As the Chattooga and Trion wrestlers returned home with two of the seven GHSA duals state championship trophies last Saturday night, two neighboring towns celebrated a remarkable feat together.
Separated by just seven miles, both Chattooga County programs pinned their way to storybook seasons as Trion's Bulldogs and the Indians from Summerville won the Class A and AA team championships in Macon. Wrestling on adjacent mats, they took down a pair of Goliaths - Commerce and Social Circle - that combined had won 11 straight state titles.
To the wrestlers' surprise, a bevy of police cars, fire trucks and ambulances met them at the county line with fireworks being shot off from the roadside.
"Coming home and being celebrated like that was so different and crazy," said Chattooga senior Luis Medina, who is 33-1 this season. "We were hanging out the windows of the bus thanking everybody. It's something both schools will never forget. We will always be remembered as state champs.
"At the beginning of the year our guys got together and said this has to be the year, and we did it."
Seniors made up eight of the starting 14 spots for each team.
The Chattooga and Trion wrestling programs won their first GHSA duals state championships this past weekend in Macon. Pictured is the first-place trophy for Chattooga, which defeated Social Circle 59-21 to win the Class AA title. Trion beat Commerce 46-25 in the Class A final. / Staff photo by Patrick MacCoonTrion improved to 27-0 in duals this season with a 46-25 victory over Commerce in the Class A final. The Indians (24-1) won nine of their 14 matches by pin and got their other win by technical fall while beating Social Circle 59-21 for the Class AA championship. Commerce had won the past six Class A titles with Social Circle taking the previous five in AA.
"Winning it all just takes the breath from you," Trion senior 132-pounder Ethan Madaris said. "I just can't explain it. The feeling is so magical. You have all these people out here that support and love you. This school has helped me build friendships and become a part of great teams. It's really amazing."
When the Bulldogs began their season, they set a list of goals on each step of a ladder, all of which they have achieved so far. Their motto, "Create Your Legacy," runs across the front of their team shirts, and they clearly have taken it seriously.
Coach Eric Brock was a senior on the Trion team that won the Class A traditional state championship in 1994. However, he was quick to answer when asked what title meant more to him.
"Hands down, being a coach of this state championship team means the most to me," Brock said. "It's very emotional. This team has worked so hard and has done everything and more that we asked of them. I felt comfortable putting anybody into our lineup. It's a special group who had a dream, worked for it and made it a reality. They will forever be in my heart."
The Chattooga wrestlers became their school's second state championship program - they joined the girls' basketball team that won the Class AAA title in 1988 - with a lineup that included five state finalists and four individual champions from last season.
The Indians' support for each other was almost unrestrained in Macon, especially when 138-pounder Jason Malone fought back from a deficit to pin his opponent and help seal the title.
"All of our guys were so excited for one another, and I had to keep telling them to get back because they were jumping up and down on our sideline," 20th-year head coach Brian Beasley said. "This state championship is a rare occurrence. To see the way our town reacted for not only us but both schools was so cool. They were genuinely excited for these boys and the schools."
Trion senior 220-pounder Clay Baker has friends at Chattooga, like many of his fellow Bulldogs, and he knows the joint celebration may have been a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
"Something like this may never happen again," Baker said. "Both of us winning it at the same time is just unheard of. All the kids at both schools have bought in to their program, and it's where they have left it all on the line. Now we both want to go and win the traditional team title, too."
The GHSA traditional state championships are Feb. 13-15 in Macon, with individuals advancing to the event through area and sectional tournaments.
Chattooga senior Griffin Jarrett hopes to help lead his team to a sweep of the state awards and become the first wrestler in school history to win four individual state championships.
"Everything that has happened this year is something I have dreamed of since middle school," said Jarrett, who is 46-3 at 113. "I wanted to help our team win its first state championship, and I want to be a four-time state champion. With our talent and work ethic we have made dreams come true. There is a fire still in us to win more, too."
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.