E.A. Sports Today

Souder avenges loss

Weaver senior avenges only loss of last season in marquee matchup during Bearcats loss to Southside; UPDATES with Friday’s action

By East Alabama Sports Today

SOUTHSIDE – Weaver’s Nick Souder avenged his only loss of last season Thursday when he outpointed Southside’s Jacob Smith 9-7 in a main event battle between two-time state champions.

The Bearcats lost the match to Southside 61-15, but beat Fort Payne 44-33.

The score of the Souder-Smith 126 bout was the same as last year’s that went to overtime. This time, Souder trailed 4-3 after the first period, but came back to win. He is 19-0 this season and has won 81 straight since that loss to Smith.

Kyle Clapper (17-2) and Caleb Allison (8-1) both won their two matches by pin.

In another match, Wellborn beat ASB and host Ranburne by identical 66-18 scores.

This weekend, Weaver wrestles in the Valley Cub Invitational at Alexandria, Wellborn is in the Austin Hamer Invitational at Moody and Oxford wrestles at the Gator Duals in Satsuma.

Alexandria, Weaver, Saks, Cleburne County, Bob Jones, Lincoln and Wetumpka are competing in the Valley Cub Invitational. Wellborn is among 18 teams at Moody.

UPDATE: Friday night, Alexandria took a pair of matches from Gadsden City (66-16) and Ranburne (51-27) in the run-up to Saturday’s Valley Cub Invitational.

Also, Wellborn stands in fifth place with 45 points after the first day of the Austin Hamer Invitational at Moody. The Panthers trailing leader host Moody by 16.5 points. Brady Rinehard (132), Zac Chandler (220) and Wesley Harrell (285) all remain alive in the championship side of their brackets after collecting two wins Friday night.

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