Wrestling: Marist wins Area 6-AAAA meet, qualifies 11 for state with McNair
- 2/8/12
- Categorized in: Sports
Marist won its second consecutive Area 6-AAAA wrestling championship on Feb. 4 and qualified 11 wrestlers for the upcoming Class AAAA sectional tournament.
The War Eagles were the only team in DeKalb County to win an area title. McNair placed second in the 5-AAA tournament, winning six divisions and qualifying 11 for the Class AAA sectionals. Stephenson finished second in the Area 2-AAAAA tournament at East Coweta and qualified eight wrestlers for the AAAAA sectionals.
Marist outpointed Southwest DeKalb 212.5 to 165.5 and had three weight-class champions—Patrick Jackson (113), Matt Andres (138) and Kenneth Brinson (195)—and had eight wrestlers in championship matches. Patrick Lange (120), Peter Nguyen (126), Ian Kirchner (145), Jack Trainor (220) and Steven Wallace (285) all placed second.
Dunwoody, Miller Grove and Southwest DeKalb also had three individual champions. Dunwoody’s weight-class winners were Sunny Sharma (106), Keith Palmer (160) and Elias Fleishman (170). Carlton Benjamin (120), Alton Hill (132) and Jacob Mitchell (220) were area champions for Miller Grove. For Southwest, Anthony Kaigler (126), Cory Strickland (145) and Gabriel Echols (285) won area titles.
Miller Grove and Southwest DeKalb each qualified nine wrestlers for sectionals, while Lithonia will send eight. In all, 55 county wrestlers qualified for sectionals from the 6-AAAA meet.
Stephenson was beaten in 2-AAAAA by Newnan 156.5-152. The Jaguars had five weight class champions—Jabari Collins (120), Steven Wiley (152), Darian Perry (160), Mike Gates (195) and Brandon Addison (285).
M.L. King qualified three wrestlers for sectionals, including Aubrey Seals, who placed second at 170 pounds.
In Area 5-AAA, Woodward Academy won the team title with 227 points while McNair was second with 214. Area champions for the Mustangs were Khalil Williams (120), Zeontae McCoy (132), Michael Corley (160), Dontavious Smith (182), D.J. Jackson (220) and Kevin Barner (285). Mustangs’ coach Ramon Tillery said that Williams, 46-1, and Jackson, 45-1, are strong contenders for state titles.
Three other wrestlers from DeKalb schools won individual titles in 5-AAA—Aleema Favors (113), Arabia Mountain; Cole Waldron (145), St. Pius; and Damian Schofield (150), Stone Mountain. The Golden Lions qualified eight wrestlers for sectionals while Arabia Mountain will send five, and Stone Mountain and Columbia each qualified four.
In the Area 6-AA meet, Clarkston qualified two wrestlers for sectionals. Gashaw Belete finished second at 126 pounds and Leqwan Petty was third at 145.