Seven Central Georgia teams - including newbie Central - set for GHSA wrestling state duals at the Coliseum

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Can somebody other than the usuals win a GHSA state dual wrestling title?

          Seven Central Georgia teams will try to break through when the state duals start Thursday at the Macon Coliseum.

          Tickets are $12 a day or $30 for a three-day pass, with a facility fee of $2 and $4.

          Veterans, Baldwin, Perry, West Laurens, Central, Lamar County, and Mount de Sales will hit the mats on Thursday.

          Defending champs are Camden County, Richmond Hill, Buford, Jefferson, North Hall, Social Circle, and Commerce. Camden County has won four straight (two in 6A, two in 7A), Buford three of the last five (3A and 5A), Jefferson four in a row (3A and 4A), Social Circle four straight in AA and Commerce the last five in Class A.

          Jefferson, actually, has won a state title every year since the first, in 2002, in Class A, AA, 3A, and 4A.

          The last Central Georgia team to take home hardware was West Laurens, which won in AA in 2005-06, Dublin taking it in 3A in 2004.

          Last year, Veterans beat Whitewater handily and then lost 34-31 to Locust Grove. The Warhawks hammered Southwest DeKalb in the loser’s bracket, then beat Carrollton 43-29 before losing to eventual third-place winner Cass 46-26.

          West Laurens thumped Central-Carroll 52-25 and Heritage 47-27 before falling to Jefferson, the soon-to-be state champ, 50-24. The Raiders took third place by beating Woodward 38-31 and Troup 45-24.

          Baldwin went 1-2, following a 69-9 loss to Woodward with a 39-36 win over Columbus and then a 66-13 loss to Heritage. Perry fell 54-21 to Blessed Trinity and 53-25 to North Oconee.

          There was no AAA rep from Central Georgia in 2018.

          Lamar County is back after a two-and-out visit last year, losing 72-6 to Toombs County and 54-18 to Elbert County. Mount de Sales went 3-2, falling 61-15 to Wesleyan, then beating Turner County 42-27 and Irwin County 48-36 before losing 54-25 to Trion to take fourth place.

 Central Georgia’s schedule (Thursday)

Class 5A

Veterans vs. Riverwood; next is Ola/Starrs Mill

Class 4A

Baldwin vs. Perry; next is Gilmer/Cairo winner

West Laurens vs. Cross Creek; next is Ridgeland/Blessed Trinity winner

Class AAA

Central vs. Benedictine; next is Jefferson (bye)

Class AA

Lamar County vs. Harlem; next is Elbert County (bye)

Class A

Mount de Sales vs. Landmark Christian; next is Wesleyan (bye)