The landscape is changing in high school wrestling around the northwest Georgia area.
After a couple of down seasons among traditionally strong teams, and with stars such as four-time state champion Jonathan Ragsdale of Gordon Lee having graduated, things will be different this season.
Change isn’t limited to the athletes. Two championship-winning coaches are in new places with plans to build contenders, and a newcomer steps in to lead one of the area’s most successful programs.
The most unexpected move was former Gordon Lee coach Brent Raby accepting the position at Coahulla Creek. Raby, after winning multiple titles in Chickamauga, was set to step away before circumstances led him to Varnell.
“I thought I was done,” Raby said, laughing. “I tore my Achilles’ tendon and couldn’t do construction work like I wanted to do full-time, so I went back to school. Now that I’m here, I’ve kind of fallen in love with it.”