HUNTSVILLE- Fresh off winning the Class 7A Duals State Championship, Bob Jones was considered one of three teams that could win the 2018 State Wrestling Championships held in Huntsville. Due to some early round losses in round two, especially in the lighter weight classes, the Patriots fell behind early and could not stay with the top scoring teams finally placing sixth.

“Once we got behind we just couldn’t catch up as Thompson, the Class 7A winner, had six individuals make the finals while we had three,” said Matt Sweatman, head coach of Bob Jones. “We did very well as a team and the school has never had three wrestlers in the state finals. We beat Thompson in the Duals Championship, but this tournament format is much different.”

The three Bob Jones’ top wrestlers, Seth Dupree, Harold Gilmore and George Francovitch, made it to the finals of their respective weight classes only to fall in their title matches thus shutting out the Patriots of any individual state titles.

Dupree, a third place finisher last year, lost in his bid to win the 220-pound weight class to Huntsville’s Jaeger Clark (57-2) in a 4-2 decision in what was voted Best Match in Class 7A. Dupree finished the season with a 45-5 record. Gilmore lost in a major decision 10-2 score to D’Angelo Dewitt (46-2) of Hoover in the 195-pound division. Gilmore completed the season at 41-6. Francovitch, whose brother Cal lost in the opening round of the State Championships, also posted a major decision 14-5 loss. He finished the season at 42-5, but the 182-pound finals loss to Spencer Haddock (22-2) of Vestavia Hills was not what he nor the other Bob Jones finals competitors had planned.

“Seth and his opponent from Huntsville have become really good friends and both are seniors, thus the finals was a very emotional match and was only appropriate the match was voted Best Match,” added Sweatman.

The Patriots’ Jim Wilson took third place in the 106 weight class with a 5-1 decision over a wrestler from Hewitt-Trussville. Wilson completed the 2018 campaign at 44-9. Zaderian Toney of Bob Jones lost in his third place match to Oak Mountain 3-1. Toney finished the season at 37-10.

James Clemens had one athlete make it to the third place match as Spencer Davis lost to Hoover 6-1 in the 132-pound division. He competed his season at 24-4. Cordell of Sparkman also fell in a third place match. Cordell (31-11) lost in a heartbreaker ultimate tiebreaker 2-2 match to Hewitt-Trussville.

The final team scoring was 1. Thompson 120, 2. Central-Phenix City 93, and 6. Bob Jones 73.5.

Sweatman is extremely excited about what he will have returning next season as nine state qualifiers return off this year’s squad including George Francovitch, Zaderian Toney, Jim Wilson and Jordan Whalen, all of which performed well at the State Championships.