Gilmer High wrestling is flying under the radar to begin the season, and head coach Josh Ghobadpoor would not have it any other way.
The 19-time state championship program enters the season with 50 wrestlers on the roster. Ghobadpoor has been delighted with the effort, dedication, attitude and commitment he has observed from the Bobcats, and those traits were forged during June.
“We averaged 20-plus kids in the summer every day,” Ghobadpoor said. “We were going four to five days per week in June, and we had some kids who didn’t miss a day. We saw that translate over to the preseason. We see all these kids really committed, and then you have kids coming out who maybe never wrestled before. We’ve seen this steady incline of positivity and hard work we’ve been putting in.
“From the summer to the preseason to now, and the expectations we laid on them ... we said, ‘Guys, we’re going to be really tough, but you can handle it and you can do it.’ We’ve really seen kids gravitate to hard work.”
Last season marked the end of an era for Gilmer’s storied program as the team endured a rash of season ending injuries to some of its top wrestlers.
When GHS placed third at the traditional region tournament, it signaled the end of the Bobcats’ run of 19-straight championships. On the duals side, Gilmer lost to Lumpkin County in the region finals. The defeat ended Gilmer’s streak of 11 consecutive dual championships.
After reaching 14 state duals finals in a row, which yielded seven titles, the Bobcats were eliminated from the event last season when GHS narrowly lost its first two matches.
“Last year, we started ranked No. 20, and we hard worked our way to No. 3 before some devastating injuries at the tail end of the season, which is the worst possible time,” Ghobadpoor recalled. “We lost four starters, and now the focus is to reset the tone. That old era is done. We had those streaks, and this year we don’t even have any returning state placers.
“We have to work and scrap and claw, and it is a lot easier to motivate and get excited when you’re the underdog. I like that, I like the climb. When you’re at the top, you have it coming from every direction. Now, we have to re-earn that placement we used to be in.”
Ghobadpoor added, “These guys don’t have anyone they can look back at and say, ‘All right, someone is going to do it for me.’ We have to do it, and I’m really proud of the way they’re taking on that challenge.”
Senior captain Harrison Chester (157 pounds) is Gilmer’s only returning state qualifier from last season. Other notable returning wrestlers include senior Kevin Gonzalez (138), junior Manny Velasquez (132) and sophomore Braelyn Nelson (120), according to Ghobadpoor.
He voiced his excitement in regard to some underclassmen, as well others who are “great athletes.” Ghobadpoor is looking forward to seeing their progression throughout the season.
“This group is extremely coachable,” he said. “They’re willing to work hard and do what it takes. We’re not a perfect team, but the kids we have understand we’re going to do it right the first time, and if not, we’re going to go back and do it again. They’ve shown a lot of grit, are working hard and have been dedicated.
“I think we’ll hard work our way into being a team people won’t see coming. They know the name, but I think they’ve already counted us out (saying), ‘Oh, they’re done’ or maybe ‘Oh, it’s over.’ I’m sitting back smiling thinking, ‘That’s the best thing for us.’”
Gilmer enters a new region this year, and Ghobadpoor believes it is the second toughest in Class 3A. Their goal is to win a region title, and he discussed what it will take to achieve that.
“I just need effort. I need them to be student athletes and take care of things in the classroom,” he said. “They have to show up every day and be committed. I need them to give us the best they have. I don’t need them to be anybody but themselves, but I need them to strive for the best version.
“Our goal is to win the region title, qualify for state duals and go in there and be top eight or better. Those are attainable goals, and we’re going to have to work hard to do that. I’m encouraged by the work ethic and consistency of our kids. They have a grinder mentality, and that’s what we need right now.”
Season starts
Gilmer fans got a view of this year’s team at the annual Purple and White Alumni Night last Tuesday.
GHS boys and girls wrestlers made up teams for the 16-bout intrasquad match, and Purple came out on top, 53-28.
Gilmer kicked off the season last Saturday with its annual Bobcat Duals. Three teams made the trip, and Gilmer posted a 3-0 record.
The Bobcats started the day against Fannin County, and topped the Rebels, 72-9. Next up was Class 6A Forsyth Central, and Gilmer notched its second win, 51-23. Gilmer closed out the day versus Murray County. The Cats’ 50-28 victory not only solidified their perfect day, but it marked the 200th career win for Ghobadpoor.
“I was extremely excited with what we did on the day,” he said. “I’m excited about what we did and what we’re going to do. I’m excited about the longevity of this team. We’re kind of bottom heavy (with 33 of 50 wrestlers being underclassmen), which is great. I see good leaders there, too.”
Seniors Harrison Chester and Kevin Gonzalez, junior Manny Velasquez and sophomore Braelyn Nelson served as team captains for GHS. Ghobadpoor was able to get some back-up wrestlers in for the Fannin match.
Forsyth Central is typically a yearly opponent for Gilmer. Wrestling began at 113 pounds, and GHS jumped to a 39-0 lead. The Bulldogs held an advantage in the upper weights and cut the margin to 28 points by the end.
“That match went as I expected. I knew they were going to be tough up top,” Ghobadpoor said. “We were able to swing a couple down low and in the middle (weights). That was a good win for us.”
Ghobadpoor was familiar with Murray County as well. The senior-laden Indians were a previous area opponent, and their roster contained multiple state placers and qualifiers. Ghobadpoor bumped four wrestlers up a weight class to create favorable matchups.
“We knew it was going to be tough, and we knew we had to be real tough down low,” Ghobadpoor said. “We dropped some matches that were really hard on us. It could have been a lot closer.”
Gilmer will attend the Battle of the Castle Saturday at Pace Academy.