Gilmer High’s girls are back-to-back area duals champions.
This is only the second year the event has been held in Georgia, and the Cats continue to prove they are going to be an issue for teams going forward.
Gilmer was seeded No. 1 and faced No. 2 and host Lumpkin County in the finals. The match came down to the final bout, and Gilmer came away with a 39-38 title win.
Gilmer’s Leticia Tercero (130), Linda Tercero (155), Amayah Jones (170), Carmelina Tercero (190) and Josephine Royer (105) all won with pins in the finals. Andrea Garcia won via decision at 145, and LCHS forfeited to Magdalene Thompson (110).
Five of Lumpkin’s seven wins included bonus points. GHS limited its losses in two bouts that helped secure the championship.
“It was a really tough dual, and Lumpkin wrestled great across the board,” said coach Stacy Galloway. “We have seen them numerous times this year, and this is by far the best we have wrestled. We had a couple of key matches that helped us win the dual.
“Salma Gonzalez has been pinned by Lumpkin’s Cadence Grulla four times this year. She battled hard to keep from getting pinned, losing by tech, which kept Lumpkin from getting an additional point. Going into the last match of the dual, we were up by four. As I sent Cindy Hernandez out, I told her ‘We are up by four, so you win or only lose by a decision and we win the dual.’ She wrestled the hardest she has all year in that match, and lost by a decision. That was such an intense match. It was so loud in there during that match I couldn’t even hear myself yelling.”
After an opening round bye, GHS toppled Cedartown in the semifinals, 51-30.
Winners by pin fall included Abelinda Tercero (140), Garcia, Linda Tercero and Royer. Leticia Tercero secured a decision, and Cedartown forfeited to Morgan Ford (170), Lucy Ann McArthur (190), Taylor Schiesser (235) and Juana Tercero (100).
“I’m so proud of this group of girls,” Galloway said. “They wrestled well, and they were cheering on their teammates all night long. We have a few girls injured we hope to get back before state duals, and a couple others who are still working on getting to the right weight class.
“If everything works out, we will have a full lineup at state with the goal of being state champs.”
The girls state duals tournament next will be held Jan. 26-27 at University of West Georgia.