A-J wrestling team wins first trophy at Redbird Invitational

Anna-Jonesboro Community High School’s wrestling team had a history-making performance at the Redbird Invitational in West Frankfort Saturday, Jan. 8.

For the first time, the A-J squad earned a trophy at the high school wrestling event.

The Wildcats brought home a second-place trophy on the strength of three first-place finishes and three seconds.

Highland won first place. The host Redbirds finished in third place.

Finishing in first place for A-J: Andrew Adams, at 112 pounds, pinned Fairfield’s Dalton Smothers in 1:59, decisioned Carterville’s Luke Eaton, 5-2, and won the championship over Union County, Ky.’s Bobby Dezenber, 17-9; Daniel Heath, 119 pounds, pinned Evansville Memorial’s Leo Peyronnen in :25 and won the championship bout with a decision over Harrisburg’s Cody Wright, 19-4; Brett Turner, 215 pounds, pinned Harrisburg’s Zack Fletcher in :46 and in the championship bout pinned Highland’s Dustin Rosenboug in :46.

Second place finishes for the Wildcats were recorded by: Forrest Palis, 135 pounds, decisioned Fairfield’s Christian Ledbetter, 11-6, and Carterville’s Gabe Bartuck, 11-4 before losing in the championship to West Frankfort’s Hayden Restivo, 5-3; Chase Hargrave, 140 pounds, pinned Paducah Tilghman’s  Ben Ledfield in 2:35, decisioned Evansville Memorial’s John Richards, 5-1, and was pinned in the championship bout by Highland’s Alex Westerman; Taylor Fitzgerald, 189 pounds, decisioned Union County’s Freddie Gang, 12-4, and lost his first match of the season in the championship bout to Fairfield’s Jordan Griffith by a :57 pin.

Winning a match for the Wildcats were Devon LaFine, 103 pounds, pinned Carterville’s Zack Ury in 1:13, and Andrew Adams, 160 pounds, pinned Paducah Tilghman’s Zack Thompson in 3:05.

Others competing for A-J were Harry Kern, 125 pounds; Austin Noble, 140 pounds; Levi Pearson, 152 pounds; and Logan Tripp, 171 pounds.

A-J competes this weekend in the Quincy Tournament.