DULUTH, Ga. — At this point, Russell Royal isn’t asking questions. The Northwest Whitfield 112-pound senior wrestler, so full of talent and potential, had tasted only heartache at the GHSA traditional tournament his first three years.
GHSA Traditional State Tournamentat Gwinnett Center ArenaClass ATEAM STANDINGS AFTER SEMIFINALS1. Bremen 111; 2. Commerce 82.5; 3. Gordon Lee 74.5; 4. Wesleyan 59.5; 5. Bowden 42; 13. Trion 18.AREA WINNERS SEMIFINALS103 – Mika Clark (Gordon Lee dec. Cody Legg (Athens Christian), 10-7; 112 – Alex Spires (Gordon Lee) pinned Zach Taylor (Wesleyan), 1:29; 125 – Elvino Felipe (Chattooga) dec. Ryne Eriquezzo (Bremen), 4-2; 135 – Taylor Pace (Gordon Lee) major dec. Casey Drinkard (Commerce), 12-3; 215 – David Berry (Gordon Lee) pinned Tyrance Ashmore (Washington Wilkes), 1:26.Class AATEAM STANDINGS AFTER SEMIFINALS1. Jefferson 134; 2. Henry County 106; 3. Lovett 95.5; 4. North Oconee 67; 5. Sonoraville 65.5; 12. Dade County 45; 17. Chattooga 37; 28. Calhoun 20.AREA WINNERS SEMIFINALS119 – Joey Tamburello (Dade County) dec. Ryan Kiss (Callaway). 14-8; 152 – Hunter Knight (Calhoun) tech. fall Jamie Phillips (Sonoraville), 19-4; 215 – Aaron Hatch (Sonoraville) dec. Hakeem Cannon (Eagles Landing), 9-3.Class AAATEAM STANDINGS AFTER SEMIFINALS1. Gilmer County 153; 2. LaFayette 146.5; 3. West Forsyth 115.5; 4. West Laurens 115; 5. Columbus 93; 7. Heritage 77.5; 14. Lakeview-F.O.; 18. Ridgeland 38; 31. Southeast Whitfield 22.AREA WINNERS SEMIFINALS119 – Jacob Wallace (Ridgeland) dec.Danny Gatt (Eastside), 5-1; 130 – Preston McCalmon (LaFayette) pinned Gary Tucker (Ridgeland), 3:00; cody Goins (Heritage) pinned Shakur Peunado (Columbus), 3:16; 135 – Seth Taylor (LaFayette) dec. Jacob Robinson (West Laurens), 2-0; 145 – Cory Canada (Heritage) dec. Brady Hart (LaFayette), 5-4; 152 – Justin Ownby (LaFayette) pinned Chris Grier (Columbus), 3:54; 215 – Derrick Laney (LFO) major dec. James Longino (Gilmer County), 10-2.Class AAAATEAM STANDINGS AFTER SEMIFINALS1. Alexander 97.5; 2. Marist 86; 3. Northwest Whitfield 84.5; 4. South Paudling 74; 5. Dalton 73.5; 8. Murray County 68.AREA WINNERS SEMIFINALS103 – Josh Webb (Murray County) major dec. Peyton Durflinger (Ola), 13-5; 112 – Russell Royal (Northwest Whitfield) pinned Billy Abrahemson (Heritage Conyers), 3:54; 119 – Henry Torres (Dalton) dec. Conner Carrier (Marist), 8-2; 125 – Christian Washington (Dalton) major dec. Josh Jameson (South Effingham), 10-2; 145- Dalton Lane (Murray County) dec. Jason Wilde (Alexander), 6-0; 152 – Josh Lewis (Northwest Whitfield) dec. Ronnie Henderson (South Paulding), 4-3.
Friday at the Gwinnett Center Arena, Royal put all that disappointment behind. He reached the Class AAAA finals by pinning the wrestler who eliminated him last year. Part of a small yet surprising Bruins team that found itself in the top five entering the semifinals, Royal was as happy about his team’s success as he was about his own.
“He’s really a decent kid and it means a lot to get past him,” Royal said of his second-perod pin. “I’ve come to the state for four years now, and the first three I didn’t place. Now I’m going to the finals. We may not have the numbers to win the team title, but it’s not all about that. I think we’ve surprised a few people.”
The Bruins brought only five wrestlers to the tournament, but all five made the quarterfinals and four of them went through to the semis. Joining Royal in the championship round is 152-pound Josh Lewis.
“It feels like we’ve accomplished a lot, especially with the guys we have here,” Lewis said. “I believe this team just has more heart than the recent teams. Now we want to bring home a couple of state titles.
Another Goins title?
Four-time state champion Garrison Goins may not be the only member of his household with a state title after tonight. Little brother Cody of Heritage High will wrestle for his first championship in the Class AAA 130-pound class.
To do it, though, he’ll have to beat defending state champion Preston McCalmon of LaFayette.
Goins, who had two pins and a technical fall in his first two matches, pinned Flowery Branch’s Brandon Dyer in 3:16 to earn the rematch.
“He’s improved 100 percent. He came here with a mission and he’s got one more match to get it done,” Heritage coach Kenny Hill said. “It’s a rematch of the region finals, and it should be a heck of a match.”
Goins knows he won’t have it so easy tonight.
“It’s great to get this far,” he said. “It’s been a lot of work and it’s starting to pay off. I have to stay off the bottom to beat him, something I didn’t do so well in the area.”
Pace records 200th win
Gordon Lee’s Taylor Pace not only reached the finals in the Class A 135-pound class, but he set a milestone that will be hard to surpass by earning his 200th career win with a pin of Commerce’s Casey Drinkard.
“It’s something I’ve wanted,” the 2008 state champion said. “I set out this year to accomplish a state championship and the 200th win. That would be something.”
Helping Pace is the memory of what was nearly his second championship a year ago. He led 7-1 after the first period and 9-4 after two, only to lose 13-11.
“Since what happened last year, I have to focus on wrestling six minutes,” he said of his match with Walker Alec Diamond, a 125-pound finalist last year. “I’ve got to stay focused and relaxed. I’ve been thinking about that since the final whistle. You don’t forget something like that, especially on this stage.”
Laney nears third title
Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 215-pounder Derrick Laney is one step away from claiming his third consecutive state title after earning a hard-fought 10-2 semifinal win in Class AAA competition against Gilmer County’s James Longino.
“That was one of the tougher matches I’ve had,” said Laney, who says he’s still not 100 percent after suffering an early-season rib injury. “Four (titles) would be nice, but I won’t complain if I get three. That would be a nice accomplishment.”