State of the Program ... Cherokee (GA) - Girls

Cherokee (GA) - Girls

Head Coach: Nathan Oertley (3rd year as Cherokee Head Coach)

Staff: O’Bryan Shelley, Nick Watson, Mark Knaggs

Girls programs across Georgia continue to build and the level of competition has gotten better and better each season. Cherokee is fortunate to have 2x State Placer Zoe Parris as someone to build a program around. Zoe has finished on the podium each of the last two seasons and will look to climb to the top in 2023. Keep an eye on Senior move-in Maddie Morris as well as a good group of freshmen this season.

“For the first time, Cherokee is beyond excited to have a girls program building. Championed by returning 2x Placer Zoe Parris, we’re excited to building a girls team that can compete this year, with several new freshman joining the program!”

— Coach Oertley

NOTE: All mentions of placers and qualifiers in the body are based on the 2021-22 season. If a wrestler placed higher or lower in a previous year it is not captured above.

State of the Program, Georgia, GirlsJason FulmoreSeptember 9, 2022Comment

State of the Program ... Greenbrier (GA) - Girls

Greenbrier (GA) - Girls

Head Coach: Donell Bradley (1st year)

Staff: Aaron Epstein, Derek Pollard, Julian Brown, and Ryan McDermott

No team scores a season ago for the Girls, but if there had been … the Pack would’ve been in the hunt. 2022 State Runner-up Jayde Massa and State Placer Arieana Bacon (4th at 152) along with State Qualifier Phoebe Melvin led the way in 2022 and should do so again this season. All three return and each will look to push to the top of the podium after just missing a season ago. The Pack also features 10 others with experience including a pair of Seniors in Julia Zanatta and Katlyn Means.

Add in Juniors Jordan Epstein, Ryan Lewis, Mya Pilger and Trinity Pritchett and Sophomores Liz Martinez and Jalaia Ross and this team has all of the makings of a team that can make a run for the title. Keep an eye on Senior Lyric Drumgoole and freshmen Journey Drumgoole and Esperanza Huiton … if they can fit into the lineup down low then this is a team that will push Chestatee and the others for the top step. The Pack is tough from 130-195 … the key to a title will be Epstein, Drumgoole (x2) and Lewis down low and finding a 235 to fit into a solid lineup from top to bottom.

“We are excited about the upcoming season. We have a solid group of returning wrestlers that are leading the way with some new faces that are sure to make a statement. Last year was about building the foundation and making sure we didn’t let the “speedbumps” slow down our progress. This year we are going in with the objective of tearing down the walls that stand between us and greatness. That “greatness” will mean different things for each girl, but if we stick to that we will do great things this season.”

— Coach Bradley

NOTE: All mentions of placers and qualifiers in the body are based on the 2021-22 season. If a wrestler placed higher or lower in a previous year it is not captured above.

State of the Program, Georgia, GirlsJason FulmoreSeptember 7, 2022Comment

North Carolina Crowns Champs

Despite a few bumps in the road … North Carolina crowned 12 individual State Champs and demonstrated to the NCHSAA the need to #SanctionNC moving forward. Girls from all over the state came together over the last two days and 12 emerged with an individual title. Five of those Champs - Ella Beam of Burns, Savannah Bramhall at Parkwood, Caleigh Suddreth of Lake Norman, Isabel Rodriguez of Dixon, and Eva Keefauver of East Henderson - pinned their way to a title. Angelica Steffy of Croatan was the ultimate “bracket buster” as she took out the top seed and marched her way to the 132 title with an 8-5 decision of Natalie Titus of Havelock. Hope Horan, pictured below, of Mt Airy took out returning champ Reagan Riddick in the semis before downing Jazmin Palma of Uwharrie Charter 11-3 in the finals. You can find the top 4 for each weight and the completed brackets below. Now it is time to get women’s wrestling in North Carolina sanctioned.