Wrestling teams enjoy success at State Sectionals
The Woodland wrestling team took a powerful step toward taking the Class 5A state traditional championship Saturday at the Union Grove High School B Sectional by sending a total to 10 wrestlers to next week’s state finals in Macon. Five Wildcat individuals won sectional titles as Woodland looks to sweep this year’s duals team title and traditional title in Class AAAAA.
It won’t be easy for Woodland, however. Buford will send all 14 weight class representatives to the state finals out of the A Sectional in Class 5A and will be the Wildcats’ chief competitor in Macon.
Woodland’s Colton Bishop (113 pounds), Kyle Gollhofer (120), Caleb Henson (126), Caden McCrary (132) and Jaxon Smith (145) all won sectional titles and will be No. 1 seeds.
Bryce Shedd (182) placed second for Woodland. Cole Cochran (138) finished third. Demarcus Williams (195) fourth. Caleb Jones (152) was an eighth place qualifier. Cass had one sectional champion and nine state finals qualifiers.
Noah Hoffmeier (182) won his weight class and will be a No. 1 seed. Fellow Colonels Bryce Kresho (113) and Kendall Arnold (152) placed second and third, respectively. Ben Mills (126), Nick Mills (132), and Kameron Depasquale (138) were all fifth place finishers. Hunter Rees (120) and Alex Depasquale (160) finished sixth, while the Colonels’ Kailey Rees (106) wrestled in the boys tournament and placed eighth to earn a state bid. Cartersville had all ten of its sectional qualifiers to advance to next week’s state finals. Tyler Earick (106), Giles Turner (113), and Jabril Williams (160) led the Hurricanes with third place finishes. Desmond Winters (182) and Collin Buffaloe (220) placed fifth. Joshua Alvarez (120), Eoin Neal (126), and Rashun Hurst (195) finished sixth in their weight classes, while Kentrel Freeman (152) and Shadre Hurst (170) qualified with seventh place finishes.
The Class AAAAA and Class AAAA first round and opening round of wrestlebacks will take place Wednesday. The state quarterfinals and the second round of wrestlebacks are scheduled for Thursday. Friday is slated for the championship semifinals plus the consolation quarterfinals and semifinals. Saturday will include matches for fifth place, third place, and individual state titles.
In Class AAA, only the top six from each Sectional advanced but Adairsville will send ten competitors to Macon. Angel Banda (113) and James Standridge (126) were both third place finishers. Jody Sutton (145) placed fourth. Ross Dudley (120), Nic Jackson (170), and Austin Jackson (220) were each fifth. Jaxson Owens (106) earned a sixth place spot, while Dalton Cornett (160) finished seventh and will hold an alternate spot. The Class AAA finals begin Thursday in Macon.
In the inaugural girls State Sectionals, Cartersville had five girls earn spots in the state finals bracket. Riley Payne won the 136-pound division and Aisia Swim captured the 146-pound division with a pin of her only opponent. Cartersville’s Elora Waterman (95), Gabby Walker (156), and Paige Nelson (166) will advance unopposed in their divisions. Destiny Smith competed in the 136-pound division. Weight class runner-ups in the girls tournament will had a chance to earn a spot in the state finals bracket next weekend. Adairsville’s Ashleigh Stancil finished second in her Sectioal at 106 pounds. Raven Waterman of Cartersville was second in the 106 division. Abigail Gentry of Cass placed second in the 136-pound division and Jesse Johnson (116) of Woodland was a second place finisher. The girls tournament begins Thursday — also at the Macon Centreplex — and continues through Saturday.
