A Fan's Guide to the Georgia 4A State Tournament
Welcome to SEWrestle’s Fan’s Guide to the Georgia 4A State Tournament. For those of you unfamiliar with the Fan’s Guide … here are a few things to know. First, I don’t believe in making predictions … happy to leave that to others. Anything can happen on the mat and these wrestlers must win multiple matches to earn a title … so don’t jump to the conclusion that the favorite is my prediction for the champ. Second, the Fan’s Guide is simply designed to give the average fan an idea of the bracket and who are some of the bets wrestlers to keep an eye on. This is determined by a number of different things including how they placed at the sectional tournament, how they performed at past state tournaments, etc. Third, if you have never heard the term “darkhorse” before … it is usually identified as someone “flying under the radar” that could surprise some people (for the purpose of the Fan’s Guide it will always be a wrestler that finished 3rd or lower at their sectional tournament). I don’t necessarily believe the darkhorse will win it all, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they found a way high onto the podium.
I hope you enjoy the state tournament and best of luck to everyone competing.
Lucas and I talk the 4A State Tournament in the video and I breakdown my thought on the favorite, contenders, etc. below the video.
106
Favorite: Olli Webb (SE Whitfield)
Contenders:
Mason Person (Columbus)
Colson Hoffman (Central Carroll)
Alexis Guardado (Chestatee)
Dean Rollins (Thomas County Central)
Darkhorse: Tate Thomas (Heritage, Catoosa)
Best 1st Round match: Tate Thomas (Heritage, Catoosa) vs. Andrew Fairfield (Madison County)
What to Expect: SE Whitfield’s Olli Webb has been sensational this season and after beating Persons comes in as the favorite at 106. Section B has several outstanding 106’s and it will be fun to watch them compete … Persons and Hoffman had a 3-2 match in last weekend’s semis and that promises to be an outstanding quarterfinal (assuming we get it - Hoffman has to take care of business first vs. Gautam). Chestatee’s Alexis Guardado has 3 falls on the way to the Section A title … and will probably be waiting on the Persons/Hoffman winner (although don’t look past a very good Tate Thomas).
113
Favorite: Tyler Nguyen (Columbus)
Contenders:
Antroveno Hadley (Cairo)
Amadou Diallo (Mt. Zion, Jonesboro)
Tucker Kazienko (Jefferson)
Darkhorse: Phillip Jax (Pickens)
Best 1st Round match: Elijah Peterson (Marist) vs. Bryson Tapley (West Laurens)
What to Expect: A very good weight that should have some very close matches … Nguyen was 3rd a year at 106 and won a close 3-0 final over Diallo to take the Section B title. As a result - he is the favorite, but not a huge one. Antroveno Hadley of Cairo was 4th last year at 106 and won the Section A title with a fall of Tucker Kazienko of Jefferson. This should be a very good bracket with not a ton of separation between the leaders and the pack chasing them. Keep an eye on Philip Jax who had a good win over Jet Le of Shaw before losing 6-4 to Diallo in the semis.
120
Favorite: Chaz McDonald (Jefferson)
Contenders:
Adam Payton (Cedartown)
Johnathan McDaniel (Columbus)
Christian Brown (Rutland)
Cole Cano (North Oconee)
Darkhorse: John Termini (Marist)
Best 1st Round match: Mustapha Jallow (Hampton) vs. Ashton Hines (Thomas County Central)
What to Expect: Chaz McDonald is the returning 106 lb. State Champ and he has had a good season … he is the favorite, but the pack chasing him is hungry and looks ready to push McDonald for that top step. Adam Payton moved from Etowah to Cedartown this year and has been on fire. Payton, a 7A State Qualifier at 106, downed Johnathan McDaniel, last year’s 4A 106 lb. Runner-up, to claim the Section B title. Meaning we could have a state finals rematch in the semis with McDonald and McDaniel. But don’t get ahead of ourselves because McDaniel may have to first handle Christian Brown of Rutland who was DQ’d in their semi last weekend. This one will be fun to watch.
126
Favorite: Davis Dollar (Jefferson)
Contenders:
Aiden Ingram (West Laurens)
Ely Raines (Chestatee)
Fernando Cordova (Cedartown)
Darkhorse: Wyatt Anderson (North Oconee)
Best 1st Round match: Gabe Tvrdy (Benedictine) vs. Victor Johnson (Heritage Catoosa)
What to Expect: Dollar headlines a good bracket from top to bottom. Dollar is the returning 113 lb. Champ and looked every bit the part of a multiple time champ as he dismantled the Section A bracket last weekend … pinning Blake ad Whitten before downing Ely Raines 12-4 in the finals. Ingram had to battle to claim the Section B title … beating Serrano 5-4 in the semis and then Cordova 2-1 in the finals. Keep an eye on Wyatt Anderson - he has the ability to surprise a few people and cause chaos in the bracket.
