Northwest Whitfield’s Bryon Gembe, right, wrestles Gilmer’s Trevor Preece in this Jan. 31, 2015, file photo.As coaches predicted and the seeds reflected, the opening day of the GHSA Class AAAA West Sectional wrestling tournament was dominated by Region 7 teams.
Favorite Gilmer County put 11 of its 14 wrestlers into today’s semifinal round, with Northwest Whitfield getting six and Heritage five. LaFayette, Southeast Whitfield and Ridgeland added two each. In all 29 of the 56 semifinalists are from Region 7.
Gilmer has all 14 wrestlers still alive in the field at Whitewater High School, including semifinalists Domingo Reynoso (106), Trevor Preece (113), Marcelino Lopez (120), Alberto Perez (126), Lucas Patterson (132), Keegan Sharpe (138), William Gudger (145), Jaime Lopez (152), Matthew Waddell (170), Jake Parker (195) and Levi Seabolt (285).
Northwest still has 11 wrestlers active, led by semifinalists Bryan Gembe (113), Blake Hayes (126), Austin Taylor (160), Garrett Gray (170), Jordan Pittman (182) and Jordan Lewis (195). Heritage’s five semifinalists are Chuckie Thurman (120), Daniel Jernigan (126), Dylan Jernigan (132), Blaine Bird (152) and Ahmad Salma (195).
Rounding out the area semifinalists are Ridgeland’s Caleb Mariakis (138) and Chris Henderson (220), LaFayette’s Dylan Oliver (120) and Matt Lemons (138) and Southeast Whitfield’s Omar Ruiz (132) and Tyler Brown (145). Each of the semifinalists has clinched a spot in next week’s individual state tournament in Macon.
At the Class AAA West Sectional at Sonoraville, the hosts put eight in the semis: Lane Strickland (106), Kyle Chastain (113), Austin Tillman (138), Chris Gonzales (160), Ryan Farist (170), Jacob Bagwell (195) and Kenny Cooper (285).
Calhoun has five semifinalists — Aaron Aguirre (113), Jacob Callahan (132), Christian East (152), Will Conley (170) and Eduardo Aguilar (220) — while Ringgold has four in today’s semis: Joey Collins (126), Griffin Green (138), Nathan Bello (145) and Jesse Wade (220). Also making the semifinals is North Murray’s Derrick Fowler at 182 pounds.
The competition at the Class AA East Sectional at Greater Atlanta Christian School, which includes Gordon Lee, and the Class A West Sectional at George Walton Academy, including Trion, is all today.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.