Thompson returned to the top at the AHSAA State Wrestling Championships today in Huntsville.
Arab scored 157.5 points at the Von Braun Center and captured the program's seventh state championship and six in a row, the second-longest streak in state history. The Knights held off Scottsboro (153.5) for the crown.
"We had a 16-point lead going into the championship finals, said Pruitt, who has led the Knights for 23 years. "We had to win a match, or Scottsboro had to lose. We won at 145 with Clay Jones (69-0) to clinch it."
Arab had two runners-up with Joseph Martin at 113 and Garrett McClendon at 138. Eight Knights place, and the bad news for future opponents is Arab returns 10 wrestlers, nine of which were qualifiers. Arab graduates seven.
The Knights have not finished lower than fifth since 2005, with runner-up finishes in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
Dora (108.5).
Oxford repeated in 6A behind three individual title winners: Jacob Chisolm (126), Matt King (152) and Clay Webb (285). Landon Burrage was the runner-up at 120.
"I love these guys," Oxord coach Matt Hicks said. "They work very hard. It's kind of an unsung sport to a certain extent but my kids know how hard they work. Our community knows how hard we work. They're very supportive. So it's very rewarding for me as a coach."
Oxford tallied 203 points to finish well ahead Athens (97).
Class 7A champion Thompson. (Skip Vaughn/AL.com)
Thompson won its first championship since reeling off five straight from 2011-15.
The Warriors got individual titles from Dylan Leseueur (106), Chandlar Akins (126), Gabe Hixenbaugh (132) and Seth Whitlock (285). Emmanuel Oliver was the runner-up at 113.
"We knew we had a pretty good shot," said Shawn Weltzin, who has coached Thompson all 11 years since the program started in 2007.
Adversity came when junior Sam Latona, last year's 106 state champ, got hurt about two weeks ago. He would have been at 120 this year.
"He kind of assumed a coaching role and he kind of helped the coaching staff out," Weltzin said. "And everybody bought into it. And these are the results of it."
Latona, who was expected to score 22 points for the Warriors, instead helped coach freshman Judah Campbell at 120. Campbell qualified for state.
"Just believe in it, in the program," Weltzin said of the Warriors' key to the title. "And we have fun while we're doing it."
Rounding out the top-five were What's for dinner? Weight, nutrition dominate wrestlers' thoughts
Miss any action from the first two day of the tournament? Check out our recaps from Thursday and Friday.
AHSAA 63rd State Wrestling Championships
Final Results
TEAM SCORING (top 10)
CLASS 1A-5A
Arab 157.5; Scottsboro 153.5; Alexandria 112.5; Cleburne County 111.0; Dora 108.5; Mortimer Jordan 78.5; Hayden 69.0; Moody 69.0; Mae Jemison 64.5; Susan Moore 60.5.
CLASS 6A
Oxford 203.0; Benjamin Russell 111.0; Clay-Chalkville 103.5; Gardendale 98.0; Athens 97.0; McAdory 88.0; Helena 87.0; Pinson Valley 86.5; Southside-Gadsden 85.0; Stanhope Elmore 71.0.
CLASS 7A
Thompson 120.0; Central-Phenix City 93.0; Oak Mountain 84.5; Hewitt-Trussville 77.0; Vestavia Hills 77.0; Bob Jones 73.5; Hoover 73.5; Grissom 57.0; Huntsville 36.0; Auburn 33.0.
CLASS 1A-5A Championship Bouts
106 pounds: Cory Land (Moody) 53-2, 8th. over Cody Souder (Weaver) 34-1, Fr. (Dec 6-4).
113 pounds: Jaden New (Alexandria) 37-5, 8th. over Joseph Martin (Arab) 56-5, Jr. (Fall 1:28).
120 pounds: Macon Edwards (Fultondale) 75-0, Sr. over Dylan Turner (Cleburne County) 31-4, Sr. (Dec 6-0.
126 pounds: John McAlpin (Scottsboro) 46-4, Sr. over Landon Castleberry (Hayden) 53-3, Sr. (Fall 1:16).
