Atoms' Dane Harlowe Wins Wrestling State Title

Annandale junior Dane Harlowe got the rematch he was dreaming of Saturday night in the 125-pound finals of the Virginia State Wrestling tournament. He had a chance to avenge his crushing (12-2) loss to Jack Bass of Robinson in the finals of last week’s Northern Region tounament. In Bass’ home gym, no less.

And he didn’t falter.

Harlowe controlled Bass, a freshman, the whole way en route to a 4-1 win and the state title.

How did he manage such a turnaround?

“I just worked my butt off last week, that loss really got me motivated and I hit the weight room hard,” he said. “I worked out hard in practice and I came out here ready to go.”

After losing last week, he said he visualized the rematch at states “thousands of times.”

Harlowe was one of four Annandale wrestlers to qualify for the state meet. His efforts lifted the Atoms to an 11^th place finish. Jon Le (seventh at 112); Jon McCollum (189) and Ali Musa (fourth at 215) also hit the mats for Annandale, with Le and Musa earning All-State honors for finishing in the top half of their weight classes.

“He’s always been a competitor, in the room and everywhere else, everything he does he competes. I think it showed here,” Atoms coach Keith Sholders said of Harlowe. “No matter what happened last week, he was going to give himself a shot.”

Sholders said Harlowe exhibits the qualities of the champion, even in practice.

“He’s tough to wrestle in the wrestling room, he doesn’t want to give up that little takedown. Everything he does, he’s competitive,” he said. “Whether it’s climbing the rope, pull-ups, hang cleans, he wants to win everything.”

Harlowe, who said he’s looking forward to coming back to Annandale in 20 years and seeing his name on the wrestling wall of fame as a state champion, knows his win will serve to motivate his teammates.

“For the little guys, the JV guys, it builds them up. They think they can come up and work out and be a state champ. It gives them hope,” Harlowe said.