LEEDS TRIBUNE YOUR ONLY SOURCE FOR LEEDS AREA NEWS www.LeedsTribune.com
June 27, 2019 | Volume 4, Issue 22
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Moody High School wrestling champion to compete for world title in Bulgaria BY NATHAN PREWETT Leeds Tribune Staff He is described as a worldclass wrestler by his coaches, but Moody High School student Cory Land, 15, is not the kind to chest-thump about his previous victories, which will bring him to an international tournament next month in Bulgaria. “It’s a surreal feeling,” he said. “It really hit me that I’m going to be on a plane to a different country in the next month, so it’s exciting and a little nerve-wracking.” On June 1, Land won the Cadet Greco-Roman National Championship in Ohio. “I just had to believe in my coaches and my training partners and what they taught me and the training that led up to it,” he said of his last victory. Weighing at 105 pounds, the two-time state champion won a National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) national tournament. He now qualifies for the U.S. team at the tournament to be held in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. He is the sole Alabama resident of the team. Land said that the team is made up of individuals hailing from all over the U.S. such as Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Ohio and so on. All of the countries taking part in the upcoming tournament will have their own world team trials. Land will be squaring off with the winners of those trials who could be from Russia and other nations. Jake Elkins with the Ironclad Wrestling Club in
Trussville will be coaching Land in the world tournament. “We preach that you can do anything you want to in wrestling if you put your mind to it,” he said speaking of the versatility of size and weight for those who take part in it. “If you put in the work, if you make the right choices and surround yourself with the right people and Cory is the ultimate testament of that. It’s been a joy and a privilege to coach him since day one.” Moody High School’s head wrestling coach Greg Jefcoat came to know Land when he competed against his son in a match. Since then they’ve known each other for years. “He works extremely hard,” he said of Land. “He’s very tenacious and he puts the works in. Everything he’s accomplished he didn’t get luck or hot or anything like that. He’s earned it. He’s a constant competitor and wrestling’s like a bank: whatever you put in is exactly what you’re going to get out and since he’s willing to make the dedication to put that work in he’s reaping the rewards. Land said that he was inspired by his brother to get into wrestling. After playing football and trying out for basketball, Land’s brother was encouraged by his coach to try for wrestling. “I was watching him, and I was like, ‘Yeah, that looks really fun’ and so I started,” he said. Afterward, Land was hooked and began playing in different styles.
Moody High School student Cory Land, 15, won the Cadet Greco-Roman National Championship in Ohio on June 1 and now practices for a world title. “So there’s three different styles,” Land said. “Folk style, free style and Greco. And folk style is high school wrestling, so state championships – that’s all folk style. And in the summer, it’s free style and Greco. My best style is Greco, that’s what I made the world team in, but I do all three.” Elkins added that Land will be representing the U.S. in the
Greco style at the world tournament. Free style and Greco wrestling are what are featured in international tournaments, he said, calling it a “huge ordeal.” Land said that he wants to take his wrestling aspirations beyond high school and do it professionally. “I want to go to a D1 [Division 1] college and
wrestle,” he said. “And then out of college I want to go train for worlds on a senior level and the Olympics and all that.” Elkins expressed full confidence about Land’s chances in the world tournament, which will begin on July 29 and end on Aug. 4. “Until someone shows me otherwise, I believe that
Crowning achievements
SEE PAGE 2 FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THE MISS LEEDS AREA PAGEANT
New Miss Leeds Area, Miss Outstanding Teen named in 40th annual pageant BY NATHAN PREWETT Leeds Tribune Staff Celebrating the 40th occasion since its beginning in 1980, the Miss Leeds Area and Outstanding Teen was held at the Leeds High School Auditorium on Saturday night
where 20 candidates competed for the titles. And the honors went to Charity Bowden, 20, who won Miss Leeds Area and Emma Terry, 16, who won the title of Outstanding Teen. Bowden will go on to Miss Alabama next June.
"I just went into the day praying that I would do my absolute best and kind of no idea what would happen and just be willing to put it all in the Lord's hands," said Bowden. "I'm just overwhelmed with joy, unbelievably excited for this year and what's to come."
The pageant was a colorful display of talent competitions, personality and music, some of which were performed by Braidyn Lazenby and Mary-Coker Green who were the previous Miss Leeds Area and Outstanding Teen respectively.
he’s the best Greco wrestler in the world in his age and weight class,” Elkins said. “And it’s up to someone else to prove that he’s not. He hasn’t lost a Greco match in three years and we compete against the best kids in the country everywhere we go and so until someone proves otherwise, I’ll keep believing.”
"I'm definitely a little emotional because it's been such a fantastic year," said Lazenby, who was wiping tears from her eyes. "But Charity is going to be a fabulous representative for Leeds. She's so talented and so smart and I know that she loves Leeds because she's part of the community."
Pageant organizer Sandra McGuire, center, with Charity Bowden, 20, who won Miss Leeds Area, and Emma Terry, 16, who won the title of Outstanding Teen in the pageant Saturday night.
Bowden performed "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" by Patsy Montana as part of the talent show. Terry, who is in her junior year at Leeds High School, performed a ballet en pointe. Terry will go on to Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen. Zoe Champion currently holds the state title, which she won in March of this year. "Emma Terry is a wonderful person," said Green. "I've enjoyed getting to know her. She's been my buddy for the past year. We really clicked at state this year and I was extremely excited to see her win." Candidates took part in on stage interviews and a fitness competition followed by talent shows as well as evening gown and and on stage question/social impact statement competition. "I am just so excited and shocked," said Terry, describing herself as in a state of disbelief at winning. "I am so excited that I get to represent the area I've grown up in and loved for so long." The judges making up the panel for the pageant were: Debbie Benson, Fran Curry, Robert Mills, Carol Wright and H. Kenneth Holcomb. The candidates for Miss Leeds Area were: Shian Harper, Mary Catherine Dulaney, Lauren Reaves, Harley Chapin, Anna Kathryn Schloss, Isabella Powell, Emma Owen, Aleya Gilley, Sammy Rizzuto, and Caroline Whatley. For Outstanding Teen, the candidates were: Carson Champion, Holly Ferguson, Lona Jo Henderson, Emma Claire Bishop, Emma Terry, Mary Elizabeth Madden, Maddie Machovec, Sophia Porrill and Marissa Luna.
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