A-J’s Heath earns title at West Frankfort wrestling invitational

Daniel Heath won the championship to lead Anna-Jonesboro’s efforts at the Redbird Invitational high school wrestling competition at West Frankfort Saturday, Jan. 9.

Heath, wrestling at 112 pounds, advanced with a pin over Mt. Vernon, Indiana’s, Josh Hester in :46 and decisioned Evansville’s William Hargus 15-3.

Heath won the championship with a decision over Harrisburg’s Phillip York 11-7.

Taylor Fitzgerald, competing at 189 pounds, finished in second place.

He advanced with a pin over Carterville’s Karcher Jericho in :57 and decisioned Union County, Kentucky’s, Austin Piper 5-3.

He was pinned by Highland’s Dylan Waldron in the championship.

A-J’s Brett Turner and Alez Gonzalez earned third-place finishes at the event.

Turner, at 171 pounds, pinned Carterville’s Cody Smith in 3:15 before being decisioned by Union County, Kentucky’s, Travis Buckman.

He bounced back to pin Harrisburg’s Dylan Davis in 1:24 and finished in third place with a pin over Carterville’s Keifran Hunter in 1:39.

Gonzalez, wrestling as a heavyweight, won his first match on a forfeit and lost a decision in overtime to Harrisburg’s John Donaldson.

He pinned Highland’s Dustin Yorkland in :34 and won third place with a pin over West Frankfort’s Dustin Nass in 1:20.

Other Wildcat grapplers with individual wins follow:

Andrew McMahan, 152 pounds, pinned Fairfield’s Cameron Williams in 4:53.

Chase Hargrave, 140 pounds, pinned Fairfield’s Kyle Bone in 2:21.

Brandon Cerney, 135 pounds, pinned Evansville Memorial’s Eiser Williams.

Preston Brimm, 145 pounds, pinned Harrisburg’s Castus Harris in 3:37.

A-J, 10-3 in dual compeition, competes Friday and Saturday at the Quincy Invitational.