Cerney, Gonzalez lead A-J wrestlers at Lawrenceville
The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School wrestling team captured two second-place finishes at the Lawrenceville Invitational Saturday, Dec. 5.
Brandon Cerney and Alex Gonzalez claimed second-place finishes for the Wildcats.
Cerney, wrestling in the 135-pound class, pinned Fairfield’s Tyler Kunce in 1:08 and Marion’s Arthur Grant in 3:28 before being pinned in 5: by Mt. Carmel’s Derek Garnett in the championship bout.
Gonzalez, competing in the 285-pound bracket, pinned Marion’s Lavell Simmons in 1:28 and decisioned Harrisburg’s John Donaldson, 3-2, before being pinned by Mt. Carmel’s Tanner Crumb in the championship bout. Crumb is the No. 2 rated wrestler in his weight class in the state.
A third-place effort for the Wildcats was recorded by Brett Turner in the 171-pound class.
He decisioned Carterville’s Kefren Hunter, 7-6, and was pinned by Mt. Carmel’s Bo Pierce in 2:42 before pinning Carterville’s Hunter for third place in 3:54.
Fourth-place efforts were recorded by A-J’s Andrew Adams, Travis Flute and Taylor Fitzgerald.
Adams, wrestling at 112 pounds, pinned Mount Carmel’s J.T. McCowan in 1:27 and decisioned Carmi’s Matt Brown, 20-4, before losing in the third place match to Marion’s C.J. Morrison.
Flute, competing at 152 pounds, pinned Harrisburg’s Nathan Reeder in 5:21 and decsioned Robinson’s Bennett Williams, 9-5, before being pinned in :57 by Lawrenceville’s Jacob Costello.
Fitzgerald, wrestling at 215 pounds, pinned Effingham St. Anthony’s Rory Wood in 1:28 and decisioned Johnson City’s J.R. Roberts, 9-5, and lost in the third place match to Robinson’s Frank Ciscovilla by a pin in 3:08.
Other A-J finishers were Austin Noble, 130 pounds, who pinned Effingham St. Anthony’s Milton Norken in :28 and pinned Robinson’s Andrew Galikon in 3:54.
Chase Hargrave, at 140 pounds, finished 2-2. He pinned Carmi’s Dalton Glenn in 3:14 and decisioned Mt. Carmel’s John Sinden 13-12.
“We’re a young team with only one senior,” A-J wrestling head coach Rick Bittle said. “Daniel Heath is injured and didn’t place.”
Heath is one of A-J’s top wrestlers and is returning from last season. He was injured prior to the match and didn’t compete.