Cubs all over Ohatchee

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: December 9, 2015

Alexandria wins six of eight bouts contested on the match; Wilson beats former team for second time in a week

Alexandria’s Jimmy Wilson has his arm raised in victory after winning a decision from Ohatchee’s Reed Hill, the wrestler who holds Wilson’s old 106-pound spot at his former school. (Photo by Angela Trapp).

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

Do you think wrestling against his former team meant something to Jimmy Wilson? As the Alexandria freshman sat in the bleachers talking about facing – and beating — Ohatchee for the second time in a week, a tear formed in his right eye then broke off down his cheek.

Wilson had been an Indian since the day he started school, but circumstances this fall forced him to head up the highway in hopes of continuing the pursuit of his dream.

Those roads intersected twice in the last eight days, with Wilson winning – individually and as a team – both times. They won Wednesday in a matinee for the Alexandria students, 67-12.

Wilson was an Indian for life, or so it seemed, but sought a change of scenery after the new Ohatchee coaches told him without debate he had to wrestle 113. He was set on staying at 106 for a better chance at winning a state championship that escaped him a year ago.

Most of his competition at 106 had moved up in class, clearing the way for a title run.

“I can wrestle 113, but I’m not going to be able to win it because it’s too much of a competition,” he said.

So when the Indians wouldn’t budge, he asked for a transfer. It took some time for him to get certified to wrestle for the Valley Cubs, but once it came through he became a strong addition to the top part of their lineup.

“There were risks on both sides,” Alexandria coach Frank Hartzog said. “I told him before you make a move you need to think about those things. Everything just fell into place. I said you deserve this, here’s your challenge match, go do it.”

Ironically Wilson’s first match with his new team was against his old team at his old school last week. It was as odd for him to look across the mat at all those former teammates in red and white singlets as it was for them looking back and seeing him in orange and black.

“It was more weird last week than this week,” Wilson said. “It felt like it was a parade going in there. They were like ‘Jim-m-m-my’ and all that.”

The satisfaction for him came in beating Reed Hill, the Ohatchee wrestler in his old 106 spot — by pin last week and 7-0 Wednesday. In the most recent match he got a takedown right before the end of the first period, added five more points in the second period and rode out the third.

“He looked a lot better this time,” Hartzog said. “More in control.”

As for the overall match, the Valley Cubs had an overwhelming lead before the match started due to unfilled weights, then won six of the eight bouts contested on the mat.

Ohatchee got its points on a pin by Hayden Pitts (160) and an injury stoppage at 220. Pitts was coming off the 170-pound title at Pelham. He wrestled up there, but is expected to wrestle at 160 the rest of the year.

“I wrestled real good those two days,” Pitts said.

After the formal part of the match, Pitts wrestled an exhibition against Christian Knop, Alexandria’s undefeated freshman 170. Knop won 10-0, but Pitts said he would be better in the long run for the experience.

Both teams will be in action this weekend at the Gene Taylor Classic at Weaver. The other teams include ASB, Ashville, Cedartown (Ga.), Cleburne County, Deshler, Elmore County, Leeds, Madison County, Prattville Christian, Ranburne, Saks, Susan Moore and Tallassee

Alexandria 67, Ohatchee 12

106 – Jimmy Wilson (A) def. Reed Hill, 7-0.
113 – Caleb Matthews (A) pinned Peyton Mars, 0:47.
120 – Fletcher Swindell (A) pinned Tanner Brown, 0:46.
126 – Matthew Schmaltz (A) def. Jackson Henry, 4-3.
132 – Aaron Whittaker (A) won by forfeit.
138 – Langdon Smith (A) won by forfeit.
145 – Caleb Wood (A) won by forfeit.
152 – Judd Cash (A) pinned Tanner Henderson, 3:34.
160 – Hayden Pitts (O) pinned Randall Purdy, 0:32.
170 – Christian Knop (A) won by forfeit.
182 – Phillip Gaddy (A) won by forfeit.
195 – Michael Beason (A) won by forfeit.
220 – Caleb Montgomery (O) def. Jack McCormick, inj. 4:17.
HWT – Josh Longoria (A) pinned Dakota Pruitt, 0:25.