Panthers finish eighth at state

All six Ridgeland High School wrestlers who qualified for state won at least one match over the weekend and the Panthers left Macon with their first top 10 state finish in several years.

Caleb Mariakis (138) and Chris Henderson (220) won individual state championships. Ryan McGill, who made the semifinals at 170 and lost to eventual state champion Jack Marsh of St, Pius X, 1-0, ended up fifth, while Jordan Hughley (132) placed sixth. Chris Prescott (126) and Dylan Swanson (152) failed to make the podium.

Jefferson, making their debut in Class AAAA after winning 20 state team championships in Classes A, AA and AAA, had one champion and four runners-up to finish with 166. 5 points, which was enough for their 17th consecutive traditional tournament championship.

Gilmer had two champions and two runners-up and placed second with 142.5 points, while West Laurens, who also had two champions and two runners-up, was third with 133.5 points.

Heritage (111.5), Luella (100) and Northwest Whitfield (91) rounded out the top six in the loaded classification. Ridgeland (74.5) placed eighth.

“It was a great year,” head coach Keith Mariakis said. “The hard work paid off. We’ve preached to them to do the right things and be the right way. We say ‘be someone that someone else can look up to’, so to have two

state champions is icing on the cake.”

Commerce (ClassA), Social Circle (Class AA), Bremen (Class AAA), Buford (Class AAAAA), Alexander (Class AAAAAA) and Camden County (Class AAAAAAA) were also crowned as state champs.