Huntsville, AL – Weaver must be able to control what we can’t control’ to achieve back-to-back state championships 10 wrestlers from the region make it to the championship finals
The reigning state champion in Class 1A-4A Weaver increased its advantage over Ashville following an additional day at the state championships. The Bearcats started Friday’s match half a point ahead of Ashville and beat Weaver to take first place in the last Week’s North Super Sectional, but ended the day with a an impressive 97. Ashville is in second place with 84.5 Finals for the championship and consolation are scheduled for Saturday in Huntsville’s Von Braun Center. Weaver has ended an 18-year state championship drought last year, claiming the 10th time in a row by defeating Calhoun County rival Ohatchee by one point. The Bearcats are hoping to win back-to-back in the same way for the second time after they won four times in a row twice in the years 1996-99 and 2001-04. “We must finish with a strong performance tomorrow, but we have to be in control of what we can do,” Weaver coach Andy Fulmer declared.
J.D. Johannson has made it to the final of the championship in 170-pound weight and Anthony Usry made it to the final of the championship in 182. Johannson will take on New Hope’s Layton Pohl, and Usry is eyeing the Dora’s Jonathan Foster. Dalton Fink entered the day in the 106 consolation bracket. He battled his way to the consolation semifinal, defeating Ashville’s Owen Burns in the third round. Fink will face Saks’ Tristen Garrett in the consolation final. The 160-pound division Caden Thornton lost his final championship semi-final to Deshler’s Devon Jeffreys but won the consolation semifinal, beating Bayshore Christian’s Caleb Heger. Thornton is set to take on the Dora’s Delvin Taylor in the final on Saturday. There is no head-to-head match in the match between Weaver or Ashville.
Ashville has three wrestlers on the roster Saturday. Layden Olson is in his 220 final championship. Brady Thrash (182) and Mason Wilson (285) will wrestle in the consolation finals. With Dora in third place with 82.5 points The Bearcats will be playing two head-to-head games against Dora could prove crucial. Here’s a list of the other teams in the coverage area and wrestlers in the Friday’s matches:
Class 1A-4A
OHATCHEE Briley Carter (106) took home the final championship match, defeating Saks’ Tristan Garrett 9-2 in overtime. Matthew King (152) took 7-4 victory over Escambia County’s Elijah Thomas to reach the finals for the championship. Jaxon Tuiolosega (120) reached his consolation semifinals.
RUBURNE — Carson Hall was the sole survivor of the day, taking down T.R. Miller’s Markel Nicholson in the finals of the championship.
SAKS – SAKS Trent Hopkins won his final 113 championship, taking winning 8-1 over Saint. 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 the state championships on Saturday. Jarrell defeated the Oak Grove’s Aiden Sumner in the semifinals while Hahm defeated Deshler’s Devin Pennington in a tiebreaker.
CLEBURNE COUNTY 1.– Austen Mayfield (138) reached the championship finals defeating Deshler’s Brooks Balentine in a major decision in the semifinals. Bryton Clay made it into the consolation semifinals of 182.
AFFORDABLE VALLEY Baron House got through to the end of the consolation bracket of 132.
WELLBORN -The winner Andrew Salter advanced to the consolation final of 220.
PEDMONT – PIEDMONT ChrisJon Gurley is set to face Salter in the consolation final of 220.
Class 5A
ALEXANDRIA -ALEXANDRIA – Preston Jones won in an unexpected win in a sudden victory Gulf Shores’ Noah Guthrie to make it to the finals of the 120 championship.
Lincoln – LINCOLN – Jamichael Finley advanced to the 132 final consolation.
SOUTHSIDE – SOUTHSIDE – Thomas Norris (106) and Peyton Adams (132) reached the consolation finals.
Class 6A
OXFORD – OXFORD – Garrett Howell (152) and Caleb Tinner (285) will wrestle in the consolation finals on Saturday.
2023 AHSAA state wrestling tournament
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