From sectional runner-up to state champion: How a small-town wrestler pulled off a miracle

Hamza Merrick, a senior at Wilson High School in New York, recently captured the 285-pound state title

Wilson High School senior Hamza Merrick, middle, captured the 285-pound wrestling title at the New York state tournament last weekend. / Michael Carlo/Wilson High School

Hamza Merrick has been wrestling for as long as he can remember.

When he was 8 years old, one of Merrick’s youth wrestling coaches was impressed by how he terrorized his opponents on the mat.

The coach started calling Merrick “Hamzilla” – a combination of Godzilla and his first name. To this day, the nickname sticks with him.

“I was a monster back in the day, so I loved (the nickname). It matches my personality really well,” Merrick said.

Merrick, a senior at Wilson High School, lives in Wilson – a small village just outside Buffalo.

With a population of just over 1,000, the community members came out in big numbers when Merrick headed to Albany for the New York State championship wrestling tournament last weekend.

“Hamza just embodies what Wilson is and what Wilson does and what they’re about,” said Mike Carlo, head coach of the Wilson varsity wrestling team. “It’s got that small-town community feel. Everybody and anybody showed up for him.”

The senior was already feeling a certain way about postseason wrestling tournaments.

He was a Section VI tournament runner-up for three-straight seasons, including a gut-wrenching 18-5 loss this season to Division II sectional champ Mason Maring of Chautauqua Lake in the 285-pound finals.

Now, Merrick was hungry for the highest accolade he could possibly get to end not just his campaign, but his high school career.

“In my brain, I knew it was time to turn on the motor when I got there. I knew there was nothing after (the state tournament),” Merrick said.

Showing out on the biggest stage

Once Merrick entered the 285-pound bracket at states, he didn’t stop. He made it all the way to the championship bout, where he faced reigning 285-pound state champion Troy Beeman of Waverly.

Facing a 1-0 deficit in the third period, Merrick notched an escape point to tie at 1-1 with 11 seconds to go. Before the match potentially stretched into overtime, Merrick recorded a takedown against Beeman at the buzzer.

“Except for waiting for overtime, we just kept pushing and pushing for the takedown,” Carlo said. “All we needed was one good position and one way out.”

Merrick was in line for three points, but officials wanted to make sure he executed the move in time.

Officials eventually made the call in favor of Merrick and gave him his three takedown points for a 4-1 win.

The senior, who was forced to finish second multiple times at sectionals, was a state champ.

“It was unbelievable,” Carlo said. “It was all about holding it down at the last second. We had that brief pause of hesitation if the takedown would count. Once it did, we were holding our breath to celebrate. If they took it away, we would’ve had to refocus for overtime. Thankfully, they gave it to us. It was a victory and celebration from there.”

An elated Merrick was partially in disbelief as to what happened, but it didn’t keep him from showboating a bit.

“Once Hamza lost in the sectional finals, something clicked,” Carlo said. “It was a different Hamza than we’ve had all year. Once we got to (states), we knew we’d have the full and utmost faith that he would pull through and do what he needed to do.”

Before Merrick had his first match at the state tournament, he knew he was going to win it all.

“And I knew I was going to beat (Beeman). I was confident,” Merrick said.

When he chose the bottom of the mat after a stalling call against Beeman, Merrick said he had an enlightening moment.

“I said to myself, ‘what am I doing?’ I’m Hamza Merrick,” he said. “So I stood up, got off and I ran to the middle waiting for him to follow me. When I saw he was gassed, I knew I had to get him. It allowed me to take him down.”

A last second takedown…and a NYS TITLE for @WilsonLakemen Hamza Merrick!!! Wilson’s first NYS wrestling champion!!! @WNYAthletics @wnywrstlcentral @wnywrestling pic.twitter.com/hRI847fEtv

— Matt O (@Matt_ORourke1) March 2, 2025

Merrick also made history by being Wilson’s first state champion in the 60-plus years of the program.

“It’s amazing. I really loved it and it was really awesome,” Merrick said.

Hard-fought journey

Even though Merrick caught fire in this year’s postseason, Carlo noted that the senior’s journey to a state title began last season.

Merrick lost to Beeman in the 2024 Division II state quarterfinals. Beeman went on to defeat Merrick’s teammate, William Wortkoetter, by a 9-4 sudden victory in the 285-pound title bout.

Merrick took third place at the tournament. But, the senior wanted more and to also avenge Wortkoetter.

Thankfully, Carlo said, the team saw Beeman enough to find a way to beat him.

“We were pretty well exposed to him, and we had a pretty good idea of his style of wrestling and what he was going to do coming into this year,” Carlo said. “We planned that we had to push the pace and bring the action to him. We put the pedal to the metal and kept the pressure up.”

Merrick also had an opportunity for a grudge match against Maring at this year’s state tournament. Facing Maring in the semifinal round, Merrick finished him off with a pin at the 3:35 mark.

When the crowd roared and cheered for Merrick, he wanted to entertain and please them as much as possible.

“I feel like when people watch me, they really don’t know my moves, but they’re waiting for something big to happen. Then, they cheer,” Merrick said.

The support that Merrick received in the arena and back home was nothing like Carlo and his coaching staff had ever seen previously.

“Even dating back to last year’s state tournament, we got to day two and started throwing some kids around and making some pretty big pins. The entire arena went absolutely nuts for Hamza anytime he stepped on the mat,” Carlo said. “To be matside and really understand it and feel a lot of it was really cool.”

Merrick will soon move on to wrestle at SUNY Niagara for the 2025-26 season. Carlo, who noted that Merrick’s wrestling style is unique due to his variety moves and arsenal, said the senior is bound for big things at the college level.

“Once Hamza gets a little pushback, that kid is going flying. We know what’s happening after that,” Carlo said.