden City to the kid who would go on to place 2nd in 5A.

Semi Final match at State Wrestling 2019

His first two matches he rolled.  He won by a tech fall in the first period in match #1 and match #2 he pinned his man in the second period.  The semifinal match was the last for Friday evening and a win would put him in the Finals on Saturday. Boy was it nerve-wracking.  He wrestled the #1 ranked kid in Kansas who had built an undefeated season. I sat mat side and I don’t think I took a breath the whole 6 minutes.  My stomach was in knots and at any moment I was sure I would throw up. It was a great match with an 8-3 decision in favor of Tanner.

Normally on the sidelines I am impartial, but how can I not cheer just a little when his hand was raised in victory.

Semi Final win. 2019

While Mother Nature’s blizzard went crazy outside we were impatiently waiting for the finals to start on Saturday.  Finally it was time. It seemed those 6 minutes lasted an eternity.  It was a close match with a 9-4 decision in favor of Tanner.

Championship match 182 pounds. 2019

I think what makes me the proudest of Tanner is once the final buzzer sounded he didn’t jump up, didn’t flex his guns, didn’t show off.  Which he had every right to. He was a Champion.  Instead he shook his opponents hand, told the ref where his crowd of fans were sitting in the stands then walked off to hug his Coach/Dad.  To me that is a true champion.  You walk on the mat the same way you walk off with respect for your opponent.  I don’t think I could have been any prouder of him than in that moment AFTER he had won.

Celebratory hug from his Dad/Coach. 2019

It was an absolute honor to sit mat side and watch my  nephew win. He made school history by bringing a gold medal to Holcomb. I get teary eyed again just thinking about how proud I am of him and how lucky as a photographer to have been able to capture that moment for him and my family.

My husband and I with the Champ! 2019

I have to ask who is going to be my next State Champion?