132 pounds: Zachary Clayton (Dora) 59-1, Sr. over Kage Robertson (Susan Moore) 40-4, Sr. (MD 16-3).
138 pounds: Brantley McHugh (Madison County) 28-5, Sr. over Garrett McClendon (Arab) 58-7, Jr. (Fall 6:00).
145 pounds: Clay Jones (Arab) 69-0, Sr. over Rashad Clark (Moody) 53-6, Jr. (Dec 8-6).
152 pounds: Aaron Whittaker (Alexandria) 46-4, Sr. over Brady Richardson (Holtville) 49-2, Sr. (Dec 7-5).
160 pounds: Carial Tarter (Mortimer Jordan) 62-0, Sr. over Colby Hallmark (Hayden) 47-9, Jr. (MD 15-2).
170 pounds: Kolton Clark (Scottsboro) 51-2, Jr. over Ethan Pippin (Westminster Christian) 44-5, Sr. (Fall 2:57).
182 pounds: Christian Knop (Alexandria) 50-0, Jr. over Monquavias Ricks (Deshler) 43-3, Sr. (Fall 1:45).
195 pounds: Tanner Woodall (North Jackson) 30-2, Jr. over Andy Baker (Tallassee) 57-2, Jr. (Fall 2:40).
220 pounds: Sean Caleb Allison (Weaver) 57-2, Jr. over Travis Woodall (North Jackson) 30-5, Jr. (SV-1 3-1).
285 pounds: Bradford Womack (Scottsboro) 29-6, Jr. over Michael Barnes (Mortimer Jordan) 46-11, Jr. (Dec 6-0).
1A-5A MOST PINS: John McAlpin, Scottsboro (4 pins, 5:02).
1A-5A BEST MATCH: Aaron Whittaker, Alexandria vs. Brady Richardson, Holt (152-pound finals).
1A-5A MVP: Christian Knop, Alexandria.
CLASS 6A Championship Bouts
106 pounds: George Vazquez (Pinson Valley) 32-3, Jr. over Bobby Charsha (Benjamin Russell) 56-10, So. (Dec 8-5).
113 pounds: Andrew Smith (Southside-Gadsden) 71-4, Sr. over Chase Hicks (Oxford) 59-8, Fr. (MD 12-1).
120 pounds: Jacob Dease (Southside-Gadsden) 61-10, Fr. over Landon Burrage (Oxford) 53-21, Jr. (MD 8-0).
126 pounds: Jakob Chisolm (Oxford) 57-14, Fr. over Steven Bell (McAdory) 69-2, Jr. (Dec 8-5).
132 pounds: Gage Hudson (Gulf Shores) 42-6, Jr. over Brandon Seawright (Minor) 36-3, So. (Dec 11-6).
138 pounds: Alex Miller (Helena) 51-2, Sr. over Deacon Cowart (Athens) 35-14, Jr. (Fall 3:06).
145 pounds: Justin Ingram (Spanish Fort) 76-0, Sr. over Saxon Coker (Benjamin Russell) 55-11, So. (Dec 5-1).
152 pounds: Matt King (Oxford) 55-3, Sr. over Javonic Turner (Homewood) 42-1, Sr. (Dec 4-2).
160 pound: Zaquarius Harris (Columbia) 42-9, Jr. over Trevor Muncey (Gardendale) 26-6, Sr. (Dec 2-1).
170 pounds: Tobias Garrison (Stanhope Elmore) 40-0, Sr. over Isaiah McDougal (Columbia) 45-3, Sr. (Dec 5-2).
182 pounds: Nathan Dunaway (Helena) 67-1, So. over Thomas Carter (Athens) 12-2, Sr. (Dec 6-2).
195 pounds: Carlos Miguel Figueroa (Homewood) 61-1, Jr. over Anthony Talton (Clay-Chalkville) 43-5, Jr. (Fall 1:23).
220 pounds: Jackson Jones (Clay-Chalkville) 36-2, Jr. over Daiquion Thedford (Brookwood) 32-4, Sr. (Fall 1:55).
285 pounds: Clay Webb (Oxford) 36-1, Jr. over Brian Gardner (Hueytown) 22-3, Sr. (Fall 0:37).
