State Wrap up - Episode 5: Georgia 4A-7A plus the Girls Hammers
Each state had some absolute hammers at their state tournaments. We routinely recognize hammers throughout the season (in fact we try to do it weekly in December and January). In that case, coaches are asked to submit a wrestler that exceeded their expectations - whether that was on the mat, in the classroom in a leadership position, etc. We believe “hammers” aren’t just those wrestlers that destroy their competition and it is important to recognize those wrestlers that are continuing to push their ceiling.
But in this case - we are looking for those wrestlers that really hammered their way to a state title. These are the wrestlers that left no doubt. Not all State Champs are listed … the names below met 3 criteria: 1) they won a state title, 2) each classification had representatives, and 3) they met the point cutoff. Honestly - some brackets were tougher than others and a wrestler that won 5-4 in the semis and then 3-2 in sudden victory to win a title might be more deserving even though he or she did not score as many team points … I fully recognize that. But to avoid confusion (and to make it as objective as possible) I went with the above criteria.
Point cutoffs for each:
Georgia 4A: 27.5
Georgia 5A: 28.5
Georgia 6A: 26.5
Georgia 7A: 28.0
Girls: 31.0
Girls NOTE: The wrestlers with larger brackets had more of an opportunity to score than others. But no way to easily calculate which points to include or exclude - so this is a straight cut at 31 points - apologies if you had a smaller bracket but still hammered your way through it.
The 5A Hammers
Unlikes any other class in Georgia or any other state - I have separated the Georgia 5A hammers out because it seemed like a competition amongst them to see who could get the most falls in the least amount of time.
Gunner Filipowicz (Woodward Academy) - Georgia 5A 170 lb. State Champ
Caleb Henson (Woodland) - Georgia 5A 152 lb. State Champ
Noah Hoffmeier (Cass) - Georgia 5A 220 lb. State Champ
Cole Hunt (Cass) - Georgia 120 lb. State Champ State Champ
Michael Kilic (Woodward Academy) - Georgia 5A 145 lb. State Champ
Matthew Singleton (Woodward Academy) - Georgia 182 lb. State Champ
Jaxon Smith (Woodland) - Georgia 195 lb. State Champ
Six of the 7 wrestlers above scored 30 points for their team - the most that could be scored in the tournament (with 4 matches). Hoffmeier had 3 falls in 8:15 to claim the 220 lb. State title, but was out of the most pins in the least amount of time competition early because he got an injury default in his 2nd round match vs. Damio Wasendorf. That left six in the hunt …
Henson had a 32 second fall in the 2nd round
Smith had a 44 second fall
Hunt had a 50 second fall
Kilic had a 59 second fall
Singleton had a 1:16 fall
Filipowicz had a 1:51 fall
Quarters (falls for everyone - time is 2 matches added together)
Smith (1:22)
Hunt (2:00)
Henson (2:02)
Kilic (2:38)
Filipowicz (3:48)
Singleton (4:27)
Two falls under a minute put Jaxon Smith in the lead over Cole Hunt and Caleb Henson. Singleton dropped out of the race after getting a 17-1 tech fall over Paramore in the semis. Each of the others got a fall in the semis:
Smith (2:06)
Henson (3:54)
Kilic (3:53)
Hunt (3:57)
Filipowicz (9:29)
Filipowicz had a tough match with 2020 State Runner-up Ethan Kasler in the semis - ultimately getting the fall, but late enough that he was no longer in the race for the most falls in the least amount of time. Leaving 4 with Jaxon Smith having a sizable lead (nearly 2 minutes) on his Woodland teammate Caleb Henson.
Cole Hunt had a 1st period fall of Conner Kimbrough in the 120 lb. final - he had all 4 wins by 1st period fall for a total of 5:34.
Caleb Henson was pushed to the 2nd period for the first time all tournament - getting the fall of Grant Monroe at 2:32 for a total of 4 falls in 6:26.
Michael Kilic was also pushed into the 2nd period by Cage Leddon in the 145 lb. final - getting the fall in 3:17 for a total of 4 falls in 7:10.
Jackson Smith was the only wrestler (besides Hunt) to get 4 1st period falls - the difference was the each of his came under a minute. He pinned Alvin Emfinger in 23 seconds of the 195 lb. final to finish with 4 falls in 2:27.
