A historical look at Georgia 4A Traditional State Champions

The 4A classification takes us all the way back to 1979 and your first-ever 4A State Champions the Chamblee Bulldogs. 4A, which was the largest classification in the state from 1979 to 2000, was dominated by one program - McEachern. McEachern won 8 traditional state titles (there was no dual state championship back then) and 7 in a row from 1989 to 1995. Redan, Sequoyah, and LaGrange each won multiple titles as well, but they were either before of after McEachern’s domination of the class. In recent years we have seen Ringgold win 3 traditional titles (2004-2006), Pope go back-to-back in 2011 and 2012 and Gilmer win 4 in a row from 2013 to 2016. Jefferson and Woodward Academy dominated in recent years, but are now in larger classifications. Lovett and Central Carroll are your two most recent champions with Lovett winning traditional last year and Central Carroll winning the duals in both 2023 and 2024. Below are the most recent state champions of the current 4A programs (keep in mind that the individuals were not necessarily individual 4A State Champions … this is a look at the current 4A programs and their last champion).

Let’s take a closer look at just a few of these names (no time to delve into all of them):

Let’s begin as far back as any state champion still on one of these graphics to 1967 (just 6 years after wrestling was sanctioned in the state). Bill Glass is still the last State Champion for Druid Hills High School. Druid Hills has had 46 State Placers in its long history (the last being Joseph Ray who finished 3rd at 215 in 2017), but no champions since 1967. In the 1960’s Druid Hills was one of the powerhouse programs in the state (crowning 8 different State Champions from 1961 to 1967) and Bill Glass was (and is) their only 3x State Champion.

Fayette County has produced 10 individual state champions (with Drake McCoy claiming two in 2004 and 2005). The last State Champ for Fayette County was Patrick Blankenbeker. Blankenbeker had come up just short in two previous trips to the state tournament - taking second at 189 in both 2007 and 2008 before breaking through and claiming the 4A 215 lb. title in 2009. Blankenbreker dominated on his way to the title with 2 falls, a 5-1 decision before a 13-0 major decision in the finals over Michael Carlisle.

Cedartown has crowned just 3 men’s state champions in their history with Jordan Watkins and Leo Cordero each claiming the first title in Cedartown history back in 2012. Adam Payton will look to join an exclusive club this weekend in Macon and become a 3x State Champion. Payton won his first title in 2022 and followed it up with another in 2023. No wrestler in Cedartown history has been on the podium more than twice - much less on the top step. It is a storyline to watch if you are in Macon this weekend.

Dwayne Jones won a state title for Riverdale in 1993 and by doing so accomplished a few things: first, Jones became Rivrdale’s only 2x State Placer (and still the only 2x placer in their history) and second, he became not only their first state champion, but also their last. That’s right … Riverdale has only had one champion in their history … Dwayne Jones. Riverdale has had State Placers since, but none has claimed the top spot since Jones.