Nine from Bob Jones qualify for state wrestling championships
Bob Jones wrestlers with Coach Matt Sweatman qualified for AHSAA championships not pictured Seth Dupree and Parker Snyder (Record Photo/Lindsay Vaught)
MADISON- A year after limping into the state wrestling championships, Bob Jones is back in force.
Led by new coach Matt Sweatman, nine Patriot wrestlers will compete in the AHSAA Wrestling Championships starting Friday and concluding Saturday at Propst Arena Von Braun Center in Huntsville.
Zaderian Toney 106, Parker Snyder 113, Daishun Mitchell 120, Chase Henderson 132, Pierson Cauwels 145, Tyler Moulton 170, Seth Dupree 195, Dominic Davis 220, and Ben Rogers 285 all qualified at the North Sectionals in Birmingham last weekend.
Rogers, Davis, and Henderson are returning to state. Bob Jones qualified 5 last year but all were eliminated on the first day.
Former state champion Griffin Ridgeway did not make weight at the sectional and did not compete. The loss of Ridgeway, who was expected to contend for a state championship at 152 pounds is a blow to the team.
“He was .1 pound over so he did not get to wrestle,” Sweatman said. “It’s tough to lose a senior like Griffin on the first day who we expected to be in the final. He’s been wrestling a long time so he understands the nature of it. But the other guys didn’t show any quit and kept fighting. Qualifying nine out of 13 was phenomenal.”
Bob Jones with nine is in the top 5 in 7A numbers-wise.
Losing Ridgeway, a potential state champion, is a tough break for Sweatman.
“He had a great year, he was 51-3 this season. Griffin is a great kid. He has done everything I’ve asked him to do all year. We check weight at the hotel and he was under weight. They have 3 scales at the arena and the lowest had him 154.10. After Christmas they get 2 pounds per weight class. Griffin stayed and supported his team.”
Sweatman still has high expectations and several wrestlers could make the finals.
The team’s goal to place in top five is still reachable.
Everyone has to win matches and advance.
Ben Rogers is the # 2 ranked heavyweight in the state. Tyler Moulton is a #3 seed. Chase Henderson is wrestling well. Daishun Mitchell is the #3 ranked 120 in the state.
“We have opportunities to place some guys. I expect Dominic to wrestle really well. He won sectional last year.”
Madison schools has produced a state champion in three straight years going back to Ryan Stenger in 2013, Griffin Ridgeway in 2014, and TJ Edwards last year.
