Spartans win 3rd straight state duals

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BIRMINGHAM -- The Mountain Brook High School wrestling team has the team competition down pat.

For the third straight year, the Spartans have claimed the Class 6A state duals title. Mountain Brook knocked off Gardendale and Athens on Saturday at the Birmingham CrossPlex's Bill Harris Arena to claim the title once again.

"We've had to overcome a lot of adversity this year," Mountain Brook coach Justin Ransom said. "We lost some good guys last year that graduated from that back-to-back team. These guys stepped up when they needed to and performed when they had to."

Mountain Brook flexed its collective muscle to take down Athens 54-21 in the championship match. The results of that match:

108 pounds: Bobby Rutkoff (Mountain Brook) def. Preston Davidson (Athens) by fall at 0:20.
115: Wyatt Chavez (Mountain Brook) def. Brylynn Brite (Athens) by fall at 0:29.
122: David Newell (Mountain Brook) def. Brice Emery (Athens) by technical fall, 18-1.
128: Stephen Springfield (Mountain Brook) def. Lakin Poff (Athens) by fall at 5:14.
134: Davis Smith (Mountain Brook) def. Camden Fielder (Athens) by fall at 5:01.
140: Jaxon Unger (Athens) def. Christopher Brown (Mountain Brook) by technical fall, 22-5.
146: Will Anderson (Athens) def. Matthew McCain (Mountain Brook) by fall at 2:42.
152: Bill Bradford (Mountain Brook) def. Carter Campbell (Athens) by decision, 11-9.
159: Jack Abenoja (Mountain Brook) def. Zack Mitchell (Athens) by fall at 3:09.
167: Austin Campbell (Athens) def. Beckett Smith (Mountain Brook) by major decision, 13-0.
177: Jude Smith (Mountain Brook) def. Bryce Schwan (Athens) by major decision, 9-1.
192: Stuart Andrews (Mountain Brook) def. Halston Barker (Athens) by fall at 0:33.
217: Braylon Young (Athens) wins by forfeit.
287: Daniel Ellis (Mountain Brook) def. Pratt Johnsey (Athens) by fall at 0:31.

The Spartans have proven to be an elite team when it comes to the duals format, one that requires the efforts of every wrestler on the squad to contribute to a victory.

"They're selfless," Ransom said. They're not selfish and they put themselves on the line. They know what their responsibility is, whether it's wrestling a tougher opponent to keep it close or we're wrestling an opponent where we need to get those bonus points."

Ransom gave credit to the entire team for stepping up in the individual matches, but highlighted Abenoja's performance in the 159-pound division. Abenoja battled with Mitchell from Athens and executed a move for the first time to help win a match that was up in the air.

Mountain Brook defeated Brookwood in the first round of the playoffs and followed that up with a win over Homewood in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals on Saturday afternoon, the Spartans blew past Gardendale 39-30. Here are the results of that match:

108 pounds: Bobby Rutkoff (Mountain Brook) def. Jon Boone (Gardendale) by fall at 1:46.
115: Wyatt Chavez (Mountain Brook) won by forfeit.
122: David Newell (Mountain Brook) def. Triston Buckelew (Gardendale) by fall at 4:58.
128: Coreu Powe (Gardendale) def. Stephen Springfield (Mountain Brook) by decision, 10-6.
134: Davis Smith (Mountain Brook) def. Isaac Jones (Gardendale) by fall at 0:45.
140: Christopher Brown (Mountain Brook) def. Parker Howell (Gardendale) by technical fall, 20-3.
146: Bill Bradford (Mountain Brook) def. Connor Howell (Gardendale) by fall at 0:38.
152: Gibbs Watson (Mountain Brook) def. Joe Brasseal (Gardendale) by major decision, 11-1.
159: Cody Wood (Gardendale) def. Jack Abenoja (Mountain Brook) by decision, 11-9.
167: Brady Brooks (Gardendale) won by forfeit.
177: Damarcus Powe (Gardendale) won by forfeit.
217: Broc Righter (Gardendale) def. Will Ellis (Mountain Brook) by sudden victory, 9-6.
287: Gage Beyke (Gardendale) def. Daniel Ellis (Mountain Brook) by decision, 4-1.