I could have talked about each of these hammers the same way I did the other classes, but it would have been the same thing - 4 falls in x amount of time or some variation. As I was watching them wreck their brackets I was thinking that they might have been looking to see who could get the most falls in the least amount of time … for those that don’t know that is the Gorrian award. Each dominated their weights and claimed titles in 2021.
Kaleb Clark (Camden County) - Georgia 7A 132 lb. State Champ
Clark dominated the 132 lb. bracket. He had 3 2nd period falls and then downed Kade Johnson of Cherokee in the finals 7-1. In fact, Clark finished the tournament yielding just 1 point (a 2nd period escape to Johnson) … he outscored his opponents 17-1.
Luke Cochran (Jefferson) - Georgia 4A 170 lb. State Champ
Cochran was sharp early in the tournament - getting falls with relative ease. He had a 44 second fall, and 1 minute and 2 second fall before getting Zak Price in the semis. Cochran went up 7-0 before getting the 2nd period fall to book his ticket to the final. He then ran into Greyson Clark. Clark has had much success around the Southeast this year and the battle for the 170 lb. top spot was one to watch. They finished the 1st two periods with Cochran leading 3-2 - an early 3rd period escape by Clark tied it at 3 … then things got wild. Cochran got a takedown with 13 seconds remaining - Clark had a quick escape (score 5-4 Cochran) before Cochran was hit with a stall call with 5 seconds left in the match making it 5-5. Cochran put that behind him and got the takedown in sudden victory to win 7-5.
Dylan Fairchild (West Forsyth) - Georgia 7A 285 lb. State Champ
Fairchild climbed to the top of the 285 lb. podium a second time - this time we accrued 4 falls in 2:46 including a 25 second fall of Thomas Dossett in the finals. Fairchild, a UGA signee, is one of the best heavyweights in the Southeast … unfortunately we won’t get to see if he is the best in Georgia because he and Horne never crossed paths.
Clint Gilbert (Collins Hill) - Georgia 7A 138 lb. State Champ
Gilbert was outstanding as he cruised in the early rounds - raking up pins of 31 seconds, 1:55, and 41 seconds before having to grind out an 8-4 win over Anthony Doyle of Camden County. Gilbert controlled the action on the feet in the finals vs. Doyle - getting a takedown early, but giving up a reversal to end the 1st period tied at 2. Gilbert added two more takedowns in the 2nd period (while giving up 2 escapes) and led 6-4 heading into the 3rd … a reversal sealed the win and Gilbert claimed the top spot at 138.
Malik Hardy (Spencer) - Georgia 4A 120 lb. State Champ
Only Chase Horne scored more team points in 4A than Malik Hardy. Hardy finished the season 39-0 with 2 falls, a 13-5 quarterfinal win over Tyson Thurmond (in what was his most difficult match) and a 15-0 tech fall of Thomas Termini of Marist in the finals.
Dianna Holmes (North Gwinnett) - Georgia Girls 112 lb. State Champ
Top seed Dianna Holmes navigated a tough (and deep) 112 lb. bracket to claim the top step. She had 2 falls, a 9-0 major decision over Ella Ki, a 7-0 decision over Calli Payton before having to grind out an 8-6 decision over #3 seed Alyssa Valdiva in the finals.
Chase Horne (West Laurens) - Georgia 4A 285 lb. State Champ
Horne provides significantly less to write about - because he dominates his opponents. He is the only wrestler in 4A to tally 4 consecutive falls on his way to the title and he did so in a total of 4 minutes. Despite only being on the mat for 4 minutes - he had 8 takedowns, 3 sets of nearfalls, and only gave up points on “escapes”.
Rylan Ibold (Buford) - Georgia 6A 106 lb. State Champ
Ibold is one of the few freshmen to make the list … he was superb on his way to the 6A 106 lb. State title. He pinned Bullard in 43 seconds before pinning Brunswick Senior Trent Burke in 3:21 (good match that was 4-2 midway through the 2nd period when Ibold got the fall). He then downed Durban Carpenter 10-1 to setup a final vs. Colin Dragon of Richmond Hill. Ibold got the early takedown and began the 2nd period with a reversal to go up 4-1 before giving up a reversal to make it 4-3. A late escape by Ibold at the end of the 2nd made it 5-3 (and our final score). Dragon chose bottom and couldn’t get away and Ibold won his first title (how many will come for the freshman?).
