Wrestlers tune up in tourneys

County wrestlers have overcome the holiday break which tests the dedication of even the most veteran athletes in maintaining weight and continuing training regimens.

The big push toward the postseason is about to start with Mosley competing in Class 2A and the other county schools, along with Wewahitchka, Marianna and Franklin County in 1A.

District tournaments begin at the end of this month and in early February. Some schools will continue preparation in a tournament this weekend at Suwannee, and Mosley will host the Panhandle Championships Jan. 20 and 21. Nineteen schools are expected to participate in the latter event which should provide a decent gauge for which wrestlers have the best chance to reach state.

Arnold and Bozeman also have scheduled a dual for Jan. 28. The District 1-1A tournament is Feb. 4 in Wewahitchka. Mosley will travel to Pace for the 1-2A event.

A brief look at how county schools have fared thus far, with individual won-loss records by weight class following:

Bozeman has a pair of returning state qualifiers leading the way in Brandon Reyes at 113 pounds and Kris Kenney at 160. Reyes, a two-time qualifier, is 22-1 thus far and Kenney 19-3.

Also having strong seasons for the Bucks are Jonah Savage at 106, Johnathon Kenney at 126 and Dalton Tarter and Mason Crane at 138 and 145 respectively. Most local schools are strongest in the lower and middle weight classes, but Bozeman’s Tony Bennett is 16-5 at 285 pounds.

Colby Baker is a two-time state qualifier for Arnold who already has surpassed 100 career victories though just a junior. Currently ranked sixth in 1A at 132 pounds, Baker has a first and second in major tournaments and is 20-2 overall.

Marlins senior Doug Miner also is a two-time qualifier who could reach 150 career wins before he is through. At 19-5 he is on pace at 138 pounds to again be a factor. Junior Taylor Ryan is 21-6 in the perennially tough 145-pound class. Senior Dillon Lamont was ranked 10th at 195 but has decided his best opportunity is at 182 and is 10-5 overall. Junior Reggie Gordon is 14-6 at 220 and his runner-up in last week’s tournament at Gulf Breeze could forecast good things for the postseason.

Mosley has a number of wrestlers coming off injuries who could add to an impressive roster seeking state berths. Brock Carlan is only a freshman but won the 113-pound title at Gulf Breeze in his first action of the season and is expected to contend at 106. Sophomore Forrest Lang is a state qualifier who injured his collarbone and is 5-1 at 138 since returning. Senior Dillon Humphrey was hurt in early December but was third at Gulf Breeze and is 8-3 at 132.

Mainstays for Mosley include Brady Smith, Michael Cannizzo and Kody Sandahl. Smith, a junior, is another returning qualifier who is 19-4 at 120. Cannizzo is a senior who has fashioned a sterling 25-2 mark at 170 and Sandahl is a senior who placed second at Gulf Breeze.

Bay appeared to have a pair of solid chances in the upper weights until recently. That changed when returning qualifier Tyrell Biggs at 285 decided to concentrate on appearing in football all-star games trying to improve his lot for national signing day and 195-pounder Ladadrian Williams was injured over the Christmas break.

“It’s going to be tough, but we maybe have one or two guys with a possibility” of advancing, Tornadoes coach Cliff Gore said.

At Rutherford, the Rams also appear strongest in the upper weights. Senior Marcus Roberts is 19-2 at 195 and junior John Lee is 12-2 at 220. Add to the hopefuls Mitchell Gomillion, a sophomore who has produced a 13-6 mark at 132, another of the always highly competitive weight classes.

Another area wrestler who should not be overlooked is Beau Boggess at Wewahitchka. The 106-pounder won the most outstanding wrestler award last week at the Andrews Institute tournament in Gulf Breeze.

Mosley coach Dion Pinkard might have best summed up the singular challenge that begins for these young athletes in less than four weeks.

“I believe that it is so tremendously tough to simply make it to state and even tougher to place,” Pinkard said. “In order for any wrestler to make it to state, he must have the endurance of a marathon runner, the speed of a cat, the skill of a technician, the mental toughness of a soldier and the component used to put it all together — heart.”

A sampling of county wrestlers by weight class, with their school and record:

• 106: Brock Carlan, fr., Mosley, 4-0; Jonah Savage, Bozeman 19-3; Josh Mirkinson, fr., Rutherford 9-9.
• 113: Brandon Reyes, Bozeman, 22-1.
• 120: Brady Smith, jr., Mosley, 19-4; Dakota Tarter, 8th grade, Bozeman, 6-8.
• 126: Johnathon Kenny, Bozeman, 18-4.
• 132: Dillon Humphrey, sr., Mosley; 8-3, Terence Ruddy, Bozeman, 5-6; Colby Baker, jr., Arnold, 20-2; Mark Gabreski, jr., Bay, 13-7; Mitchell Gomillion, so., Rutherford, 13-6.
• 138: Forrest Lang, so., Mosley, 5-1; Dalton Tarter, Bozeman, 16-5; Doug Miner, sr., Arnold, 19-5; Daniel Nguyen, so., Rutherford 4-10.
• 145: Mason Crane, Bozeman 17-4; Taylor Ryan, jr., Arnold, 21-6; John Sherman, jr., Bay, 10-2; Tarrance Reed, jr., Rutherford 9-6.
• 152: David Thompson, Bozeman, 12-2; Chance Pritchard, sr., Rutherford 3-8.
• 160: Kris Kenney, Bozeman, 19-3.
• 170: Michael Cannizzo, sr., Mosley, 25-2; David McKee, Bozeman, 8-5; Devin Peacock, Bozeman, 8-5; Gregory Haymon, sr., Bay, 12-5; Michael Lee, so., Rutherford 4-14.
• 182: Dillon Lamont, sr., Arnold, 10-5; Cory Vick, fr., Rutherford 3-15.
• 195: Isaiah Shewman, Bozeman, 11-8; Marcus Roberts, sr., Rutherford 19-2.
• 220: Reggie Gordon, jr., Arnold, 14-6; John Lee, jr., Rutherford 12-2; Kekoa Haina-Scott, fr., Rutherford 4-6.
• 285: Tony Bennett, Bozeman, 16-5; Kody Sandahl, sr., Mosley (no record available); Kole Krimm, jr., Arnold, 10-9; Kenny Guyton, fr., Rutherford 6-3.