MACON, Ga. - A team state title at the GHSA traditional championships may be a long shot for northwest Georgia wrestling programs, but there is plenty of individual gold to be won after an eventful Friday at the Macon Centreplex.
The clash of the titans in Class AAAA isn't quite over, but Jefferson holds a 153.5-124.5 lead over Gilmer after the semifinal round. The Bobcats have four potential champions in Dan Puac (106 pounds), Matthew Waddell (182), Ryan Crump (195) and Levi Seabolt (285), but the Dragons still have five alive in today's finals.
West Laurens is a close third with 115.5 points and has four finalists.
"It will be a three-team race, and it should be fun," Gilmer coach Sam Snider said. "Jefferson had a great round today and so did West Laurens, but I'm very proud of all the wrestlers. Even the kids that are out (of the tournament) wrestled to their ability, and I feel we've done everything we can do."
Area 6-AAAA backed up its claim as the best in its classification with four of the top seven teams heading into the final day of the double-elimination event. Northwest Whitfield is third with 78 points and has a pair of finalists, Jordan Lewis (195) and Michael Robles (285).
"We have four seniors (still in the tournament), with two in wrestlebacks and two in the finals," Northwest coach Allen Tucker said. "We brought eight, and four will place. There are a lot of teams down here that wish they could have that.
"Today says a lot about the region. If you wrestle good competition it will either kill you or make you better, and it has helped us."
Heritage, fifth with 77.5 points, is represented in the finals by two-time champion Chuckie Thurman (126), who owns three pins in the tournament. The Generals could earn serious points today, though, with Ryan Craft (106) Blake Bryant (113), Daniel Jernagin (132) and Jeffery Curtis (220) all going for third place today.
Ridgeland, already assured of its best traditional finish in school history, is seventh with 62.5 points and has Jacob Mariakis (138) and 2016 state champion Chris Henderson (220) in the finals.
"Jacob has only wrestled 15 to 20 matches, so today was the first time all year he was behind in a match, and he did a good job responding," said Keith Mariakis, Ridgeland's coach and Jacob's father. "With Chris, today was a (2016) state finals rematch, and that was the first time Chris has ever been taken off his feet. But he responded and changed his plan and got the win.
"Today just goes to show you how tough our region is. We would stack it up against any other region, and it's astounding how many kids are on the podium every year."
Also in the AAAA finals is area and sectional champ Cole Ingram (170) of LaFayette.
In Class AAA, Bremen leads Sonoraville 106.5-70.5, and Bremen has five finalists to three for the Phoenix. Sonoraville, still a young team, has 2016 state champs Tyler Hunt (120) and Trevor Burdick (126) plus Ian Clark (132) still alive for individual titles.
Ringgold sits sixth with 50.5 points and has two finalists: Jeffery Skeen (106) and 2016 state champ Griffin Green (145).
In Class A, Trion has 85 points and a solid shot to repeat its team runner-up finish, though heavy favorite Commerce is well out front with 195.5. Trion's Cole Luallen (138), Jake Wells (182) and Logan Blevins (195) are in the finals. Gordon Lee is fourth with 60 points and has Braden Jarvis (170) in the finals.
In Class AAAAAA, Dalton is ninth with Malik Coleman (152) in the finals, while Chattooga is seventh in Class AA and has Griffin Jarrett (106) and Alex Mears (220) in the finals.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296;. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.