Mat Generals finish as 7-AAAA runner-ups
The Heritage Generals, who entered the Area 7-AAAA Duals on Saturday as the No. 2 seed in the tournament, will be the No. 2 seed from the area in the Class AAAA state sectionals this weekend after going 3-1 in the area tournament at Heritage.
The Generals received a first-round bye and would face Central-Carroll in the semifinals. The Lions collected a 54-23 victory, sending Heritage to the consolation bracket.
Facing Northwest Whitfield in the consolation semis, the two teams finished the match tied at 39, but the sixth criteria (least number of forfeits) gave Heritage a 40-39 win and they would go on to defeat Southeast Whitfield, 56-24, in the consolation finals.
After Central took down Sonoraville in the championship finals, 61-18, the Generals challenged the Phoenix for true second as the two teams had not wrestled each other previously in the tournament. Heritage emerged with a 44-34 win against the traditional state power to earn a No. 2 seed for the sectionals.
Bainbridge, the Area 1 champion, will host and take on Holy Innocents’, the No. 4 seed from Area 6 in the first round, while Heritage will square off with New Hampstead, the No. 3 seed from Area 3. A single state berth will on the line. The Class AAAA State Duals are scheduled for Jan. 21 at Lovett.
Tate Thomas (106 pounds) was 4-0 on the day for Heritage with one pin. Drew Dietz (138) went 3-0 with two pins, while Jaden Walker (138) went 1-0 with one pin. Dax Akers (190) was 3-0 with three pins on the afternoon.
Victor Johnson (144), Andrew Moore (150) and Skylar Grant (175) were each 3-1 with two pins, while Grant also won a match by technical fall. Evan Wingrove was also 3-1, winning once by pin and once by technical fall.
Kaden Taylor (113) and Alex Grayson (165) were both 2-2 with one pin. Will Smith (126) and D.J. Smith (HWT) were 1-3 with one pin each, and Ricardo Rodriguez (157) was 1-3 with a tech fall victory. Tyler Ward (120), Matthew Nerren (120) and Dagon Posten (132) also competed and wrestled tough for the Generals.
Sonoraville will be a No. 3 seed for state, while Southeast earned the No. 4 seed.