Local wrestling teams advance 32 to the final weekend of the GHSA Traditional State Tournament
The Cass wrestling team had seven individual first place finishes, three runner-up finishes, and eleven total qualifiers for the GHSA State Championship Finals following action Saturday at one of two State Sectional sites in Class 5A.
The Colonels, along with Woodland and Cartersville, were in Milton for Section A at Cambridge High School where the three local schools combined to advance 24 individuals.
After dropping the State Duals Championship match to Jefferson just weeks ago, the Colonels have put themselves in good position to compete for the Team Traditional title next weekend. They face an uphill battle, however, because the Dragons will send 13 individuals to the finals in Macon from their Section B qualifier at Locust Grove High School. Jefferson had seven individual weight class winners.
Also at Section A on Saturday, Woodland had a pair of individual winners, three second place finishers and qualified nine for Macon. Cartersville, meanwhile, will send four to Macon.
The top six in each of the fourteen weight divisions at each sectional advanced.
Cass weight division winners included Lee Camp (106), Hunter Barrett (113), Caden Alford (120), Jake Crapps (126), Rowdy Duck (132), Tyler McKnight (144), and Zach McKnight (165).
Hayden Santora (138) and Champ Higdon (215) of Woodland also won their weight classes on Saturday.
Six locals reached the finals but finished as Sectional runner-up.
Tanner Toups (138), Kriecg Roe (157), and Parker Dunn (190) of Cass placed second. Cartersville’s Grant Adams (120) was a runner-up along with Zachary Wallace (144), Heath Tatum (165), and Kwadrus Wilson (Hvwt.) of Woodland.
In total, that means an impressive 16 of 28 wrestlers in the fourteen weight division finals on Saturday were from either Cass, Woodland, or Cartersville.
Other state finals qualifiers from the three local teams included Amari Kinnamore (106) of Woodland with a third place finish. Cartersville’s Talan Nix (138) and Delroy Hurst (Hvwt) placed fourth along with Paul Lanier (126) of the Wildcats. Eaiden Neal (126) of the Canes advanced with a fifth place finish while Nathan Cates (120) and Jovante Luke (157) of Woodland and Mason Tompkins (150) of Cass placed sixth.
The Traditional State Finals weekend begins Thursday at the Macon Centreplex and concludes with state finals bouts on Friday night for Class 5A.
ADAIRSVILLE WRESTLING QUALIFIES EIGHT FOR GHSA TRADITIONAL FINALS
The Adairsville High wrestling team had eight individuals advance from the Class 3A Section A tournament at Upson Lee High School in Thomaston Saturday to reach the Traditional State Championship tournament this Friday and Saturday at the Macon Centreplex.
Jacob Pasley was runner-up in the 144-pound weight class while Jamori Speights (138) placed third for the Tigers. Fourth place finishers for Adairsville included Brett Lance (150), Jaimon Long (190), and Seth Sellers (215).
Adairsville’s Victor Singer (132) and heavyweight Jett Johnson earned fifth placed finishes with Madden Boyce (113) advancing as a sixth place qualifier.
