The Clear Creek Bobcats are the third best wrestling team in Georgia.
CCMS attended the Middle School State Duals last Saturday in Hall County and posted a 4-1 record. After losing in the third round, the Bobcats won both matches in the consolation bracket for third place.
“This team has simply overachieved all yearlong,” said head coach Walt Monroe. “Heading into the year, we had five starters with significant experience. We had nine starters at state duals that were first- or second-year wrestlers. The competitiveness of this group cannot be overstated. In my 28 years of coaching, I am not sure I have seen anything like it.”
CCMS earned wins over Chestatee (45-28) and Commerce (42-28) to set up a meeting against Jefferson. The Dragons notched a 49-27 win to send the Bobcats to the consolation bracket.
In the consolation semifinals, CCMS faced Central Carroll. After 16 matches, the score was even at 42-all, and the Bobcats won on the 10th tiebreaker, which was the most takedowns for a 43-42 win.
Both Bregan Berry (94 pounds) and Carson Farist (102) earned pins for CCMS. Aldin Tiniguar (125), Trace Morton (132), Kaleb Davis (165) and Israel Francisco (180) did as well to earn precious bonus points.
Bobcats Hayden Berry (88) and David Tercero (147) won via minor decision.
“We had some incredible matches (this year),” Monroe said. “The two most significant came in the consolation semifinals and consolation finals against Central Carroll and Dalton. The Central Carroll match was a back-and-forth match, which ended in a tie that was decided by the 10th tie breaker criteria in the rule book which is most takedowns.”
In the battle for third place, CCMS faced the Dalton Catamounts. Clear Creek defeated Dalton earlier in the season, and they did so again Saturday, 42-35.
Bobcat winners by pins included Farist, Tiniguar, Morton and Francisco. Tercero was in control of his match when his Dalton opponent was disqualified for flagrant misconduct, which gave CCMS six more team points.
Carter Ortis (72), Hayden Berry and Bregan Berry and Elias Ramirez (139) all came away with decision victories for Clear Creek.
“The Dalton match was a rematch from an exciting dual we had won 34-29 against them on December 17,” Monroe explained. “After losing one of our experienced and undefeated starters, we knew that it would be tough to duplicate the results, but once again, these guys came through.
“Ortis and Tercero both turned matches that they had lost against Dalton the first time. Farist and Morton had big pins in matches that they had won by decisions in our first meeting, adding valuable bonus points in the rematch with Dalton. Francisco was able to seal the win at 210 with a pin.”
The Bobcats posted a 13-1 overall record for the season.