Bearcats extend lead
- Updated: February 18, 2023
Weaver must ‘control what we can control’ to make it back-to-back state wrestling titles; 10 area wrestlers get through to championship finals
By East Alabama Sports Today
HUNTSVILLE — Defending Class 1A-4A state champion Weaver widened its lead over Ashville after the second day of the state wrestling tournament.
The Bearcats entered Friday’s action a half a point better than Ashville, which edged Weaver to finish first in last week’s North Super Sectional, but finished the day at 97. Ashville stands in second place at 84.5
Championship and consolation finals are Saturday in Huntsville’s Von Braun Center.
Weaver ended an 18-year state-championship drought last year, winning the program’s 10th by edging Calhoun County rival Ohatchee by one point. The Bearcats hope to go back to back for the first time since winning four years in a row twice, from 1996-99 and 2001-04.
“We just have to finish strong tomorrow, just have to control what we can control,” Weaver coach Andy Fulmer said.
J.D. Johannson is through to the 170-pound championship final, and Anthony Usry made it to the 182 championship final. Johannson will face New Hope’s Layton Pohl, and Usry eyes Dora’s Jonathan Foster.
Dalton Fink entered the day in the 106 consolation bracket and fought his way to the consolation final, pinning Ashville’s Owen Burns in the third round.
Fink will battle Saks’ Tristen Garrett in the consolation final.
In the 160 division, Caden Thornton lost his championship semifinal to Deshler’s Devon Jeffreys but won the consolation semifinal, pinning Bayshore Christian’s Caleb Heger.
Thornton faces Dora’s Delvin Taylor on Saturday.
There are no head-to-head possibilities between Weaver and Ashville.
Ashville will have three wrestlers active Saturday. Layden Olson is through to the 220 championship final. Brady Thrash (182) and Mason Wilson (285) will wrestle in consolation finals.
With Dora in third with 82.5 points, the Bearcats’ two head-to-head matches with Dora could be key.
Here’s a breakdown of other coverage-area teams and wrestlers through Friday’s matches:
Class 1A-4A
OHATCHEE — Briley Carter (106) won his championship semifinal, beating Saks’ Tristan Garrett 9-2 in overtime, and Matthew King (152) took a 7-4 decision over Escambia County’s Elijah Thomas to reach the championship finals.
Jaxon Tuiolosega (120) made it to the consolation finals.
RANBURNE — Carson Hall was the day’s lone survivor, pinning T.R. Miller’s Markel Nicholson to reach the championship finals.
SAKS — Trent Hopkins won his 113 championship semifinal, an 8-1 decision over St. John Paul II’s Benjamin Santy. Tristan Garrett reached the 106 consolation finals.
WHITE PLAINS — Tanner Jarrell (113) and Mason Hahm (120) will wrestle for state championships Saturday. Jarrell pinned Oak Grove’s Aiden Sumner in the semifinals, and Hahm beat Deshler’s Devin Pennington in a tiebreaker.
CLEBURNE COUNTY — Austen Mayfield (138) reached the championship finals, beating Deshler’s Brooks Balentine in a major decision in the semifinals. Bryton Clay advanced to the 182 consolation finals.
PLEASANT VALLEY — Baron House got through to the final day in the 132 consolation bracket.
WELLBORN — Andrew Salter advanced to the 220 consolation final.
PIEDMONT — ChrisJon Gurley will wrestle Salter in the 220 consolation final.
Class 5A
ALEXANDRIA — Preston Jones won in sudden victory over Gulf Shores’ Noah Guthrie to advance to the 120 championship final.
LINCOLN — Jamichael Finley advanced to the 132 consolation final.
SOUTHSIDE — Thomas Norris (106) and Peyton Adams (132) reached consolation finals.
Class 6A
OXFORD — Garrett Howell (152) and Caleb Tinner (285) will wrestle in consolation finals Saturday.
2023 AHSAA state wrestling tournament
Thursday-Saturday
Von Braun Center, Huntsville
Through Friday’s matches
Class 1A-4A
Team scores: 1. Weaver 97, 2. Ashville 84.5, 3. Dora 82.5, 4. 17. St. James 76.5, 5. New Hope 66, 6. Ohatchee 63, 7. Ranburne 62, 8. Deshler 58, 9. Saks 54, 10. Madison County 53.5, 11. White Plains 51, 12. Montevallo 50, 13. St. John Paul II 48, 14. Prattville Christian 42, 15. American Christian 40, 16. Alabama School for the Blind 38, 17. Oak Grove 37.5, 18. Cleburne County 37, 19. Orange Beach 30, 20. Montgomery Catholic 27, 21. Pleasant Valley 25, 21. T.R. Miller 25, 21. Wellborn 25, 24. Corner 23, 25. Cherokee County 22, 25. Satsuma 22, 27. Westminster Christian 20.5, 28. Susan Moore 20, 29. Escambia County 19, 30. Bayside Academy 17, 31. Reeltown 16, 32. Houston Academy 14, 32. Piedmont 14, 34. Bayshore Christian 7, 34. Beulah 7, 36. W.S. Neal 4, 37. Northside Methodist 3, 38. Fultondale 0.
