2 CCHS wrestlers in finals
Published 9:07 pm Friday, February 18, 2011
Two Chilton County wrestlers have a chance to win state championships Saturday.
Colby Bernier and Dylan Jackson, both seniors, will wrestle in the Class 5A finals for their respective weight classes at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville.
Both wrestlers won two matches Friday to advance to the finals.
Jackson, now 42-5 in the 189-pound weight class on the season, defeated Southside-Gadsen’s Skylar Stephens by an 8-3 decision and then topped Tallassee’s Tyler Lynn with a 12-3 decision.
Jackson and Lynn split two close matches during the regular season.
“Dylan was really focused in on this one,” CCHS coach Kess Cottingham said. “He ran away with it early and kind of kept going.”
Jackson will face Scotsboro’s Alex Whigham on Saturday for a state title.
Bernier’s championship match Saturday, in the 160-pound weight class, will be against Tallassee’s Chris Adams.
Bernier on Friday won a 7-0 decision over Arab’s Kai Rogers and pinned Fort Payne’s David Langston.
“Colby was really intense the whole day,” Cottingham said of a wrestler making his third appearance at the state tournament. “He showed a lot of maturity.”
CCHS had two other wrestlers competing at state: Caleb Mims in the 145-pound weight class and Matt Thomas in the heavyweight class.
Mims was pinned by Scottsboro’s Chase McClure and Arab’s Cass Pierce.
Thomas was pinned by Moody’s Phillip Williams but then pinned Southside-Gadsden’s Austin Snyder.
Thomas had his day ended by Muscle Shoals’ Trey Tidwell via pin.