LaFAYETTE, Ga. – It’s a strange new world for the LaFayette High School wrestling team. For the first time in anyone’s recent memory, the Ramblers – or Mountain Bears, as they prefer to be called – are not the preseason favorites in their own region.
That honor would go to Gilmer County, the defending dual and traditional state champions who return a slew of state placers. When the GHSA reclassified for the two-year period, the Bobcats were placed in Region 7-AAA, which immediately became the most competitive area in the state, perhaps in any classification.
Along with Gilmer and multiple state champion LaFayette are up-and-coming programs such as Heritage, Ringgold, Cartersville and Ridgeland and three programs that joined Gilmer as newcomers – Murray County, Dalton and Allatoona – with high expectations.
“Wow, it’s going to be brutal,” said Lee Dendy, the highly respected LaFayette assistant coach. “We haven’t lost a region match in five years, and there are four or five teams that could beat us this year. By my count, there are five programs that have won state championships in recent seasons in our
Teams to Watch1. LaFayette. The Ramblers lost two state champions, but a strong and deep core returns as the team tries to knock off preseason favorite Gilmer County.2. Heritage. The Generals of coach Kenny Hill are deeper than in recent seasons and have top tier talent in returning state champion Cory Canada and runner-up Cody Goins.3. Gordon Lee. The Trojans were Class A runners-up in the dual and traditional tournaments last year and return champion Alex Spires and runner-up Mika Clark among others.Wrestlers to Watch1. Dalton Lane, Murray County: Coach Chris Thornbury called the defending AAAA 145-pound champion one of the toughest wrestlers he’s ever coached after a 58-2 junior season.2. Preston McCalmon, LaFayette: The recent Arizona State University signee is nationally ranked and poised to win his third state title.3. Cory Canada, Heritage: The hard-working senior is the defending 145-pound Class AAA champion.
region.”
Not that Dendy or coach Sam Forester are ready to declare this a rebuilding season. On the contrary, 10 starters return, including two-time state champion Preston McCalmon and state placers Kenny Sartin, Brady Hart and Britton Gilbert. Dendy also expects big things from Dalton Smith, Justin Wallin and Andrew Gilbert.
“I like our team, and the good thing about us is that we’ll have five or six weight classes that will be decided by wrestle-offs, and they can all wrestle,” said Dendy, whose team opens the season Nov. 23 against Gilmer at Cartersville. “We have a lot of guys in the program who have been here a long time who are going to get their chance. It’s going to be fun.”
Dalton coach Charles Mitchell respectfully disagrees with the “fun” part. His team, which has placed in the top five in each of the past two Class AAAA traditional tournaments, sees a region that will beat up on itself at tournament time, a serious detriment to winning a state title.
“Gilmer is stacked from top to bottom; they’re on another level,” Mitchell said. “LaFayette’s going to be tough; so is Heritage; and I’m telling you the team that will surprise everybody is Allatoona. They’ve got seven or eight kids who placed last year and several that have come through the Harrison and McEachern feeder systems.
“Having so much talent is going to give our region troubles in the traditional tournament.”
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296.