Huntsville High is Primed to Deliver the First Wrestling Title to the Rocket City Since 2004
Huntsville, AL – The AHSAA state wrestling championships’ home may be in the Rocket City but a state wrestling title has not been won by a Huntsville school since 2004.
That streak may be coming to an end.
The Huntsville High School Crimson Panthers closed Friday’s second day of competition in the 69th AHSAA State Wrestling Championships with a commanding 39-point lead over the Thompson Warriors heading into Saturday’s final round.
Coach Patrick Harris’ Crimson Panthers, who won the 2024 Class 7A duals tournament title in Birmingham last month, amassed 191.5 points heading into Saturday’s finals at Von Braun Center. Huntsville also has six grapplers competing in championship matches. Second ranked Thompson, has 152.5 points and four wrestlers competing in the final matches. Hewitt-Trussville sits in third place with 134 points followed by Bob Jones in fourth with 113. Defending 7A state champion Vestavia Hills is fifth with 96.5 points.
Saturday’s competition gets underway with consolation finals opening the session at 9 a.m. The championship matches will get underway at noon. All matches will be live streamed over the NFHS Network.
The last time a Huntsville area school won a state wrestling title was 2004 – when Grissom took home the crown. Since then, Thompson has won nine big-school state wrestling championships, defending state champion Vestavia Hills has won seven, and Hoover has won three.
The Warriors and Panthers have two head-to-head matchups in the finals. The two schools square off in the 150-pound championship bout with junior Yanik Simon (51-0) coming in undefeated for the Panthers. Thompson’s Nick Dempsey, a senior, is 27-4 this season. In the 128 pound competition, Thompson junior Kiowa Vines (24-1) meets Huntsville senior Jake Ciccolella (31-5).
Other Huntsville wrestlers in championship matches include Yanik’s brother Kiyan Simon (49-0) at 113 pounds, Wallace Blue (56-2) at 120 pounds, senior Brock Fields (29-4) at 165 pounds, and senior John McKinney (53-2) at 175 pounds. Thompson’s other wrestlers advancing to the championship round are senior Paxton Miller (57-11) at 157 pounds and senior Avery Clark (55-6) at 190 pounds.
In the Class 6A tourney, the Mountain Brook Spartans hold a 29-point advantage over the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils heading into Saturday’s finals. The Spartans have earned 178 points to the Blue Devils 149. The Homewood Patriots round out the top three with 128.5.
The Defending state champion Weaver Bearcats hold a slim lead in Class 1A/4A classification with 115.5 points. Ashville had a strong showing Friday and has 107.5 points heading into the finals. Corner stands in third place with 87 and the Dora Bulldogs follow with 86.
The Class 5A competition also got underway Friday with Scottsboro emerging with 119.5 points and defending state champion Jasper close behind with 115. Tallassee is third and still in the chase with 94.5 points.
Among the highlights of Friday’s bouts was a strong showing in the opening round of the Class 5A competition. Several wrestlers won their openers very quickly. Colby Silva (51-2) of Arab posted a pin at 113 in just 21 seconds. He advanced to the semifinals and added another pin in just over a minute.
Alexandria’s Preston Jones (43-4) took just 41 seconds to claim his opening win at 120 pounds. Scottsboro wrestler John Stewart (44-0) kept his unbeaten season alive winning his 138-pound opener by fall at 1:38. Tallassee junior Land Bell (55-0) also won his opener at 144 pounds with a 15-0 technical fall.
In the 190-pound weight class, Landon Everett (50-4) won his opening match for Guntersville with a pin at 0:49. Lincoln’s Rhett Walters (52-5) also won his 190-pound bout needing only 15 seconds to pin his opponent and needed just 47 seconds to win his semifinal bout. Both wrestlers advanced to the finals and will meet Saturday in the 190-pound championship match.
At 285 pounds, Myles Eyerly (40-1) got a pin at 1:49 and will be wrestling in the finals Saturday against Moody senior Logan Hall (39-2).
In Class 1A/4A, Reeltown’s Drake Wood (43-5) is one of two eighth graders to advance to the finals. He will face White Plains junior Mason Hahn (38-1) in the 120-pound finals. Weaver’s Cael Fulmer (37-4) advanced to the 106-pound finals and will face Ranburne freshman Carter Driver (35-9).
Among some of the most anticipated championship matches include senior Daymien Winfrey (37-4) of Alabama School for the Blind and Fultondale junior Michael Yofanda (48-2) in the 1A/4A 138-pound finals. The 126-pound championship match also features New Hope senior Adrian Waugh (32-1) and Dora senior Jayden Rouse (44-2).
