Wednesday wrestling
- Updated: December 7, 2016
Weaver, Alexandria score needed region dual victories in the run-up to this weekend’s Gene Taylor Memorial Tournament
By East Alabama Sports Today
WEAVER – The Weaver wrestlers were very much in need of a win.
They lost three matches the night before and were coming off a 3-2 third-place tournament weekend, so they were looking to heal some wounds before hosting their own tournament this weekend.
Relief came quickly in a 63-10 win over a shorthanded Ohatchee team. The teams only took the mat for seven matches and the Bearcats won six of them.
Dylan Deloach (120), Nick Souder (126), Taylor Ward (138) and Drake Monroe (145) all scored pins for the Bearcats. Kyle Clapper (170) won a tight 12-9 decision over Hayden Pitts and Cody Souder’s 113 match was halted in the second period. Caleb Montgomery (220) earned Ohatchee’s only contested win in a decision.
“We’re not where we need to be weight wise right now, so we’re taking some lump throughout the lineup,” Weaver coach Andy Fulmer said. “We’ve got a lot of inexperience in the lineup, a lot of first- and second-year guys who are having to win a lot of matches for us.
“But the kids are working. As a matter of fact we’re about to go practice for about an hour now. We normally let them go, but we need to get better.”
The matinee match was the Bearcats’ last before their 19-team Gene Taylor Memorial tournament this weekend. Weaver won the event last year for the first time in a while, but repeating may be a tall order given its current state, the scheduling of standardized tests and one of the best fields the event has ever assembled.
But Fulmer wouldn’t want it any other way.
“It’s going to be some really good competition,” he said. “There are several teams that are really solid from top to bottom. That’s the point. I wanted to make the tournament tough enough to where it resembled our Super Sectional tournament. I expect to be competitive and in the mix.”
Alexandria 52, Wellborn 30
The Valley Cubs gained some early confidence with regards to a potential spot in the newly established state match play tournament with this region win over the shorthanded Panthers.
Alexandria coach Frank Hartzog was went in anticipating a tight match, especially since Wellborn finished first to the Cubs’ third in last weekend’s tournament at Lincoln. But the Panthers simple had too many open weights.
When the teams did wrestle it was tight, as Alexandria won four of seven contested bouts, including wins by Aaron Whittaker (152) and Dalton Sexton (195) that were cleaner showings than their head-to-head matchups in Lincoln.
Most importantly, it left the Valley Cubs undefeated in the region standings. The top two teams based on records advance to the state tournament.
“This was a region win and right now we’re undefeated in the region,” Hartzog said. “To be honest, (Wellborn) and Weaver were two extremely tough matches and probably the top two in the region. Beating Wellborn leaves me with a little bit of hope we could possibly make the top two.”
Here are the teams scheduled to appear at the Gene Taylor Memorial Tournament that starts Friday at Weaver High School: ASB, Alexandria, Ashville, Cedartown (Ga.), Cleburne County, Deshler, Elmore County, Holtville, Leeds, Madison County, Ohatchee, Prattville Christian, Ranburne, Saks, Scottsboro, St. Clair County, Susan Moore, Tallassee, Weaver.
Alexandria 52, Wellborn 30
106 – Jaden New (A) pinned Brady Denham, 3rd period
113 – Sammy Cotton (W) won by forfeit
120 – Kaleb Matthews (A) won by forfeit
126 – Nolan Jones (A) won by forfeit
132 – Fletcher Swindall (A) won by forfeit
138 – Gannon Womack (A) pinned Jasmine Connor, 1st period
145 – Scottie Poore (A) won by forfeit
152 – Aaron Whittaker (A) def. Justin Roblee, 12-4
160 – Clayton Connor (W) pinned Connor Hall, 1st period
170 – Gage Taber (W) pinned Randall Purdy, 2nd period
182 – Christian Knop (A) won by forfeit
195 – Dalton Sexton (A) pinned Harley Kendall, 2nd period
220 – Zachery Chandler (W) won by forfeit
HWT – Wesley Harrell (W) pinned Skylar Payne, 1st period
Weaver 63, Ohatchee 10
106 – Travis Bellar (W) won by forfeit
113 – Cody Souder (W) def. Reed Hill, inj.
120 – Dylan Deloach (W) pinned Troy Galloway, 2nd period
126 – Nick Souder (W) pinned Peyton Marrs, 1st period
132 – Christian Pettus (W) won by forfeit
138 – Taylor Ward (W) pinned Brock Thrash, 1st period
145 – Drake Monroe (W) pinned Jude Graziano, 1st period
152 – Stefan Kirby (W) won by forfeit
160 – Billy Whitson (W) won by forfeit
170 – Kyle Clapper (W) def. Hayden Pitts, 12-9
182 – Double forfeit
195 – Austin Snelling (O) won by forfeit
220 – Montgomery (O) def. Caleb Russell, 11-0
HWT – Connor Uesry (W) won by forfeit
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