When Gilmer High returns to the wrestling mat, it will be at the state tournament.
The GHS Bobcats qualified for the state duals last Saturday at home. Gilmer hosted one of eight sectionals in Class 3A and were joined by Appling County, Hephzibah and North Hall.
Gilmer, seeded No. 1, met fourth seed North Hall in the first round and downed the Trojans, 50-26. With a state spot on the line, the Bobcats decimated No. 3 seed Appling County, 81-0.
“I’m really proud of our guys. We started this string with nine matches (including area, sectionals and state), and now we’re three matches away,” said GHS head coach Josh Ghobadpoor. “We’re sectional champs again in only the second year of the GHSA having it. We’re three matches away from a state championship, but we have to take it one day at a time. Everyone’s season is on the line.”
A meeting of last year’s Class 3A state finalists came first when Gilmer faced North Hall.
“Overall, we wanted that one. That was a big match for us. There’s history there going back to several years where we’re wrestling North Hall in the state championship,” Ghobadpoor said. “Last year we wrestled them in the finals, and there were a lot of different variables at play (such as North Hall using an ineligible wrestler and later forfeiting and vacating the state title after the event). We’ve had this one on our minds for a while, and we’re glad we got that matchup.”
Wrestling got under way at 120 pounds where Bobcat Arturo Gonzalez won with a pin before teammate Bregan Berry (126) did the same.
NHHS took the next three bouts by technical fall, decision and pin. Behind 14-12, Gilmer’s Miguel Jacinto (152) notched a 3-2 win, and Diego Jacinto (160) pinned his opponent in the first round.
The Trojans secured pins at 170 and 180 to slip back ahead, 26-21, and it marked their final win of the match. Following Bobcat Owen Moss’s technical fall at 195 to even the score at 26-all, North Hall forfeited at 220, 285 and 106 as Gilmer’s advantage swelled to 44-26.
Carson Farist kept his undefeated high school career rolling with a pin at 113 to close out the match.
“We knew they have four or five heavy hitters. It was a tough matchup in a couple of those spots, and I think one of those could have gone our way,” Ghobadpoor said. “That would have been a nine- to 12-point swing, but it didn’t happen. We started at a weight class that was good for them as far as them being able to get up on some points. But we’re a complete team, and we were able to get those points back in the process.
“We have things to work on, and we’re never going to stop working until the end of the season. Some individuals have to find a way to improve in some areas.”
Appling County was next, and Gilmer’s 10 pins were recorded by Berry, Kellen Watts (132), Frisly Ambrocio (145), Diego Jacinto, Hunter Brown (180), Moss, Tony Olea (285), Juan Rafael (106), Farist and Gonzalez.
Carson Bentley (138) earned a major decision, Miguel Jacinto won by technical fall and Appling forfeited to both Daniel Reynoso (170) and Dylan Galloway (220).
“North Hall was probably a little bit better team than Appling,” Ghobadpoor said. “We matched up well with them and wrestled hard. We took care of business where we needed to. There are still some things we need to work on. Once we get people on their backs, we have to finish. We have to wrestle complete matches.”
Gilmer is 34-5 overall and seeded No. 1 in Saturday’s Class 3A duals state tournament. The event will consist of eight teams and will be held at Stephens County High School. The opening round will get under way at 10 a.m., and the finals will take place at 3 p.m.
“Right now, we’re thinking about the weather coming in,” Ghobadpoor said of the impending ice and snow. “We already know we probably won’t be able to practice Monday. Hopefully, the weather will hold up, and we’ll able to be in a routine on Tuesday and all the way through to the state tournament.”
Inclement weather did lead to the cancellation of Monday’s practice. GHS hoped to return to practice at Tuesday’s press deadline as long as road conditions permitted.