Panthers get the Bear
- Updated: December 3, 2016
‘Complete team effort’ and then some lift Wellborn to a two-point win over Cleburne County in the Golden Bear Classic
The Wellborn wrestling team poses with their medals after winning the Golden Bear Classic. You’ll notice St. Clair County heavyweight Skyler Mizzell to the far right; he was asked to join the photo after his pin clinched the title for the Panthers. (Photo by Chris Hayes).
By East Alabama Sports Today
LINCOLN — At the end of the semifinal round things looked bleak for the Wellborn wrestling team repeating as champions of the Golden Bear Classic, but coach Todd Manning had hope.
He knew the Panthers had enough wrestlers in the championship and consolation rounds to score the necessary points, but everything had to fall exactly right.
They did – and got some help from another team in the last match of the tournament – to pull it off. With three championship winners and five consolation winners, the Panthers scored 206 points and won by two over Cleburne County.
“It was a complete team effort,” Manning said. “I told the kids if any of them would have lost any of their matches anywhere along the tournament we wouldn’t have won it, from our smallest guys to the guys we expected to win.”
After the semifinal round, Wellborn by some 40 points. Brady Rinehard (132), Matthew Lindsey (145) and Zachery Chandler (220) all scored pins in the finals to win their brackets. The Panthers also got consolation final pins from Brady Denham (106), Sammy Cotton (113), Namath Pitts (120), Justin Roblee (152) and heavyweight Wesley Harrell.
“In the consolation round we had kids winning and winning and winning,” Manning said, “so when we got to the finals I told them we still had a chance of winning this thing.”
“We had great effort all day,” Pits said. “I couldn’t be prouder of my teammates.”
Still, the Panthers couldn’t celebrate a repeat until the final match of the day, a heavyweight bout between St. Clair County sophomore Skyler Mizzell and Cleburne County junior Ryan Day.
A happy Day would not make a happy day for the Panthers, but Mizzell scored a pin in 2:49 to put Wellborn on top.
“When that kid came off the mat our kids went on to congratulate him before his own teammates could, because they understood how much that match meant,” Manning said.
The Panthers were so excited they even asked Mizzell to stand with them for their championship team photo.
“I walked up to him before his match and said if you win this, we win this, you got it; and then we rooted for him the whole match,” Pitts said. “(After the match) me and Roblee said Skyler come here, we want you to be in the picture with us because you helped us win this thing and you deserve some credit.”
Cleburne County’s senior 152 Tyler Mayfield was voted most outstanding wrestler. The 126 final between Alexandria’s Fletcher Swindall and St. Clair’s Max Miller – a 10-9 Swindall decision — was voted the match of the tournament.
Weaver third in Tallassee
TALLASSEE – Weaver went 3-2 to finish third in the Tallassee Duals with three wrestlers going 5-0 with five pins.
The Bearcats beat St. James 57-6 for third place. On the way, they beat Dadeville (60-12) and Holtville (42-34), but lost to Elmore County (44-30) and Tallassee (54-30).
Cody Souder (106-113), Nick Souder (132) and Kyle Clapper (170-182) all went 5-0 with five pins. Clapper rallied to keep his record perfect; he trailed against Tallassee late in the third period 12-9, but made a quick move and scored his fifth pin with about 20 seconds left.
Drake Monroe, Christian Pettus and Caleb Russell all went 4-1, while Connor Uesry and Stefan Kirby went 3-2.
This story will be updated.
GOLDEN BEAR CLASSIC
Team scores: Wellborn 206, Cleburne County 204, Alexandria 154, St. Clair County 127, Susan Moore 125, Ohatchee 96, Ranburne 82.5, Lincoln 57.0, Shades Valley 44, Oxford 23, J.B. Pennington 19.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
106 Results
Places: Jaden New, Alexandria; Austin Creamer, Lincoln; Brady Denham, Wellborn; Kamden Robertson, Susan Moore.
Championship Match: Jaden New (Alexandria) 3-0, 7th. pinned Austin Creamer (Lincoln) 3-1, Fr. (1:17).
Consolation Match: Brady Denham (Wellborn) 4-1, 8th. pinned Kamden Robertson (Susan Moore) 3-2. (4:40).
113 Results
Places: Reed Hill, Ohatchee; Dylan Turner, Cleburne County; Sammy Cotton, Wellborn; Bailey Henry, Ranburne.
Championship Match: Reed Hill (Ohatchee) 3-0, Fr. def. Dylan Turner (Cleburne County) 2-1, Jr. (Dec 4-0).
Consolation Match: Sammy Cotton (Wellborn) 3-1, So. pinned Bailey Henry (Ranburne) 2-2, So. (1:57).
120 Results
Places: Kage Robertson, Susan Moore; Kaleb Mathews, Alexandria; Namath Pitts, Wellborn; Jose Calderon, Susan Moore.
Championship Match: Kage Robertson (Susan Moore) 9-1, Jr. pinned Kaleb Mathews (Alexandria) 5-1, So. (5:10).
Consolation Match: Namath Pitts (Wellborn) 3-1, So. pinned Jose Calderon (Susan Moore) 3-2. (1:26).
126 Results
Places: Fletcher Swindall, Alexandria; Max Miller, St. Clair County; Seth Ingram, Susan Moore; Ty Grimmett, Shades Valley.
