From the AHSAA
HUNTSVILLE — Five area wrestlers have a shot at a state championship during Saturday’s state wrestling championships.
Cory Land (55-0) of Moody wins a 17-2 technical fall over Bentley Briscoe of Hayden in the 5A/6A semifinals Friday afternoon, February 18, 2022. (AHSAA Photo | Marvin Gentry)
The five: At 138 Pounds: Moody’s Cory Land (55-0) faces Joe Galvan of Homewood (37-14) in 5A finals; at 170 Pounds: Moody’s John McDonald (47-8) vs. Aiden Knight, McAdory (79-3). In 7A, Hewitt-Trussville’s Logan Reaves (43-6) takes on James Latona (54-3); the Huskies’ Lucas Reaves (36-6) faces Manny Marrero, Bob Jones (38-3) at 152 pounds; and Hewitt-Trussville’s Hunter Jones (43-3) takes on Todd Whitmire (51-9) of Huntsville at 195 pounds.
Land will be riding a 206-match winning streak, second longest in AHSAA history, as he goes after his fifth straight state title.
Thompson High School, Mortimer Jordan High School and Ohatchee High School sat atop their respective divisions after Friday’s competition at the 67th AHSAA State Wrestling Championships concluded day two.
The 2022 State Championships conclude Saturday at the Von Braun Center – with wrestling finals in the consolation division kicking off the action at 9 a.m. The championship matches in each of the three divisions, Class 7A, Class 5A/6A and Class 1A/4A, will begin at noon.
All matches are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network by Track Wrestling. Track Wrestling also will provide live results throughout the day.
Thompson held a comfortable lead over defending state champion Vestavia Hills in the Class 7A competition after Friday’s competition. The Warriors had 165.5 points and Vestavia Hills, 112.5. Hewitt-Trussville was in third placed with 92 points, and Huntsville was fourth with 61.
In Class 5A/6A, Mortimer Jordan, in third place after day one Thursday, moved to the top with 114.5 points. Thursday’s leader Arab dropped to a close second with 111 points, and two-time defending state champion Gardendale was third with 99.5 points. McAdory made a strong push Friday and finished the day in fourth place with 96.5 points.
Ohatchee held a slim nine-point lead over defending champion Ashville in Class 1A/4A. The Indians totaled 78 points Friday, the Bulldogs had 69, Weaver totaled 62 and Deshler was in fourth place with 42.
Thompson, coached by Sean Weltzin, had eight of its 14 wrestlers advance to Saturday’s finals. Senior James Latona (54-3) advanced to the Class 7A 138-pound finals with two pins. He beat Nathanel Powers of Daphne in the first round with pin at 4:45 and followed with a pin over Huntsville’s John McKinley at 3:26. He will meet Hewitt-Trussville senior Logan Reaves (43-6), who beat Smiths Station senior John McKinley with a pin at 4:31. Reaves and his twin brother Lucas Reaves (36-6) each clinched spots in the finals – the first twins in a decade to accomplish that feat. Lucas will be facing Bob Jones senior Manny Marrero (38-3) in the 152-pound finals.
Latona, who will be attending the Naval Academy next fall, is 189-30 over the last four seasons for Thompson and will be vying for his third straight state championship Saturday.
Thompson junior Thomas Giere (34-0) clinched a spot in the 106-pound finals while brothers Kiowa Vines (52-9) and Yanni Vines (40-3) advanced in the 113 and 126-pound weight classes. Other Warriors’ grapplers earning spots in the championship matches are Cory Jones (37-11) at 126 pounds, Nick Dempsey (44-10) at 132 pounds, Will Garrett (38-9) at 160 pounds and Carson Freeman (48-9) at 170 pounds.
Vestavia Hills advanced four Rebels to Saturday’s championship matches including Andrew Sykes, who is one of only two wrestlers in the 7A finals still undefeated. The junior takes a 19-0 record into the 220-pound finals where he will be facing Smiths Station senior Kyle Watson (42-3).
Mortimer Jordan heads into Saturday with three wrestlers in the 5A/6A finals with106-pounder Caleb Wright (48-6, 113-pounder Brodie Christmas (48-4) and Lake Gurley (51-8) at 220 pounds. One Class 5A/6A match that is drawing great interest is the 152-pound finals pitting sophomore Cole Sykes (71-1) against Alexandria senior Jaden New (56-0). Other unbeaten wrestlers reaching the Class 5A/6A championship round are senior Cory Land (55-0) at 138 pounds, Gardendale sophomore Daishon Powe (49-0) at 132 pounds, junior William Caneer of Buckhorn (38-0) at 220 pounds. McAdory junior Hudson Waldrop also takes an 87-4 record into the 126-pound championship match versus senior Clinton Stewart (41-1) of Scottsboro.
In Class 1A/4A, Ohatchee has four wrestlers advancing to Saturday’s finals. Senior Ethan Thrash (18-3) is in the 220-pound title match, senior Troy Galloway (32-2) will be competing in the 195-pound finals, Matthew King (24-2) is in the 152-pound championship, and senior Malachi Goble (21-3) is in the 145-pound finals. Th only undefeated wrestler advancing to the championship round is Weaver senior Devin Anderson (45-0) at 182 pounds.
