State Champion Marquin Hill of Washington High School was presented the 10th annual James Johnson Award as the best scholastic wrestler in eastern North Carolina in 2011. The award is named in honor of three time national champion James Johnson. Principal Russell Holloman presented the award to Marquin at the school’s awards banquet.

Hill repeated as state champion last season with an undefeated 49-0 record in the 3-A division at 285 pounds. In his junior season Hill won his first state title with a 47-2 record and was named the Roy Heaverly Top Underclassman Award in the east. He also placed sixth his sophomore year and has a career record of 168 wins and 26 losses. Prior to the state tournament Hill had won titles at the prestigious Beast of the East, Conference and Regional Tournaments. Hill was also named the top 285-pound. wrestler in eastern North Carolina by the TakeDown Report for the second year that earned him an engraved plaque for that honor along with his name at the top of TDR Top 12 Shirts.

Coach Dan Riggs stated “Hill deserves it for his hard work during the season and before.”

Athletic Director Allison Jones added, “We are real proud of Marquin and he encourages the younger guys.” Hill remarked, “I appreciate this award and know that there are many tough wrestlers in our state.” He will be going on to wrestle at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in the fall.

Hill is the first wrestler to win both top underclassman and top senior wrestler in consecutive years since Raymond Jordan of New Bern. Jordan went on to twice earn All-American honors at the University of Missouri. Previous award winners are Branden Lietz (2010) of J.H. Rose, Mamour Camara (2009) of Louisburg, Anthony Rogers (2008) of Knightdale, Ngu Tran (2007) of C.B. Aycock, Victor Hojillo (2006) of West Carteret, David Pelsang (2005) and Paris Dottery (2002) of White Oak, Jordan (2004), Shaun Sheffield (2003) of Havelock were previous award winners.