TIFTON — Shawn Watson believes his wrestling region is one of the state’s toughest. Results of the Region 1-6A traditional tournament, held last Saturday at Tift County High, bear weight to Watson’s beliefs.

In team scoring, his Tift County Blue Devils were fourth at 158 points. As usual, Camden County was a runaway winner at 292.5. Colquitt County was second at 206 and Richmond Hill placed third at 165.5. Camden has won 10 consecutive traditional state championships, and 11 in state duals.

Tift did not have any first places at region, but Javon Bateman (at 157 pounds), Tavon Wallace (175) and Bo Bryant (113) earned second.  Third place went to Steven Zheng (144), with four more Blue Devils earning fourth: Antron Johnson (120), Jaxson Hughes (150), Dawson McMillan (165) and Danny Freeman (215).

“It’s dog-eat-dog in our region,” Watson said. Sectionals, coming up this weekend at Valdosta High, may actually be more in his favor. Tift wrestlers have to finish in the top eight there to make the state meet.

Even getting as close as second place was a challenge.

Wallace has had a dynamic year. After an opening bye, Wallace had a 15-8 win in the semifinals. There, he ran into Camden County’s Brian Wright.

“He did what we asked him to do,” Watson said. That hard paid off with an opportunity at sectionals.

A bye and forfeit quickly allowed Bryant to reach the finals, where he fell to Richmond Hill’s Carter Anderson in the second period.

Bateman also had a first-round bye, then made the finals with a technical fall 19-3 score against Lowndes. That matched him up with Camden County’s Brock Weaver.  Bateman took down Weaver first, but it ultimately ended with a Weaver pin in the third period.

“He gave him a match,” said Watson.

Bateman has had four losses this year. Two are to Weaver. Watson wouldn’t be shocked if they both end up in the state championship match.

Johnson was leading in his fourth-place match, and his loss was a scary moment. During the match, Johnson’s air was cut off for a moment. Watson said he will be fine for sectionals. Johnson has a great chance there as he exploded for a major decision in his first match and got a technical fall in the wrestle-backs.

Watson said Zheng has a good draw for sectionals and was proud of Hughes’ performance. “He stepped up to the challenge.” Hughes had the bad luck of being matched up against Logan Paradice of Colquitt, who has only lost once in his high school career.

McMillan thundered to a first-round pin and also had a tech fall during his tournament run. Keeping him from the finals was a buzzsaw known as Colquitt County’s Russell Flowers.

Freeman is wrestling up at 215, Watson said. He had a close call in the semis, falling 4-2.

An abundance of Tift wrestlers are going to Valdosta as alternates: Levi Green (106 pounds), Andres Soto (126), Cole Rutland (132), Austin King (138), Michael Dixon (190) and Dustin Alexander (285).

“To be a freshman, he’s wrestled great,” said Watson of Green.

Milestones potentially lay ahead at sectionals or state for Johnson, Bateman and McMillan. All three are within striking distance of 100 career wins.