Carolina Forest (SC)

Coach Perdue has to be excited about the possibilities of this year’s squad. The Panthers finished 2021 on a high note - taking 9th at the South Carolina 5A State Tournament and putting all three of their qualifiers on the podium. Braedon Bailey downed Gulliam of Summerville to claim the 113 lb. title and Jonte Crumpton lost a close one to eventual Champ JJ Peace of Cane Bay in the semis and finished 3rd. Both return in 2021-2022 and both should be amongst the favorites to claim the top step in 2022.

The Panthers also return Brandon Jacoby, Derick Peebles, and Evan DeLaughter who competed at last year’s 5A Lower State Tournament. The key for Carolina Forest will be how well the rest of the lineup competes in 2021-2022 … if the Panthers can qualify five or more for the state tournament - they could certainly move up from their 9th place finish in 2021. Keep an eye on a pair of freshmen in Brody Bailey and Body Laps … both could make some noise in 2022.

“Expect one of our best and deepest lineups in program history.”

— Coach Perdue

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WE NEED YOUR HELP … We are in the process of collecting as much information as possible and would love for coaches to reach out and share their information. If you are a coach and would like to provide that information please click the “Team Preview” button below to be sent to a survey.

Here is an updated list of the coaches that have provided feedback. I’ll get to as many team highlights as I can before I share the team previews in October. The goal is to share all of the previews by the time each state begins practice (according to their state association).

Coaches - if you filled out the form, but do not see your team listed please let me know.

If you missed one of the State of the Program posts … you can find a list and links to all of them in our blog archive. All of those that have been posted thus far are italicized below.

• Alabama (25)

• Florida (31)

• Georgia (66)

• North Carolina (24)

• South Carolina (16)

• Tennessee (22)

• Total (184)

As of Sunday August 29 at 11:45 am

Alabama (25)

• Arab

• Bob Jones

• Cleburne County

• Enterprise

• Gardendale

• Hewitt-Trussville

• Hoover

• Huntsville

• Jasper

• John Carroll

• McAdory

• Mortimer Jordan

• Mountain Brook

• Ohatchee

• Pelham

• Piedmont

• Robertsdale

• Russell County

• Saraland

• St John Paul II

• Tallassee

• Thompson

• Vestavia Hills

• Weaver

• Wetumpka

Florida (31)

• American Heritage (Delray Beach)

• American Heritage (Plantation)

• Braden River

• Cardinal Gibbons

• Clay

• Cypress Bay

• Doral Academy

• Ed White

• Evans

• Hagerty

• Heritage Palm Bay

• Lakewood Ranch

• Lemon Bay

• Mandarin

• Mater Lakes Academy

• Miami Norland

• Middleburg

• Osceola

• Oviedo

• Palmetto Ridge

• Port Charlotte

• Rocky Bayou Christian

• South Dade

• Steinbrenner

• St Petersburg Catholic

• Suncoast

• Tenoroc

• Timber Creek

• Wellington

• Winter Park

• Winter Springs

Georgia (66)

• Alexander

• Archer

• Banks County

• Benedictine

• Brantley County

• Brunswick

• Buford

• Cambridge

• Camden County

• Carrollton

• Cass

• Central, Carroll

• Chattooga

• Cherokee

• Chestatee

• Collins Hill

• Colquitt County

• Columbus

• Dade County

• Eagle’s Landing

• Eastside

• Elbert County

• Fannin County

• Forest Park

• Gainesville

• Gilmer

• Greenbrier

• Harlem

• Harris County

• Hillgrove

• Jefferson

• Kell

• Lambert

• Lassiter

• Loganville

• Lovett

• Lumpkin County

• Madison County

• McEachern

• McIntosh

• Mill Creek

• Model

• Monroe Area

• Montgomery County

• Morgan County

• Mountain View

• Mt Pisgah Christian

• North Forsyth

• North Hall

• North Oconee

• Pepperell

• Pickens

• Putnam County

• Richmond Hill

• Screven County

• Sequoyah

• Swainsboro

• St Anne-Pacelli

• Thomas County Central

• Trion

• Valdosta

• Vidalia

• Walnut Grove

• Walton

• West Forsyth

• White County

North Carolina (24)

• Asheboro

• Cary

• CATA

• Enloe

• Fred T Foard

• Havelock

• Hough

• King’s Mountain

• Lake Norman

• Laney

• Lexington

• Lincolnton

• Mallard Creek

• McDowell

• Middle Creek

• Mooresville

• Newton-Conover

• Scotland

• South Lenoir

• Thomasville

• Union Pines

• Uwharrie Cahrter

• Wake Forest

• Wakefield

South Carolina (16)

• Boiling Springs

• Carolina Forest

• Chapin

• Dutch Fork

• Gaffney

• Greenwood

• Hillcrest

• Hilton Head

• Nation Ford

• Palmetto

• Powdersville

• Sumter

• TL Hanna

• Waccamaw

• Walhalla

• West Oak

Tennessee (22)

• Baylor

• Beech

• Blackman

• Briarcrest Christian

• Cheatham County

• Collierville

• Elizabethton

• Fairview

• Franklin

• Friendship Christian

• Greeneville

• Harpeth

• Montgomery Bell Academy

• Northwest

• Page

• Pigeon Forge

• Ravenwood

• Riverdale

• Summit

• Trousdale County

• Tullahoma

• Wilson Central

By this time - many of you have seen that we are doing highlights of different teams across the SE as we gear up to drop the team previews in 6 weeks. I was releasing one team a day, but with now over 170 teams having sent in information - I’ll try to ramp it up a bit so we can get as many in as possible before the first part of October. I can’t guarantee I’ll get to everyone, but I will try to get to as many as possible.

Please re-visit when the actual previews get dropped in October because what I am sharing below are just a few of the names the coaches have given me. Much more will be shared - plus SEWrestle’s “What to Expect” - in the team previews. Lastly, if you want to know whether we have your form … you can find the list of everyone that has submitted a form in the blog archive.

Nation Ford (SC)

Nation Ford has made significant gains in each of the three years under Coach Forte. Look for another jump in 2021-2022. The Falcons qualified 3 for the South Carolina 5A State Tournament in 2021 and return two of those qualifiers in Caden Brandenburg and Clayton Rygol. The key will be the group that surrounds Bradenburg and Rygol … if the Falcons can get production from Isaac Nieves, Dalton Curtsinger, and Ja’Derrick Foster - they could make some noise in South Carolina Upper State.

Keep an eye on Jake Moore and Mitchell Ladamus as well as a large group of freshmen that could come in and make an immediate impact.

“We are going to be much improved with a bigger roster than in years past. We forfeited two or more weights during most dual meets last year- we could possibly fill the entire lineup with some depth at a few weight classes. We are returning two State Qualifiers in Caden Brandenburg and Clayton Rygol- both of them have their eyes on ending the season on the podium. We also have several others who could jump levels- Dalton Curtsinger, Ja’Derrick Foster, and Isaac Nieves have the potential to have big years, along with some others who are flying under the radar. After having a winning record last year, we are looking to make a run for the playoffs.”

— Coach Forte

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WE NEED YOUR HELP … We are in the process of collecting as much information as possible and would love for coaches to reach out and share their information. If you are a coach and would like to provide that information please click the “Team Preview” button below to be sent to a survey.