The Elmore County wrestling team has sent seven wrestlers to the AHSAA Class 5A State Championships held at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center. With Class 5A only having eight total wrestlers in each weight class, nobody receives a first round bye.
Follow along for live updates on each wrestler over the course of the weekend.
Tyler Payton (150)
Just a freshman, Payton (37-1) is the No. 1 overall seed and will face Holtville’s Samuel Segarra (44-10) in the first round. The winner will advance to face the winner of Gulf Shores’ Cotton Crowell (52-7) and Tallassee’s Ethan Jones (46-9).
Tyler Payton knocked off Holtville's Sam Segarra via technical fall, 15-0, in the first round of the 5A quarterfinals.
LATEST UPDATE: Payton will wrestle for the 5A state championship. Payton defeated Tallassee's Ethan Jones, 9-2, by decision in the semifinals. He had three take downs and one near fall in the matchup.
Payton will face Southside-Gadsden's Peyton Adams in the championship Saturday at 12 p.m.
Myles Eyerly (285)
Eyerly (37-1) is the defending state champion and No. 1 overall seed. He will face Saint Clair’s Michael Gomer (27-9) in the first round. The winner will advance to the semifinals and face Hayden’s Kalub Blanding (35-13) and Gulf Shores’ Sam Schepker (50-8).
Eyerly made quick work of his first round opponent with a pin of Saint Clari's Michael Gomer at the 1:49 mark. He will now face Sam Schepker in the semifinals.
LATEST UPDATE: Eyerly will play for the state championship. In a close match against Gulf Shores' Sam Schepker, Eyerly pulled out a 7-3 sudden victory in overtime. Eyerly was trailing, 3-1, in the final 10 seconds when he earned a reversal to tie it.
In the later seconds of overtime, he earned a takedown and near fall to end the match and head back to the title. He will wrestle Moody's Logan Hall on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Stran Webb (113)
Webb (27-17) has qualified for the second-consecutive year and matches up with Arab’s Colby Silva (50-2) in a tough first round draw. The winner will advance to face Gulf Shores’ Rhys Coulter (56-12) or Leeds’ Sean Bianca (34-9).
Stran Webb was defeated by Arab's Colby Silva in the 5A quarterfinals on Friday via pin at the 0:21 mark. Webb is now in the consolation bracket and will wrestle Leeds's Sean Bianca.
LATEST UPDATE: Webb's season came to an end in the consolation quarterfinals. He was defeated by Leeds' Sean Bianca by pin at the 2:59 mark. He ends his season with a 27-19 record.
Dylan Andres (120)
Andres (25-15) qualified for the state tournament in his first year as a varsity starter. He will match up with Alexandria’s Preston Jones (32-4) in the first round. The winner will advance to face Arab’s Brice Patrick (44-11) or Tallassee’s Ramon Lozada (40-0).
Andres was defeated in the 5A quarterfinals by Alexandria's Preston Jones via pin at the 0:41 mark. He is now in the consolation bracket and will wrestle Arab's Brice Patrick.
LATEST UPDATE: Arab's Brice Patrick eliminated Dylan Andres by pin at the 2:28 mark. Andres' season comes to an end at 25-17.
Shawn Colvin (144)
Colvin (17-13) suffered an injury in the South Sectionals, but is schedule to face Gulf Shores’ Charles Knight (47-6) in the first round. The winner will advance to face Tallassee’s Land Bell (54-0) or Jasper’s David Baradell (41-15).
LATEST UPDATE: Colvin forfeited both of his matches because of an injury and did not wrestle in the state championships. He ends his season at 17-13 and as a state qualifier.
Hayden Fochtmann (157)
After finishing in fourth last weekend, Fochtmann (17-17) draws Jasper’s Garrett Caldwell (41-4) in the first round. The winner will advance to face Tallassee’s Tra’Mel McCoy (25-8) or Gulf Shores’ Kyle Simmons (24-5) in the semifinals.
Fochtmann was defeated in the 5A quarterfinals by Jasper's Garrett Caldwell. He was pinned in 25 seconds. He will now wrestle in the consolation bracket.
LATEST UPDATE: Fochtmann was eliminated in the consolation quarterfinals by Gulf Shores' Kyle Simmons. Simmons pinned Fochtmann at the 3:46 mark.
Luke Reinert (195)
Reinert (23-15) is wrestling for the first time since he was in junior high and faces a tough first match against Lincoln’s Rhett Walters (50-5) in the first round. The winner will advance to face the winner of Hayden’s Grant McGill (32-4) and Jasper’s Tyson Phillips (24-10).
Reinert was pinned at the 0:15 mark of the 5A quarterfinals by Lincoln's Rhett Walters. Reinert is now in the consolation bracket and will wrestle against Jasper's Tyson Phillips.
LATEST UPDATE: Jasper's Tyson Phillips eliminated Reinert in the consolation quarterfinals. He pinned Reinert at the 1:48 mark. Reinert finished the year with a 23-17 record.
