Trion (GA)

Head Coach: Eric Brock (entering 15th season)

Staff: Derek Murdock, Dustin Thrasher, Dwayne Tinney, Adam Cordell

Georgia 1A has developed into must-watch wrestling for fans … two years ago Trion was finally able to knock the Commerce train from the top step (in duals) and a year ago Mt Pisgah put together quite a run to beat Trion, Social Circle, Commerce, and others. The Bulldogs return all 14 of their 2021 State Qualifiers (and all of the 195 points those wrestlers earned in 2021) … meaning Trion has to be amongst the favorites to claim a 1A title in 2022. In fact, Coach Brock’s biggest challenge might be finding a way to get all of his hammers in the lineup (not a bad problem to have).

Trion return State Champs Logan Eller and Zach Sharp - both will look to claim another title in 2022. The Bulldogs also return State Runners-up Seth Huskins and Brantley Wilbanks … both will look to take home a title after just missing out on one in 2021. State Placers Bryce James, Bladyn Bowman, Toby Maddux, Crawford Lee and Daegan Vaughn also have the ability to take the top step in 2022. If the Bulldogs can put 9 in the finals or on top of the podium - I don’t see how anyone will beat them. Add in Alan Paiz, Cohen Blaschke, and Kaleb Park - each won matches in Macon and Trion could (and maybe should) have Bulldogs all over the podium in 2022. Keep an eye on Andrew Jones who returns for his Junior season after missing last year with an injury - Jones was a State Placer as a freshman two years ago. Trion has quite a roster with tons of kids and should be in the hunt for a team title in 2022.

“I am very excited about this season. We did not lose anyone from last season and started of the summer with 57 wrestlers. That number has fallen to about 44, but I believe that number will stand. The 44 wrestlers have wrestled multiple years and I don’t see losing any of them. Last season was a very difficult year with Covid. I don’t think any team wrestled with the same lineup each week, so I am looking forward to hopefully getting back to some normalcy. The boys had a promising summer competing in 3 summer duals tournament and attending Appalachian State University wrestling camp. I saw a lot of promising things, and things that we need to work on. This years team will be lead by 11 very good seniors and I know that they will do it the right way.”

— Coach Brock

West Forsyth (GA)

Head Coach: Evan Goff (entering 16th season; 6th at West)

Staff: Tony Vanhorn, Kurt Rosenberger, Joey Garner, Jon Allbritton, Imani Heslop, Jim Brown

West Forsyth took their shot a year ago and pushed Camden for the top spot in 7A, but (like many others) couldn’t unseat the defending champs. The Wolverines graduated several their hammers including State Champs Ethan Rickert and Dylan Fairchild as well as State Placers Chase Murray and Brody Knapp. The Wolverines will need to look to some new faces to fill those gaps, but the rest of the lineup looks ready to step up and make another run at Camden and the 7A title.

Reed Walker and Noah Danforth both finished 2nd as freshmen and figure to be a key part of the next wave. Despite losing those Seniors a year ago - this is a fairly Senior heavy squad again in 21-22. West Forsyth will be looking to as many as 8 Seniors to step in and make an impact. Seniors Noah Amick, Tony Tanory, Christian Walker, and Jay Helstone each won matches in Macon in 2021 and will be counted on to make a run for the podium in 2022. One key for West Forsyth is how well Seniors Quinn Bovinezer, DJ Little, Franky Strong, and others wrestle in 2021-22. West Forsyth has the pieces - how they fit in the puzzle will be important to how well this team does in 21-22.

“We graduated the nucleus of last year’s team. Two state champions that were almost guaranteed 6 points every time they wrestled. We also graduated two other placers and most all of last year’s seniors had over 30 wins for the season. No one is predicting us to do much but you can’t hide hard work. It won’t take long to get that bullseye back on our backs.”

— Coach Goff

Pepperell (GA)

Head Coach: Austin Sanders (entering 1st year)

Staff: Joe Knight, Matt Sanders, Clint Jones

Coach Austin Sanders takes the reins at Pepperell and has quite a solid group to work with in his first season as the head coach (he was previously an assistant coach to Joe Knight). The Dragons do lose State Placer Drake Miller to graduation, but nearly everyone else returns from a team that finished 11th at the traditional state tournament a year ago. The Dragons have all of the pieces to make a serious run at a top 10 or top 5 spot in 2A in 2022. Returning State Champ Matthew Waddell returns looking to earn another individual title. He was joined on the podium a year ago by Jake Roberts (3rd at 182) - Roberts will be hunting that top step in 2022 as well.

The key for the Dragons is the continued development of their 2021 State Qualifiers and the rest of the lineup. Cory Moten, Kolten Edge, Jackson Lawrence, and Parker Glenn each won matches in Macon and if the four of them can find their way onto the podium … Pepperell will be in the hunt as a team. The Dragons also have a slew of newcomers to keep an eye on including Manolo Deleon, Wilmer Gonzalez, Cody Duck, Brooklyn Duck, and Kado Carlini.

Madison Baxter is Pepperell’s only returning girl wrestler and the first to place for the Pepperell girls program (5th last year in Girls State). Madison will look to make a run at the top step as well in 2022.

“We have a solid core returning with 6 state qualifiers, Roberts placed 3rd and Waddell 1st. We also have a few kids that were a match away from being state qualifiers. We have a great young group coming up and I think their addition will make our team a very strong one. The expectation at Pepperell is always high we look to place as a team and produce state champions. ”

— Coach Sanders