By Rubin E. Grant
Mountain Brook wrestling coach Justin Ransom used only one word to describe the Spartans’ performance in the AHSAA Class 6A Duals Wrestling state finals last Friday at the Birmingham CrossPlex Bill Harris Arena.
“Outstanding,” Ransom said.
Mountain Brook won the first seven matches and held on for a 39-31 victory over Mortimer Jordan to capture the Class 6A duals championship. It was the second consecutive championship year after having never won a state wrestling title before the one it earned in 2023. The Spartans finished unbeaten in dual matches this season with a 13-0 record.
“We wrestled above and beyond what I expected,” said Ransom, who recorded his 171st and 172nd dual match coaching victories at Mountain Brook. “The boys did everything we asked of them. Overall, they all did their part.”
Junior Jude Smith opened the championship match with a win at 167 pounds over Cage McIsaac at 1:42. By the time Mortimer Jordan’s Caleb Wright posted a 12-6 victory over Mountain Brook junior Stephen Springfield in the 122-pound bout, the Spartans had built a 33-0 lead, winning two more matches with pins by senior Sam Carroll at 192 pounds and senior Carter Colvin at 217 pounds.
Ransom lauded the performances of Smith and his younger brother, Davis Smith, a freshman who pinned Mortimer Jordan’s Douglas Johnson at the 3:33 mark in the 134-pound final.
“Davis and Jude bumped up a weight class and got pins,” Ransom said. “Davis usually wrestles at 126 pounds and Jude at 157.
“Sam Carroll pinned everyone in the regular season duals and at state. All the guys wrestled well.”
The Spartans’ other winners were sophomore Stuart Andrews at 177 pounds, junior Daniel Ellis at 287 pounds, sophomore Wyatt Chavez at 108 pounds and junior Bobby Rutkoff at 115 pounds on an injury default.
Rutkoff was injured on an illegal slam, in which his opponent, Mortimer Jordan’s Aiden Morris, lifted him and did not control him. Rutkoff was slammed on his head and face and had to be taken to the emergency room. He was released from the hospital Friday night and cleared of any major injuries.
Mortimer Jordan (13-5) earned a 10-2 major decision win by John Leon at 140 pounds over Spartans sophomore Chris Brown and picked up forfeits in the final three matches to close the gap at the end.
In the semifinals, Mountain Brook defeated Pike Road 48-34 with every match wrestled ending in a fall except for one, the 115-pound bout between Patriots’ wrestler John Duncan and Rutkoff. Duncan won with an 18-7 major decision.
Spartans heavyweight Ellis had the quickest pin in the semifinals, winning his 287-pound match in just 13 seconds. Brown won his 134-pound bout in just 34 seconds.
Mountain Brook, leading 48-16, forfeited its final three matches at 140, 146 and 152 pounds, resulting in 18 points for Pike Road (14-6) in the semifinal tally.
Mortimer Jordan defeated Athens 44-30 in its semifinal.
Ransom said the Spartans overcame a lot of adversity to successfully defend their title.
“It was more difficult repeating than it was winning the first one,” Ransom said. “Everybody was gunning for us. But we had a refrain where we said we would not be the hunted, but we would be the hunters.
“We had a bunch of injuries at the beginning of the season and didn’t have anyone at 215 or heavyweight. We kept bumping guys up through the last weekend to finish 13-0, we more than compensated for the forfeits and everyone was very selfless. They put the team ahead of themselves.”
Class 6A Duals Finals Results
167 pounds: Jude Smith, Mtn. Brook pinned Cage McIsaac, M. Jordan (Fall, 1:41).
177 pounds: Stuart Andrews, Mtn. Brook dec. Cort Bulloch, M. Jordan (8-2).
192 pounds: Sam Carroll, Mtn. Brook pinned Weston Tossie, M. Jordan (Fall, 5:01).
217 pounds: Carter Colvin, Mtn. Brook pinned Jack Hawkins, M. Jordan (Fall, 4:45).
287 pounds: Daniel Ellis, Mtn. Brook dec. Davis Heron, M. Jordan, (6-2).
108 pounds: Wyatt Chavez, Mtn. Brook dec. Brooks Morton, M. Jordan (6-2).
115 pounds: Bobby Rutkoff, Mtn. Brook dec. Aiden Morris, M. Jordan (5:10, injury default).
122 pounds: Caleb Wright, M. Jordan dec. Stephen Springfield, Mtn. Brook (12-6).
128 pounds: Brodie Christmas, M. Jordan pinned Douglas Johnson, Mtn. Brook (Fall, 4:26).
134 pounds: Davis Smith, Mtn. Brook pinned Brody Helm, M. Jordan (Fall, 3:33).
140 pounds: John Leon, M. Jordan dec. Chris Brown, Mtn. Brook (Major decision, 10-2).
146 pounds: Kaiden Smith, M. Jordan won by forfeit
152 pounds: Caden Todoroff, M. Jordan won by forfeit
159 pounds: Cruz Rainwater, M. Jordan won by forfeit
