A Fan's Guide to the Georgia 5A State Tournament
Welcome to SEWrestle’s Fan’s Guide to the Georgia 5A 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 5A State Tournament in the video and I breakdown my thought on the favorite, contenders, etc. below the video.
106
Favorite: Lee Camp (Cass)
Contenders:
Mason Moody (Locust Grove)
Dylan Jurovschi (Jackson Co)
Hayden Fritts (Woodward Academy)
Darkhorse: Nick Nguyen (Harris Co)
Best 1st Round match: Josh Smith (Whitewater) vs. Richard Magana (Chapel Hill)
What to Expect: I think most thought Mason Moody was the favorite entering the post-season (and with good reason), but Lee Camp shut that down last weekend with 2 falls and then a solid 10-2 major of Moody in the Section B Finals. That puts Moody and Jurovschi on the same side of the bracket (along with Nick Nguyen of Harris County). Fritts has wrestled both Jurovschi and Camp tough, but lost in both matches over the last few weeks … but he is certainly one to keep an eye on. Camp has shown he is getting better and better and has to be the favorite this weekend.
113
Favorite: Colby McBride (Woodward Academy)
Contenders:
AJ Piatt (Cass)
Tristan Mallette (Locust Grove)
Jud Farmer (Johnson, Gainesville)
Darkhorse: Jose Pacheco (Jackson County)
Best 1st Round match: Gene Smith (St. Pius) vs. Ryan Starr (Ware Co)
What to Expect: McBride is the returning 106 lb. State Champ and has looked very good this season at 113 (and occasionally 120). He comes in with wins over both Piatt and Farmer (but I don’t know if he has faced Malette this season - and that is a possible semifinal matchup). Piatt took care of business in Section B with a fall of Smith and an 11-0 major of Malette. Malette was 2nd a year ago at 106 and is certainly someone to watch on the top side. Farmer, 4th last year at 106, was 2nd to McBride in the Section A tournament, but keep an eye on Jackson County’s Jose Pacheco who lost early to McBride 6-4 in the sectional tournament before winning 4 in a row to take 3rd.
120
Favorite: Cole Hunt (Cass)
Contenders:
Oran Decker (Harris Co)
Cooper Hoffman (Jackson Co)
Zach Coumbs (Veterans)
Darkhorse: Heath Augustyn (Woodward Academy)
Best 1st Round match: Mason Worsham (Ola) vs. Cayden Pollard (Greenbrier)
What to Expect: Good weight, but no one is close to Cole Hunt. Hunt, a North Carolina signee, is “all in” every match - whether that is against a new wrestler or against the best in the country. He always comes ready to wrestle and this weekend will be no different. The only question for me is … who emerges from the top side to try to knock him off in the finals? Decker lost to Hunt 12-6 in last weekend’s section finals and Decker has a pedigree for being on the podium as well (and would probably be the favorite if Hunt weren’t in the bracket). Cooper Hoffman should be a tough semi (assuming they both get there). The battle for spots on the podium could be exciting to watch and potentially important in the team race (with Augustyn of Woodward Academy, Worksham of Ola, and a few others looking to put up some team points).
126
Favorite: Jake Crapps (Cass)
Contenders:
Carson Bailey (Woodland, Cartersville)
Conner Kimbrough (Ola)
Sebastian Melendez (Greenbrier)
Kale Griswell (Walnut Grove)
Darkhorse: Anthony Phillips (Ware Co)
Best 1st Round match: Karter Nolan (Locust Grove) vs. Tayshun Pope (Coffee)
What to Expect: Don’t spend much time focusing on wrestling outside of the season? Then you might not know Jake Crapps as well as the rest of us. Crapps, 3rd a year ago as a freshman, has had the best 10-12 months of anyone in the Southeast (and perhaps the country). Jake has excelled since the NHSCA’s and hasn’t looked back as he has dominated the high school season. The top side of this bracket is outstanding and will be fun to watch … the bottom side (and really the entire bracket) is a heavy lean for the Cass sophomore (Crapps). Bailey vs. Kimbrough with the winner likely getting Melendez should be outstanding to watch. Same could be said for Griswell vs. Phillips, but in both of those cases we are making an assumption that Kimbrough and Phillips win their first round matches.
132
Favorite: Reese Jones (Ola)
Contenders:
Colton Bishop (Woodland, Cartersville)
Zeb Dawkins (Walnut Grove)
Tyler Barb (Veterans)
Darkhorse: Davin Lundquist (Harris Co.)