Sam Johnson (North Oconee) - Georgia 4A 152 lb. State Champ
Johnson had to work for his 152 lb. title. He had a 45 second fall before grinding out a 4-3 quarterfinal win over Kullum Irvin 4-3. From there he had a 1st period fall over Malcolm Collins before another tough match vs. Hoke Poe-Hogan of Jefferson in the finals. Johnson would eventually get the fall late in the 3rd period, but Poe-Hogan led for much of the match and it wasn’t until an escape and a late takedown that Johnson sealed the deal.
Amani Jones (Ola) - Georgia Girls 122 lb. State Champ
Jones demonstrated why she is considered either the best (or one of the best) wrestlers in the SE. She simply broke the 50 girl bracket with little fanfare. She had 3 1st period falls, a medical forfeit and then a 12-0 major decision Reagan Masters in the finals. She outscored her opponents 23-0 over 5 matches to claim the 122 lb. title.
Seth Larson (Flowery Branch) - Georgia 4A 145 lb. State Champ
Larson is one of the few freshmen to make the hammer list. He obliterated the bracket early with a 53 second fall, a 3:22 fall, and a 15-0 tech fall before running into Ayers Honiotes of Jefferson. Honiotes took the lead in their final with a 2nd period reversal, but Larson countered with a takedown in the 3rd. 2-2 sudden victory and Larson got the takedown for his first state title.
Dawson Mathews (Alexander) - Georgia 152 lb. State Champ
Mathews is the only one on this list to make it without getting a fall in the tournament. He had 3 tech falls including a 15-0 win over Sebastian Shered in the finals. Mathews scored 61 points in 4 matches and yielded just 10 (6 of which came in the quarters against his toughest competition - a 12-6 decision of 2020 State Runner-up Jackson Eller).
Hunter McCullough (Lowndes) - Georgia 7A 106 lb. State Champ
McCullough is the only wrestler on this list that climbed to the top step without having done so the week before. He finished 2nd to Daniel Fredericks in the Area 1 tournament and had to battle from a runner-up spot through the bracket. He had a 1st period fall, an 11-0 major decision, a 4:20 fall over Adam Payton, a 7-5 decision in the semis over Joshua Wayland, and a 17-2 tech fall over Reed Walker in the finals.
Josh McCutchen (Valdosta) - Georgia 6A 195 lb. State Champ
I don’t know if it has been done before, but McCutchen beat previous State Champs to claim the 195 lb. state title (and he still made this list). He had a 15-0 tech fall before downing 2020 285 lb. State Champ Parker Bennett 8-6 SV1 in the quarters. McCutchen then downed Brian Maina 8-0 in the semis before taking out the defending 195 lb. State Champ Kaleb Walley with a 2nd period fall in the finals. For those making the argument that others made this list because their bracket wasn’t as hard … well McCutchen proved anyone can make the list no matter how difficult the bracket is.
Chaz McDonald (Jefferson) - Georgia 4A 106 lb. State Champ
McDonald was the spark for the Jefferson “revenge tour” - getting the Dragons off to a quick start in every match they had (including the state tournament). McDonald paved the way with 28 points - 3 falls and an 11-6 decision of Johnathan McDaniel in the finals.
Caitlyn Mixon (Ware County) - Georgia Girls 162 lb. State Champ
Caitlyn Mixon was the only wrestler to make the list that came in unseeded (not seeded in the top 8) to make her way to the top step. Mixon had a 1st period fall over McKellop before taking out #1 seed Sarai Sanders of Hillgrove with a 2nd period fall. She then had a 13-5 major decision, a 2nd period fall of #4 seed Nia Ojuro before pinning #2 seed Kayleigh Hilley in 1:08 to claim the title.
Catherine Mullis (Baldwin) - Georgia Girls 132 lb. State Champ
Mullis came in the top seed at 132 and handled things with relative ease in claiming the top step. She had 4 falls including one at 5:58 in the finals of Geevieve An of Kennesaw Mountain. Her closest match was a 4-1 decision in the quarters over Briana Botts of Creekview.
Hunter Noland (Dalton) - Georgia 6A 145 lb. State Champ
Noland tied RJ Weston for the most team points scored in 6A with 29.5. He had a 9 second fall, a 26 second fall, before downing Jeremiah Dawson 15-0 in the semis and pinning Patrick Parlato in 1:04 in the finals. Noland gave up just 1 point in 4 matches and was an absolute beast as he claimed the 145 lb. title.
