An historic wrestling season can only be so successful if a team doesn’t send any wrestlers to the next level.
But that’s not the case for Tallassee.
After a record-setting season and a state championship to bat, Tallassee’s wrestling squad once again showed why it’s one of the best in the entire state by sending a trio of wrestlers to the collegiate level.
Last week, Land Bell notched his commitment to UNC Pembroke, a Division II school in North Carolina, while Mason Nelson and Zach Crosthwait etched their next-level careers with Lindsey Wilson, an NAIA school in Columbia, Kentucky.
“This right here is one of our most exciting things when we have student-athletes that sign and take their levels and skills to the next level,” Tallassee coach John Mask said. “As an educator, whether they’re going to college to get their academics, to go get a degree, or to go get a degree while also having a wrestling career, this is an amazing honor.”
Mask said due to the small number of scholarships and spots available for college wrestling, only 2% of student-athletes advance to the next level and to have three in one year is a true feat.
“These guys today that you’re going to see have worked really hard for a long time to make this dream come true,” Mask said. “I’ve stated this many times before, and that’s for all you athletes out there: No matter what sport you play, no matter where you’re at, hard work wins every time. You’re not going to reach your goals without that hard work, and that is very, very evident today.”
All three wrestlers are coming off stellar seasons. Bell capped off his senior season with his second straight state championship; he finished with 135 consecutive wins to end his career and ended the 2024-25 season with a 57-0 record.
Both Crosthwait and Nelson were 53-1 this year with Nelson winning a state championship at 113 pounds and Crosthwait’s only loss coming in the final bout of the year.