Championship Match: Fletcher Swindall (Alexandria) 5-0, Fr. def. Max Miller (St. Clair County) 9-3, Sr. (Dec 10-9).
Consolation Match: Seth Ingram (Susan Moore) 8-2, Sr. over Ty Grimmett (Shades Valley) 7-4, Fr. (Dec 10-10).
132 Results
Places: Brady Rinehard, Wellborn; Zhenya Collett, St. Clair County; Owen Cornelius, Susan Moore; Blake Smith, Ranburne.
Championship Match: Brady Rinehard (Wellborn) 3-0, Sr. pinned Zhenya Collett (St. Clair County) 3-2, Fr. (2:44).
Consolation Match: Owen Cornelius (Susan Moore) 2-7, So. pinned Blake Smith (Ranburne) 2-2, So. (0:34).
138 Results
Places: Zac Williamson, Cleburne County; Gannon Womack, Alexandria; Dawson Cowan, JB Pennington; Braxton Marbury, Lincoln.
Championship Match: Zac Williamson (Cleburne County) 4-0, Fr. def. Gannon Womack (Alexandria) 2-1, Sr. (MD 10-2).
Consolation Match: Dawson Cowan (JB Pennington) 4-1, Jr. over Braxton Marbury (Lincoln) 4-2, Sr.
145 Results
Places: Matthew Lindsey, Wellborn; Hunter Beason, Cleburne County; Noah McCord, Ranburne; Manuel Jurado, Shades Valley.
Championship Match: Matthew Lindsey (Wellborn) 3-0, So. pinned Hunter Beason (Cleburne County) 2-1, So. (2:49).
Consolation Match: Noah McCord (Ranburne) 4-1, Sr. pinned Manuel Jurado (Shades Valley) 6-5, Jr. (2:25).
152 Results
Places: Tyler Mayfield, Cleburne County; Aaron Whittaker, Alexandria; Justin Roblee, Wellborn; Spencer Jordan, Ranburne.
Championship Match: Tyler Mayfield (Cleburne County) 3-0, Sr. pinned Aaron Whittaker (Alexandria) 2-1, Jr. (4:20).
Consolation Match: Justin Roblee (Wellborn) 3-1, Sr. pinned Spencer Jordan (Ranburne) 2-2, Fr. (Fall 3:38).
160 Results
Places: Christopher Higgins, Cleburne County; Clayton Conner, Wellborn; Jeremiah McCord, Ranburne; Justin Pate, Cleburne County.
Championship Match: Christopher Higgins (Cleburne County) 3-0, So. pinned Clayton Conner (Wellborn) 2-1, Sr. (1:50).
Consolation Match: Jeremiah McCord (Ranburne) 3-1, Fr. pinned Justin Pate (Cleburne County) 2-2 (2:16).
170 Results
Places: Hayden Pitts, Ohatchee; Cody Conner, St. Clair County; Jason Higgins, Cleburne County; Parker Gay, Oxford.
Championship Match: Hayden Pitts (Ohatchee) 3-0, Sr. pinned Cody Conner (St. Clair County) 9-3, Sr. (5:14).
Consolation Match: Jason Higgins (Cleburne County) 4-1, Jr. pinned Parker Gay (Oxford) 7-4, Fr. (0:44).
182 Results
Places: Christian Knop, Alexandria; Christian Seale, Cleburne County; Julian Calderon, Susan Moore; Casey Thompson, Wellborn.
Championship Match: Christian Knop (Alexandria) 3-0, So. pinned Christian Seale (Cleburne County) 1-1, Fr. (2:55).
Consolation Match: Julian Calderon (Susan Moore) 9-1, Jr. pinned Casey Thompson (Wellborn) 1-2, So. (1:18).
195 Results
Places: Cade Smith, Cleburne County; Wes Salter, Cleburne County; Anthony Cervantes, Susan Moore; Harley Kendall, Wellborn.
Championship Match: Cade Smith (Cleburne County) 2-0, So. pinned Wes Salter (Cleburne County) 2-1. (0:21).
Consolation Match: Anthony Cervantes (Susan Moore) 5-1, Fr. pinned Harley Kendall (Wellborn) 1-2, Fr. (0:37).
220 Results
Places: Zachery Chandler, Wellborn; Blake Wiggins, St. Clair County; Austin Snelling, Ohatchee; Kane Myers, Shades Valley.
Championship Match: Zachery Chandler (Wellborn) 3-0, Sr. pinned Blake Wiggins (St. Clair County) 7-2, So. (4:35).
Consolation Match: Austin Snelling (Ohatchee) 3-1, Sr. pinned Kane Myers (Shades Valley) 6-5, Jr. (4:51).
285 Results
Places: Skyler Mizzell, St. Clair County; Ryan Day, Cleburne County; Wesley Harrell, Wellborn; Dakota Pruitt, Ohatchee.
Championship Match: Skyler Mizzell (St. Clair County) 5-0, So. pinned Ryan Day (Cleburne County) 3-1, Jr. (2:49).
Consolation Match: Wesley Harrell (Wellborn) 3-1, Jr. pinned Dakota Pruitt (Ohatchee) 4-2, Sr. (1:40).
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