David Panone (Lassiter) - Georgia 6A 132 lb. State Champ
Looking for the definition of a grinder? Watch Panone wrestle. Tough in every position and doesn’t like to give up any points. He had a fall and an 18-1 tech fall before pulling Cullen Kane in the semis. A dominating 14-1 decision pushed him into a final opposite Nick Cambria of Buford. A slick takedown to end the 1st period was all that Panone would need to claim the title - end up winning 3-0. In all he scored 44 points in 4 matches and gave up 4.
Jeremy Paradice (Colquitt County) - Georgia 7A 145 lb. State Champ
Paradice joined West Forsyth teammates Rickert and Fairchild in pinning his way to a state title. Paradice had 10 takedowns and didn’t give up any as he was in control of each of his matches. His falls of Cavazos in the semis and Lobdell in the finals were the quickest falls he had of the tournament.
Ethan Ricket (West Forsyth) - Georgia 7A 160 lb. State Champ
In a most pins in least amount of time with his teammate Dylan Fairchild - Ethan came up just short. He tallied 4 falls in 3:28 (about 45 seconds slower than his teammate). Both were outstanding - obviously. Ethan only crossed the 1 minute mark once - settling for a pin in 1:20 in his 2nd round match to Tyler Gorman. Otherwise he had pins of 52 seconds, 36 seconds, and 40 seconds.
Madden Sanker (South Paulding) - Georgia 6A 285 lb. State Champ
Sanker won a very good 285 lb. bracket and did so in style. He had 2 1st period falls before getting a very tough William Abbott of Brunswick in the semis. A hard fought 1-0 win pushed Sanker into the finals opposite Frankie Valle of Lassiter. Sanker wasted little time in getting a takedown and then the fall to claim the 285 lb. top step.
Samantha Scarbrough (Harris County) - Georgia Girls 142 lb. State Champ
Grit and determination. Scarabrough ran through the 142 lb. bracket early - getting 4 1st period falls including a 1:09 fall over #3 seed Merianye Mercado in the semis. She then pulled Kendra Heroch in the finals and it was a slugfest. Heroch got up early with a takedown and 3 point nearfall before Scarbrough would put points on the board with a reversal at the end of the 1st period. Heroch chose down and Scarbrough put on a tough ride for 2 minutes to not relinquish the position. Scarbrough chose bottom in the 3rd and got an escape and a takedown to tie it up at 5 sending the match to sudden victory. Scarbrough capped off her senior season with a takedown and a comeback win to claim the 142 lb. title.
Kennedy Shropshire (Mountain View) - Georgia Girls 102 lb. State Champ
44 wrestlers entered the 102 lb. weight, but it was 3 seed Kennedy Shropshire that made her way to the top step. Shropshire had 3 falls (2 in the 1st period) before outlasting #2 seed Lisa Glymph 5-2 in the semis and then downing Catarina Velasquez of Chestatee 7-0 in the finals. Shropshire outscored her competition 27-2 throughout the tournament.
Jacob Silka (Cherokee) - Georgia 7A 113 lb. State Champ
Silka joined some select company as he climbed to the top step for a second time - this time at 113. As a Junior, he has an opportunity to join a very select group in 2022 that have claimed 3 titles. He had 3 falls and a 10-0 major decision over Noah Danforth to claim the 113 lb. title. Silka went through the tournament without giving up a point (not even a given escape - outscoring his opponents 18-0).
Riso Webb (Southeast Whitfield) - Georgia 4A 126 lb. State Champ
Webb capped off the 2020-2021 season wit ha 27-1 record and a run through the 126 lb. bracket. He had 3 falls (including a 33 second fall of Xander Argentinis) before grinding out a 10-6 win over Jarrett Greene in the finals. Webb got up early on Greene with a takedown and 2 differents sets of nearfalls to lead 7-1 after the 1st period.
RJ Weston (Lassiter) - Georgia 6A 160 lb. State Champ
Weston bounced back in style after missing last year’s state tournament with an injury. He had 3 falls including a 2nd period fall of Dylan Burton of Alexander in the finals. He also had an 18-2 tech fall of a tough Nick Barton in the semis … leaving Weston with 29.5 points and tied with Hunter Noland for the top spot (in team points earned) in 6A.