History was within Lowell freshman Kameron Hazelett’s grasp.
But the idea of an unprecedented accomplishment didn’t occur to him until late in the season.
“It wasn’t really on my mind,” Hazelett said. “Until I started making it to sectionals, then regionals, then semistate, that’s when I believed that I could actually win this thing.”
Hazelett did just that at the boys wrestling state meet at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Saturday, becoming the first freshman to win the heavyweight title. He defeated Crown Point senior Lucas Szymborski, a Ball State football recruit, with a 4-0 decision in the championship match at 285 pounds.
Merrillville senior Adrian Pellot, a Purdue commit, is Northwest Indiana’s other state champion. Pellot (45-0) earned a 9-6 decision against Carmel senior Michael Major in the championship match at 165 pounds.
Hazelett (40-1) avenged his only loss, which came against Szymborski in December, by winning all four of their postseason meetings. Lowell coach Kevin English said Hazelett’s regular-season defeat was part of his evolution from talented incoming freshman into state champion.
“From that point on, he understood that his natural gifts weren’t going to push him through and that he needed to work,” English said. “There was an adjustment period for him, and he did really well with it.”
Minutes after winning the state title, Hazelett said he thought of his grandfather Frank Sakovich, who was in the crowd. Hazelett’s postseason pursuits were driven by his desire to give Sakovich a chance to witness something he hadn’t seen before.
“I just thought that I had to win this for my grandpa,” Hazelett said. “He’s been waiting for this moment. My whole family wrestled, but no one managed to do this before they’d quit wrestling. They always believed that I could be something special.”
Hazelett’s age is not the only reason he faced an uphill battle at 285. He’s also undersized, saying he weighed 220 this season. But English said Hazelett’s athleticism — he did a backflip and a split in succession after his win — more than made up for those issues.
“It’s the way that he moves his hands and his feet,” English said. “His hips are amazing. I’ve seen him lay down on the mat and pop up and hit a backflip. We focused on his speed, technique and finishing, and it all worked out for him.”
While Hazelett’s high school career is just beginning, Pellot’s ended Saturday, and he started thinking about college only minutes after he bettered his runner-up finish at 157 in 2024.
“I’m already thinking about the next stop now,” Pellot said. “But I’m so grateful and super proud that I got this done. It’s been a long, hard four years, and it wasn’t easy. I’m going to cherish this moment and go celebrate it with my family.”
Pellot attributed his triumph to all the hours that he devoted to wrestling and that prepared him for anything— including a 4-0 deficit in the first period of the championship match.
“If that had happened in my sophomore year, I might’ve started freaking out and doing whatever when I was down 4-0,” he said. “But I just stayed calm and kept working my positions like my coaches were talking about and taking my breaths to stay relaxed. I knew that if I stayed persistent, things would open up.”
Merrillville coach David Maldonado said Pellot’s training made him all but invulnerable.
“It’s like working any physical labor,” Maldonado said. “You get calloused up. Your hands get calloused, your body gets calloused, your emotions get calloused and your heart gets calloused.
“He’s in a good place and did something that’s unique because he was out there in those tough matches and endured all of the training. I’m just happy for the kid.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