In Class 5A, the 215-pound championship should be a thriller with Jasper’s Cole Carter (42-0) and Shelby County’s Keith Castleberry (46-2) squaring off. The 285-pound match will pit senior Myles Eyerly (39-1) of Elmore County and Moody senior Logan Hall (39-2).
In Class 6A, Decatur 190-pounder Oliver Howard (39-0) will put his undefeated season on the line against Mountain Brook senior Sam Carroll (36-6). Gardendale’s famed Poe family will have three brothers competing in the finals – senior Daishun Poe in the 165-pound championship bout against Mountain Brook sophomore Stuart Andrews (19-2); junior Demarcus Poe (37-9) facing John Leon of Mortimer Jordan (28-5) in the 138-pound finals, and freshman Crue Poe (51-4) taking on Justin Harbin of Brookwood (39-6) in the 106-pound finals.
In Class 5A, brothers Aiden and Ansell Goggans will take on Jasper’s Caldwell Garrett and Shelby County’s Xander Shoot in the 157 and 165-pound finals, respectively.
AHSAA STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday’s Championship Matches
CLASS 1A/4A
106 pounds: Carter Driver, Ranburne (35-9), Fr. vs. Cael Fulmer, Weaver (37-4), 8th.
113 pounds: David Hill, Oak Grove (47-1), Fr. vs. Jack Galloway, American Christian (35-11), So.
120 pounds: Drake Wood, Reeltown (43-5), 8th vs. Mason Hahn, White Plains (38-1), Jr.
126 pounds: Adrian Waugh, New Hope (32-1), Sr. vs. Jayden Rouse, Dora (44-2), Sr.
132 pounds: Brody Hayes, TR Miller (46-1), Jr. vs. Kurtis Soles, Cleburne Co. (42-2), Jr.
138 pounds: Daymien Winfrey, Ala. School/Blind (37-4), Sr. vs. Michael Yofanda, Fultondale (48-2), Jr.
144 pounds: Austen Mayfield, Cleburne Co. (56-1), Jr. vs. Dru Moore, Oak Grove (51-11), Jr.
150 pounds: Jack Von Eschenbach, St. John Paul II (57-2), Jr. vs. Andrew Young, Cherokee Co. (37-5), Sr.
157 pounds: Elijah Thomas, Escambia Co. (34-5), Sr. vs. Nick Williamson, Ashville (60-2), Sr.
165 pounds: Tyler Ebner, Ashville (44-4), Jr. vs. Aiden Richardson, Dora (48-10), Fr.
175 pounds: Jacob Blanchard, Corner (40-4), Sr. vs. Layton Pohl, New Hope (27-3), So.
190 pounds: Ross Mills, Deshler (40-4), Sr. vs. Brady Thrash, Ashville, (54-11), So.
215 pounds: Devin Bragg, Reeltown (34-1), So. vs. Korion Pryor, Dora (43-12), Sr.
285 pounds: Zaden Benefield, Ranburne (38-11), Jr. vs. Silas McCarthy, Brooks (21-3), So.
CLASS 5A
106 pounds: Mason Nelson, Tallassee (48-5), Jr. vs. Bryan Jenkins, Moody (32-16), Sr.
113 pounds: Colby Silva, Arab (52-2), So. vs. Thomas Norris, Southside (34-15), So.
120 pounds: Ramon Lazado, Tallassee (42-0) , Sr., vs. Kortez Samuels, Jasper (43-7), So.
126 pounds: Steve Staton, Scottsboro (38-2), So. vs. Ephram Ormiston, Southside (43-7), So.
132 pounds: Nick Sykes, Shelby Co. (55-2), Jr. vs. Antonio Nash, Jasper (50-7), Sr.
138 pounds: John Stewart, Scottsboro (45-0), So. vs. Cooper Brooks, Jasper (41-5), Sr.
144 pounds: Land Bell, Tallassee (56-0), Jr. vs. John Draskovic, Scottsboro (31-5), Jr.
150 pounds: Tyler Payton, Elmore Co. (39-1), Fr. vs. Stephen Nelson, Hayden (43-4), Sr.
157 pounds: Aiden Goggans, Scottsboro (43-2) Sr. vs. Garrett Caldwell, Jasper (43-4), Sr.
165 pounds: Ansell Goggans, Scottsboro (44-1), Sr. vs. Xander Shoot, Shelby Co. (52-4), Jr.
175 pounds: Cole Sykes, Shelby Co. (58-1), Sr. vs. Carter Reed, Jasper (48-3), Jr.
