Thompson Warriors fall short in AHSAA Dual Wrestling Championship

The Thompson Warriors came up just short on Saturday in the AHSAA Class 7A State Dual Championship match against Bob Jones at Bill Harris Arena. The Warriors dropped a 34-29 decision to the Patriots in a match that wasn’t decided until the final second of the final match.

Bob Jones becomes the second AHSAA Class 7A dual champion, while Thompson walked away as the runner-up.

“Hats off to Bob Jones, they brought it (and are) great competitors,” said Thompson head coach Shawn Weltzin.

Thompson competed on Saturday without two of its top wrestlers. Sam Latona, who is the state’s top 120-pounder, and top-notch 113-pounder Emmanuel Oliver are both out because of an injury. Weltzin didn’t use that as an excuse.

“The bottom line is, I think every one of my wrestlers (are good),” Weltzin said. “That’s what I told them, we’re putting you in the lineup because we have full faith in you. It’s just one of those things, everybody has to be ready whenever they get the call.”

Saturday’s match started at 182 pounds and the Patriots opened with three consecutive victories to take a 13-0 lead. Seth Whitlock, Thompson’s 285-pounder, got the Warriors on the board with a third period pin and 106-pounder Dylan Lesueur outscored his opponent, 21-6, to earn a technical fall.

After a Bob Jones pin, Thompson’s Judah Campbell lost a 6-5 decision with the winning points coming on an escape by the Patriots’ Zaderian Toney with 39 seconds left in the 120-pound match. At that point, the Patriots led 22-11.

It didn’t take Thompson long to overcome that deficit. Chandler Akins and Gabe Hixenbaugh had back-to-back pins to give the Warriors a 23-22 lead. Bob Jones regained the lead when Jordan Whalen won a 5-3 decision over Nathan Roberts at 138 pounds. The winning points in that match came on a takedown with 38 seconds remaining.

Jackson Arenata won with a third round pin at 145 pounds but the Warriors lost close matches at 152 and 160 pounds. That set up a winner-take-all match at 170 pounds with Bob Jones holding a slim 31-29 lead.

Thompson’s William Browder, who is listed at 152 pounds and weighed in on Saturday at 154 pounds, wrestled for the Warriors in the final. His opponent was Nick Mothersele, who weighed in at 170 pounds. The momentum swung back and forth in the final match with Mothersele getting a takedown and near fall in the final seconds of the second period to take a 7-4 lead. Browder hurt his shoulder in that late exchange and was tended to by the trainers for a few minutes.

Browder was able to continue and got a takedown in the final seconds to trim his deficit to 9-8. Mothersele was able to reverse Browder’s control and claimed an 11-8 victory to clinch the victory.

“I think it was a great dual, a great opportunity for both teams,” Weltzin said.

Bob Jones 34, Thompson 29

106 – Dylan Lesueur (TH) over Jim Wilson (BJ) (Tech fall 21-6)

113 – Zaderian Toney (BJ) over Harris Mitchell (TH) (Fall 1:55)

120 – Kevin McGhaw (BJ) over Judah Campbell (TH) (Dec. 6-5)

126 – Chandler Akins (TH) over Zaevian Toney (BJ) (Fall 1:10)

132 – Gabe Hixenbaugh (TH) over Parker Snyder (BJ) (Fall 2:51)

138 – Jordan Whalen (BJ) over Nathan Roberts (TH) (Dec. 5-3)

145 – Jackson Araneta (TH) over David Onquit (BJ) (Fall 5:31)

152 – Cal Francovitch (BJ) over Ashunti Perry (TH) (Dec. 7-5)

160 – Gabriel Pittman (BJ) over Tyler Gilson (TH) (Dec. 5-2)

170 – Nick Mothersele (BJ) over William Browder (TH) (Dec. 11-8)

182 – George Francovitch (BJ) over Alex Ward (TH) (MD 14-6)

195 – Harold Gilmore (BJ) over Isaac McAdams (TH) (Dec. 7-1)

220 – Seth Dupree (BJ) over Aubrey Glidewell (TH) (Fall 1:33)

285 – Seth Whitlock (TH) over Jordan Aycock (BJ) (Fall 4:25)