Gilmer High will be well represented at this week’s traditional wrestling state tournament.
The Bobcats attended sectionals last weekend at Lanier High School, and 11 finished in the top eight of their respective weight classes to earn their spot in the state tournament.
GHS came away with two sectional champions, three runners-up, five third- and an eighth-place finisher.
“I thought we had a great day,” GHS coach Josh Ghobadpoor said. “There were some spots where we definitely could have wrestled a little better. Overall, having five guys in the consolation finals and winning all of those is super. We had 10 guys finish third or better.”
Gilmer champions included Brock Sumner (132 pounds) and Caleb Waddell (170). Sumner earned four minor decisions, including a 2-0 triumph in the finals over LaFayette’s Avery Sullivan.
Waddell began his tournament with two pins before a victory by technical fall in the semifinals. He met Shaw’s Marquis Sanabria in the finals and pinned his shoulders to the mat in just over a minute.
Lucas Lopez reached the 120-pound finals with a bye, pin and tech fall. He lost 10-2 in the finals to Beau Branand of North Oconee.
Diego Jacinto (138) received a bye as well before his hand was raised following a minor decision and pin. He was pinned in the finals by Madison County’s Rowan Smith.
Jacob Cruz (285) also finished second. A bye and two pins landed him in the finals where he was edged by LaFayette’s Matthew Wallin, 4-3.
Winning the consolation finals for third place were Bobcats Gustavo Morales (106), Walter Lopez (113), Abel Jacinto (160), Dylan Galloway (195) and Sammy Tercero (220).
Lopez, Jacinto, Galloway and Tercero all posted 4-1 records and all of Galloway’s wins were pins. Morales was 5-1 at the event.
Miguel Jacinto (126) finished ninth with a 3-2 record, but one of the higher placers did not make weight, so he will advance to state as an eighth seed.
Bobcat Mike Owens (182) posted a 3-2 record at the tournament for ninth and will serve as a state alternate. Freshman Hunter Brown took the mat at 145 pounds and compiled a 1-3 record.
“Looking at brackets for state, on our best day, we could have 11 placers,” Ghobadpoor said. “If we wrestle our best and do what we know we can do, and dig down deep in a couple matches, we could have 11 placers and that’s enough to win it all.”