By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

HUNTSVILLE – Pelham senior and double amputee Hasaan Hawthorne finished his storybook final wrestling campaign in the most satisfying way imaginable, with an individual state title. Hawthorne did not lose a single match this year, and finished the season with an undefeated record of 37-0, and was named the 6A MVP at the state meet.

Hawthorne, who finished third last year at state, beat Landon Thompson of Southside-Gadsden in the finals of the 145-pound class via a 7-3 decision to claim the title. It was the closest win of the day for Hawthorne, as he worked his way through the earlier rounds of the state championship with little problem.

To start, Hawthorne faced off against and beat Trevor Muncey of Gardendale via an 8-0 major decision win. That was followed by a 9-3 decision over Justin Carty of Clay-Chalkville High School to but Hawthorne in the semifinals.

Arab’s Javon Cortez, who ended up placing third in the 145-pound class and finished the season with a 40-5 record, was the next to fall to Hawthorne. Hawthorne beat Cortez in a 9-4 decision to put him in his first state championship match of his career. In the finals, Hawthorne had to work to beat Thompson, who was the No. 1 seed out of the 6A North Super Sectional, en route to his 7-3 decision win.

Hawthorne was one of two Pelham wrestlers to make an appearance in a state championship round. Dillon Turner, who was undefeated coming into the state championship tournament, fell to Nick Carter of Arab in the 152-pound championship bout. Turner finished the season with a 30-1 record.