MACON, Ga. — Eric Elrod had done the math and knew coming down to the latter stages of the match that the Sonoraville Phoenix had a chance to shock the Georgia wrestling world Saturday night.
The coach’s plans didn’t pan out, however, and Class AA top-ranked and defending champion Jefferson walked away with the program’s ninth consecutive GHSA state duals championship, 41-22. The match was within reach with four individual bouts to go, the first three featuring strong Sonoraville wrestlers.
The score was just 26-16 entering the 189-pound class, but Jefferson’s Lucas Redd ended any real Sonoraville hopes with a third-period pin of Zane Holder. Redd caught Holder off balance in the opening moments of the match, and the Phoenix junior never recovered.
“That was a key moment,” Elrod said. “We had done all the math, and it had gone pretty much as we thought. We made one wrong move early at 189 and it was over. Our guys came and learned this weekend.”
Sonoraville led briefly after Jay Teague earned a major decision at 119 and Richard Davis got a 12-5 win at 130, but Jefferson reeled off three consecutive wins, two by pin, before Jamie Phillips stopped the bleeding with a pin of his own at 152. Though the Phoenix lost, they impressed Jefferson coach Mike Thurmond.
“We knew they were tough after wrestling them in the semis last year,” he said. “The 189 match was key. Holder is one of their best, but Lucas is one of our main cogs, too. After that we kind of smelled blood and won. That’s a tough team, though.”
n Dade County’s most successful duals tournament ended in the Class AA consolation semifinals with a 37-29 loss to Henry County. Billy Broom’s Wolverines, after going 1-1 Friday, won two matches Saturday before being eliminated — 47-31 over Fitzgerald and 44-31 over Benedictine.
GHSA State Duals in Macon
Class AA Championship
JEFFERSON 41, SONORAVILLE 11
(Meet started at 112 pounds)
103–Kyle Springer (J) pinned Tanner Touhy, 1:18; 112–Cason Thurmond (J) dec. Bryson Romine, 17-13; 119–Jay Teague (S) major dec. Isaac Kelly, 12-0; 125–Clay Richardson (J) dec. Austin Williams, 15-9; 130–Richard Davis (S) dec. Daniel Barber, 12-5; 135–Cutter Finch (J) dec. Layson West, 7-2; 140–Cain Finch (J) pinned Chris Bingiel, 3:21; 145–Wayne Elliott (J) pinned Brandon McBee, 4:44; 152–Jamie Phillips (S) pinned Jake Sherman, 3:04; 160–Prbsyz (J) tech. fall Ryan Bess, 18-3; 171–Andrew Bingiel (S) dec. Jace McCloskey, 13-7; 189–Lucas Redd (J) pinned Zane Holder, 5:30; 215–Zac Allen (J) dec. Isiah Hatch, 8-5; 285–Tyler Smith (S) pinned Sammy Loggins, 0:21.
Record: Sonoraville 32-5.