THEY KEEP WINNING: Tift County Middle wrestlers celebrate their three-peat. The young Blue Devils defeated Lumpkin County for their third straight state championship.

TIFTON — Back-to-back-to-back.

The Tift County Middle School Wrestling team captured its third straight state championship on Jan. 13, 2024. This marks the program’s fourth state title in a surprisingly five-year span.

Head coach Rayder Schemmel and assistant Britt Wilson have secured the last two titles after former head coach Zac Martin moved up to the varsity level. This eighth grade class has accumulated a record of 71-1, and has not lost in the state of Georgia; Schemmel said their only came to a solid Cleveland, Tennessee, team in a close dual ending 36-30.

At the state tournament, Tift drew the No. 1 seed, assuring a first round bye. Tift saw Jeff Davis in the second round and compiled a score of 83-9 to start the day.

The third round was Jones County versus Tift and ended with the Blue Devils posting 66 points to Jones’ 18. Moving into the semifinals, Tift faced Jackson County. Tift amassed 57 points to Jackson County’s 21 earning a finals appearance against Lumpkin County, another of Georgia’s top teams.

Schemmel said Lumpkin was well prepared and coached for the tournament’s atmosphere. Lumpkin took a quick 19-0 lead, but the Blue Devils were not rattled.

Relying on their leadership and experiences obtained through the season, Schemmel said Tift adapted and overcame the front assault set forth by Lumpkin County by answering back with 39 points.

Tift led 39-19, with four matches to go. Either team could win.

Eighth grader Duncan Walker came through with a pin in the 79-pound class and Tift got another pin to seal the deal, 51-33.

Tift’s middle schoolers won their first state title in 2020. The second came in 2022, followed by another in 2023.

This year’s team was a young one, Schemmel said, with many slots to fill after last year’s title, but the pieces were already present in the program. Many wrestlers are three-year competitors. Eighth graders formed the core of the team.

“The chance of a three-peat symbolized everything for this young group of men and women,” said Schemmel. “Everyone stayed close together like a family with the same goal in mind.”

Schemmel and staff thanked the administration from Eighth Street and Northeast middle schools for their continued support. He also thanked “sponsors, parents, family members, fans who continue to provide support to our wrestling program.”

Special thanks were issued to varsity head coach Shawn Watson and Martin for their support at the high school and coaches Ryan Tucker, Ruth Schemmel, Brian Brown and Mathew Colby Smith.