Anthony Popi brings home 4th place from state wrestling finals

Plymouth senior Anthony Popi’s wrestling career ended with a fourth-place finish at the IHSAA State Finals Saturday at the Ford Center in Evansville.

Popi produced a 7-1 victory Friday over Fort Wayne Snider’s Ethan Dodson in his opening-round match at 285 pounds. He returned to the mat Saturday and defeated Heritage Hills’ Hayden Smith, 7-2, to reach the semifinal round.

Center Grove’s Nate Johnson eliminated Popi from state title contention with a 9-0 victory. Johnson went on to win the state title.

In the third-place match, Popi was defeated by Dekalb’s James Hartleroad, 1-0. Popi finished 44-8 in his final season.

Plymouth senior Alonzo Chantea was defeated in his opening-round match Friday at 106 pounds by New Haven’s Julianna Ocampo. Chantea finished the season with a 45-4 record.