Thompson Leads 6A As State Wrestling Opens 

            HUNTSVILLE -- Thompson High School holds a slim six-point Class 6A lead over Grissom after day one of the AHSAA State Wrestling Championships Thursday.

            Junior J.A. Jones (67-5) posted two wins by pins to advance to the quarterfinals of the 145-pound weight division for the Warriors. Sophomore Nick Hall (61-3) also won two matches, one by pin and another by major decision, and will compete in the 152-pound quarterfinals  Friday.

             Pell City sophomore Jake Smith (49-0), keeping his perfect record intact with two wins at 103 pounds, faces a difficult match in the quarterfinals against Opelika junior Brian White (43-1) as wrestling continues in Class 6A. Competition in Class 5A and 1A-4A also gets underway Friday morning at 9 a.m. at the Von Braun Center here.  The finals will be Saturday afternoon.

            Auburn senior Michael Jordan (43-0) won two matches Thursday at 119 pounds and Buckhorn junior Ben Smith improved to 58-0 with a pin and close decision in his two matches at 125 pounds. Oxford senior Eric Lee also recorded two 135-pound wins to remain unbeaten this season at 65-0. Teammate Jordan Sampson posted two pins in the 130-pound division and is 68-1 heading into the quarterfinals.
            In the 285-pound division, Clay-Chalkville’s Adam Wright (49-0) won both matches Thursday.  Justin Woodall, a junior from Oak Mountain, had two quick pins to improve to 72-2 at 189 pounds.

             Defending 6A state champ Hoover is third after day one with 59 points, followed by Vestavia Hills (55.0), Lee-Montgomery (51.5) and Bob Jones (37.0). Twenty-seven schools scored points in the first day’s competition.

            All results can be found by HERE.