Six local wrestlers win state sectional championships

A total of six area wrestlers will head to Macon next weekend for the state traditional tournament as sectional champions.

In the Class 4A “B” sectionals at Woodward Academy in College Park, the Ridgeland Panthers saw Jacob Mariakis and Dylan Swanson capture sectional titles. Mariakis (152 pounds) won all four of his matches, one by injury default, one by pin and two by technical fall, while Swanson (160) earned his title with four consecutive victories by pin.

Also winning an individual title was Heritage’s Ryan Craft, who stuck four consecutive opponents to win the 113-pound title. Craft also passed 200 career victories over the weekend.

At the Class 3A “B” sectional in Jefferson, Ringgold’s Tanner Stone won the 126-pound class. After a first-round bye, Stone recorded a minor decision, followed by major decision and then a pin in the championship match.

In Rome at the Darlington School, Gordon Lee’s Bryce James earned top honors at 106 pounds in the Class 1A “B” sectionals. He followed up his first-round bye with two pins before claiming the title with a minor decision in the finals.

And also at Darlington, Gordon Lee saw freshman Makayden Martin become the school’s first-ever girls’ state sectional champion. Martin scored a pin to win the 106-pound class after getting a forfeit victory in the opening round.

This is the first year that the Georgia High School Association has offered girls’ wrestling as a varsity sport.

Jordan Hughley (138) placed second in his weight class for Ridgeland. Chris Prescott ( 120) finished third, while Aiden Raymer (132) and Tommy Lamb (220) each placed fourth to give Ridgeland six state qualifiers in Macon.

Heritage will also be sending six wrestlers to state. Seth Ingle finished as runner-up in the 160-pound class. Drake Parker placed third at 182 and Alec Eacret (195) finished fourth. Jeffery Curtis (220) took fifth place, while Garret Stephens (152) finished sixth.

Lafayette also competed at Woodward Academy and will send three wrestlers to state. Avery Sullivan (126) was sixth, while Karson Ledford (145) and Matthew Wallin (220) both placed seventh. Hector Velez (113) and J.J. Muder (138) will be state alternates in their weight classes.

Ringgold got a secondplace finish from Holden Moss at 138 pounds and a fourth-place finish from Malachi Parker at 170. Logan Skeen ( 132) also qualified for state as he finished sixth.

Also wrestling in Jefferson was a pair of LFO grapplers who qualified for state. Nathan Williams had to settle for the runner-up spot at 195 pounds, while Dylan Simpson (220) placed sixth.

The rest of Gordon Lee’s state qualifiers included Hunter Burnette (113), who placed third, and Nathan Hunley (126) and Avery Geer (145), who both finished fifth. Owen Frost (160) and Austin Crowley (220) will go as state alternates.