MACON, Ga. - Gilmer and Jefferson remained on a collision course for the GHSA Class AAAA wrestling duals championship after each perennial power won its first two matches.
Ridgeland, after losing its first match to West Laurens, 39-32, remained alive in the consolation round with a 60-17 win over Baldwin.
Gilmer got past scrappy Blessed Trinity in the first round Thursday, 45-28, before rolling to a 50-12 win over Oconee County in the quarterfinals. Anthony Zilke at 220 pounds and heavyweight Levi Seabolt had pins in each victory.
Grayson Patterson, Javier Jacinto and Caleb Waddell also recorded pins and Matthew Waddell received a forfeit win in the Bobcats' first win, and Matthew Waddell, Dan Puac, Jake Breedlove and Ryan Crump had pins in the win over Oconee, with Patterson receiving a forfeit win.
Gilmer will face Luella in the semifinal round at 5:30 p.m. today. Luella routed Burke County, 82-0, in the first round and edged Troup County 31-30 in the second round. The other 4A semifinal pits top-seeded Jefferson and Woodward Academy.
Ridgeland, after a rousing run to the Area 6-AAAA runner-up spot Tuesday, remained alive late Thursday after a solid outing in the consolation round against Baldwin. The Panthers received bonus points from the 106- to the 132-pound bouts, including consecutive pins from Jake Clayton, Chris Prescott and Jordan Hughley. They also received pins from McKinley Mosgrove and Chris Henderson, who also had a pin in the opening loss to West Laurens.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22