By Michael Butler

In Tallassee, sports fans are quite familiar with the 57-game unbeaten streak in football from 1941-47. Some might recall 40 consecutive wins in baseball from 1990-91. By sheer numbers, one streak has topped both. The Tallassee wrestling program has won 66 straight duals matches.

The last loss was to Scottsboro in the state duals championship finals on January 19, 2024. The Tigers followed that with a sweep over Brewbaker Tech, Percy Julian and Russell County on Jan. 25 and have not looked back.

There were six match wins to end the 2023-24 season. Add 43 more victories with last season’s perfect state championship campaign. And there are 17 more so far this year.

That streak was put to the test on Dec. 9 against Auburn. Tallassee was behind 36-32 with one match left.

“We knew Auburn was going to be really good. They’re a senior-laden team. They worked with us this summer. I was worried,” head coach John Mask said. “Braxton Alvarez is our eighth-grade, 106-pound wrestler. He got a pin for us. A lot of people might think he’s young. He’s nervous. He’ll tell you he’s a junior. He came through in the clutch. The gym erupted. It was a great win.”

Alvarez is 21-0 this season.

Excluding post-season matches, Tallassee has been on a five-year run with impeccable records.

“When I think of the regular season streak, I can’t tell you who we beat,” said Mask, whose team has won 168 regular season matches in a row. “I can tell you the losses, Scottsboro and Jasper in the finals, Gulf Shores in the quarterfinals. Our last regular-season match (loss) was January of 2021 against Benjamin Russell.”

The streak will be put on the line with the challenging Beast at the Beach Tournament at Fort Walton Beach this weekend.

“The Beast is always a tough tournament,” said senior 150-pound wrestler Avery Brantley. “Not only is it tough competition, you’re also looking at ten duals in two days. Those aren’t 30-second pins. It’s tough on your body. It’s almost like a national tournament because you’ve got guys from all over.”

Tallassee has participated in the last two “Beast” tourneys in Florida and won both.

“The good thing is we get experience for state,” Mask added. “We put them through this. They push their bodies. It’s grueling.”

Schedule/Results