Wrestling: Area wrestlers, storylines thick on final day of traditional championships

MACON -- Jefferson wrestling will have to be at its best to ensure it captures a 13th straight traditional championship on Saturday, while a number of Area 4-AAA grapplers are set for state title shots.

Jefferson enters Saturday's competition in Macon with five wrestlers in position to claim individual crowns and six more competing in the consolation semifinals. The Dragons currently lead the Class AA team team standings 129 to 106.5 over Bremen. Yet Bremen has also placed five competitors in the championship round.

The two foes will have a chance to battle head-to-head in the 152-pound class, as Jefferson's Jake Sherman will face Bremen's Kannon Madden for the title.

Dragons wrestlers Chase Piperato (106), Ben Kelly (113), Tyler Marinelli (138) and Jace McColskey (182) also reached the finals, as did Riverside Military Academy's Christopher Harvey (126).

In Class AAA, things are looking very much like a big weekend for northeast Georgia, as 12 different wrestlers from area programs have reached championship finales -- many against each other.

Banks County enters the day in third place -- 14.5 points behind leader Woodward Academy -- and the Leopards will compete for four championships via Chris McCrackin (106), Mason Patton (126), Wes Faulkner (160) and Eli Smallwood (170). McCrackin will battle North Hall's Taylor Marrett, while Patton will face Buford's Brayden Hartley. And Smallwood must take on Jackson County's Daivon Ledford.

The 182 finale will also feature a northeast Georgia-only tussle between Buford's Chip Ness, who will battle Dawson County's Gavin Brown for a repeat crown.

The Wolves' Jack Barber (113) will also compete in the championship round, while North Hall's Tyler Krazter will go for a 145-pound crown. East Jackson's Jeff Chandler is also in the 285 title round.

In Class AAAA, Lumpkin County's Greg Hilliard also has a chance for a crown, competing in the 113 finale.

The Class A championships will also feature four Commerce competitors, including Chance McClure (220), who is in the hunt for a repeat crown. Michael Pittman (126), Graeson Cochran (160) and Trent Reddish (170) also reached the title round.

These wrestlers are also alive in the consolation round but can finish no higher than third place:

Class A
Commerce
138 -- Joshua Westmoreland
195 -- Morgan Flint

Towns County
132 -- Vonya Baldwin

Class AA
Jefferson
126 -- Josh Harris
132 -- Tanner Thurmond
145 -- Jack Dollar
160 -- Zach Rhymer
170 -- Tradd Porter
220 -- Aaron Anderson

Class AAA
Banks County
182 -- Hayden Dilbeck
195 -- Matt Dilbeck

Buford
106 -- Darius Bunch

Dawson County
170 -- Evan Kells

East Hall
152 -- Edward Vergara
160 -- Corey Reece

Jackson County
120 -- JT Wood
132 -- Conner Andreasen

West Hall
152 -- Elliott Raiford

White County
195 -- Andrew Posten

Class AAAA
Chestatee
106 -- Jose Reyes-Lavallee
113 -- Bartolo Velasquez

Class AAAAA
Flowery Branch
138 -- Zach Winter
145 -- Brady Dyer
182 -- Grant Simonds