Bob Jones Wrestling Dominance Continues
MADISON- The Bob Jones wrestling team is the perfect example for the definition of dominance. The Patriots have exercised its mastery to a tune of 23-2 in duals and a perfect 17-0 versus schools in Alabama.
“Experience is what we’re winning with as 10 of our starters have been in those positions since they were freshmen,” said Matt Sweatman head coach of Bob Jones. “We have 12 of our 14 returnees from our squad of a year ago.”
Last season’s grabbling Patriots won the Class 7A Duals State Championship and finished fifth in the 2018 State Wrestling Championships. Sweatman likes this year’s squad as it has balance in both duals and traditional competitions.
The supremacy the Patriots have enjoyed this season is hard to phantom. In the recent Region Duals Championships, the Pats basically blew away the competition on the mat. In the event, Bob Jones defeated Grissom 62-8, Huntsville 54-15, James Clemens 72-6, Austin 80-0, Sparkman 71-6 and Florence 81-0. The combined scoring in the duals was 420-35. Sweatman said, “One of our team goals is to win another Duals state title and winning region was the first step in that direction.”
On the season, the only losses came at the hands of Bradley Central and Wilson Central High Schools, two of the highly touted schools from the state of Tennessee.
Sweatman is in his fourth season as Patriots head coach. One of the most profound successes he has brought the program is the fact Bob Jones has crushed crosstown rival James Clemens by total scores of 202-33 during Sweatman’s tenure.
Headed into this weekend’s quarterfinals of the State Duals Championships (Jan. 18-19), which Bob Jones will host Hewitt-Trussville, three individual wrestlers for the Pats are ranked No. 1 in the state- Zaderian Toney (Sr., 113-pound, 12-0), George Francovitch (Sr., 181, 13-0) and Jordan Aycock (Sr., 220, 27-4).
Overall, the Patriots have 12 wrestlers ranked in the top four in their respective weight classes. Included among those is senior Raequan McCray at the 152-pound division. The transfer from West Virginia is tabbed as the state’s second best in his weight class.
“For me as a coach, I’ve slowly backed off my repeating instructions to this group of seniors, as they now get it,” added Sweatman.
