SLIPPERY ROCK — By his father's admission, 9-year-old Slippery Rock resident Carter Rudish “hates losing.”

Maybe that's why he rarely does.

Already a three-sport standout, Carter recently became Slippery Rock's first-ever state wrestling champion at any level. He won the 8-under, 110-pound title at the Keystone State Championships.

“That's a big deal for this community,” Slippery Rock youth wrestling coach Kevin Shamblin said. “Youth, junior high, high school, we've never had a state champion wrestler.

“Carter is an athletically gifted kid. He's going to be heard from a lot.”

He qualified for the state tournament last year as well, but the event was canceled a day before it was scheduled to begin, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carter was 42-1 this season. His only loss was against a 10-year-old in Ohio early in the season. He often wrestles against kids older and bigger than himself.

And with the innocence of youth, he was unaware of the magnitude of his accomplishment.

“He doesn't really realize what he did,” his father, Jesse Rudish, said. “As far as he's concerned, he won another tournament, this one called 'states.'”

Carter doesn't just win. He wins handily. All but 10 of his victories this season were by pin or technical fall.

“Simply dominant,” Shamblin said. “Most of his opponents don't make it out of the second period.”

Yet Carter trailed in the state final, 3-2, through two periods. He scored the winning takedown with 14 seconds left.

“It felt good,” Carter said of scoring the winning points. “I knew I had to hold the kid down for 14 seconds and I had it.

“Wrestling is my favorite sport. I like to practice a lot.”

He's not too shabby in other sports, either.

A center fielder, third baseman and catcher in baseball, Carter plays at the coach-pitch level and has hit 21 home runs over fences 220 to 280 feet away. A running back in football, he rushes for 200 yards and at least three touchdowns in virtually every game.

“At that point, they take him out and substitute other kids in,” his father said.

The Carter Rudish competing on the mat is not the Carter Rudish people see otherwuise.

“On the mat, he's very aggressive,” Shamblin said. “He's an offensive wrestler who really gets after it. He scores a lot of points.

“Off the mat, Carter is very mild-mannered. He's the most polite kid you'd ever want to meet.”

The difference is how he approaches athletic competition.

“We've emphasized to him to go hard from whistle to whistle in every sport,” Carter's father said. “It's OK to be aggressive. It's OK to be the 'bad guy' as long as it's within the rules.

“But as soon as the whistle ends the match or the play, be the first one to help the other kid up, give him a hug after the match.

“Carter's made friends in sports that way. We've had other parents see the sportsmanship he exudes and they approach us, wanting Carter to hang out with their son. The sportsmanship he shows in everything he does is so refreshing.

“It's the part of him I'm most proud of,” Mr. Rudish added.

Slippery Rock youth wrestling had 50 kids on its roster this season. The program took 15 to the state qualifying meet and six qualified for the state tourney.

Joining Carter at the Keystone State Championships were Aden Shay at 12-U 85 pounds, Sam Caton at 10-U 90 pounds, Zac Turberville at 12-U 115 pounds, Sophie Hensel at girls 10-U 63 pounds and Klint Shamblin at junior high 167 pounds.