Ringgold takes third at Class AAA Duals

The Ringgold Tigers put on a gutsy effort at the Class AAA State Duals at Stephens County High School this past Saturday, dropping their first match of the day, but coming back to win three straight to finish with the third place trophy.

“It’s a great group of young men,” said head coach David Moss. “We got better as the day progressed.”

Area 6 champion Ringgold began the day by facing Area 5 champion Bremen and found itself down 2214 with five bouts remaining. However, the Tigers lost four of the final five bouts to fall 40-20, getting only a pin from heavyweight Travis Talley down the stretch.

Pierce Pennington (126 pounds) and Jaxon Delgado (165) both scored major decisions, while Brayden Raby (144) and Tristan Busch (150) both won by minor decision.

The Tigers’ run through the consolation bracket began with a 4430 victory over local rival Gordon

Lee. Chandler Craig (113) and Jacob Garnica (157) had pins for Ringgold, while Hudson Moss (138) earned a technical fall.

Delgado (165) and Brent Lee Raby (190) won by minor decisions, while Zane Rohrer (106), Evan Adcox (126) and Pennington (132) each won by forfeit.

Moving on to the consolation semifinals, Ringgold took down the Pirates of Pike County, the Area 2 champions, 42-27.

Pennington (126), Moss (132) and Lathan Spencer (138) begin the match with pins, while Busch (144) earned a minor decision to give the Tigers a 21-0 lead. However, minor decision wins by Delgado (157) and Brent Lee Raby (190) would be the only points Ringgold scored in the next seven bouts as Pike rallied to tie the score at 27.

But Zane Rohrer earned a minor decision at 106 before Craig (113) and Nolan Rohrer (120) sealed up the win with back-to-back pins, putting Ringgold into the third-place match.

There they would face Franklin

County, the champions of Area 8, who eliminated Bremen in the other consolation semifinal. Halfway through the dual, the Lions were roaring, up 29-7. The lone points for Ringgold came on an overtime victory by Busch (144) and a major decision by Delgado (157).

Brent Lee Raby (190) got three points for the Tigers via a minor decision, but Franklin County scored a pin 215 to take a 35-10 lead with only five bouts remaining.

However, it was enough time for Ringgold to make a comeback. Talley got it going with a pin at 285, followed by forfeit victories for Zane Rohrer (106) and Craig (113). Nolan Rohrer’s pin at 120 cut the Lions’ lead down to 35-34 before Pennington put the Tigers over the top, 40-35, with a final pin at 126.

“It’s awesome,” Moss stated following the Area Duals a week earlier. “They’ve worked really hard and made a lot of sacrifices. We’ve been wrestling kids that are sick, hurt and

tired, but they aren’t selfish. We’ve been having to move some kids around to cover some more weight classes, but they’ve been doing it and not complaining about it. It’s just a very unselfish group and a great bunch.”

As for Gordon Lee, they opened Saturday with a 5722 loss to Area 1 champion Columbus. Landon Brown (120), Avery Bloodworth (150) and Timy Duke (215) all won by pin, while Layne Vaughn (157) earned a major decision.

Then against Ringgold, Brown (120), Kaden Ellis (144), Duke (215) and Gabe Lowe (285) all won by pin, while the other six points came on a forfeit win for Mason Dougherty (175).

Lafayette, the third team from Area 6 in the field, drew a tough assignment right out

of the gate and lost a 52-24 decision to longtime statepower Gilmer, the Area 7 champion.

Brennon Beavers (144), Jacob Brown (175) and Michael Hamilton (285) scored pins for the Ramblers, while Easton Holland (215) won his match by forfeit.

The Orange-and-black next drew Franklin County in what turned out to be their final match of the day and dropped a 41-33 decision to the Lions.

Jacob Hamilton (120), Levi Ledford (150) and Nicholas Cigalina (190) all won by pinfall. Haygen Baker (138) scored a minor decision, while Avery Davis (106) and Shelby Hall (113) were awarded forfeits in the final two matches after the Lions mathematically clinched the win.

Columbus went on to win its second State Duals title and its first since 2006 with a very narrow 34-33 victory over Gilmer in the championship match.

Contributed The Ringgold Tigers won three consecutive elimination matches to take home the third-place trophy from the Class AAA State Duals in Toccoa this past Saturday.

Scott Herpst Jacob Brown and the Lafayette Ramblers suffered two tough losses Saturday at Stephens County. The Orange-and-black were making their first State Duals appearance since placing third in 2009-10.

Scott Herpst Gordon Lee’s Dalton Russell and Ringgold’s Brent Lee Raby tie up during a 190-pound match during the Class AAA State Duals at Stephens County High School in Toccoa on Saturday.