DTN names All-County Wrestling team
All four local high school wrestling teams finished in the top ten of their respective classifications at the state traditional meet in February, making the 2019-20 season one of the best in the local history of the sport. Topping the list was Woodland. The 2019-20 edition of the coach Adrian Tramutola’s Wildcats won both the state team duals and the state traditional championship in GHSA’s Class AAAAA. Three Wildcats — Caden McCrary, Caleb Henson, and Jaxon Smith — won their weight classes and seven more Woodland wrestlers placed in the top six. The two state titles for Woodland completed a sweep of the past four titles in the classification dating back to the 2018-19 season.
Cass placed seventh in the final Class AAAAA standings, but only one point behind sixth place Ware County with Bryce Kresho winning the 120-pound division of the classification. Five other Colonels placed in the top six.
Adairsville was eighth in Class AAA in the 2019-20 traditional championships with Angel Banda taking the state’s 113-pound division. Two other Tigers finished in the top six.
Cartersville rounded out an accomplished year for the local schools with a tenth place finish in Class AAAA. Four Hurricane grapplers placed in the top six.
The all-county team selections have one wrestler at each weight division which means some very good wrestlers were moved to honorable-mention status. A prime example is in the 160-pound division where three locals finished as state runners-up.
WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
CALEB HENSON — Woodland, sophomore, 145 — undefeated on the year including six individual titles in tournaments during the season. Ranked No. 5 in the nation. He is now 94-1 in two seasons with the Wildcats.
ALL-COUNTY TEAM
MONTGOMERY TOMPKINS — Cass, freshman, 106 — Region 7-AAAAA champion, 21-8 on the season. ANGEL BANDA — Adairsville, senior, 113 — Finished 54-2 with one of his losses coming as an injury forfeit in the Region 6-AAA duals tournament.
BRYCE KRESHO — Cass, sophomore, 120 — Went undefeated in the traditional postseason and was 44-3 on the year.
COLTON BISHOP — Woodland, sophomore, 126 — Finished 37-5 on the season with a region title after moving up two weight divisions.
CALEB JONES — Woodland, senior, 132 — Placed first at region and state sectionals before losing in the state title match. He was 23-3 on the season. CADEN McCRARY — Woodland, junior, 138 — Won a third consecutive state title this season and improved his high school career record to 145-1.
ZACH McKNIGHT — Cass, freshman, 152 — Finished 43-8 and was sixth at the state finals. COLE COCHRAN — Woodland, sophomore, 160 — Finished the year 46-4 overall and was state runner-up in Class AAAAA. JAXON SMITH — Woodland, junior, 170 — Won the Class AAAAA state title in his division and is now 95-1 the past two seasons for the Wildcats.
REED DAVIS — Cass, senior, 182 — Finished the season with a broken hand but was 33-5 prior to the injury in the state consolation quarterfinals of Class AAAAA.
DEMARCUS WILLIAMS — Woodland, senior, 195 — Williams did not reach the state tournament after suffering a season-ending injury prior to the state sectionals. He was runner-up in the Region 7-AAAAA tournament and would have been a challenger to improve on his third-place finish last year.
BRYCE SHEDD — Woodland, junior, 220 — Placed fourth at the state tournament following second place finishes at both the region and state sectional tournaments.
SHADRE HURST — Cartersville, sophomore, 286 — Won the Region 5-AAAA title, upset the state’s top-seed, and reached the state semifinals before dropping his final three matches to place sixth in Class AAAA. He was 38-11 on the season.
HONORABLE MENTION
Collin Buffaloe, Cartersville senior; Larry Collum, Woodland senior; Dalton Cornett, Adairsville junior; Eli Doolittle, Cass freshman; Doss Dudley, Adairsville junior; Tyler Earick, Cartersville junior; Beau Jernigan, Woodland sophomore; Isaac Linley, Adairsville sophomore; Tyler McKnight, Cass freshman; James Standridge, Adairsville senior; Giles Turner, Cartersville sophomore; and Jabril Williams, Cartersville senior. For the complete story, please visit The Daily Tribune News article by Nicholas Sullivan.
