Pelham double-amputee wrestler Hasaan Hawthorne wins state title
Hasan Hawthorne, of Pelham wrestles and defeats Landon Thompson, of Southside - Gadsden in wrestling action from the 2016 AHSAA State Wrestling Championship Finals Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala.
By Jimmy Lay | preps@al.com
Huntsville, AL
Pelham double amputee Hasaan Hawthorne finished a dream season today. The senior beat Southside-Gadsden's Landon Thompson to finish 37-0 and win the Class 6A, 145-pound title at the AHSAA State Wrestling Championships at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. "I just worked hard in practice to get ready," said Hawthorne, who finished third at 160 last season. "Landon is pretty tough, he's a good wrestler."
RELATED: Read the story of Hawthorne's amazing journey
RELATED: Watch highlights from Hawthorne's semifinal win Thompson (53-3) led 1-0 early in the first period of the match, but was not able to sustain the lead as Hawthorne took advantage of his long reach and leverage to outpoint Thompson 6-2 in over the final two periods. "It's tough because (Hawthorne) wrestles like that all the time and we don't get to see it," Southside coach Kyle Routon said. "He's so long and would be about 6-foot-3 or 6-4 and we were just trying to protect our lead leg because his arms are so long. His reach was a huge difference, I mean the only way you can attack him is by dragging or with a front leg lock. He's just so tough."
RELATED: Recap from championship Saturday Hawthorne, who was named Most Valuable Wrestler for 6A, is not finished with his wrestling career. "I plan to go to nationals and then in college," he said, "but I don't know where yet."