By Joshua Price/Sports Editor
Southside earned eight pins, one decision and four forfeits en route to a 76-0 bashing of Springville on Jan. 24.
Landon Thompson (113 pounds), Gabe Gilbert (120 pounds), Haden Ryals (132 pounds), Brannon Estes (138 pounds), Adam Pierce (145 pounds), Kade Kitchens (152 pounds), Dalton Vaughn (160 pounds) and Chase Matthews (170 pounds) each earned pinfall wins for the Panthers.
Devin Hester (126 pounds) scored a win by decision.
Zach Christopher (106 pounds), Lee Edge (182 pounds), Skylar Stephens (195 pounds) and Wesley Butler (220 pounds) notched forfeit victories for Southside.
“Our guys are working hard in practice and it pays off on the mat,” head coach Shane Kelley said. “We have some good wrestlers on our squad and that only makes each one better.”
Southside does indeed have “some good” wrestlers. Six Panthers are featured in the Class 5A state rankings this week.
Seniors Matthews and Stephens along with sophomore Ryals are each ranked in the top slot of their respective weight classes.
Senior Estes, whose wrestling awards and trophies likely match his weight, is ranked second in his weight class.
Freshman Kitchens is ranked fifth and junior Hester is ranked sixth.