Trinity junior Derion Williams climbed to the top of the podium Sunday, winning the 2026 OHSAA Division III 120-pound state championship at the Schottenstein Center.
Williams, who became Trinity’s first state champion since 1987, defeated Waynedale’s Brock Beckler, 4-2, in the championship match to secure the first-place finish. The title run capped a steady climb for Williams, who placed third at state last season after finishing as the state runner-up as a freshman.
In a tight final, Williams delivered the biggest move of the match when he used a head-and-arm throw with about 40 seconds remaining to score the go-ahead takedown. Beckler escaped in the closing seconds, but Williams had already done enough to claim the championship.
Williams’ path to the title was impressive from start to finish. He opened the tournament with a pair of technical falls to advance to the semifinals, then knocked off 2025 state champion Michael Frye of Columbia, 5-4, to earn a spot in the final.
After coming close in each of the last two seasons, Williams broke through on the sport’s biggest stage and brought a state championship back to Trinity.