Defending 285-pound champion Carson Hall (43-1) of Ranburne faces a tough battle with Ashville junior Mason Wilson (41-3).Saturday’s championship bouts include:
CLASS 1A/4A CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES106 Pounds: Zeke Dernlan (32-3), Fr., Bayshore Christian vs. Adrian Waugh, New Hope (21-5), So.113 Pounds: Shamar Heard, Cleburne County (39-2, Jr. vs. Gavin Kilgore of White Plains (18-2), So.120 Pounds: Logan Hartson, Saint James (40-3), So. vs. Austen Mayfield, Cleburne County (46-7), Fr.126 Pounds: Marcus Wright, Westminster Christian (16-1), Jr. vs. Gavin Monk, Montevallo (55-2), Jr.132 Pounds: Jack Von Eschenbach, St. John Paul II Catholic (52-4), So. vs. Joseph Rodriguez, Montgomery Catholic (18-4), Jr.138 Pounds: Tyler Ebner, Ashville (34-9), Fr. vs. David Herrick, Cherokee County (31-10), So.145 Pounds: River Scruggs, American Christian (33-2), Sr. vs. Malachi Goble, Ohatchee (21-3), Sr.152 Pounds: Matthew King, Ohatchee (24-2), Jr. vs. Brendan Steder, Westminster Christian (21-7), Sr.160 Pounds: Joshua Johannson, Weaver (27-0) vs. Shawn Sponsler, Montgomery Catholic (22-6), Sr.170 Pounds: Jonathan Foster, Dora (44-9), Jr. vs. Devon Jeffreys, Deshler (22-5), Jr.182 Pounds: Devin Anderson, Weaver (45-0), Sr. vs. Dylan Harris, Ashville (34-3), Sr.195 Pounds: Mason Ellis, Madison County (27-2), So. vs. Troy Galloway, Ohatchee (32-2), Sr.220 Pounds: Layden Olson, Ashville (38-7), Jr. vs. Ethan Thrash, Ohatchee (18-3), Sr.285 Pounds: Carson Hall, Ranburne (43-1), Jr. vs. Mason Wilson, Ashville (41-3), Jr.
OTHER CLASS 5A/6A CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES106 Pounds: Caleb Wright, Mortimer Jordan (48-6), So. vs. Preston Jones, Alexandria (50-1), So.113 Pounds: Brodie Christmas, Mortimer Jordan (48-4), So. vs. John Duncan, Pike Road (41-3), So.120 Pounds: John Stewart, Scottsboro (36-4), 8th vs. Will Anderson of Athens (31-1), Fr.(30-6), So.126 Pounds: Hudson Waldrop, McAdory (87-4), Jr. vs. Clinton Stewart, Scottsboro (41-1), Sr.132 Pounds: Lincoln Bryant, Hartselle (30-6), So. vs. Daishon Powe, Gardendale (49-0), So.145 Pounds: Brady Campbell, Opelika (41-2), Fr. vs. Bryce Wanagat, Pelham (37-6), Sr.152 Pounds: Cole Sykes, Shelby County (71-1), So. vs. Jaden New, Alexandria (56-0), Sr.160 Pounds: Oliver Howard, Decatur (30-2), So. vs. Melton Powe, Gardendale (39-1), Sr.182 Pounds: Kennedy Wyatt, Gardendale (52-2), Sr. vs. Caleb Roe, Arab (53-3), Sr.195 Pounds: Jack Pritchard, Opelika (42-4), Sr. vs. Cole Carter of Jasper (65-2), So.220 Pounds: Lake Gurley, Mortimer Jordan (51-8), Sr. vs. William Caneer, Buckhorn (38-0), Jr.285 Pounds: Jayden Joseph, Northridge (41-2), Sr. vs. Jerrod Harden, Southside-Gadsden (40-5), Jr.
OTHER CLASS 7A CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES106 Pounds: Thomas Giere, Thompson (34-0), Jr. vs. Stone Phillips, Vestavia Hills (24-4), 8th113 Pounds: Yanik Simon, Huntsville (52-1), Fr. vs. Kiowa Vines, Thompson (52-9), Fr.120 Pounds: Zachary McFarland, Enterprise (45-2), Sr. vs. Cory Jones, Thompson (37-11), Sr.126 Pounds: Yanni Vines, Thompson (40-3), Sr. vs. Bradley Williams, Spain Park (39-9), 8th132 Pounds: Austin Buird, Oak Mountain (46-5), Jr. vs. Nick Dempsey, Thompson (44-10), So.138 Pounds: Jon Michael Turis, Grissom (35-1), Sr. vs. Cody Kirk, Enterprise (42-9), Fr.160 Pounds: Harris Mitchell, Vestavia Hills (29-3), Jr. vs. Will Garrett, Thompson (38-9), Sr.170 Pounds: John Edwards, Vestavia Hills (35-3), Sr. vs. Carson Freeman, Thompson (48-9) Jr.182 Pounds: Jack Lamey, Jr., Hoover (41-6), Jr. vs. Evan Pippin, Bob Jones (52-4), Sr.220 Pounds: Andrew Sykes, Vestavia Hills (19-0), Jr. vs. Kyle Watson, Smiths Station (42-3), Sr.285 Pounds: Steven Flagg, Smiths Station (51-2), Sr. vs. Nicolaus Rigdon, Oak Mountain (37-8), Sr.
