West Laurens rolls to third-place finish in Class AAAA in GHSA state duals

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          West Laurens rolled past Troup County to take third place Saturday in Class AAAA in the GHSA dual wrestling state meet at the Macon Coliseum.

          The Raiders lost their third match of the tournament, to defending champion Jefferson by 50-24, and then beat Woodward by 7 to advance to the third-place match.

          Mount de Sales lost its first match in Class A, to eventual finalist Wesleyan, but then beat Turner County and Irwin County to reach the third-place bout where it lost 54-25 to Trion to finish fourth.

          West Laurens rolled to the 45-24 win, thanks to four pins: Michael Thomsen at 182, in 31 seconds; Joseph Horne at 285, in 43 seconds; Gyson Clarke at 138; and Brent Carr at 160, in 42 seconds.

          The Raiders also got a technical fall 15-0 win at 132 from Evan Stokes, and a forfeit at 106.

          Chiagoziem Iteogu earned a major decision at 170 to get Mount de Sales going, but Trion soon got rolling. Roman Vadini at 113, Jackson Schofield at 120 and Christian Sims at 126 earned falls for the Cavaliers.

          Veterans lost 46-26 to Cass Saturday morning for the right to wrestle for third place. Lamar County lost 54-18 to Elbert County early Saturday in Class AA consolations.

          West Laurens got falls in the Woodward win from Carr (160), Michael Thomsen (170), Ben Deal (182), Horne (285), and Blake Beasley (152) to hold on. The Raiders got wins from Spencer Dacus (220), Evan Stokes (138) and Clarke (145).

          Mount de Sales beat Turner County early Saturday, thanks to falls from Vadini (113), Adam Muth (285), Dylan Gattie (220), Matthew Feehan (182), Iteogu and (170) to win.

          The Cavs outlasted Irwin County with pins from Iteogu, Parker Pierce (160), Cole Worsham (122), Sims (126), and Schofield (120), plus forfeits in three weight classes and a DQ.

         In the finals: 7A, Camden County over Archer, 47-13; 6A, Richmond Hill over Alexander 73-26; 5A, Buford over Ola 50-18; 4A, Jefferson over Gilmer 36- 19; 3A, North Hall over Bremen 42-22; 2A, Social Circle over Toombs County 36-22; and A, Commerce over Wesleyan 68-6.

SATURDAY

Class AAAAA

Veterans def. Carrollton 43-29; Cass def. Carrollton 46-26, Veterans eliminated

Class AAAA

West Laurens def. Woodward 38-31; West Laurens def. Troup County 45-24, for third place.

Class AA

Elbert County def. Lamar County 54-18, Lamar County eliminated

Class A

Mount de Sales def. Turner County 42-27, def. Irwin County 48-36; Trion def. Mount de Sales 54-25 for third place.

FRIDAY

Class AAAAAA

No Central Georgia teams qualified

Class AAAAA

Veterans def. Southwest DeKalb 65-15; Next: Veterans vs. Carrollton, 8:30 a.m., Saturday

Class AAAA

Jefferson def. West Laurens 50-24; Next: West Laurens vs. Woodward, 10:30 a.m., Saturday

Heritage def. Baldwin 55-13, Baldwin eliminated

Class AAA

No Central Georgia teams qualified

Class AA

Toombs County def. Lamar County 72-6; Next: Lamar County vs. Elbert County, 8:30 a.m., Saturday

Class A

Wesleyan def. Mount de Sales 61-15; Next: Mount de Sales vs. Turner County, 8:30 a.m.

THURSDAY

Class AAAAAA

No Central Georgia teams qualified

Class AAAAA

Veterans def. Whitewater 69-9; Locust Grove 34, Veterans 31; Next: Veterans vs. Southwest DeKalb, 12:30 p.m., Friday

Class AAAA

West Laurens def. Central-Carrollton 52-25; West Laurens def. Heritage 47-27; Next: West Laurens vs. Jefferson, 5:30 p.m., Friday

Woodward Academy def. Baldwin 69-9; Baldwin def. Columbus, 39-36; Next: Baldwin vs. Heritage, 12:30 p.m., Friday

Blessed Trinity def. Perry 54-21; North Oconee def. Perry 53-25

Class AAA

No Central Georgia teams qualified

Class AA

5:30 p.m., Friday, Lamar County vs. Toombs County

Class A

3 p.m., Friday, Mount de Sales vs. Wesleyan