Patriots Finish Fourth; Zaderian Toney Lone Local State Champion At State Wrestling Tournament
HUNTSVILLE- Bob Jones senior Zaderian Toney was the lone wrestler to win an individual state championship of the 15 athletes from the three local schools to qualify for the AHSAA Wrestling State Tournament held in Huntsville. His victory capped a perfect 21-0 season for the Patriot.
Toney won the 106-pound division with a finals match 5-1 decision over Ryan Summerlin (49-7) of Vestavia Hills. Toney advanced to the title match with earlier wins of a technical fall and a major decision.
“I still can’t believe it as this shows all the hard work and being the only local wrestler to win state is very special,” said Toney, who will sign a full scholarship to wrestle at Allen University of South Carolina where he will study business and real estate. “The excitement I had after winning the title was over powering with happiness as I’ve been training for this for six years.”
Toney was one of 11 wrestlers, including his twin brother, Zaevian, from Bob Jones to qualify for the State Tournament. James Clemens qualified three wrestlers while Sparkman had one lone athlete to advance to the season-ending event held at the Von Braun Center.
In team scoring, Thompson won the Class 7A state title with 180 points. Bob Jones was fourth (92), James Clemens was 13th (18) and Sparkman 22nd (0-points).
Zaevian Toney (29-7) finished third with a 7-2 decision over Zander Field (29-15) of Huntsville in the 113 division. Zaevian has also been offered a full scholarship to Allen University, but has yet to confirm his choice to accept the offer.
Fellow Bob Jones senior Gabriel Pittman (29-10) took runner-up in the 160 division losing in the finals by a fall at 1:23 to Derek Hussey (50-4) of Thompson.
For James Clemens, 285-pound division wrestler Matt Burrow placed second losing in the final match by a 10-5 decision to Jaxon Bast (58-5) of Spain Park. Burrow (19-6) won earlier matches of a 4-3 and 5-0 decisions.
The remainder of the state meet qualifiers who finished among the top four included Abe Alrefai (22-8), Bob Jones, 138 division, fourth; Jordan Whalen (35-6), Bob Jones, 145 division, third; Raequan McCray 30-8), Bob Jones, 152 division, third; Cal Francovitch (27-9), Bob Jones, 170 division, third.
“With seven placers that was the most in school history and our fourth place team finish was the highest in our program history,” said Matthew Sweatman, head coach of Bob Jones and who will have three starters returning next season. “Our team was made of experience this season and the lights were never too big for them.”
For Zaderian Toney, who sat out a month during the season after undergoing surgery for a detached retina of his left eye, Sweatman knows the young athlete as well as anyone and has been working with him for four years. Sweatman said of his star wrestler, “Throughout this season he was always focused on the state meet. Many days I would find him on the mat after practice sitting there and concentrating and focused on winning the state title. There’s not a more deserving wrestler in the state of Alabama.”