6A MOST PINS: Clay Webb, Oxford (4 pins, 3:40).
6A BEST MATCH: Steven Bell, McAdory, vs. Jakob Chisolm, Oxford (126 pound finals).
6A MVP: Justin Ingram, Spanish Fort.
CLASS 7A Championship Bouts
106 pounds: Dylan Lesueur (Thompson) 47-8, Jr. over Adrian Neco (Central-Phenix City) 51-6, Fr. (Dec 1-0).
113 pounds: Tyler Ivey (Grissom) 22-0, Jr. over Emmanuel Oliver (Thompson) 32-6, So. (Dec 5-1).
120 pounds: Sullivan Tipton (Oak Mountain) 50-7, So. over Riley Huff (Hoover) 35-9, Jr. (Dec 4-3).
126 pounds: Chandlar Akins (Thompson) 39-9, Jr. over Mark Hurt (Central-Phenix City) 39-7, Sr. (Dec 3-0).
132 pounds: Gabe Hixenbaugh (Thompson) 53-3, Jr. over Maxwell Kauffman (Central-Phenix City) 51-5, Jr. (Dec 3-2).
138 pounds: Stone Barden (Hewitt-Trussville) 26-3, Jr. over Hector Candelaria (Central-Phenix City) 51-1, Sr. (MD 9-1).
145 pounds: Conner Smith (Hewitt-Trussville) 43-4, Sr. over Jonathan Handy (Grissom) 52-3, Sr. (Dec 10-4).
152 pounds: Cale Land (Hewitt-Trussville) 23-9, Jr. over Peter Dazzio (Vestavia Hills) 38-7, Jr. (Dec 6-3).
160 pounds: Robert Morales (Central-Phenix City) 49-3, Sr. over Bowman Hill (Vestavia Hills) 28-3, Sr. (Fall 3:12).
170 pounds: Barrett Blakely (Oak Mountain) 53-0, Sr. over Jordan Hunter (Buckhorn) 31-3, Jr. (Fall 3:42).
182 pounds: Spencer Haddock (Vestavia Hills) 22-2, Sr. over George Francovitch (Bob Jones) 42-5, Jr. (MD 14-5).
195 pounds: D'Angelo Dewitt (Hoover) 46-2, Sr. over Harold Gilmore (Bob Jones) 41-6, Sr. (MD 10-2).
220 pounds: Jaeger Clark (Huntsville) 57-2, Sr. over Seth Dupree (Bob Jones) 45-5, Sr. (Dec 4-2).
285 pounds: Seth Whitlock (Thompson) 28-11, Sr. over Camron Hill (Lee-Montgomery) 29-2, Sr. (DQ).
7A MOST PINS: Robert Morales, Central-Phenix City (3 pins, 8:24).
7A BEST MATCH: Jaeger Clark, Huntsville vs. Seth Dupree, Bob Jones (220-pound finals).
7A MVP: Barrett Blakely, Oak Mountain.
Oxford's Clay Webb finishes with four pins, state title
Oxford's Clay Webb. (Skip Vaughn/AL.com)
Oxford junior Clay Webb didn't waste any time becoming a state champion.
The five-star offensive lineman pinned Hueytown senior Brian Gardner in 37 seconds in the Class 6A 285-pound final. Webb (35-1) was last year's runner-up when he went 56-2.
"Just all the training I've received in my year of wrestling," said Webb, who won all four of his matches via pin in a combined 3 minutes, 40 seconds.
This was his first match against Gardner (22-3), who advanced to this finals by pinning defending champ Jake Andrews of Stanhope Elmore. Webb's lone loss was to Andrews.
"It happens sometimes," Webb said of pinning Gardner. "You just get caught. You just have to learn to deal with it sometimes. It's just part of the sport."
-- Skip Vaughn
Blakely earns another title, repeats as 7A Most Valuable Wrestler
Oak Mountain's Barrett Blakely had met Buckhorn's Jordan Hunter before.
"I knew what his style was," Blakely said. " We knew he was athletic."
Having competed in a state semifinal last season at 160 pounds, the two clashed on Saturday for the championship at 170.
