Blue Devils prepare for state wrestling tournament

Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, February 9, 2022

TIFTON — Three Tift County wrestlers are guaranteed spots at the Georgia High School Association Class 7A championships this weekend and a host of others are hopeful of an opportunity to compete.

Sergio Martinez, Timothy Wright and Dalton Hancock advanced to state Saturday after a sectional tournament that head coach Shawn Watson described as “brutal.” By his calculation, the one-day event at LakePoint in Emerson, consisted of 40 former state placers across 14 weight classes. The top eight duals teams were all at his location.

“It was downright nasty just to place,” he said.

Class 7A and girls state meets begin Friday at the Macon Coliseum. Should anyone put together a long winning streak, they will be on the mats Saturday as well.

Martinez (113 pounds) was the top placer at sectionals, finishing fourth. He was almost third, but lost 2-0 to Camren May of Lambert. “He wrestled his tail off,” said Watson.

Wright was given a forfeit win for fifth place at 138, though both wrestlers in that match had been ruled out. Hancock (220) was sixth after matches “with some tough kids.” He’s been battling a shoulder injury and, having assured himself of state, opted to forfeit his final match and save his shoulder from further damage.

Wright had to forfeit two chances to place higher after being put in concussion protocol. Watson expects him to be cleared for state. Wright won his first match by pinfall and then won a 19-11 major decision before being ruled out for the day. Hancock won two matches by pin until running to Grant Laskey of Lowndes.

Hancock takes a 30-7 record to state. Wright is 21-12 and Martinez is 28-9.

The top six qualified for state. Seventh and eight place wrestlers are sitting on standby in case a spot or two opens up in their divisions. Tift’s alternates are Antron Johnson (106), Davarius Smith (160), Zach Carter (170), Damion Moate (182)

Smith and Moate each finished 7th, with Moate’s final match resulting in a 15-4 major decision.

Watson is still waiting to hear if any of his girls qualified for state as alternates. Five Tift grapplers — all freshmen and sophomores — were at sectionals. Watson said only the top two advanced there.

“The girls wrestled great,” he said. “I have that hope that one of them may get an at-large (berth).”

Sadie Davis finished the best, 4th place at 102 pounds. She won two matches, then lost by fall in the third place match. Devyn Sand, who advanced to state a year ago, twice won by pin at 112, but was involved in a double forfeit for 5th place. A similar fate came to Addison Braswell, who advanced twice at 122 before the 5th place double forfeit.

Seeding the girls tournament was difficult, he said. “Most of our losses were to guys,” Watson said. Sand was 3-0 against girls on the season.

Caden Bowyer (120 pounds), Donterrius Whitaker (145) and Abigale Barnes (122) all won matches in the consolation bracket.

Also competing were Daniel Soto (126), D’Corey White (132), Jeremiah Williams (152), Jeovanni Torrez (195) and Abraham Soto (285) for the boys and Angell Dixon (102) for the girls. Torrez’s first round opponent, Cole Williams of South Forsyth, went on to win the bracket.