By Rob Sherrill, W.I.N. High School Editor
In most states, it’s the four-time state champions who get the headlines. Maybe one a year, one every two or three years…or, in the case of the ultra-competitive state of New Jersey, Mike Grey of Morristown Delbarton High’s fourth state title last year was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
In Alabama, it’s different. The Heart of Dixie is going through a wrestling renaissance right now to the extent that the four-time state champion almost becomes relegated to the category of chopped liver.
Win five state titles and, well, now that’s something.
How significant is that renaissance? Prior to the 2004-05 season, only two Alabama wrestlers had won five state titles. Now, over a five-year span, six of the state’s wrestlers could their careers as five-time state champions.
Last weekend at the Pelham Civic Complex in suburban Birmingham, Hoover High’s Tyler Osborn (140) closed his high school career by winning his fifth Class 6A state title. Osborn, who finished the season with a 44-1 record, didn’t have it easy after opening the state meet with two pins. He had to beat returning state champions in each of his final two matches. In the semifinals, he won a 9-1 major decision over Christian Dealba of Montgomery Robert E. Lee High and edged Cole Caviness of Wetumpka High, 1-0,for the title. The final was a battle between last year’s 130-pound state champions in Class 6A and Class 5A. Caviness, a junior, was the 5A champion a year ago before Wetumpka moved up to the big class this year.
Staying in 6A, with their third state titles, juniors Keaton Thompson (135) of Vestavia Hills High and Hayden Countryman (152) of Prattville High put themselves to close their careers as five-time champions in 2009. The two won last week’s titles in dominating fashion. Thompson (47-2), the champion in the NHSCA National High School Sophomores Wrestling Championships last year at 119, won his title with a major decision and three pins. The victory helped Vestavia Hills outscore Prattville 163-145 to win its first state title since 2000. Countryman (52-1) was the only 6A wrestler to pin his way to a title, scoring four pins in an aggregate time of 15 minutes, 7 seconds. (Just so we don’t completely slight four-timers, Countryman’s teammate and workout partner, 145-pounder Derek Carmichael, won his fourth state title to close out his career.)
Back in 5A, junior twins Chase and Kyle Cuthbertson are now four-time state champions after pinning their way to titles at 152 and 160, respectively. Each pinned his way to his title, with five of the six pins coming in the first period. Chase needed just 2:34 to record three pins and Kyle took just 5:47 off the clock as they led Scottsboro High to the Class 5A team title, 152-99, over Gardendale High. Both brothers have pinned their way to state crowns each of the past two years, Chase spending just 7:08 on the mat in six state tournament matches, with Kyle getting the job done in 7:44.
With older brother Michael having won five state titles from 2001-05, the Cuthbertsons could become the first American high school family with three five-time state champions.
Finally, in Class A-4A, eighth-grader Tyler McCarson (125) of Anniston Walter Wellborn High could be on his way to becoming the state’s second six-time state champion. McCarson (32-3) won his title with three decisions, capped by a 10-4 victory over Brett Pennington of Birmingham Fultondale High in the final, and was voted the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler as Walter Wellborn outscored Fultondale 141.5-101 for the title. And McCarson accomplished all this with a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, which will require surgery.
Alabama’s only other six-time state champion also came from the A-4A ranks. Michael Sutton of Weaver High won six state crowns from 1999-2004.