Best 1st Round match: Nosa Egbon (Jonesboro) vs. Jack Garrett (Blessed Trinity)
What to Expect: From top to bottom this is one of the best weights in 5A. Reese Jones was 3rd a year ago at 126 and beat a very good Colton Bishop in the Section B finals in an ultimate tiebreaker. When you have returning State Placer Davin Lundquist as a darkhorse - you know you have a good bracket. A possible Lundquist vs. Bishop quarter will be a must watch for the fans. Zeb Dawkins of Walnut Grove looked outstanding on his way to the Section A Title - beating Forquer 7-0 before pinning Gainer and Barb. Reese Jones is the favorite, but with wrestlers like Ramon Castillo, Jack Garrett, Bryce Boland in the mix (as well as everyone else I mentioned above) … this weight will be one to watch.
138
Favorite: Bryce Kesho (Cass)
Contenders:
Sam Harris (Ola)
Crisjaniel Martinez (Greenbrier)
Giles Turner (Cartersville)
Darkhorse: Randy Buchanan (Woodland, Cartersville)
Best 1st Round match: Mark Alexander (Coffee) vs. Dalton Clinton (Union Grove)
What to Expect: Kresho looked superb last weekend in beating Clinton, Kantor, and downing Harris 8-1. He is the favorite and it isn’t close. The top side should be a battle with Martinez waiting on the winner of Harris vs. Turner. That is making some assumptions, but it would be a surprise if that isn’t the way it plays out. Kresho has looked great - can anyone slow him down?
145
Favorite: Latrell Schafer (Veterans)
Contenders:
Tyler McKnight (Cass)
Garrett Wood (Harris Co)
Robert DeHaven (Woodward Academy)
Darkhorse: Brian Papcun (Ola)
Best 1st Round match: Thomas Riordan (Blessed Trinity) vs. James Odum (Wayne County)
What to Expect: Fireworks. Schafer is lights out on his feet and looked sensational last weekend in taking the Section A title. McKnight was equally as impressive in Section B with wins over Papcun and Wood (a 12-4 major). But don’t expect the top two dogs to simply cruise to the finals … this weight is tough from top to bottom. Both have looked impressive and we are looking forward to a possible final between them, but don’t sleep on Wood, DeHaven, Papcun, and others. True Papcun and Wood will have to go through one another to get to Schafer (and the same for DeHaven and Clowers to get to McKnight). This weight class is going to be fun to watch … as Lucas says “break out the popcorn”.
152
Favorite: Caleb Henson (Woodland, Cartersville)
Contenders:
Tanner Vorse (Veterans)
Cooper Allen (Clarke Central)
Michael Kernan (Blessed Trinity)
Darkhorse: Eli Doolittle (Cass)
Best 1st Round match: Damilola Fagbamiye (Chapel Hill) vs. Ayden Hecht (Ola)
What to Expect: Woodland’s Caleb Henson is not only the best 152 in 5A, Georgia, the Southeast, but is also the best 152 in the country. He won Who’s Number One back in the fall and has since won the Hokie Open (beating college wrestlers on his way to the Open title at 149). Henson is the biggest favorite in Macon … easy. Barring an injury - Henson should cruise to the title. The battle is for #2 and that means the six wrestlers on the top side of the bracket. Tanner Vorse is the one to watch after taking 3rd a year ago. Doolittle was 2nd at 132, but injury defaulted to 6th after his semifinal loss to Kernan. He is the darkhorse if he can go … if not - keep an eye on Ayden Hecht (although he would get Henson in the quarters).
160
Favorite: Cole Cochran (Woodland, Cartersville)
Contenders:
Michael Kilic (Woodward Academy)
Jacob Helms (Walnut Grove)
Kriecg Roe (Cass)
Darkhorse: Logan Sherwood (Veterans)
Best 1st Round match: Jayden Lhaubouet (Forest Park) vs. Jared Walker (Ola)
What to Expect: As Bruce Buffer likes to say … "IT'S TIME!" for the moment you've all been waiting for” - the most anticipated final in Georgia. Michael Kilic vs. Cole Cochran. Both are returning champs … Kilic is going for his 4th title and Cochran for his 2nd (I believe - send me a message if I am wrong). Cochran beat Kilic in the dual between Woodward Academy and Woodland - so the favorite tag goes to Cochran. But in reality this should come down to these two battling it out. Everyone else will be looking for a spot further down the podium. So sit back and take in the best match of the weekend.
