A Fan's Guide to the Georgia 2A State Tournament
Welcome to SEWrestle’s Fan’s Guide to the Georgia 2A 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.
106
Favorite: Cael Kuskey (Lovett)
Contenders:
Blake Summers (Fannin Co)
Landon Carlton (Chattooga)
Benjamin Ganz (Pace)
Darkhorse: Miles Mason (Oglethorpe Co)
Best 1st Round match: Hayden Langley (Dade Co) vs. Reid Flournoy (Lamar Co)
What to Expect: Freshman Kusky beat the defending State Champ Blake Summer 10-7 in the semis and pinned Ganz in the 1st period to claim the Section A title last weekend. Kusky, given that performance over Summers, has to the favorite this weekend. Landon Carlton looked good in taking the Section B title with 3 first period falls … both freshmen will look to take care of business on their sides of the bracket (but Carlton has the more difficult path with Summer sitting as a potential semi matchup). Keep an eye on Miles Mason - not likely to make the finals, but certainly expect the freshman to land somewhere on the podium this weekend.
113
Favorite: Angel Cruz (Banks Co)
Contenders:
Gavin Mastrangelo (Bremen)
Jonah Houston (Model)
Thawbaan As-Siddiq (Columbia)
Darkhorse: Alex Hyman (Lovett)
Best 1st Round match: Gideon Moore (Dade Co) vs. Nathan Layton (Lamar Co)
What to Expect: Cruz of Banks County was 3rd a year ago and looked great in pinning both Hyman and As-Siddiq on his way to the Section A title. Mastrangelo was 4th at 106 a year ago and won Section B with 3 falls. Mastrangelo could get the winner of As-Siddiq and Hyman and that will make for a very interesting semifinal. Banks looks like he is in the prime spot to make a run to the finals. There will be some good matchups and keep an eye on Moore vs. Layton - both winning and advancing will be important in the team race for both schools.
120
Favorite: Bryan Valladares (Oglethorpe Co)
Contenders:
Jacob Voyles (Banks Co)
Samuel Register (Toombs County)
Gavin Coleman (Jeff Davis)
Darkhorse: Ben Schiffer (Pace Academy)
Best 1st Round match: Waylon Carter (Coosa) vs. Cooper Moreland (Fannin Co)
What to Expect: As you may have heard in my conversation with Lucas - we are both fans of picking a favorite who has previously been on the podium (or the top of the podium) when we can’t find a head-to-head matchup from this year. That’s the case here with Valladares who is the returning State Champ at 113 lbs. Voyles is a returning 106 lb. State Placer and the two have to be the favorites on their side of the bracket, but that said - we lean Valladares based on past accomplishments (we don’t see a head-to-head matchup between the two this season). Keep an eye on Ben Schiffer of Pace … he lost to Voyles in the semis and didn’t wrestle Coleman (his potential quarterfinal opponent) last weekend.
126
Favorite: Braden Sauls (Bremen)
Contenders:
Chayton Tuck (Oglethorpe Co)
Jarrdarrious Goolsby (Northeast)
Elijah Mullins (Banks Co)
Darkhorse: Gabriel Hightower (Vidalia)
Best 1st Round match: Logan Lutz (Lovett) vs. Tex Edge (East Laurens)
What to Expect: Outstanding weight that is headlined by hammer and returning State Champ Braden Sauls of Bremen. Sauls is clearly the favorite after 2+ years of dominating the competition, but interestingly the depth here is quite good. Goolsby was 4th last year at 120 and both Tuck and Mullins are super tough. Finding the podium at 126 might be a tough go.
132
Favorite: Parker Coy (Lovett)
Contenders:
Kolton Edge (Pepperell)
Davin Johnson (Toombs Co)
Jaylen Thomas (Cook)
Darkhorse: Carson Collis (Fannin Co)
Best 1st Round match: Tanner Mask (Oglethorpe Co) vs. AJ Norris (Jeff Davis)
What to Expect: Lovett’s Parker Coy is the defending State Champ at 132 and looked every bit the part last weekend in getting 4 falls on his way to the Section A title. Kolton Edge took care of business in Section B … it will be interesting to see how things play out this weekend. The potential quarters between Thomas and Collis and Johnson and Davis will be ones to watch … you will also want to keep an eye on Callaway’s Isaiah Shoemake who could draw Edge in the quarters.