132
Favorite: Austin Thiel (Perry)
Contenders:
Thomas Termini (Marist)
Chavis Watson (Baldwin)
D'Angelo Pruitt (Chestatee)
Darkhorse: Dom Lasher (North Oconee)
Best 1st Round match: Andrew Dietz (Heritage, Catoosa) vs. Connor Desaultels (Benedictine)
What to Expect: It is nice to have Thiel back in Georgia for his Senior season (he spent last year working with Betterman in Colorado). He looked like the Thiel of old with 3 falls on his way to the Section B title. Termini was 2nd last year at 120 and claimed the Section A title with relative ease (3 falls and a 5-1 decision of Dom Lasher in the semis). It looks like a Thiel vs. Termini match for the title, but don’t shut down on the rest of the bracket because the battles for a spot on the podium should be fun to watch.
138
Favorite: Beau Branand (North Oconee)
Contenders:
Tyree Dashiell (Shaw)
Kullum Irvin (Troup)
Jace Jachimski (Madison Co)
Darkhorse: Drake Kitchens (Northwest Whitfield)
Best 1st Round match: Howard Heller (Marist) vs. JT Bowers (West Laurens)
What to Expect: Branand is one of the best 138’s in Georgia - regardless of class. He took the 132 lb. title a year ago and destroyed the sectional tournament last weekend with 3 falls and a 18-2 tech fall in the finals over Jachimski. Branand is an example of why I want there to be fewer classes in Georgia … it would be great to see him matchup with some of the other top 138’s to see who is the best. We don’t give out medals before the tournament begins, but it would be a surprise if Branand doesn’t claim another title this weekend. The battle for the other spots should be fun to watch. Can someone shock everyone and claim the 138 title? Sure, but it isn’t likely.
145
Favorite: Davis Dendy (Jefferson)
Contenders:
Sam Lesh (Columbus)
Landon Phillips (Northwest Whitfield)
Demetri Pappas (Marist)
Darkhorse: Andrew Sheffield (Central, Caroll)
Best 1st Round match: Afton Anderson (North Oconee) vs. Austin Skiff (Lagrange)
What to Expect: Jefferson’s Davis Dendy returns after taking 2nd a year ago and is the favorite heading into the weekend. Dendy easily took care of business last weekend with falls of 29, 50, and 38 seconds before being taken to the 3rd period by Pappas (where he got the fall at 4:30). Sam Lesh, a returning placer, had to beat freshman Andrew Sheffield and Landon Phillips to claim the Section B title. Dendy looks to be much better than the field … can Lesh or someone else surprise everyone and take out Dendy? Keep an eye on Andrew Sheffield - lost to Lesh 7-3 and could make some noise on the top side of the bracket.
152
Favorite: Creed Thomas (Jefferson)
Contenders:
Drake Wood (West Laurens)
Jesus Navarro (Cedartown)
Matthew Bond (Madison Co)
Darkhorse: Tim Dunn (Troup)
Best 1st Round match: Michael Goode (Marist) vs. Cemydrious Holloway (Hardaway)
What to Expect: The best middle weights in 4A have figured out a way to put themselves into different weights … as a result you have some significant favorites from 132-170 including at 152 with Creed Thomas of Jefferson. Thomas took 2nd a year ago at 160 and after a solid summer and fall of wrestling has established himself as one of the top 152’s. Drake Wood won Section B with a tech fall, 2 falls, and a 5-2 decision of Navarro. The battle for the other spots on the podium will be interesting, but it would be a surprise if we didn’t see Thomas vs. Wood in the finals.
160
Favorite: Seth Larson (Flowery Branch)
Contenders:
Evan Wingrove (Heritage, Catoosa)
Cap Benson (Jefferson)
Christian Curry (Hardaway)
Darkhorse: Jake Shepard (West Laurens)
Best 1st Round match: Casey Lovelace (Madison Co) vs. Tony Burnecke (Northwest Whitfield)
What to Expect: I could just say ditto to what has been posted above … defending State Champ Seth Larson is the clear favorite and it would be a surprise if he is pushed at all in this bracket. Evan Wingrove wrestled very well last weekend, including a 5-4 decision of Jake Shepard in the semis, to claim the Section B title. We could see Wingove vs. Shepard again in the quarters. The bottom side should be entertaining, but it would be a shock to not see Larson claim another title here.
