Veterans opens GHSA duals with two wins, Perry and Lamar County getting first-round Ws
Final Thursday update
Three Central Georgia teams got off to good start in opening action Thursday of the GHSA state duals wrestling tournament at the Macon Coliseum.
Veterans, Perry, and Lamar County all won their first-round matches, with Perry and Lamar County falling in the second round. That leaves Veterans as the lone area team in the winner’s bracket.
West Laurens and Baldwin are in consolation action Friday morning, while Perry went 1-1 on the first day and returns to the mat later Friday morning against the West Laurens/Cairo winner.
Veterans got falls in the opening 74-6 win from 10 Warhawks, including in four seconds from Francis Morrissey at 152 and 16 seconds from Tarisn Fordyce at 170.
Six Warhawks won by pin in the second win, 50-22 over Union Grove, and each needed at least a minute. Morrissey won in 1:04.
If Veterans wins Friday night, it wrestles for the state title at 3 p.m. A loss puts the Warhawks in an 8:15 p.m. consolation match.
Lamar County had a battle in the first round, teaming with Harlem for 12 falls, with one forfeit and a technical fall. Braden Pines took down his opponent in 48 seconds at 132. The Trojans were thumped by Elbert County at night.
Eight Panthers won by fall in Perry’s first-round win, including Zeke Taylor in 20 seconds at 195. Things were tight in the second round, a 36-31 loss to Gilmer, which had four falls and a technical fall to one for Perry, which benefitted from two forfeits.
Consolation action Friday is at 3:45 p.m. and 6 p.m. in Class A, 3:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. in Class AA. Three rounds are in 4A, at 9 a.m., 11:15 a.m., and 8:15 p.m.
Class 5A
Veterans 74, Starr’s Mill 6; Veterans 50, Union Grove 22; next: vs. Buford (beat Decatur 78-9 and Ware County 54-23), 6 p.m., Friday
Class 4A
Woodward Acad. 55, West Laurens 24; next: vs. Cairo (lost 59-21 to Cartersville). 9 a.m., Friday
NW Whitfield 60, Baldwin 24; next: vs. Madison County (lost 58-21 to Blessed Trinity). 9 a.m., Friday
Perry 59, Columbus 18; Gilmer 36, Perry 31; next: vs. West Laurens or Cairo, 11:15 a.m., Friday
Class AA
Callaway 46, Dodge County 30; next: vs. Bremen, 3:45 p.m., Friday
Lamar County 48, Harlem 35; Elbert County 55, Lamar County 17; next: vs. Screven County, 3:45 p.m., Friday
Class A
Mt. Zion 57, Mount de Sales 24; next: vs. Turner County, 3:45 p.m., Friday
Friday’s area schedule
9 a.m.
Class 4A: West Laurens vs. Cairo; Baldwin vs. Madison County
11:15 a.m.
Class 4A: Perry vs. WL/Cairo winner
3:45 p.m.
Class AA: Dodge County vs. Bremen; Lamar County vs. Screven County
Class A: Mount de Sales vs. Turner County
6 p.m.
Class 5A: Veterans vs. Buford