GHSA wrestling: Baldwin's Mullis takes girls state title, Central's Lamar and Northside's McColumn take second

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Adam Lamar got off to a good start in his state championship wrestling battle with Jaxx Knight of Sonoraville.

          Lamar charged out to a 7-1 lead after the first period, then lost that lead in the second period and was suddenly tied at 8 after a takedown and two-point nearfall.

          And suddenly, it was over, Knight able to pin Lamar at the 3:22 mark for the GHSA Class 3A state title at 285 Thursday night at the Macon Coliseum.

          It was Lamar’s first loss of the season.

          Baldwin’s Catherine Mullis is Central Georgia’s first state champion of the week, Mullis taking the girls 132 title about an hour earlier.

          Lamar was hoping to become the first Bibb County public-school wrestler since JaQuan Stinson of Howard at 195 in 2016 to bring home a GHSA first-place trophy.

          Mullis got off to a slower start, trailing 2-0 after a period. She then took the lead in the second period with a reversal, stalling, and three-point nearfall en route to a pin for a win over Genevieve An of Kennesaw Mountain.

          Mullis, who recorded her 100th career win in December, month, led 9-4 when the pin came at 5:58.

          Mullis rolled through her bracket with pins of 2:45, :17, and 5:13 to go with a 4-1 win. Her opponent had falls of :48 and 3:52, and wins of 8-3 and 14-1.

          Northside’s Beyonce McColumn got a reversal inside the final minute to pull within a point, but Dream Santiago of Alexander picked up two penalty points and then a reversal for an 8-3 win in the girls 172-pound championship.

          McColumn advanced with pins of :12, 1:01 and 2:18, while foe Dream Santiago followed a bye with falls of 2:58 and :29.

          Veterans’ Samantha Godfrey rolled to a third-place win at 197. She won her first two matches and then lost in a semifinal. She reeled off pins in 1:42 and 33 seconds.

          Class 4A and 6A consolations and finals are Friday night, after Class 5A in the morning and 7A in the afternoon. Those two classes finish up Saturday morning.

Thursday’s championships

Class 3A boys

285-Jaxx Knight, Sonoraville, won by fall over Adam Lamar, Central, 3:22

Girls

132-Catherine Mullis, Baldwin, won by fall over Geneviev Man, Kennesaw Mountain, 5:58

172-Beyonce McColumn, Northside, lost to Dream Santiago, Alexander, 8-3

Class 3A

Consolations

126-Ja’Vontez Moss, Central: lost by fall, 3:37

152-Elijah Shannon, Mary Persons: lost by fall, 1:08

Girls

112-Eveyln Kissell, Veterans: lost by fall, :26

162-Azariah Mobley, Perry: lost 9-3

172-Lea English, Lamar County: lost 13-9

197-Samantha Godfrey, Veterans: won by fall, 1:42; won by fall, :33, for third place