Jefferson repeats as Class A wrestling champ

Posted 9:34PM on Monday 11th February 2002 ( 23 years ago )

The Jefferson High wrestling team proved that last season was no fluke dominating the Class A field Saturday to win its second straight Class A wrestling title. The Dragons easily out-distanced the field with 273 points and six individual champions. Landmark Christian finished a very distant second with 157.5 points with host team Adairsville taking third with 147.5 points. There will be no rest for coach Doug Thurmond's team, however. "We have to suck it back up and get ready again next week for the Duals, where we wrestle a whole team in an eight team bracket," Thurmond had said. The Team Dual Championship will also be held in Adairsville. Commerce finished fifth overall with 109 points. The Tigers' Blake Milford won the 135 pound title. For Jefferson, Corey Mack (112 pounds), Jermaine Wilson (119), Nathaniel Wilson (125), Forrest Garner (145), Hunter Garner (152) and Jeremy Smith (171) all won individual crowns. Hunter Garner won his third title. while younger brother Forrest netted his first. The Garners went through the season unbeaten. The Wilsons are twins, giving Jefferson an unprecedented performance by the pairs of brothers. Smith won his second State Championship for the Dragons. In other action, Jackson County finished fourth in Class AAA with North Forsyth taking seventh. Winder-Barrow was 10th in competition at Westminister on Saturday. Jackson County had two state champions and two state runners-up. Jason Powers, a junior, successfully defended his title in the 103 lb weight class becoming the first two time state champion in the school's history. Chris Kubiak, also a junior, won the state championship in the 145 lb weight class. Rusty Colley at 130 lbs and Jared Herrington at 140 lbs were state runners-up. Gainesville's Brant Glover was 3rd at 140 pounds at that AAA meet. Dawson County took ninth in the Class AA tournament. East Hall's Patrick O'Neal was fourth at 215 in AA. Collins Hill edged McEachern 187.5-181.5 to win the Class AAAAA championship. In Class AAAA, Ringgold won comfortably over second-place Troup County, 230-165.5. Columbia finished third. North Hall finished 17th in quad-A with North Hall's Stephen Lester winning the bronze at 215, losing to the eventual champion in the semi-finals. West Hall's Chris Fields wound up 6th at 140. In Class AAA, Dublin took the team state title, with Lovett placing second and Westminster coming in third place. In Class AA, Rockmart won the team title over second-place Northgate and third-place Cook.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/2/198942