Chattooga Wrestling made history Friday night claiming the program’s first Area Duals Championship.
Coach Brian Beasley said it felt great to finally finish first, “we finished second in 2002 and finished second in state and have been third a few times missing out on the state tournament.”
Beasley has already turned his attention and focus to the GHSA Team Duals Wrestling State Championship, “I am pretty excited about next weekend. This is what we spend the season working for. Friday night was first time we had everybody where they need to be with weight classes so hoping for big things at state.”
The top two teams from each area advance to the duals state tournament.
2A Teams competing for Team Duals State Championship:
1- Toombs/Jefferson Davis
2- Screven/Harlem
3- Lamar/Dodge
4- Breman/Callaway
5- Chattooga/Dade
6- Social/Elbert
Area Dual Recap:
Taking on the Coosa Eagles, the Indians rolled off a convincing 72-6 victory, before facing the hosting Rockmart Yellowjackets in the semifinals. It was Rockmart that jumped out to a 9-0 lead with wins at 126 and 132 before the tide shifted dramatically. Jason Malone (138), Mason Sterner (145), and Rowan Burdick (152) all won their bouts, putting Chattooga up 12-9. Noah Cordle (160) began a trio of pins as Jakoby Cottrell (170) and Devon Heroch (182) took all the wind out of the Yellowjacket’s sails. Rockmart chose to forfeit the remaining matches in a strategy to focus on taking the #2 spot in a hopeful battle for true 2nd.
Coosa Match Results:
106 Chandler Fowler: FF
113 Griffin Jarrett: 17-0 TF
120 Hector Velez: Fall
126 Timmy Robinson: Fall
132 Bayln Stephens: 21-7 Major
138 Jason Malone: FF
145 Mason Sterner: Fall
152 Rowan Burdick: Fall
160 Noah Cordle: 6-1 Dec
182 Devon Heroch: Fall
195 Ty Veatch: Fall
220 Alex Mears: Fall
285 Luis Medina: Fall
Final: 72-6 Chattooga
Rockmart Match Results
106 Chandler Fowler: FF
113 Griffin Jarrett: FD
120 Wes Conley: FF
138 Jason Malone: 7-2 Dec
145 Mason Sterner: Fall
152 Rowan Burdick: 7-4 Dec
160 Noah Cordle: Fall
182 Devon Heroch: Fall
195 Ty Veatch: FF
220 Alex Mears: FF
285 Luis Medina: FF
Final: 60-9 Chattooga
Area Finals
The Indians took on Dade County for the Area Championship.
Earlier in the season, Dade escaped Chattooga with a dual victory despite winning just four matches and the Indians, now with a full line up, were eager for a rematch. Again the Indians dropped the first match at 138, but junior Jason Malone fought hard and refused to give up bonus points. Mason Sterner, 145, (Fall) and Rowan Burdick, 152, (17-2 TF), put the Indians ahead 11-3. Dade closed the gap to 11-9, with a Fall at 160 before Jakoby Cottrell, 170, won a heated 4-3 contest over Dakota Johnson, which set up a Chattooga run through the upper weight classes. Heroch (182) Fall, Veatch (195) 7-2, Mears (220) Fall, and Medina (285) Fall, stretched the lead to 35-9. Dade’s last gasp came with a victory at 106, but defending State Champs Griffin Jarrett (113) 16-0 TF and Wes Conley (120) Fall, closed the door on the Wolverines making the score 46-15. Dade was satisfied to forfeit the remaining two matches at 126 and 132 and vie for true second.
The 58-15 win gave the Indians their first Area Championship in program history.
Dade County Match Results
113 Griffin Jarrett: 16-0 TF
120 Wes Conley: Fall
126 Timmy Robinson: FF
133 Bayln Stephenson: FF
145 Mason Sterner: Fall
152 Rowan Burdick: 17-2 TF
170 Jakoby Cottrell: 4-3 Dec
182 Devon Heroch: Fall
195 Ty Veatch: 7-2 Dec
220 Alex Mears: Fall
285 Luis Medina: Fall
Final: 58-15 Chattooga
Next Stop: MACON
The Indians will head south to Macon in a battle for their first ever Duals State Championship next weekend as they face off against defending champions Social Circle and other powerhouse programs.
The Team Dual Wrestling State Championships will be held January 16-18 at the Macon Centreplex. Ticket prices are $12 for daily admission (plus a $2 facility fee) or $30 for a three-day Tournament Pass (plus a facility fee of $4). All matches will be streamed live on NFHS Network via TrackWrestling. Defending champions by class are: Camden County, Valdosta, Woodland-Bartow, Woodward, Jefferson, Social Circle and Commerce.
