LEXINGTON, Ohio — Mason Dragos had plenty of time to think and the Lexington senior didn’t always like what was running through his head.
Lying in bed recovering from an accidental gunshot wound, the Lexington senior thought his dream of winning a state championship had slipped away.
“I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen,” said Dragos, the Richland Bank Athlete of the Week.
But on Saturday afternoon at The Ohio State University tennis courts, Dragos realized what less than three months earlier seemed impossible. His 6-3, 6-2 win over Gahanna Columbus Academy junior lifted him to the first boys singles title in program history.
“It means a lot to me. It’s one of those things I’ve always wanted to win ever since I was a little kid,” Dragos said. “I’ve been looking forward to that day for a while.”
The dream almost withered on the vine in mid-March, two weeks before the start of his senior season. Dragos and some friends were at the Blueberry Patch when a handgun accidentally went off. Dragos was struck in the chest and arm and missed several weeks while recovering.
“It has been frustrating for Mason, but he has remained in high spirits,” coach Ron Schaub said earlier in the season.
To reach the championship match, Dragos had to knock off two-time Division II state singles champ Asher Hirsch of Cincinnati Country Day. After dropping the first set 6-1 and falling behind 2-0 in the second, it didn’t look promising.
“There was a big momentum swing and I started to play well,” Dragos said. “There were a couple of long points that I won and the crowd got behind me a little bit.
“Tennis is all momentum.”
Dragos rallied for a 7-5 win in the second set before again falling down 0-2 in the third. He then won six straight games for a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory.
Lexington’s first-ever four-time district champ, Dragos won first-round state matches as a freshman and sophomore before advancing to the state semifinals last spring. He fell to J.J. Wolf in the semis, but rebounded for a 6-2, 7-6 win in the consolation match to join Ty Schaub and Nicky Wong as Lexington’s third-place finishers.
The newly-crowned Division II singles champ didn’t have much time to celebrate Saturday’s championship. He and the rest of the Minutemen were in action at the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association team tournament at the Elysium indoor tennis complex in Plain City. Lex finished fourth.
Dragos, along with fellow seniors Matt Youse, Jansen Webster and Josiah McCarther, missed Lexington’s graduation ceremony Sunday. Lexington athletic director Joe Roberts brought the foursome their diplomas for an impromptu graduation ceremony.
“I don’t have any regrets about missing graduation,” Dragos said. “I was doing what I wanted to do.”
Dragos is headed to Butler University in Indianapolis to play tennis next fall. He isn’t taking anything for granted anymore.
“(The shooting) taught me that I need to be more cautious in the things I do,” he said. “I can’t be reckless.
“I just want to get out there and compete and help the team any way I can.”
