Tallassee’s Chris Adams (top) won the 145-pound weight class in last week’s sectionals. (Photo contributed)

By Michael Butler
RRS Correspondent
(Feb. 11, 2010)

The Tallassee Tigers easily won their third straight Class 5A Section 1 title, qualifying 12 wrestlers for the state championships last weekend. Five Tallassee wrestlers won their weight classes. Nine reached the finals of their divisions.

Tallassee defeated their closest opponent, Brookwood, by 100 points (236-136).

Tallassee’s individual sectional winners were: Josh Epperson (103), Rhys Murphy (130), Chris Adams (145), Tyler Lynn (189), and T.C. Robinson (Heavyweight).

"Rhys beat Chris Pilot from Erwin in the finals who was 48-1," Tallassee Coach John Mask said. "It was a huge win."

Tallassee is in Huntsville state tournament, which begins for Class 5A teams on Friday morning. The finals will be on Saturday.

The team to beat in 5A is Scottsboro. They have won four straight titles. Like Tallassee, they have 12 qualifiers. Arab has qualified 13. Southside-Gadsden has 12. Tallassee went up against Arab and Southside earlier this season. The Tigers were fourth at the tournament, bested by Southside, Arab and Fort Payne.

"(It) didn’t come out like we wanted, but sometimes I’d rather have it that way," Mask said in reference to the January tourney. "A lot of our guys lost by a few points."

"We will have to have our best day all year to be in running," Mask said of the challenge ahead at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. "We are set up as best as you could hope for but the north is really strong. We need five in the finals to make noise."

Robert E. Lee also posted a strong showing in Class 6A. The Generals open the state tournament today in Huntsville.

Four wrestlers enter as section champs including Kendrick Hammond (135 pounds), Terrance Smith (189), Cody Sealy (215) and Robert Marshall (heavywt).  Sealy and Hammond are both 36-0 in their respective weight classes. Smith, the state runner-up at 171 pounds last season, only has three losses this season.

"We expect tough competition at state,” Lee coach Joel Thomas said. “Our goal is to keep our focus and not get caught up on who has what record."

Trackwrestling.com will post results throughout the tournament. Click on the Alabama State Wrestling Championships icon to view updates.