The duals state wrestling championship has eluded Gilmer High once more.
For the 14th season in a row, GHS reached the state duals finals. Following seven straight championships, Gilmer has seven consecutive runner-up placements.
The top eight teams in Class 3A gathered at Stephens County High School last Saturday. The latest team to deny the Bobcats was Columbus High. Following a pair of wins, GHS found itself against the Blue Devils.
The state title came down to the final bout, and a victory via decision allowed CHS to secure a 34-33 win over Gilmer.
Head coach Josh Ghobadpoor discussed the finals matchup, noting, “We were the underdogs coming in this year. We had to play our lineups very differently over the last few weeks to find the formula that helps us win. That means moving people to different weights and educating ourselves on other teams to make the best decisions for our guys.
“At the end of the day, you have to go out and wrestle. I think on paper, people knew Columbus was much more talented than us and loaded with more experience than we were able to bring to the state tournament. It came down to the last match and we gave ourselves a chance to win.”
Ghobadpoor added, “Kudos to our kids for believing. They could have said, ‘We’re supposed to lose, but they didn’t do that.’”
Gilmer spent the season ranked No. 2 while Columbus held down the top spot all year.
The finals started with the 132-pound bout, and Gilmer’s Domingo Velasquez earned a decision for a quick 3-0 lead. Columbus then went on to secure decisions at 138 and 144 and pin at 150 to jump ahead by nine points.
GHS senior Frisly Ambrocio (157) battled his way to a pin in the third period before a Blue Devil major at 165. A Columbus pin at 170 put GHS at a 22-9 disadvantage.
Bryson Shubin-Gibbs (195) was illegally slammed and injured by his opponent. He was unable to continue and granted the win and six team points for Gilmer. Columbus was docked a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct when its wrestler stormed off the mat.
Bobcat senior Diego Jacinto’s first period pin at 215 evened the score at 21-21. The Blue Devils got a pin at heavyweight, and Gilmer’s Juan Rafael (106) did the same. The win tied the score once more at 27-27 with three bouts remaining.
GHS senior Leo Domingo (113) pinned his opponent in the second period, and Columbus got a major decision at 120 to cut the Cats’ lead to 33-31.
The finale pitted Carson Farist (126) against Columbus’ Jonathan McDaniel. Both wrestlers are returning state placers, and McDaniel was able to eke out a 5-4 victory to give the Blue Devils a one-point win for the title.
“Going into this (a week prior), we lost one of our senior starters Hunter Brown (to an injury),” Ghobadpoor said. “It was really a devastating blow to us as a team to lose a guy like that, but you still have to keep wrestling. Out of all the teams I’ve had since I’ve been here, this team probably did more with less than any other team.
“We had nine new starters in the lineup for state. Only five guys were consistent starters in previous years. With 2/3 of your squad being new, and most weren’t on the 24-man roster before, I’m so proud of these kids.”
Gilmer’s semifinals matchup versus Pike County came down to the final bout as well. Following a loss by decision at 120, GHS won three straight.
Farist and Velasquez pinned, and Bregan Berry (138) won by major decision for a 16-3 lead. Pike pinned at 144 and 150 ahead of Ambrocio’s tech fall. Pike then went on a three-bout winning streak.
They secured a pin at 165 and 195 and won via tech fall at 170. Behind 32-21, GHS surged ahead in the final four bouts to earn the win. Jacinto and Denny Ramirez (285) both pinned their opponents, and Rafael’s decision moved GHS ahead, 36-32.
Domingo sealed the 10-point win with a pin in the opening period.
Gilmer’s day began in the first round against LaFayette. GHS winners included Domingo (pin), Alex Raymundo (120, major), Farist (major), Velasquez (pin), Berry (decision), Luis Lucas (150, injuryed by illegal slam), Ambrocio (pin), Blakeley Andrews (165, pin), Jacinto (pin) and Rafael (tech).
“We had a tough match with LaFayette,” Ghobadpoor said. “Then we had to go in and scrap with Pike County. We knew all along it was going to be a war and come down to matchups. People were going to have to win and lose the right way. Leo got a big pin for us to put us back in the finals again. A lot of people didn’t think we’d make it that far.
“We gave ourselves a chance to win in the finals in the last match. I’m just so proud of these kids and coaches and what they were able to do. It was a really great dual season for us in the face of adversity. We’ve had adversity from injuries, to kids quitting and not coming out, and I had some adversity in my personal life. To be where we are now, I’m just so proud of them.”
GHS finished the dual season with a 31-8 record. Its seniors won four area duals titles and three traditional area championships. The Bobcats begin preparations to win their fourth traditional area championship with a tuneup at Friday and Saturday’s Burnt Mountain Classic at Pickens High School.