Bob Jones Wrestling Team Carrying On Tradition
MADISON- The 1977 hit song by Kansas “Carry On Wayward Son”, which is also used as the theme song for the hit TV series “Supernatural,” could easily fit as the theme song for the 2019-2020 edition of the Bob Jones wrestling team.
Replacing 13 of 14 starters from last year’s squad, the current Patriots squad has a perfect 15-0 duals record and two tournament titles just barely a third of the way in the season schedule. This squad has also defeated Class 6A defending state champion Oxford twice in two days in duals tournament action.
“We have had a good start to the year and the guys have stepped up and are really hungry to carry on the tradition of excellence we have established at Bob Jones,” said Matthew Sweatman, head coach of Bob Jones.
The Patriots have been to back-to-back state duals finals winning in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 2019, but all but one of those wrestlers have moved on and Sweatman has had to fill the gaps of those talents. The fifth-year Bob Jones head coach continues to rebuild his program with superior wrestling talents, many of which are underclassmen.
Sophomore Manny Marrero is 19-3 in the 145-pound division and has gone down in defeat only at the hands of an out-of-state state champion. He was named Southeast Hammer of the Week by Sewrestle as Marrero went 4-0 at the Clint McCall Duals including a winning fall over 2019 state qualifier Gemir Scott of McAdory.
Junior heavyweight Drew Lawson is 16-1 on the season as he has made a competent transfer from football to wrestling. Lawson completed the 2019 football season for the Patriots where he was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player becoming the first offensive lineman to earn the award in school history. He has several Div. I offers on his plate as he’ll have one additional season of football and wrestling as a senior.
The Patriots have a senior leadership behind senior captain and Kentucky Wesleyan College commit Gabe Hunt. He said, “We’re focused on keeping the expectations high here at Bob Jones and we know we lost a lot of talented wrestlers.”
At the 170-pound weight class is senior Chris Congress who has mowed down the competition with a 17-1 record to start the season.
“Everyone is already counting us out, but we have some tough wrestlers who have been waiting behind guys for a couple years,” added Hunt.
If the season start is any indication on how the 2019-2020 season will end for the young squad, these Patriots are certainly carrying on the wayward ways of a program that is as dedicated as it is talented.
