Kings of the Hill
- Updated: December 11, 2021
Weaver beats state championship quality field, wins Gene Taylor Tournament; Anderson (182) wears unique Most Outstanding Wrestler belt
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
WEAVER – The first time Devin Anderson saw the championship belt they were giving to the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Gene Taylor Memorial Tournament he told Weaver coach Andy Fulmer he should get one for the team because everyone’s going to want one.
Sorry, only one per customer – and Saturday it went to Anderson.
The undefeated Weaver senior was presented the championship belt as the tournament’s top wrestler after helping the Bearcats win their tournament against a stacked field by 20 points over Ashville. Piedmont was third, a half-point back.
The tournament, the largest gathering of top Class 1A-4A teams outside the sectional or state tournaments, featured eight of last year’s state top 10 (including the top three) and nine of the 10 in this season’s first coaches poll. Individually, there were eight No. 1-ranked wrestlers in their weight class and 54 in the Top 6 over 14 classes.
“I just feel like my question was answered, that I think we’re contenders (for the state title),” Fulmer said. “I wasn’t sure if we were pretenders or contenders. Pretty much every top 10 team was there, so it was really meaningful knowing we can do that now.
“I don’t know if the lineup I’ve got is going to be the 14 we have at the end of the year – we’re still jockeying for positions – but we feel better where we are team-wise. Doing this in just a regular tournament against all the top 10 teams I feel we have a really good shot at doing everything.”
The Bearcats claimed four champions – Dalton Fink (106), J.D. Johannson (160), Anthony Usry (170) and Anderson (182) – and, of course, the top wrestler of the meet.Ashville had one champion and three runner-ups, and Piedmont, which led the tournament entering the semifinals, had four runner-ups and two other medalists.
Motivated by a large group of supporters in the stands, Anderson scored four pins in arguably the toughest weight class in the event (only 15 pins), including the No. 4 seed in the first period and the No. 2 seed in the second period of the finals. He beat the brother of the wrestler he pinned in the finals Saturday for the state title last year.
“I think it’s one of the best trophies I’ve ever received,” the humble Anderson said. “It means a lot knowing it was the last year ever to do that. I was going to do my best to make it mine. Dreams do come true.:”
It is a functional belt. He said he would “probably” wear to school Monday “to remind the coaches and all that we had a pretty amazing day” and then retire it to his other wrestling memorabilia at home.
Fulmer said it was “a great feeling” to hand Anderson the belt because of his longevity in the program.
“He’s been in our program all six years and he came through our youth the whole time, so he’s a Weaver guy,” Fulmer said. “It’s special to have a Weaver kid, but a Weaver kid who has been in the program his whole life. He hasn’t done anything outside Weaver wrestling, which is more special to me.”
SPARTAN INVITATIONAL: Oxford finished T-15 as a team with Kaleb Shelton (126) and Michael Howell (152) finishing fourth in their respective weight divisions.
GENE TAYLOR MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
Team scores: Weaver 176, Ashville 156, Piedmont 155.5, Cleburne County 126, St. James 118, Ohatchee 112, White Plains 105, Deshler 102, Susan Moore 88, Prattville Christian 78, Oak Grove 66, Saks 63, St. John Paul II 63, Ranburne 61, Pleasant Valley 56, Wellborn 37, Anniston 12.
Championship matches
106: Dalton Fink (Weaver) pinned David Hill (Oak Grove), 3:27
113: Gavin Kilgore (White Plains) dec. Brayden Dodd (Saks), 12-5
120: Baron House (Pleasant Valley) pinned Kasin Bramlett (Ohatchee), 5:07
126: Camden Hamric (Susan Moore) pinned Chase Jenkins (Piedmont), 2:43
132: Jack Voneschembech (St. John Paul II) pinned Granger Hicks (St. James), 5:49
138: Jose Calderon (Susan Moore) pinned Tyler Ebner (Ashville), 2:45
145: Ayden Van Hoose (Saks) dec. Brody Pugh (Prattville Christian), 11-4
152: Victor Malone (St. John Paul II) pinned Bentley Chandler (Piedmont), 0:38
160: J.D. Johannson (Weaver) pinned Austin Estes (Piedmont), 1:28
170: Anthony Usry (Weaver) dec. Josh Kirby (White Plains), 13-6
182: Devin Anderson (Weaver) pinned Dylan Harris (Ashville), 3:12
195: Troy Galloway (Ohatchee) pinned Jalon Helm (Piedmont), 1:07
220: Layden Olson (Ashville) dec. Brody Lauderdale (Oak Grove), 6-5
285: Carson Hall (Ranburne) pinned Mason Wilson (Ashville), 3:48
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