Central Georgia GHSA wrestling championships review
Chase Horne just keeps winning. And winning. And winning.
His state title Friday in the 285-pound weight class in Class 4A for West Laurens is his third such accomplishment.
And he has another year left in Dexter before heading to N.C. State.
He went 48-0 this season, after going 53-0 last year, and after going a staggering 59-2 as a freshman on West Laurens elite program.
That's a mind-numbing 160-2 record for the Raider ranked by more than one outlet as the top high-school wrestler in America.
Horne will lead a mighty experienced Raiders team next year, one that loses only Christopher Loyd and runner-up Greyson Clark from this year's group.
Horne was joined by Perry's Shoshoni Williams as a champion, Williams with a different resume.
Williams' championship was of note. He was only 6-5 last year in finishing fifth at 182. He won't be back in a year, and the Panthers lose the vast majority of this year's team.
The girls title of Baldwin's Catherine Mullis wasn't much of a surprise. She passed the 1oo-win mark for her career in December after finishing second a year ago.
The second-place finish of Dodge County's Landynn Powers was also notable, considering he didn't even qualify for the state tournament last year.
Some wrestlers suffered their first losses of the season, like Central’s Adam Lamar in his championship bout.
Others, like Veterans’ Latrell Shafer and Rutland’s Christian Brown, who battled back for third place.
A few teams didn’t participate in many meets, so their wrestlers only had a few matches under their belts.
Central Georgia's top fours
First place
Class 4A
195-Shoshoni Williams, Perry
285-Chase Horne, West Laurens
Girls
132-Catherine Mullis, Baldwin
Second place
Class 4A
170-Greyson Clark, West Laurens
Girls
172-Beyonce McColumn, Northside
Class 3A
285-Adam Lamar, Central
Class AA
285-Landynn Powers, Dodge County
Third place
Class 5A
138-Latrell Shafer, Veterans
152-Tanner Vorse, Veterans
Girls
197-Samantha Godfrey, Veterans
Class 4A
132-Chavis Watson, Baldwin
145-Brannen Moss, Perry
195-Evan Guyton, West Laurens
Class AA
Class A
195-Hudson Caldwell, GMC
Fourth place
Class 5A
220-Christian Anderson, Jones County
Class 4A
120-Christian Brown, Rutland
Class AA
120-Jarrdarrious Goolsby, Northeast
145-Levi Banks, Lamar County
Class A
160-Grady Tisdale, Tattnall, lost to Jake Piccirilli, Mt. Pisgah, 7-1
Final team standings
(No. of teams competing, classification's first place, and Central Georgia teams)
Class 6A (45)
1. Buford 183
35. Houston County 17
36. Northside 15
Class 5A (44)
1. Woodland-Cartersville 243
12. Jones County 73.5
17. Veterans 58.5
42. Warner Robins 4
Class 4A (45)
1. Jefferson 265
4. West Laurens 117.5
7. Perry 103.5
28. Baldwin 28
34. Howard 12
31. Rutland 16
45. Westside 0
Class 3A (41)
1. Rockmart 202.5
21. Central 44
32. Mary Persons 24
38. Upson-Lee 10
Class AA (34)
1. Fannin County 186
12. Lamar County 78.5
20. East Laurens 55
23. Dodge County 46
27. Jasper Co./Mont. 25
28. Northeast 21
31. Putnam County 16
Class A (51)
1. Mt. Pisgah 256
23, GMC 38
29. FPD 26
30. Dublin 24
38. Tattnall 12.5
39. Crawford County 11
41. Mount de Sales 10
42. Stratford 8