190 pounds: Landon Everett, Guntersville (50-4), So. vs. Rhett Walters, Lincoln (52-5), Sr.
215 pounds: Cole Carter, Jasper (42-0), Sr. vs. Keith Castleberry, Shelby Co. (46-2), Sr.
285 pounds: Myles Eyerly, Elmore County (39-1), Sr. vs. Logan Hall, Moody (39-2), Sr.
CLASS 6A
106 pounds: Crue Poe, Gardendale (51-4), Fr. vs. Justin Harbin, Brookwood (39-6), So.
113 pounds: John Duncan, Pike Road (47-2), Sr. vs. Aiden Morris, Mortimer Jordan (30-4), Jr.
120 pounds: Caleb Wright, Mortimer Jordan (39-3), Sr. vs. Stephen Springfield, Mtn Brook (30-5), Jr.
126 pounds: Brodie Christmas, Mortimer Jordan (34-4), Sr. vs. Gage Roberts, Hartselle (13-5), Jr.
132 pounds: Noah Smith, Wetumpka (36-2) Sr. vs. Moeeh Almansoob, Homewood (50-5), Sr.
138 pounds: Demarcus Poe, Gardendale (37-9) vs. John Leon, Mortimer Jordan (28-5), Sr.
144 pounds: Will Anderson, Athens (9-0), Jr. vs. James Mays, Buckhorn (42-3), Sr.
150 pounds: Cruz Rainwater, Mortimer Jordan (54-3), Jr. vs. Thomas Peerson, Pelham (30-2), Sr.
157 pounds: Cody Kirk, Pike Road (49-2), Jr. vs. Jude Smith, Mtn Brook (30-5), Jr.
165 pounds: Daishun Poe, Gardendale (42-4), Sr. vs. Stuart Andrews, Mtn Brook (19-2), So.
175 pounds: Christion Griggs, McAdory (84-2), Sr. vs. Mason Hussey, Pike Road (34-50, Jr.
190 pounds: Oliver Howard, Decatur (39-0), Sr. vs. Sam Carroll, Mtn Brook (36-6), Sr.
215 pounds: Christian Preston, Wetumpka (42-3), Sr. vs. Jameson Falcianni, Hartselle (22-2), Jr.
285 pounds: Willie Cox, Wetumpka (46-2), Sr. vs. Daniel Ellis, Mtn Brook (17-4), Jr.
CLASS 7A
106 pounds: Mich Swiger, Daphne (42-7), So. vs. Jameson Thomas, Oak Mtn (38-3), Fr.
113 pounds: Kiyan Simon, Huntsville (49-0), Jr. vs. Eli Sanders, Smiths Station (44-0), Fr.
120 pounds: Clark Box, Hewitt-Trussville (39-4), Sr. vs. Wallace Blue, Huntsville (56-2), Sr.
126 pounds: Kameron Stiffler, Enterprise (40-3), Jr. vs. Bradley Hastings, Hewitt-Trussville (26-5), Jr.
132 pounds: Timothy Luttrell, Smiths Station (44-9), Jr. vs. Grier Hunt, Enterprise (42-1), Jr.
138 pounds: Kiowa Vines, Thompson (24-1), Jr. vs. Jake Ciccolella, Huntsville (31-5), Sr.
144 pounds: Bradley Williams, Spain Park (44-0) vs. Denarvious Anderson, Opelika (48-8), Jr.
150 pounds: Yanik Simon, Huntsville (51-0), Jr. vs. Nick Dempsey, Thompson (27-4), Sr.
157 pounds: Brady Campbell, Opelika (51-0), Jr. vs. Paxton Miller, Thompson (57-11), Sr.
165 pounds: Andrew Sullivan, Vestavia Hills (27-2), Jr. vs. Brock Fields, Huntsville (29-4), Sr.
175 pounds: John McKinney, Huntsville (53-2), Sr. vs. Dalton Wainwright, Prattville (45-5), Sr.
190 pounds: Avery Clark, Thompson (55-6), Sr. vs. Delvecchio Alston, Hewitt-Trussville (48-10), Jr.
215 pounds: Kyle Oliveira, Spain Park (52-0), Sr. vs. Blake Christian, Tuscaloosa Co. (48-10), Jr.
285 pounds: Tafari Alcime, Bob Jones (43-5), Sr. vs. Zack Chatman, Hewitt-Trussville (52-6), Sr.
Cover Photo: Reeltown’s Drake Wood and St. John Paul II’s Xavier Escorpizo turn upside down in their 1A/4A 120-pound semifinal match won by Wood 7-2 (AHSAA PHOTO | Riley Campbell/Pure Game)
