Four Central Georgians (Veterans, West Laurens, Lamar County) crowned as GHSA state wrestling champs (full results through Friday)
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Latrell Schafer finished off a perfect season in a near-perfect way.
The junior from Veterans finished 51-0 and with a GHSA state tradition wrestling title again after a 15-2 major decision win Friday in the Class 6A 175-pound weight class.
The schedule has changed this year, with more finals completed on Friday. The finals in Classes 6A, 5A, 4A, and A were on Friday, with 7A, 3A, 2A, and girls on Saturday. Consolation semifinals and finals are split as well.
It was an impressive season for Schafer, who won the 145-pound title in 5A last year.
He was one of four wrestlers from Central Georgia and two from Veterans to stand on the top step of the podium Friday at the Macon Coliseum.
Teammate Damien Johnson finished off a 48-2 season by nipping Carter Brickley of Lassiter 5-4 at 120 in 6A.
West Laurens’ J.T. Bowers got past Zeb Dawkins of Walnut Grove 5-2 at 150 in Class 4A. And Lamar County’s Clint Williamson won by fall in less than three minutes over Irwin County’s Michael Joiner.
Mary Persons’ Anthony Mannella will defend a state title on Saturday. He won last year at 160, and is in the final at 157 in Class AAA.
Schafer had a bye, and rolled to wins of 15-0 (in only 1:23) and 16-1 before doing the same thing in the final.
Johnson followed a bye with wins of 12-4 and 10-5. Bowers won 11-6 and 9-5 to reach the final.
Williams won all three matches by falls, in 4:39 and 43 seconds before winning it.
No Central Georgia teams are in contention for a team title this year. West Laurens, Lamar County, and East Laurens are in the top 10 in their respective classifications, all way behind the leaders and with no nearly enough wrestlers left to challenge.
Kaitlyn Brown of Dodge County is the lone Central Georgia girl in action on Saturday, in the consolations at 100.
Team Standings
Through Friday, first place and Central Georgia teams
Class 6A
1. Woodward Academy 124
9. Veterans 59
27. Houston County, 18
42. Northside, 0
Class 5A
1. Jefferson, 213.5
12. Jones County 48
26. Warner Robins, 14
Class 4A
1. Lovett, 161
10. West Laurens 59
21. Perry, 26
28. Baldwin 15
Class AAA
1. Pickens, 103
16. Mary Persons, 33.5
23. Upson-Lee, 19
29. Peach County, 9
Class AA
1. Rockmart 206
17. Putnam County, 28
23. Northeast, 19
25. Dodge County, 17
30. Central, 5
32. Southwest, 3
33. Rutland, Washington County, 0
Class A
1. Social Circle, 224
7. Lamar County, 67
8. East Laurens, 59
13. Dublin, 35
24. Jasper County, 24
30. Crawford County 4
Finals
Class 6A
First place
120-Damien Johnson, Veterans, 48-2, def. Carter Brickley, Lassiter, 47-11, 5-4
175-Latrell Schafer, Veterans, 51-0, def. Joseph Lago, Etowah, 39-4, 15-2
Class 4A
First place
150-JT Bowers, West Laurens, 61-9, def. Zeb Dawkins, Walnut Grove, 32-6, 5-2
Second place
165-Drake Wood, West Laurens, 55-15, lost by fall in 2:29 to Chris Mance, Lovett, 27-4
Class AAA
157-Anthony Mannella, Mary Persons, vs. Cason Cannon, Pickens
Class A
First place
285-Clint Williamson, Lamar County, 38-5, won by fall in 2:38 over Michael Joiner, Irwin County, 30-11
Wrestling for points
Class 6A
Third place
190-Eason Martin, Houston County, 29-4, won by fall in 3:15 over Xavier Byams, Marist, 46-10
Class 5A
Fourth place
106-Hunter McCleskey, Jones County, 50-21, lost 13-3 to Robert Magana, Chapel Hill,34-5
Third place
175-Chi Anderson, Jones County, 61-6, def. Michael Turner, Loganville, 31-14,7-3
Class 4A
Fourth place
285-Donovan Funsch, Perry, 41-7, lost 6-2 to Guillermo Rosales, Johnson, 49-10
Class AAA
126-Dylan Ivey, Mary Persons
165-Eli Brown, Peach County
Class AA
113-Wyatt Stanley, Putnam County
132-Jarrdarrious Goolsby, Northeast
144-Jansen Kilgore, Dodge County
190-Tristian Lower, Putnam County
Class A
Third place
106-Andravious Brihm, Dublin, 47-11, def. Landon Headrick, Coosa, 23-20, 15-9
215-Jacob Griffith, East Laurens, 59-9, def. Lane Harris, Trion, 35-4, 12-7
Fourth place
150-Cole Page, East Laurens, 50-11, lost by fall in 4:25 to James Eldridge, Social Circle, 47-10
157-Roman Coley, East Laurens, 60-8, lost by fall in 3:26 to Kacen Taylor, Social Circle, 35-6
DFFs
Class 6A
215-Gabe Gibbs, Veterans, 47-7, def. Tayo Ogundele, Sequoyah, 44-13, DFF
Class 5A
113-Ryan Clayborn, Greenbrier, 28-12, def. Donnie Lowden, Warner Robins, 15-7, DFF
157-James Rackley, Jones County, 50-18, def. Malik Conley, Arabia Mountain, 28-5, DFF
Class 4A
138- vs. Austin Beverly, Cherokee Bluff, 13-7, def. Aiden Ingram, West Laurens, 16-4, DFF
157- Sam Reavis (Westminster Schools) 28-11, Sr. over Nathan Mitchell (Baldwin) 33-9, Sr. (DFF)
Class A
138-Sam Blevins, Lamar County, 36-12, def. Isiah Davis, Elbert County, 42-11, DFF
144-Hunter Hammock, Lamar County, 20-10, def. Tanner Mask, Oglethorpe County, DFF
165-Antonio Benjamin, Dublin, 46-6, def. Lantis Tobin, Metter, 8-4, DFF