From not placing in the State Open as a 126-pound freshman to achieving a 38-0 record thus far as a 175-pound junior, East Lyme’s Lincoln Carlson transformed his body and mind to become a dominant force in high school wrestling.

Recently winning the Class L state title, Carlson now aspires to win his first State Open tournament this weekend at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven.

“This year I had a goal to have an undefeated season and I wanted to win (the Eastern Connecticut Conference) and Class L,” Carlson said. “So it was nice to win all that this year. I’m not finished though; I want to win State Opens and compete in New Englands this year.”

Although he has competed since he was 7 years old at MarcAurele Wrestling, Carlson claims that his first real motivation to be great in the sport happened at the end of his freshman season. He dominated all throughout his youth years, winning two state titles, but hit a frustrating wall when transitioning into high school.

“The transition from youth to high school was the hardest thing for me,” Carlson said. “At first, I had no idea how I was going to adjust to the strength and speed of my opponents. But when I didn’t place at Opens that year, I realized I needed to put 10 times more work in. I took it personally.

“Literally the day after Opens is the day I really started training; I realized what I needed to do at that point.”

The following season Carlson would transform from a 126-pound freshman to a 160-pound sophomore, putting on 34 pounds in a little over a summer.

In the 2023 season, he went on to win the ECC title and place third at the State Open, a vast improvement from the previous year in every facet. One may be confused as to how Carlson bulked up so fast, but he kept it quite simple.

“After that Opens match, I really figured it out,” he said. “I needed to bulk up as fast as possible. I hated being skinny, so I would eat everything I could. That whole summer all I did was eat, sleep, lift and train.”

Building up to his 38-0 record, Carlson prides himself on his consistent work ethic and dominant mindset. Regardless of his prestigious record or his opponent, he approaches every match with an intense, yet composed attitude. He mentioned that there were a few tough battles he faced on the way to becoming 38-0.

“There were a couple guys that gave me a tough time. Cooper Light from Stonington is tough, he’s a great thrower. My friend Max Morse from Xavier is tough, too, we train in the summer together so we’ve gone at it plenty times,” Carlson said. “I can’t think about the record too much or I’ll just get in my own head. I just try to stay focused on winning the match.”

He would eventually meet Light, his friend, in this year’s ECC championship, where he won by major decision, 12-3. It was a hard-fought match but Carlson’s physicality on the ground overwhelmed Light. Even when he is winning by a large margin, Carlson doesn’t ever let up, not even for a friend.

Carlson won the Class L title with a pin over New Fairfield’s Adam Oberc.

“I don’t take anybody lightly,” Carlson said. “I always try to dominate whenever I’m on the mat. Even if I beat him before, nothing changes in my approach. No matter if it’s a freshman or a national champ, I still come with the same mindset.”

Aside from winning the ECC and Class L title again, Carlson’s main goal is to win the State Open on Friday and Saturday. Before his high school career is over, he also seeks to win a New England title, regardless of the tough competition in his weight class.

He said: “It was a great season, sure, but my focus is on Opens this weekend. Hopefully I can win that and try my best in New Englands.”

Carlson has professional aspirations to become a police officer but isn’t set on where he would like to go after high school. He has looked at Johnson and Wales and Springfield, but he is still weighing his options.

Most importantly, Carlson would like to wrestle collegiately, awaiting scholarship offers from scouts. With another summer of training and another dominant season, it’s likely that Carlson will reach the level he desires.

z.cunningham@theday.com