HVA wrestlers pin Bearden, Ads to win 4-AAA
For the second consecutive year Hardin Valley Academy has won a District 4-AAA wrestling championship.
The Hawks swept past Farragut and Bearden in the District 4-AAA Duals at FHS’s Lynn E. Sexton Gymnasium Thursday, Jan. 19.
The Bulldogs, however, beat the Admirals 54-24 to clinch a spot with HVA at the Region 2-AAA Duals tonight, Thursday, Jan. 26, at Gibbs.
“This one is extra special because this group of seniors is the first one that has been with me for four years,” said HVA head coach Diego Contreras, whose team won its second straight 4-AAA tourney crown.
Against the Admirals, the Hawks picked up a 48-36 victory.
Hardin Valley got off to a fast start when Josh Pietanla pinned Ian Farr in the 152-pound bout. The Admirals tied things, 6-6, when Chase Walker overcame a 5-1 deficit in the 160-pound match. Walker won by fall over Ethan Havely in 4:14.
“It feels good to win another district championship because we work so hard in practice every day,” said HVA’s Kameron Isbell (138), part of last year’s 4-AAA title.
In the 195-pound class HVA’s Kevin Brewer pinned Jake Yovino in 14 seconds.
Hardin Valley defeated the Bulldogs 44-22. The Hawks got victories from Chase Matlack (145), Havely (152), Pietanla (160), Brandon Dougherty (170), Zach Broemmel (182), Brewer (220), Keegan Sloan (285), Paul Pitcher (120) and Isbell (138).
The Bulldogs’ Max Grayson (195) pinned Jacob Jackson while BHS’s Kyle Burns won a major decision (10-0) over Tyler Hemry at 132. “We’re a young team and we’ve improved tremendously,” Bearden head coach Donnie Floyd said.
Farragut won three bouts via the pin against Bearden. Caysen Barnett stuck Chandler Nix at 126. Tyler McKeefery (106), who reached the state tournament as a freshman last season, also made short work of Parker Jones. Farr pinned Bearden’s Spencer Foster in 2:30.
“We’ve really improved as wrestlers and this team is more of a family this year,” McKeefery said.
“This year, we have really competed for each other.”