Blakely, last season's Most Valuable at 160, scored a takedown in the first minute, stretched the margin to 13-0 in the second period before scoring a pin at 3:42 of the match.
"I knew what I was getting into," Hunter said. "I put my faith in God. This is a stepping stone with still better things to come."
Blakely, who repeated as 7A Most Valuable Wrestler, said he will take a scholarship to wrestle for Appalachian State, where his brother wrestled.
"I fell in love with it," he said.
Blakely finished the season at 53-0. Hunter was 35-3.
Hunter said he will train for the wrestling nationals in Fargo, N.D., which will be held in July.
-- John Ferry
Knop runs streak to 164 matches
Alexandria's Christian Knop. (R. Sirvell Carter/AL.com)
Alexandria's Christian Knop defeated Deshler senior Monquavias Ricks by fall to win the Class 1A-5A 182 championship.
Knop won his third straight state title. He went 58-0 in winning 182 last year and went 56-0 in 2016 to claim the 170 championship. The junior extended his winning streak to 164 matches, the third-longest streak in state history.
"We only wrestle three months a year," Knob said. "Three months is not enough time to train for the state tournament. You've got t train not only on the mat but off the mat in everything you do."
Knop beat Ricks in last year's state semifinals so Knop expected Ricks to be well prepared.
"I knew that he was going to come back stronger than ever," Knop said. "I just caught him. I just had a better match."
-- R. Sirvell Carter
Huntsville's Clark edges familiar foe in Bob Jones' Dupree
Jaeger Clark and Seth Dupree hardly needed a scouting report before their Class 7A , 220-pound state championship match
It was the fourth time for the two seniors to meet this season. Clark is a homeschooler who competes for Huntsville High, while Dupree wrestles for Bob Jones.
In a closely-contested battle, Clark beat Dupree for the third time, this time by a 4-2 score. All four matches were by decisions.
Dupree's victory over Clark came in last weeks sectional finals.
Clark finished the season at 57-2 while Dupree ended 45-5.
"I didn't let him get double underhooks," Clark said. "That was my main concern. It was a great match."
Clark scored takedowns in the first and second periods. Dupree later recorded two escapes.
"With good preparation and hard work, Jaeger was able to keep the pace and eventually break through," Huntsville coach Patrick Harris said.
Clark plans to move on to mixed martial arts in future years rather than continue with wrestling.
"I went after him and got put in bad positions," Dupree said.
-- John Ferry
North Jackson's Tanner Woodall. (Skip Vaughn/AL.com)
Woodall brings wrestling championship to North Jackson
Tanner Woodall didn't wrestle last year because North Jackson didn't have a team.
The junior won the Class 1A-5A 195-pound title by pinning Tallassee junior Andy Baker in 2 minutes, 40 seconds. Woodall's twin, Travis, was the runner-up at 220.
"It's exciting. It really hasn't hit me yet," Woodall (30-2) said. He finished fourth at 170 as a freshman at Scottsboro.
Baker (57-2) finished third last year at 195 when he went 53-2.
-- Skip Vaughn
Oxford's Jake Chisolm. (R. Sirvell Carter/AL.com)
Oxford's Chisolm wins rubber match against McAdory's Bell
Oxford freshman Jakob Chisolm beat McAdory junior Stephen Bell by an 8-5 decision to win the Class 6A 126 title.
Chisolm (57-14) was runner-up in 120 last year.
"I went up there, knew what I had to do and got it done," Chisolm said. "I had to score and keep my positioning and don't let him score any points. And that's all there really is to it.
The wrestlers faced each other twice this season and split the matches.
"I knew I had to score some points so I did my best to put him on his back and I capitalized on his mistakes."
-- R. Sirvell Carter
Hewitt-Trussville's Barden avenges loss
Hewitt-Trussville's Stone Barden. (R. Sirvell Carter/AL.com)
Hewitt-Trussville junior Stone Barden won by major decision over Central-Phenix City senior Hector Candelaria to win the Class 7A 138 championship.
Barden (26-3), who went 29-3 and won the 120 title last year, knew to expect challenge.
