GAINESVILLE — First, there was defending Class 6A state champion Richmond Hill in a dual match. Then defending Class 5A champion Buford in a Traditional tournament.
Add Class 4A state runner-up Gilmer to the growing list of North Hall victims.
The Trojans wrestling team demolished the perennial powerhouse Bobcats in a dual meet at the old North Hall gym Wednesday that did not appear as close as the 50-18 final would indicate.
North Hall (15-2) won 10 of the 13 matches that made the mat (the Trojans forfeited at 170-pounds) with five by pin and another by technical fall. Despite the impressive showing, North Hall coach David Nichols said improvement is still needed.
“I thought we started a little slow and we need to do a better job of that,” Nichols said. “We caught some breaks with their lineup and the matches were closer than some of the final scores.”
It was expected to be a tight duel between two of the state’s powerhouses. It started out that way as the two teams were tied at 12 after North Hall forfeited at 170.
Hayden Cook took a 6-2 decision over Hoyt Stover at 138 for a quick 3-0 North Hall lead. But Gilmer answered at 145 when Thomas Chastain pinned Ben Boyd for a 6-3 Bobcats lead.
Cody Smith at 152 would give the Trojans the spark they needed taking a nip-and-tuck 4-3 win in overtime over Alex Reputon to tie the match at 6. Including the forfeit, the Bobcats would win just two of the final 11 matches.
“Cody’s was a great, quality win over a good opponent. That was a purely guts match for both of those guys,” Nichols said. “That really got the guys going I thought.”
Smith won with an escape in the overtime time period after fighting off several attempts by Reputon to turn Smith while in the up position. Reputon had taken a first place the week before in the prestigious Bradley Central tournament in Tennessee.
“I was just trying to do anything I could to get loose,” Smith said. “I knew it would be a tough match but I felt like I could beat him. Probably the biggest win for me this year.”
North Hall got a Hunter Adams pin of David Lucas at 160 for a 12-6 lead. After the forfeit at 170, Logan West followed with a tight 3-1 decision over Abel Jacinto at 182 to give the Trojans a lead at 15-12 they would never relinquish.
The blitz was on as Logan Hawthorne pinned Chad Weaver at 195, Seth Carlton pinned Taylor Brogdon at 220, Bowie Eisenberg took a 5-0 decision over Samuel Tercero at 285, and Dawson Thompson pinned Carson Bently at 106 as North Hall ran out to a 36-12 advantage.
Gilmer’s Walter Lopez temporarily kept the Bobcats alive with a pin of North Hall’s Christian Contreras at 113 to pull within 36-18. Contreras led 8-5 in the third period but got caught by Lopez with a spin move.
Jacob Pedraza, however, at 120 wasted little time in getting the clincher pinning Logan Bentley in the first round for a 42-18 lead. Matt Glenn followed with a 15-0 technical fall win over Lucas Lopez and Jack Whitmire closed out the match at 132 with a slim 2-0 victory over Brock Sumner.
“I was real pleased overall but we have a lot of things to work on,” Nichols said. “We let one match get away in the third period with a pin and you can’t let that happen when you expect close matches. But I also thought several guys really had some nice matches, like Cody and Seth in particular.
“But anytime you can beat a team of the caliber of Gilmer you always want to feel like you’re making progress. I think we’re getting better each week.”
