Hopkinsville wrestler Jaylin Littleton has brought home a medal from the KHSAA State Wrestling Tournament for a second straight year.
The Tiger senior came in eighth place in the 165-pound class, equaling his finish from 2024. He is the first Hoptown wrestler to win medals in back-to-back years since Isaiah Lawson in 2015-16.
Littleton, ranked No. 14 in the 165-pound class coming into the state tourney, defeated Henry Clay’s Msabaha Sumaili in less than a minute in the opener and got out to an 11-2 lead on Cooper’s Ben Turner in the second round. Turner, the No. 9 wrestler in the state, suffered an injury and was unable to continue.
In the quarterfinals, Littleton ran into Johnson Central’s Dalton Matney, the No. 2 wrestler in the state. Littleton fell behind 6-0 after the first period and was pinned 48 seconds into the second period. Matney would go on to win the state championship in the class.
Littleton advanced to the medal round with a quick takedown of Corbin’s Cyrus Greiwe and pinned him in 39 seconds.
He dropped a 4-1 decision to Central Hardin’s Samuel Hazelwood in the next round and lost to Taylor County’s Keenan Shively by second-round pin in the seventh-place match.
Littleton, the region runner-up, finishes his season with a record of 28-5.
Juan Cannon represented Hopkinsville in the 120-pound class and found out how the seeding works for the No. 4 wrestler in the region.
Cannon opened with a first-period loss to John Hardin’s Christian Delos Santos, the state’s No. 8 wrestler and eventual state runner-up.
He came back with a second round pin of Green County’s Prestyn Walls in the consolation round, but lost to Boyle County’s Cullen White, the No. 9 wrestler, with a first round pin in the next round.
Hopkinsville totaled 14 points and finished in 54th place.