170
Favorite: Gunnar Filipowicz (Woodward Academy)
Contenders:
Zack McKnight (Cass)
Myles Browne (Coffee)
Caleb Fordham (Ola)
Darkhorse: Spencer Fields (Whitewater)
Best 1st Round match: Skyler Jones (Walnut Grove) vs. David Allen (Stone Mountain)
What to Expect: Filipowicz and McKnight have faced one another several times this year … and each time Filipowicz has won fairly handily. McKnight was a runner-up at 160 last year … Filipowicz is the returning champ at 170. Both took care of business with relative ease last weekend and it would be a surprise if we don’t see the two run it back once again in Macon. The battle should be for the spots lower on the podium and they could be some quality matches to catch. Keep an eye on both Dylan Sikes and Spencer Fields - both took 3rd last weekend and I’d expect both will be in the hunt for a spot on the podium.
182
Favorite: Matthew Singleton (Woodward Academy)
Contenders:
Jerrel Baskins (Southwest, Dekalb)
Parker Warren (Walnut Grove)
Parker Dunn (Cass)
Darkhorse: Zion Smith (Ola)
Best 1st Round match: Sawyer Daniel (Villa Rica) vs. Adam Harvey (Blessed Trinity)
What to Expect: If Henson is the biggest favorite in Macon … then Singleton and Horne are #2 and #3 (you pick the order). Singleton is an absolute beast and should cruise to his 4th state title. Baskins, who was 4th a year ago, sits on the bottom side of the bracket and will likely have to beat Parker Warren to get a shot at Singleton. The battle on the bottom should be fun to watch, but everyone is likely wrestling for 2nd.
195
Favorite: Landen Moss (Walnut Grove)
Contenders:
Charles Higdon (Woodland, Cartersville)
Jason Eligwe (Loganville)
Levi Roe (Union Grove)
Darkhorse: Ben Valdes (Woodward Academy)
Best 1st Round match: Ethan Logan (Jackson Co) vs. Braydon Fordham (Ola)
What to Expect: 2021 7A 195 lb. Champ Landen Moss moves down to 5A and continues to roll … he is unbeaten on the season and is the favorite heading into this weekend in Macon. Moss beat Valdes 16-6 and Eligwe 7-3 to claim the Section A title last weekend. Woodland’s Charles Higdon was 3rd last year at 220 and won the Section B title with falls of Fordham, Bentley, and Roe. The two section champs look like the favorites on their side … who can challenge them? Interestingly, the #2 and #3 from each section … A: Valdes and Eligwe and B: Roe and Shannon didn’t meet last week - so those quarters will be ones to watch. Moss is certainly the favorite, but this weight is clear cut and could have a bunch of different orders on the podium.
220
Favorite: Gavin Proffitt (McIntosh)
Contenders:
Brandon High (Coffee)
Christian Brown (Mundys Mill)
Kelly Wells (Calhoun)
Darkhorse: Marquez Hunt (Jones Co)
Best 1st Round match: Kwadrus Wilson (Woodland, Cartersville) vs. Ethan Padinor (Apalachee)
What to Expect: Interested in a pandora’s box of possibilities? None of the wrestlers in the bracket have made the podium before (as far as I can find) … several have won matches in Macon in the past, but none have punched through to a spot on the podium much less claiming a title. McIntosh’s Gavin Proffitt has had an exceptional season and enters as the favorite after pinning his way to the Section B title. Brandon High of Coffee won Section A, but don’t be fooled into thinking the two have a finals spot locked up. Both should take care of business on their side of the bracket, but both will need to focus on the next match … especially in the semis.
285
Favorite: Shadre Hurst (Cartersville)
Contenders:
Jaylin Tate (Woodward Academy)
Beau Jernigan (Woodland, Cartersville)
Kyle Smith (Walnut Grove)
Darkhorse: Connor O'Neill (Ola)
Best 1st Round match: Jahlil McKenney (Eagles Landing) vs. Dane Rish (Coffe Co)
What to Expect: If I am a college coach looking for a future heavyweight - I’m knocking on the Cartersville wrestling room door. Hurst is an absolute beast. Earlier this year I watched him down top 5 285 James Howard of McCallie. This is a deep weight, but Hurst is the definite favorite … he beat McKinney 14-1 in the semis and teched Jernigan in the finals. Tate sits on the top side and will likely get the winner of O’Neill and Jernigan in the semis. McKinney is a fantastic heavyweight, but drawing Hurst in the quarters is a tough assignment.