1 of 13

Five local wrestling teams competed in the Over the Mountain Duals at Thompson High School on Nov. 30. (For the Reporter/Dawn Harrison)

By DAWN HARRISON | Special to the Reporter

Five Shelby County schools took to the mats in the annual Over the Mountain Duals Wrestling Tournament that was hosted by Thompson High School on Tuesday, Nov. 30.

This early-season tournament gave some teams a chance to see who their competition may be as they progress toward the state tournament.

In the 81 total matches wrestled only 9 were won by decision, 1 by major decision, 2 by Technical Fall and 31 were forfeits.

Helena High School won both duals, defeating Spain Park 42-41 and Pelham 44-27.

There were several standout wrestlers who won both matches and will be contenders in the battle for the state championship.

In the 120-pound weight class, Sam Bratina won over Nicholas Bamberg in a very close match with a one point decision win of 11-10, before then picking up a forfeit over Spain Park.

Justin Yunke then pinned both Mike Green from Pelham with a fall time of 3:12 and Spain Park’s Jacob Roe with a fall time of 2:44 in the 170-pound classification.

Matthew McFall, wrestling in the 182-pound division, dominated in his match with Xavier Merchant from Pelham picking up a win by technical fall with a score of 16-0 and a fall time of 2:23.

He also put six points on the board for his team with a Forfeit against Spain Park.

In the 220-pound class, Owen Campbell had an easy go of it with two forfeits against Spain Park and Pelham but still garnered 12 points for the Huskies.

Taylor McElroy, wrestling in the 285-pound weight class, pinned Jeremy Rivera of Pelham with a quick fall time of 1:02 and also received a forfeit against Spain Park.

Oak Mountain also walked away winners with a score of 48-33 against Gardendale and a score of 57-18 against Pelham, winning 10 of the 14 matches.

On the night, Oak Mountain had the largest number of wrestlers who won both matches during the duals’ event.

Camden Tipton was no surprise in the 120-pound weight class, defeating both of his opponents with pins behind fall times of 41 seconds and 1:29.

Wrestling in the 126-pound division, Kirk Smitherman beat Pelham’s Walt Calvert with a fall time of 1:17, and he picked up a forfeit over Gardendale.

Jesse Palmer added picked up a pin as well for the Eagles in the 138-pound class, using a fall time of 1:28. He also got a forfeit win against Pelham. Aden Miller joined his teammates with a pin against Pelham behind a fall time of 5:55 in the 145-pound weight class.

Nathan Besch (220) and Nic Rigdon (285) each had one pin and one forfeit win for Oak Mountain as well.

Besch picked up his pin with a fall time of 1:42, while Rigdon did it with a fall time of 50 seconds.

Thompson High School brought some fresh faces to the mat to square off with two Class 7A powers—Spain Park and Vestavia Hills.

Nick Dempsey was one of five Thompson wrestlers to win both of his matches. Wrestling in the 132-pound weight class, he downed Vestavia’s Hasting Roberts with a 5-1 decision and picked up a forfeit against Spain Park.

In the 160-pound weight class, Paxton Miller picked up two pins, while Henri Jimenez and Avery Clark grabbed one pin and one forfeit each in the 182-pound and 195-pound weight class.

Jeffery Tubbs picked up forfeit wins against both teams in the 220 classification.

Pelham fell in both matches, losing the battles against Oak Mountain and Helena.

Three Pelham wrestlers, however, were able to finish the night perfect.

All were in tight battles.

Noah Powell picked up a 9-7 decision win in the 106-pound weight class as well as a forfeit win against Oak Mountain.

In the 152-pound weight class, Stone Peerson grabbed a 5-2 decision win and a pin in the final seconds with a fall time of 5:24.

Zander Terry added two big-time performances with a 7-2 decision victory and a pin with a fall time of 2:00.

Spain Park also dropped both of its dual matches to Helena and Thompson, but the Jaguars also had four finish undefeated with a young group on the mats.

Sawyer Hardy picked up a pin in the 106-pound weight class with a forfeit victory as well, while Patrick McQueeny added two forfeit victories in the 113 class.

Angel Quiroz had one of the most dominant nights of any wrestler picking up two pins with fall times of 17 seconds and 3:16 in the 138-pound division.

Granger Scarborough, wrestling in the 145-pound weight class, walked away with a 12-1 major-decision win as well as a pin with a fall time of 1:48.

More 280 Reporter

Briarwood’s Andrew Groves, Caroline Foster win state swimming, diving championships

Hoover City Schools receives A on state report card

Old Baker Farm to host Christmas festivities, open tree farm

Spain Park stifles John Carroll in tangle at Thompson Thanksgiving Invitational