MACON, Ga. -- With no team title on the line or anything else to concern himself with, Jonathan Ragsdale wanted to go out in style.
The Gordon Lee High School 120-pound senior came into Saturday's GHSA Traditional Wrestling Championships with a plan. Of course he wanted to win a rare fourth individual title, but Ragsdale also wanted to enjoy the moment -- and at the same time put on a show. He accomplished all those things with a third-period pin over Social Circle's Levi Leach, building a 22-7 lead before putting his opponent out of his misery.
"It's a great way to finish it off," said Ragsdale, a future West Virginia University wrestler. "Coach said I needed four more points and I got them. I guess getting the pin was icing on the cake."
Ragsdale, as is his usual style, recorded three early takedowns and quickly let Leach escape. He recorded two more takedowns and a near fall to lead 16-5 entering the final period. When he had taken Leach down for the final time -- escaping would have left him with a technical fall -- Ragsdale put the clamps down and walked away with a smile.
"Johnny wanted to go out and wrestle some today," Gordon Lee coach Brent Raby said. "He didn't want to go out and be finished in 30 seconds in his last match in high school. He's so tough and this is really a special moment for him. It's a heck of a way to go out."
Chuckie Thurman isn't going anywhere just yet, but the Heritage sophomore joined the state champion club Saturday with an overtime 3-1 decision over Region 7 nemesis Marcelino Lopez of Gilmer County at 120 pounds in AAAA. Having had to wrestle Lopez in the area and sectional tournaments the past two weekends, Thurman took extra time to study Lopez during the week.
"I've been practicing a lot on finishing my shots, and a big key today was getting my mindset right," Thurman said. "He stalls a lot on his feet, and I knew if I could get out from under him I could win. It feels great to get it."
Thurman was part of a small Heritage contingent that managed to earn a 10th-place team finish, and the Generals will have several starters back next season.
"This year Chuckie has been training hard and has put in all the time and effort to make it pay off," Heritage coach Mike Craft said. "I'm super proud of him. Considering we had just one senior at the end and a lot of young guys, to finish in the top 10 is really a nice accomplishment."
Northwest Whitfield earned a sixth-place finish, led by Blake Hayes' third-place medal at 126 pounds. Ridgeland finished 14th and had two individual runner-up finishes. Caleb Mariakis lost a double-overtime 2-1 decision to Buford's Trent Ferguson at 138 pounds, and Chris Henderson was pinned in 58 seconds by the nation's No. 2-ranked wrestler at 220 pounds, Marist's Kenneth Brinson.
Southeast Whitfield's Omar Ruiz also finished in second place, falling to Gilmer's Lucas Patterson at 132 pounds.
In Class AAA, Sonoraville had a trio of second-place finishers in Ryan Farist (170), Kevin Hurtiz (182) and Kenny Cooper (285) in earning a fourth-place team finish. Trion's Cole Luallen was a runner-up at 120 pounds in Class A.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timefreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.