Trion, LaFayette earn area traditional titles
The big-picture goal for GHSA wrestling teams in area and region traditional tournaments is to advance as many athletes as possible into the following week’s sectional round, where state qualifiers are determined.
It’s also nice, though, to win a team title while you’re at it, something two northwest Georgia teams accomplished Saturday.
Trion, fresh off a runner-up finish in the Class A state duals, dominated while winning the Area 7-A team title at home, while LaFayette edged Ringgold in an extra-tight Area 6-AAA tournament at Coahulla Creek.
Trion produced eight individual champions and six runnersup — easily advancing all 14 of its competitors to next weekend’s sectional, which the Bulldogs will also host — while amassing 302 team points, 126 more than runner-up Dade County. Earning titles for the Bulldogs were Clayton Loughridge (113 pounds), Seth Huskins (126), Andrew Jones (138), Carter Jackson (144), Gus Hames (150), Toby Maddux (165), Cohen Blaschke (175) and reigning state champion Logan Eller (190).
Dade had three champions, including Heidi Raines at 157 pounds. Raines won a girls’ individual state championship a year ago and, per GHSA rule, is allowed, by choice, to wrestle with the boys’ team this year in the postseason. She won her area title with a first-period pin.
Joining her with individual titles for the Wolverines were reigning state champ Landon Williams at 215 and Jordan Castellanos (285), part of the team’s 10 advancing wrestlers. Chattooga will send nine, including champions Bryson Rutledge (106) and Gavin Carlton (133).
LaFayette qualified 11 for the sectional round and had three 6-AAA champions in edging Ringgold by a point, 187.5 to 186.5. Titlists for the Ramblers were Haygen Baker (138), Levi Ledford (150) and Jacob Brown (175). Ringgold had four champions — Pierce Pennington (126), Hudson Moss (133), Tristan Busch (144) and Travis Talley (285) — and qualified 10.
Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe finished third with 161 points and will take an area-high 12 to the sectional at Stephens County, including champions Gavin Summen (113) and Biedi Rizzo (157). Gordon Lee finished fourth and qualified eight, led by champs Landon Brown (120), Mason Dougherty (165) and Timy Duke (215). Coahulla Creek advanced eight, including champs Adonnis Sanchez (106) and Jackson Lowery (190), while Ridgeland will take six.
In Region 7-AAAA at Sonoraville, Southeast Whitfield (218 points) was a distant second to Central-Carroll (174.5), with the Raiders finishing just ahead of Heritage and Sonoraville.
Reigning state champion Ollie Webb (113) won an individual area title for Southeast and is one of 10 Raiders moving on to the sectional at Westminster, and Heritage will take the same number, including champs Skyler Grant (165) and Evan Wingrove (175). Sonoraville will take 11, including champ Tristan Mullins (215), while fourth-place Northwest Whitfield’s Eli Lane (190) won his weight class and will be joined by seven teammates next weekend.
In Area 7-AA at Rockmart, the hosts rolled to the team title and had eight champions, with Model second. Murray County finished third and will take 10 wrestlers to the sectional at Jeff Davis, while North Murray advanced eight and Gordon Central six.
In Region 7-AAAAA at Cass, the hosts and Woodland-Bartow finished first and second, respectively, with Dalton third and Calhoun fifth. Calhoun’s Tyson Glass won the 175-pound title, part of the Yellow Jackets’ six advancing wrestlers. Dalton had five runners-up and will take 11 wrestlers to the sectional at Cambridge.
The state tournament is Feb. 16-18 at the Macon Centreplex.