138
Favorite: Shane Watson (Oglethorpe Co)
Contenders:
Taylor Collis (Fannin Co)
Javarious Worthen (Vidalia)
Jake Kennedy (Lovett)
Darkhorse: Gavin Carlton (Chattooga)
Best 1st Round match: Asa Smith-Foot (Union Co) vs. Brandon Willerson (Dade Co)
What to Expect: My favorite weight to watch in 2A. Shane Watson is the defending State Champ at the weight, but the pack chasing is quite good and will make the path to another title challenging. Taylor Collis of Fannin County was 4th last year at this weight and won the Section A title with a fall of Jake Kennedy of Lovett. Vidalia’s Javarius Worthen is also a returning State Placer and is someone that could make some noise on the top side, but he will likely need to beat stingy freshman Gavin Carlton again if he is going to get a shot at Collis in the semis. From top to bottom this is the weight to watch in 2A.
145
Favorite: Sam Howe (Pace Academy)
Contenders:
Zach Frankel (Oglethorpe Co)
George Hernandez (Jeff Davis)
Riley Davis (Model)
Nicholas Moffett (Lovett)
Darkhorse: Zachery Lee (Swainsboro)
Best 1st Round match: James Bumgardner (Bremen) vs. Payton Legatt (Union Co)
What to Expect: Pace’s Sam Howe returns as the favorite after taking 3rd a year ago at 126. But his path will not be easy. He beat Legatt 2-0 in the quarters and Hernandez 7-5 in the finals last weekend - so he knows how to win close matches. Frankel also had a close match last weekend with a 6-5 win over Jackson Lawrence of Pepperell. Howe is the favorite, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see close matches and someone that didn’t win last weekend emerge on the top step this weekend.
152
Favorite: Chris Mance (Lovett)
Contenders:
Clay Frost (Oglethorpe Co)
Miles Watts (Rabun Co)
Kellon Walley (Banks Co)
Bradrick Bennett (Temple)
Darkhorse: Cayden Cooper (Dade Co)
Best 1st Round match: Billy White (Jeff Davis) vs. Roman Coley (East Laurens)
What to Expect: The freshman Mance had quite a tournament last weekend in winning two 1 point matches over returning State Placer Kellon Walley (8-7) and returning State Champ Miles Watts (2-1). As a result he set himself up in a prime spot to make a run at a title. Frost, also a returning placer, won Section B, but must contend with the winner of Walley and Watts in the semis. The bottom side of the bracket is brutal. Mance will likely need to beat Bennett or Cooper in the semis, but last weekend was huge in putting him in a great position in a very good weight.
160
Favorite: Hunter Manning (Vidalia)
Contenders:
Corbin Davenport (Fannin Co)
Noah Allmon (Model)
Brady Guild (Union Co)
Darkhorse: Roman Haynes (Banks Co)
Best 1st Round match: Zac Smith (Dade Co) vs. Brian White (Jeff Davis)
What to Expect: Manning, returning State Champ, and Davenport, returning Runner-up (different weight than Manning), appear to be on a collision course. Both looked good last weekend in taking section titles. Don’t get me wrong … Allmon, Guild, and others will provide some challenge, but it seems more likely we will see a Manning vs. Davenport final than anything. Zac Smith, William LeCompte, Nate Brown, and others could cross paths and winning those matches will be huge in the team race.
