Georgia High School Wrasslin'

This weekend Georgia High school wrestling programs will be participating in individual state sectionals in preparation for the state championships next week at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Score Atlanta will be helping GHSA broadcast the state championships on the GHSA website.

Over the past decade, two teams have achieved unparalleled success in Georgia High School wrestling. The Dragons of Jefferson County have dominated in Class A and now in Class AA while the Collins Hill program has built a dynasty in Area 7-AAAAA and Class AAAAA. How do the two programs do it? Everything starts with Collins Hill coach Cliff Ramos and Jefferson County coach Doug Thurmond.
For Jefferson County, several already-decorated wrestlers helped the team recently capture its eighth straight dual title, and the first in Class AA. The Dragon wrestling team won the 2009 dual championship after moving up from Class A to go along with the program’s twelve traditional titles. Coach Thurmond’s two sons, Cason (2008 103lb champion) and Cam (119lb 2007 and 2008 champion) helped lead the team. The squad also boasts three time-champion Jay Fowler (152lb in 2006, ‘07 and ‘08), and Zac Crosby is a reigning champion (160lb) as well. The team has a great love for the sport, according to Thurmond. “We don’t treat wrestling as a secondary sport. We feel the sport teaches for life.” Thurmond’s talented bunch also features several 2008 runners-up that will be seeking the elusive individual championships. Daniel Barber (112), Cutler Finch (130), Cole Hightower (285), and Patrick Allen (215) all came close last year and will now look to hit the mat and capture their respective titles. With a team championship already in the bank, look for Coach Doug Thurmond’s wrestlers to make a huge splash yet again with multiple individual championships.
Meanwhile the class of Class AAAAA Collins Hill features just as many all-stars. Senior Taylor Knapp, who is ranked No.10 in the country on Amateur Wrestling News National’s No. 22 Collins Hill team, leads by example. Coach Cliff Ramos said that Knapp is just one of the many seniors that does “a good job, especially in practice.” John Allgood is another senior that Coach Ramos was quick to cite as being so strong for this team. “There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle that make this program successful.” Coach Ramos credited the “six outstanding assistant coaches, supportive parents and a fantastic youth program,” in helping the program win two straight team state championships and three since 2005.
Thirteen Collins Hill wrestlers qualified for state sectionals and two of Coach Ramos’s juniors were his picks to go on to win state individual titles. TJ Mitchell and Joel Smith were favored to win state while Gary Tiller, a previous state runner up (152lb), will try to overcome injuries to win what he missed out on last year. Nine other individual region champions will join those three in seeking state championships. Look out for Bazell Partridge (103), Nick Holbert (171), CJ Collins (215), and Allen Willard (130). These wrestlers have been pushed all season by the team’s nine seniors who help keep the team motivated, which at times can be pretty tough according to Ramos. “We’ve wrestled all over the country and sometimes you come back to the in-state meets and motivation is tough.” Knapp, named most outstanding middleweight in the recent Sham Slam and Caleb Sawchuck were huge in clinching the dual state title when the team knocked out Pope 47-9 to win the team crown. Coach Ramos is proud of the fact that his program has done something no other Class AAAAA team in any sport has done: finish in the top three every season since 2000.

Wrestling fans will have plenty of storylines to follow in the individual championships. Carl Rider of North Gwinnett High School became the first Bulldog freshman to win a region title when he took home the 152lb crown. Peachtree Ridge will send Michael Chapman (145) and Sam Kuntz (189) to try and win individual glory. Mill Creek has five hopes for a state title, led by Josh Harrison (130). Union Grove will be represented by Joey Lazor (135), who recently notched his 200th career victory. Lazor, who is committed to Northern Iowa, will be joined by his teammate, former champion Justin Crozier. Toombs County Bryan Benton is a beast at 140lb and owns three state rings. Pope finished second in Class AAAAA and was led by Dexter Bushart (130). If pins are your thing, keep an eye out for Central Gwinnett’s sophomore Jacob Aiken-Phillips (285), who recently won the region title and tied the Gwinnett County pin season record. With so much talent hitting the mats fans are sure to see some great action.