GREYHOUND GRAPPLERS
The GHSA state traditional wrestling tournament rolls off Thursday at the Macon Coliseum with the three days of wrestling wrapping up individual champions being crowned on Saturday. Within the event’s AAAAA classification, it won’t be hard to find the purple and gold of Jones County.
The Greyhounds qualified a total of nine wrestlers at last weekend’s sectionals at Flowery Branch, with two others being alternates, highlighted by Will Agudelo winning an area championship in the 285-pound division and second places being posted by Hunter McCleskey at 113, Arrie Martin at 138 and David Little at 157.
Agudelo got three of his four wins by pin.
“He’s worked really hard over the last couple of years. As a freshman, he got hurt, and as a sophomore, was behind Grayson Dugger, who was really good.
Grayson got sick, and he qualified for sectionals as a sophomore. Last year, he was a round away from placing at state,” Gillhouse said. “He wrestled really hard in the offseason and prepared himself, so it’s good to see him reap the rewards of that.”
Those four and at least five others take the mats starting at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Top finishing positions will be on the line starting at 9:30 am Saturday for the consolation semifinals and finals, leading into the firstplace matches.
If the Greyhounds have anyone wrestling for a state title in the finals, it would mean a wardrobe change or two. Gillhouse said that any wrestler competing in the finals would wear one of the seldom-used gold singlets with Gillhouse himself swapping out his usual coaching attire for a tie. “If we’re coaching the finals, we’re putting a tie on,” Gillhouse said. “If you are wrestling for first, we’ll wear a coat and tie.”
The quest toward having wrestlers among those on the mats will start Thursday, and the key to having as many as possible contend for top finishes is a simple one.
“Our message to them all week is ‘don’t lose two in a row.’ if nobody loses two in a row, we have a chance to get a lot of guys on the podium,” Gillhouse said.
“We had a really good duals season, finishing fifth, and we’re looking forward to following that up.”
One thing that should help JCHS is that it won’t be the Greyhounds’ first time this year in large-scale, multi-day tournaments. Events such as those from December in Asheville, N.C., and Jeff Davis High School gave the Greyhounds a preparation of the wear and tear of wrestling over multiple days.
“We try really hard to replicate this environment with other things that we go to, but nothing prepares you for if you lose twice your season is over or your career is over if you’re a senior,” Gillhouse said. “We have guys that have been there before and understand the flow of things.
It’s big to have that and be able to reduce that stress before you are on the mat.”
Greyhound wrestlers across multiple weight classes will head to Macon Thursday thanks to their performance at last weekend’s sectionals with multiple Greyhounds bouncing back during the day to win multiple matches in a row. Landon Lewis won fifth at 106 pounds, winning three in a row after an opening loss. McCleskey’s lone loss came in the final of the 113-pound class after he won three in a row.
At 126 and 132 pounds, Aiden Lipford and Jackson Brown won three straight after a 1-1 start for finishes of fourth. Arrie Martin’s second-place finish at 138 came as he won his first three matches, leading into the championship match. A 2-0 start helped Robert Scott on the way to a finish of sixth in the 150-pound bracket with Little’s lone loss at 157 pounds being in the final.
Jacob Skinner’s 2-0 start in the 175-pound bracket got him on the way to finishing fourth.
Agudelo easily handled his competition, getting three wins via pin before a 40-6 decision to win the 285-pound area title for the Greyhounds, who also qualified Jack Carr and Hunter Hardwick as alternates.
