TIFTON — The Tift County Blue Devils wrestling team competed in the state Class AAAAA wrestling tournament over the weekend at the Gwinnett Arena in Duluth.
Out of 63 teams, coach Shawn Watson’s Devils finished in a tie for 21st with 42 points. Out of Region 1-AAAAA, Valdosta was the top team with 45.5 points. Besides Tift, Coffee also had 42 points. The rest of the league had Lowndes with 34.5, Colquitt County with 25, Warner Robins with 23 and Houston with 12.
Individually for Tift, Zach Dunn was the top finisher as he took fifth at 171 for the second year in a row.
“He is now a two time state placer with a chance to come back next year and possibly win it or place again,” Watson said.
Here is a look at other Tift wrestlers and their accomplishments at the state tournament.
Michael Denny was 1-2 at 103. Joseph Turner was 0-2 at 125, but Watson said, “he gained some valuable experience being the only freshman who qualified to go.”
Jacob Drawdy was 2-2 at 130 and Orian Talton had a 1-2 record at 135. Jarmal Wilcox was 0-2 at 140.
Senior Marvin Chaney was 3-2 at 145 and was one round from placing. Colby Booth finished 3-2 and was two rounds from placing. Jamie Dillard was 1-2 at 189 and Matt Seaman was 0-1 at 275. Seaman had to be pulled out of tournament due to an injury he was trying to compete with, Watson said.
“Overall we did a good job and these wrestlers deserve a lot of credit for what they have accomplished this year,” an enthusiastic Watson said. “We finished the season with a 10-5 record and as runner-up in the area. We also finished in the top seven of all our tournaments. It has been a great season with some great young men.”
Besides the Tift wrestlers, there were several other competitors from the area that won individual state championships in their classifications.
In Class AA, Fitzgerald’s Corey Taylor won the title at 135. Delanno Palmore from Cook High captured the 171 title.
Irwin County and Turner County each had two individual state titles in Class A.
From Irwin County, Jason Jackson won at 103, while Horace Young captured the 125 title. Turner’s Clint Cawley was a repeat winner at 152. He was joined by teammate Howard Jordon, who won the championship at 152.
Turner County finished fifth overall in the state standings.
Besides the two state champions, Stell Stevens was second at 119, Jeremy Stevenson was third at 160 and Michael Shelton was sixth at 130.
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Wrestlers compete at state
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