Sonoraville’s Burdick, Dalton’s Hunt make history

Sonoraville’s Trevor Burdick and Dalton’s Tyler Hunt wrote their names in the GHSA wrestling record book Saturday afternoon at the Macon Centreplex.

Burdick, a 145-pounder in Class AAA, and Hunt, a 132-pounder in AAAAAA, each won his fourth straight state title. Going into Saturday, only 35 wrestlers had accomplished the feat since Georgia hosted its first state traditional tournament in 1961.

“I just feel so happy for Trevor to get that fourth straight title; he’s definitely earned it,” Sonoraville coach Randy Steward said of Burdick, who finished his senior season 52-0. “He’s one of the most class acts I’ve ever coached.”

Burdick’s finals match might not have been high-scoring, but it had plenty of drama considering the stakes. His second-period escape held up for a 1-0 victory over Lumpkin County senior Keller Brown, the wrestler Burdick defeated for last year’s state title.

Burdick and his Phoenix teammates also successfully repeated as the AAA team champions with 172 points, just 3.5 ahead of North Hall and 6.5 ahead of powerhouse Jefferson. The win over Jefferson — which was in AAAA last year — ended the Dragons’ streak of 18 straight traditional team championships.

Sonoraville’s title wasn’t won without drama, however. After senior John Knight’s victory in the 195-pound final over Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe’s Nathan Williams, Sonoraville had a slim lead over North Hall, and the Phoenix’s fate was in the hands of Jefferson 285-pound senior, Gavin London.

With Steward and his wrestlers watching anxiously, London defeated North Hall’s Bowie Eisenberg, allowing Sonoraville to clinch the title.

“I actually invited (London) to our banquet,” Steward said with a chuckle.

“I don’t even know if it’s sunk in yet,” the coach added. “Tomorrow morning I’m going to wake up with a smile on my face. This is what these kids talk about before the season even starts. We’ve really changed the culture and made Sonoraville a wrestling school.”

Hunt had a much easier time in his championship match than his former teammate — Hunt transferred from Sonoraville to Dalton prior to his senior year. The Catamounts star, who plans to wrestle at Navy, won by major decision, beating Cambridge’s Kyle Romano 12-4 to finish his season 69-0.

Dalton sophomore Noland Hunter also got to the top of the podium with a pin of Pope’s Alex Hearn in the first period of the 126-pound final.

Ridgeland’s Jacob Mariakis has had an impressive wrestling career as well. The Panthers senior won his third straight state title — he finished runner-up his freshman year — with a 13-1 major decision over Woodward Academy’s Malachi Wiley in the AAAA 152pound final.

A trio of Chattooga County juniors won AA titles: Griffin Jarrett (106), Alex Mears (220), and Luis Medina (285). Jarrett scored a 15-0 technical fall against Toombs County’s Jose Balderas, Mears won 8-4 against Bremen’s Jacob Stephens and Medina won 6-0 against Toombs County’s Rolando Tonoco.

Their performances led the Indians to a third-place team finish.

Contact Kevin Llewallyn at sports@timesfreepress.com.