Class 5A
Team scores: 1. Jasper 102.5, 2. Scottsboro 91.5, 3. Gulf Shores 86, 4. Arab 82, 5. Shelby County 76, 6. Moody 62, 7. Hayden 61.5, 8. Tallassee 59, 9. St. Clair County 32, 10. Elmore County 28, 11. Southside 20, 12. Alexandria 16.5, 13. Beauregard 16, 14. Leeds 13, 15. Elberta 12, 16. Lincoln 10, 17. East Limestone 5, 18. John Carroll Catholic 4, 19. Holtville 3, 20. Brewbaker Tech 0, 20. Carver-Birmingham 0.
Class 6A
Team results: 1. McAdory 143.5, 2. Mountain Brook 130, 3. Gardendale 125.5, 4. Mortimer Jordan 113, 5. Hartselle 104.5, 6. Homewood 101.5, 7. Wetumpka 84.5, 8. Pike Road 62, 9. Athens 58.5, 10. Pelham 53, 11. Benjamin Russell 42, 11. Fort Payne 42, 13. Oxford 39, 14. Saraland 33, 15. Spanish Fort 32, 16. Pell City 30, 17. Stanhope Elmore 22.5, 18. Decatur 22, 18. Russell County 22, 20. Baldwin County 18, 21. Hazel Green 17, 22. Robertsdale 14, 23. Clay-Chalkville 13, 24. Center Point 11, 24. Mae Jemison 11, 26. Buckhorn 9, 27. Helena 4, 28. Muscle Shoals 3, 29. Shades Valley 2, 30. Paul Bryant 0, 30. Pinson Valley 0, 32. Gadsden City -1.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH PAIRINGS
CLASS 1A/4A
106 pounds: David Hill, Oak Grove (61-3), 8th vs. Briley Carter, Ohatchee (34-1), So.
113 pounds: Trent Hopkins, Saks (52-4), Sr. vs. Tanner Jarrell, White Plains (58-3), So.
120 pounds: Mason Hahm, White Plains (52-2), So. vs. Devin Pennington, Deshler (40-6), Sr.
126 pounds: Marcus Wright, Whitesburg Chr. (20-4), Sr. vs. Nathan Cox, Madison Academy (41-14), Sr.
132 pounds: Shayd Arboneaux, Orange Beach (50-7), Sr. vs. Damon Clayton, Dora (36-0), Sr.
138 pounds: David Herrick, Cherokee Co. (20-4), Jr. vs. Austen Mayfield, Cleburne Co. (46-2), So.
145 pounds: Gavin Monk, Montevallo (53-0), Sr. vs. Jack Von Eschenbach, St. John Paul II (57-2), Jr.
152 pounds: Matthew King, Ohatchee (30-2), Sr. vs. Ny`dariun Jones, Alabama School/Blind (37-4), Sr.
160 pounds: Devin Jeffreys, Deshler (44-3), Sr. vs. Rickey Toney, New Hope (25-3), Sr.
170 pounds: Joshua Johannson, Weaver (41-0), Sr. vs. Layton Pohl, New Hope (32-6, Fr.)
182 pounds: Jonathan Foster, Dora (39-0), Sr. vs. Anthony Usry, Weaver (43-3), Sr.
195 pounds: Ansel Stinnett, American Christian (36-2), Sr. vs. Mason Ellis, Madison Co. (50-1), Jr.
220 pounds: Layden Olsen, Ashville (27-5), Sr. vs. Charles Adams, Montevallo (37-8), Jr.
285 pounds: Carson Hall, Ranburne (49-0), Sr. vs. Aidan Cockrell, Prattville Christian (32-6), Jr.
CLASS 5A
106 pounds: Colby Silva, Arab (61-3), Fr. vs. Rutland Phillips, Tallassee (49-3), Sr.
113 pounds: Stone Staton, Scottsboro (46-2), Fr. vs. Kortez Samuels, Jasper (39-6), Fr.
120 pounds: Preston Jones, Alexandria (46-0), Jr. vs. Nick Sykes, Shelby County (45-6), So.
126 pounds: John Stewart, Scottsboro (39-1), Fr. vs. Karson Poe, Moody )38-7), 8th
132 pounds: Ethan Caldwell Jasper (45-3), Sr. vs. Land Bell, Tallassee (42-3), So.
138 pounds: Evan Phillips, Hayden (41-2), Sr. vs. Caleb Mooney, Shelby County (41-12), Fr.
145 pounds: Brody Mizzell, Saint Clair County (35-1), Sr. vs. Josh Draskovic, Scottsboro (43-10), So.
152 pounds: Bentley Briscoe, Hayden (56-0), Sr. vs. Skylar Gomer, Moody (27-7), Jr.
160 pounds: Joshua Roe, Arab (56-6), Sr. vs. Ansel Goggans, Scottsboro (48-3), Jr.
170 pounds: Cole Sykes, Shelby County (13-1), Jr. vs. Evan Scrivner, St. Clair Co. (43-5), Sr.
182 pounds: Patrick Lawler, Arab (64-4), Sr. vs. Jamie Burnam, Jasper (43-7), Sr.
195 pounds: Cole Carter, Jasper (16-1), Jr. vs. Lucas Salcedo, Gulf Shores (33-1), Sr.
220 pounds: Will Caneer, Arab (52-1). Sr. vs. Logan Hall, Moody (51-4), Jr.
285 pounds: Sam Schepker, Gulf Shores (57-6), Jr. vs. Christopher Eyerly, Elmore County (36-7), Jr.
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