"In the moment it's pretty surreal just because you know the hardest thing to do is come back and defend a…first state title and I just defended it so it's pretty rewarding," he said.
Barden lost to Candelaria in a regular season match and made adjustments in the rematch.
"I pretty much just learned that you've just got to keep moving," Barden said. "You've got to keep your pace up. The guy will crack in the third. If you're tired they're just as tired as you are so just keep pushing through."
- R. Sirvell Carter
Weaver's Allison bounces back to win title
Weaver's Sean Cale Allison. (R. Sirvell Carter/AL.com)
Weaver junior Sean Caleb Allison bounced back from last year's loss in the Class 1A-5A final to beat North Jackson junior Travis Woodall by sudden victory in overtime.
Allison (53-3) rededicated himself this season to not repeat last season's setback.
"I didn't work hard enough (last year)," Allison said. "This year I knew if I got beat. ... it's not going to be because I didn't work hard enough. It's going to be because I got outwrestled and that didn't happen today."
Allison beat Woodall in a match earlier in the season and said he realized he would need "to be mentally focused" to prevail a second time against Woodall.
"He's a good wrestler," Allison said. "I like the way he competes."
-- R. Sirvell Carter
Scottsboro's Clark dethrones Westminster's Pippin at 170
Scottsboro's Kolton Clark. (Jimmy Lay/AL.com)
Scottsboro's Kolton Clark pinned defending champion Ethan Pippin of Westminster Christian in 2 minutes, 57 seconds to win the Class 1A-5A 170-pound title.
Clark (51-2), the runner-up at 145 last year, defeated Pippin (44-5) four times this season.
"I knew he was coming for me because I've beaten him pretty good all year, but I knew what I needed to do to win," Clark said. "All the work in summer being with the guys really pays off at the state tournament because what you put into it is what you're going to get out of it."
-- Jimmy Lay
Oxford's Matt King drops weight to help team, captures championship
Oxford's Matt King. (Skip Vaughn/AL.com)
Oxford senior Matt King dropped from the 160-pound class to 152 about two weeks ago to help his team.
He won the Class 6A 152 title by beating Homewood senior Javonic Turner 4-2 in the final. King (55-3) won last year's 160 title and went 63-4.
"I beat everybody at 160 and 170. I figured I'd get better competition somewhere," King said. "Dropping to 152 was for the team. Coach asked me to and I said I'd do it."
His best friend, senior Drake Boyles, placed fifth at 160. King won the 138 title as a freshman.
Turner, last year's 145 runner-up, finished at 42-1.
-- Skip Vaughn
Spanish Fort's ingram goes unbeaten, wins another title
Spanish Fort's Justin Ingram shook his opponent's hand, hugged his coach then ran as fast as he could up the stairs to the upper deck of Propst Arena to hug family members.
Ingram had good reason to be excited. The senior won his second state title by beating Benjamin Russell's Saxon Coker 5-1 in the Class 6A 145-pound final.
Ingram captured the 132 crown last year to cap a 53-1 season.
"Amazing," said Ingram, who was named the 6A Most Valuable Wrestler. "I started out thinking, 'I'll probably go to 138.' I did (weight) certification and couldn't go. I was like, 'I'm just going to try my best.' I came out here and wrecked it. It's all I wanted to do. I kept it in my goal book. I came out here and did it."
Ingram (76-0) previously beat Coker (55-11) twice this season, including last week's South Super Section tournament.
"I kept on wrestling my best and ended up beating him every time," Ingram said.
Ingram became the first wrestling champion from Baldwin County when he won last year. Gulf Shores' Gage Hudson went 42-6 this season and won the 6A 132 crown.
"It means we're coming after the north," Ingram said. "We're here to show that Baldwin County is here to wrestle."
-- Daniel Boyette
Scottsboro's McAlpin pins Hayden's Castleberry in rematch
Scottsboro's John McAlpin. (Jimmy Lay/AL.com)
Scottsboro's John McAlpin avenged an earlier loss to Hayden's Landon Castleberry and won a state title in the process.
