From Staff Reports
Westfield wrestlers
captured their first GISA traditional wrestling team championship Saturday in
Macon.
“We had seven wrestlers
represented in the finals out of the 14 weight classes with six capturing
individual championships,” said coach Michael Thompson. “Josh Kinnebrew at 106
pounds won the state championship with a pin in the middle of the second period
over Doran Fitterman of Weber School to set the tone for the rest of the
Westfield finalists.
“Kinnebrew (30-4) had a tough tournament overall. He had to beat two kids he
had previously lost to during the season and did so dominantly. His pin in the
finals was a great finish to a very strong season.”
The next finalist was Bryce
Westmoreland (35-2) at 132 pounds. Thompson said he had a challenging bracket
against 2012 state finalist Alan Longoria from Crisp Academy, but Westmoreland
won by pin early in the second period in the semifinals. Westmoreland’s finals
match was against Trinity Christian’s Brenton Rosa, and Thompson said an early
third period technical fall by Westmoreland made it look easy.
Not only did Westmoreland
finish his wrestling career with a state championship, he was voted the state
tournament’s most outstanding wrestler.
The next four finalists for the Hornets wrestling in consecutive classes from
145 through 170 pounds.
Griffin Cawthon (32-2, 145
pounds) continued the winning trend with a 10-2 major decision over Shane
Vandevelde of Tiftarea. Immediately following was his younger brother Conner
Cawthon (37-1, 152 pounds) also winning a championship in a closer match
against another opponent from Trinity Christian School, Alex Jones.
“Conner has beaten him four
times this season, but the matches seemed to be getting closer each time,” said
Thompson. “Conner controlled the entire match, but never captured a comfortable
lead until the end of the third period to seal a 11-5 victory.”
In the 160 pound class was Austin Jenkins (30-3), a senior and 2012 state champion.
He faced Luke Price of Trinity Christian School and dominated him for a 9-1
major decision to capture his second state title.
“At 170, (senior) Cotton
Hammerle (22-6) fought a tough battle against Caleb Cunard of Mount de Sales
Academy losing 10-1,” said Thompson. “Hammerle fought hard to get to the
finals. He lost to Cunard earlier in the season 3-1 and we expected a close
match, but it just wasn’t Hammerle’s night.
“To end the tournament, senior Ty Forrester (27-3, 285 pounds), a state
runner-up in 2011 and 2012, got a second period pin over Lance Harrod of Southland
Academy to finally capture his long awaited title.”
Thompson noted other strong performances from Dayton Hammerle (113 pounds) and
Ben Brooks (138 pounds) placing third, Hamilton Way (182 pounds) placing fourth,
Chandler Bohanon (126 pounds) placing fifth and Walker Davison (220 pounds)
placing sixth.
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