170
Favorite: Tyler Secoy (Columbus)
Contenders:
Cooper Bachman (Islands)
Kadin Inman (Flowery Branch)
Christian Boston (West Laurens)
Darkhorse: Skylar Grant (Heritage, Catoosa)
Best 1st Round match: Bryant Cox (Jefferson) vs. Jordan Lee (Perry)
What to Expect: Secoy has had a tremendous past 12 months and after finishing 3rd last year as a freshman should be the favorite to claim the 170 lb. title. Cooper Bachman won the Section A title with a forfeit of Kadin Inman. The battles between Inman, Boston, Grant, Cox, etc. should be fun to see who makes the podium, but it would be a surprise if Secoy didn’t take the top step (although we don’t know much about Bachman … so perhaps that will be a good final - assuming they both get there).
182
Favorite: Nolan Pozzobon (Marist)
Contenders:
Caden Snell (West Laurens)
Langston Blakely (Arabia Mountain)
DeAndre Heard (Hardaway)
Darkhorse: Shayne Strickland (Benedictine)
Best 1st Round match: Isai Gonzalez (Flowery Branch) vs. Jacob Vineyard (Columbus)
What to Expect: Pozzobon is the defending champ and easily took care of the Section A bracket with 3 1st period falls. Caden Snell has had a good season and looks like Pozzobon’s biggest challenge to claiming another title. Snell had 4 falls - 3 in the first period to claim the Section B title. It would be a surprise if we didn’t get a Pozzobon vs. Snell final. The battle for the other spots on the podium should be exciting.
195
Favorite: Luke Cochran (Jefferson)
Contenders:
Evan Guyton (West Laurens)
Jayden Santiago (Northwest Whitfield)
Cal Rockenbach (Flowery Branch)
Darkhorse: Kevin Gonzalez (East Hall)
Best 1st Round match: Kevin Gonzalez (East Hall) vs. Christian Hudson (Troup)
What to expect: Good weight that is headlined by returning Champ Luke Cochran, returning placers Evan Guyton and Jayden Santiago, and State Qualifier Cal Rockenbach. Cochran is the clear favorite, but will likely have to beat a good Jayden Santiago if he is to make another finals. Santiago nearly downed Guyton in the finals last weekend and will be a tough out on the top side. Guyton looks to have a clearer path on the bottom side, but there are pitfalls along the way. The quarters and semis here could be be fun to watch.
220
Favorite: Sammy Brown (Jefferson)
Contenders:
Kaleb Nicholson (Pickens)
Ashton Hefner (North Oconee)
Jathon Willis (West Laurens)
Darkhorse: Tye Bias (Hardaway)
Best 1st Round match: Peyton Edwards (Bainbridge) vs. Roberto Rios (SW Whitfield)
What to Expect: Difficult to say because the top 3 (perhaps top 4) are all very close to one another. Jefferson’s Sammy Brown was 2nd a year ago in 1A after moving over from Commerce. He has had a very good season, but probably no bigger win that his 3-2 decision of Hefner in last weekend’s final. Hefner was 3rd at 285 last year and moves down to 220 in search of a title (hard to get one at 285 with the #1 285 in the country in your class). Hefner is right there, but might have a tougher road to the top step … will likely have to beat a good Roddrius Tracy (Miller Grove) in the quarters, Nicholson in the semis, and Brown in the finals. That would be an outstanding run. Nicholson was 4th at 220 a year ago and is unbeaten this season … he had to survive a tough 10-8 match with Willis in the Section B finals, but got it done. And dont count out Willis - who has the ability to cause havoc for the top 3. Watch for freshman Tye Bias as well to make some noise.
285
Favorite: Chase Horne (West Laurens)
Contenders:
Caleb Pruitt (East Hall)
Tevin Person (Mt Zion Jonesboro)
Jeremiah Saniford (Miller Grove)
Darkhorse: Sesean Edwards (Bainbridge)
Best 1st Round match: Tyranny McGowan (Columbus) vs. Joaquin Rivera (Stephenson)
What to Expect: Chase Horne is the best heavyweight in Georgia, the best in the Southeast and is amongst the top 3 in the country. He is the biggest favorite in 4A. The weight features some solid contenders in Caleb Pruitt, Tevin Person, and others, but it would be a surprise if anyone else was on the top step when all was said and done. The battle for the spots on the podium should be outstanding. Watch for Sesean Edwards to make some noise on the bottom side of the bracket.