McAlpin (50-4) pinned Castleberry (56-4) in 1 minute, 16 seconds in the Class 1A-5A 126-pound finals. Castleberry had won their meeting at last week's section tournament.
"I knew I could beat him. I just needed to work harder and get after him," McAlpin said. "I had to watch out for his inside trip, but once I got him down I knew I had him pinned."
McAlpin does not plan to wrestle in college, so this was the last match of his career. He won the 120 title last year.
-- Jimmy Lay
Fultondale's Edwards caps amazing 3-year run with 238-1 record
Fultondale's Macon Edwards, top, battles Cleburne County's Dylan Turner. (Jimmy Lay/AL.com)
Fultondale's Macon Edwards capped off a 75-0 season and his high school career with a 6-0 win over Cleburne County's Dylan Turner in the Class 1A-5A 120-pound championship.
Edwards returned to the final round after having his 163-match winning streak snapped in last year's 113 finals by training partner Landon Castleberry of Hayden.
"Losing to him last year was the best thing that ever happened to me," Edwards said. "I don't think I'd be where I am today with him pushing me everyday in practice to be the best I can be."
Edwards won the 113 title as a sophomore by going unbeaten with a state-record 90 wins.
Turner finished 34-4.
-- Jimmy Lay
Thompson's Hixenbaugh becomes four-time champion
Thompson's Gabe Hixenbaugh. (Skip Vaughn/AL.com)
Gabe Hixenbaugh has become the 21st wrestler in state history with at least four titles.
The Thompson junior won the Class 7A 132-pound final 3-2 over Central-Phenix City junior Maxwell Kauffman. Hixenbaugh won 106 in eighth-grade, 113 as a freshman and 126 as a sophomore.
"I'm really prideful for myself and I feel like I'm the best wrestler in the state," Hixenbaugh (53-3) said.
He wrestled Kauffman (51-5) at 113 in ninth-grade. "I knew what he was going to do and I knew how he was going to try to wrestle me," he said.
-- Skip Vaughn
Akins win big as Thompson seeks first title since 2015
Thompson's Chandlar Akins. (Skip Vaughn/AL.com)
Thompson junior Chandlar Akins wanted to help his team in the Class 7A competition.
He did just that by winning the 126-pound final for his second career state title. He beat Central-Phenix City senior Mark Hurt 3-0.
"I wrestled him four times. That was the fourth time this year," Akins (39-9) said. "Every match he changed it up, a little different. So this match I knew I had to push hard and go as hard as I could and come out a winner."
Last year Akins went 60-11 and won the 113 title. "It feels better because this year we're in the lead so far with team points. And this feels like I'm contributing," he said.
Hurt finished at 39-7. "I just gave a last second takedown and I couldn't get off the bottom in the third period," Hurt said.
-- Skip Vaughn
Moody's Land prevails in matchup of brothers of former champs
Moody's Cory Land (Skip Vaughn/AL.com)
Moody eighth-grader Cory Land learned from his two losses this year against Weaver freshman Cody Souder.
Land beat Souder today 6-4 in the Class 1A-5A 106-pound final today. He is the younger brother of Michael Land, who won last year's 132 title as a senior.
"I just stuck to the plan," Land (53-2) said. "Been planning on it all year, three months. It just happened. Lost to that kid earlier this year, twice. Just did what I do."
Land didn't place last year at state as a seventh-grader. "I was disappointed," he said. "I was happy for my brother though."
Souder, whose brother Nick won last year's 126 title as a senior, finished at 34-1.
-- Skip Vaughn
Another Arab state champ
Jacob "J Smooth" Barrett reacts after his match with Arab's Clay Jones. (Cynthia Collins)
Continuing a tradition that began several years ago, honorary Arab team member Jacob Barrett, 21, took part in a match following the trophy presentations. Known as "J Smooth" to his teammates, Barrett refuses to let being a special needs individual get in the way of being a part of the Knights' program. He has a singlet and attends all of Arab's events. A crowd of onlookers roared as Barrett pinned Arab 145-pound star senior Clay Jones this afternoon to improve to 10-0.
Daniel Boyette covers Huntsville Region high school sports for AL.com.
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