Arab rallies to win AHSAA Class 5A-6A Wrestling Duals State Championship

By Josh Bean | For the AHSAA

Birmingham, AL – Arab senior Jonathan Pugh understood the stakes: Win and Arab captures the 2022 Class 5A-6A Wrestling Duals championship.

Pugh, wrestling up a weight class because an injury forced Knights coach Kyle Routon to juggle his lineup, scored first and defeated McAdory’s Jaxon Hudgins 4-1. Pugh’s victory pushed Arab to a 31-29 victory over the Yellow Jackets at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham Friday afternoon.

The victory gives Arab four duals titles in four trips to the championship round. The Knights won the Class 1A/5A duals tourney crown in 2020, 2019 and 2018 as well.“This is something my brothers never did,” said Pugh, whose three older brothers also wrestled for Arab.

McAdory won five of the first six matches in Friday’s duals final, starting with 287 pounds before the linuep started over at 108.

Routon said he still felt confident because his most inexperienced wrestlers are in the smaller weight class and his heavyweight was out because of an injury. The injury forced Carson Roberts and Pugh to wrestle up a weight class. “From 145 on up, we’re pretty strong,” he said.

Arab reeled off five wins during a six-match stretch from 140 to 184 pounds, including one by forfeit and Patrick Lawler’s win of McAdory’s Keandre Poellnitz at 154 pounds.

The Knights’ comeback wasn’t complete, though, until Pugh’s victory at 222 pounds.

Routon said Arab remained undefeated in dual matches this season against 5A-6A competition. McAdory made its first appearance in the Duals championship round.

CLASS 5A/6A DUALS FINALS

Arab 31, McAdory 29

108 pounds: Wesley Miller (McAdory) def. Jacob Culler (Arab) 2-1 dec.
115 pounds:
 William Miller (McAdory) def. Jaxon Ivey (Arab) 8-4 dec.
122 pounds: Cabe Dunn (Arab) def. David Angel (McAdory) fall 1:28
128 pounds: Hudson Waldrop (McAdory) def. Caden Hilyer (Arab) fall 1:18
134 pounds:
 Brody Earley (McAdory) def. Austin Silva (Arab) 7-4 dec.
140 pounds:
 Dakoda Long (Arab) won by forfeit
147 pounds:
 Joshua Roe (Arab) def. Christian Griggs (McAdory) 11-9 dec., SV-1
154 pounds: Patrick Lawler (Arab) def. Keandre Poellnitz (McAdory) fall 3:37
162 pounds: Logan Silva (Arab) def. C.J. Mickle (McAdory) 5-1 dec.
172 pounds: Aiden Knight (McAdory) def. Jackson Harris (Arab) 18-3 tech. fall
184 pounds:
 Caleb Roe (Arab) def. Savian Graham (McAdory) 7-5, SV-1
197 pounds: Carson Roberts (McAdory) def. Kaden King (Arab) 8-3 dec.
222 pounds: Jonathan Pugh (Arab) def. Jaxon Hudgins (McAdory) 9-1 major dec.
287 pounds: 
Timothy Wilson (McAdory) def. Mohamed Al-khawlani (Arab) fall 4:50