170
Favorite: Matthew Waddell (Pepperell)
Contenders:
Stephen Hardeman (Haralson Co)
Sean Phillips (Union Co)
Finn Bresnahan (Lovett)
Darkhorse: Trez White (Elbert Co)
Best 1st Round match: Cam Cooper (Banks County) vs. Ronald Pointer (Vidalia)
What to Expect: Waddell is a returning State Champ and has looked every bit the part this season. He has some outstanding wins and his losses have come to some top competition. He looked great on his way to the Section B title, but had to grind through a tough Ty Morris in the quarters (Morris is definitely one to watch). In fact - this bracket is filled with pitfalls for the contenders. Trez White, a returning State Placer, forfeited out to 6th after losing in the semis to Hardeman … he could be a problem in the middle part of the bracket for Shaw and Bresnahan. Sean Phillips is the other section champ and sits in a good spot, but will need to beat at least one hammer to punch his ticket to the finals.
182
Favorite: Jake Roberts (Pepperell)
Contenders:
Alex Mathias (Pace Academy)
Landon Williams (Dade Co)
Drew Moore (Fitzgerald)
Darkhorse: Anthone Williams (Model)
Best 1st Round match: Decarlos Willingham (Vidalia) vs. Je’Quez Robinson (Northeast)
What to Expect: The unexpected and some very close matches. The bracket is littered with returning state placers and the road for everyone is going to be a challenge. Pepperell’s Jake Roberts is the favorite after taking an injury default over Landon Williams in the sectional final. That makes the top side super tough with both Mathias and Williams as well as Anthone Williams. Roberts sits in the best spot to make a run, but a potential semi vs. Drew Moore looms large (although he can’t look past the Willingham vs. Robinson winner in the quarters). As Lucas would say - grab your popcorn for this one.
195
Favorite: Cody Williams (Dade Co)
Contenders:
Christian Bostic (Lamar Co)
Aiden Kauffman (Lovett)
Zach Burrell (Haralson Co)
Darkhorse: Matthew Crowder (Fannin Co)
Best 1st Round match: Mason Dodd (Banks Co) vs. Frashawn Sankoh (Glenn Hills)
What to Expect: Dade County’s Cody Williams is the returning 182 lb. State Champ and has looked the part all season. He is the favorite coming in after tallying 4 falls on his way to the Section B title. Lamar County’s Christian Bostic has looked superb this season as well and man-handled the competition last weekend with 4 1st period flls on his way to the Section A title. On paper it looks like the two a destined to cross paths on the finals on Saturday. Fannin County’s Crowder was 5th last year and finished 3rd at sectionals (although he lost to Bostic and never got a chance to meet Kauffman) … that potential quarterfinal is one I’m looking forward to watching.
220
Favorite: Clay Hyatt (Haralson Co)
Contenders:
Christian Bell (Lovett)
Davon Heroch (Chattooga)
Jet Galberth (Rabun Co)
Darkhorse: Jalin Linder (Northeast, Macon)
Best 1st Round match: J'Sun Covington (Cook) vs. Wil Watts (Toombs Co)
What to Expect: Clay Hyatt was 2nd a year ago at 195 and has put together a very good senior campaign. By beating Heroch in the finals … he setup the top side of the bracket as the one to watch. Bell, Heroch, Pangle, Covington, and Watts should be fun to watch. Keep an eye on Jalin Linder who could make some noise. Bell is the Section A Champ and is a returning Placer … he is definitely the favorite up top and it seems likely we will see a Bell vs. Hyatt final, but don’t be surprised if someone in the bracket has different plans.
285
Favorite: Austin Sorelle (Dade Co)
Contenders:
William Stimmel (Lovett)
Landynn Powers (Dodge Co)
Tay Freeman (Temple)
Darkhorse: Dylin Anglin (Oglethorpe Co)
Best 1st Round match: Brock Nobles (Toombs Co) vs. Clinton Williamson (Lamar Co)
What to Expect: Austin Sorelle was 5th last year at 220. Powers was 2nd at 285. But it was Stimmel who grabbed the prime spot in the bracket with a 4-1 win over Powers in the Section A final. That puts Powers and Sorelle on the same side of the bracket in what could be an excellent semifinal. Logan Long only lost to Powers 4-2 last weekend and that could be an outstanding quarter, but don’t sleep on the Oglethorpe County freshman Dylan Anglin who only lost to Sorelle 5-2 last weekend. The bottom side looks fun … will Stimmel be waiting for the winner in the finals?