Three at Bob Jones wrestle for state championship
HUNTSVILLE- Three Patriot wrestlers advanced to championship matches Saturday at the 2018 AHSAA Wrestling Championships at the Von Braun Center so Bob Jones supporters watching fully expected to see a state championship won by a Patriot.
But it wasn’t to be as one-by-one George Francovitch, Harold Gilmore, and Seth Dupree dropped decisions and finished runners-up.
Francovitch, the only underclassman (junior) in the group, wrestling at 182 pounds lost to Spencer Haddock of Vestavia Hills 14-5.
Gilmore entered the tournament a #1 seed at 195 pounds but didn’t fare much better falling to D’Angelo Dewitt of Hoover 10-2. Dewitt is a two-time state champion.
Bob Jones Wrestling Coach Matt Sweatman pinned his hopes on Seth Dupree another #1 seed wrestling at 220 pounds. Dupree had defeated his opponent Jaeger Clark of Huntsville at the sectional last week but this time Clark gained the upper hand early and stayed ahead and won an 4-2 decision.
“We put three in the finals, unfortunately we weren’t able to win them but they had a chance to win a state championship,” Sweatman said. “We won the state duals championship but weren’t able to duplicate that here but still a very good year for our guys.”
Dupree came in on a roll having pinned Jordan Davis of Oak Mountain and winning an overtime decision over Jack Detombe of Foley.
“He had a good run to get here. He and Jaeger have been the top 220’s in the state and we figured it would come down to them. We had a gameplan and we stuck to it we just ran out of time,” Sweatman said.
“Harold Gilmore had a great season. He is an awesome kid. He worked hard all year and came back from a labrum injury and made the state finals after not even placing last year. I’m glad he was able to make the state finals. Dewitt is really strong, quick, very talented wrestler,” Sweatman said.
Francovitch is a success story. He only took up wrestling four years ago.
“George is awesome and I’m glad to have him coming back next year.”
Sweatman said that among the lighter weight wrestlers Jim Wilson (3rd at 106) and Zaderian Toney (4th at 113) had good tournaments.
Sweatman has the team poised to make a run at a team championship next year. Bob Jones qualified 8 juniors this year. In all Bob Jones qualified 10 wrestlers for the state tournament, highest ever for the school.
The three making it to championship matches was also a first for the school.
“We will have 16 seniors next year and are super excited about that,” Sweatman said. “We should be right back here next year with a little higher team finish.”
Thompson won the 7A classification followed by Central-Phenix City, Oak Mountain, Hewitt Trussville, and Vestavia. Bob Jones finished sixth.
