Gilmer’s “Got Five on It” Bobcats “Ball So Hard” at State Duals Win 5th Straight Title

The Gilmer Bobcats’ wrestling team continued its dynasty’s dominance, winning a fifth straight state title. The Bobcats’ mantra of, “We Fight!” has proven to be true beyond the shadow of doubt, as Gilmer traveled to Macon to take part in the State Duals tournament. Gilmer defeated the heavily favored Heritage Generals in the finals 29-27. The Bobcats have a chance to sweep both the Duals and Traditional state tournaments for three straight years.The Bobcats’ unprecedented run marks the third straight Duals title, for head coach Sam Snider, and ninth overall as coach. Snider won an individual state title as a wrestler at Gilmer, for a total of 10 state championships. Not since Aaron Spelling introduced the world to the Carrington and the Colby’s has a “Dynasty” been so dominating. Jay-Z and Kanye may need to ask Snider how to “Watch the Throne.”

The Bobcats first faced the Carrollton Trojans in the first round. Gilmer raced off to a 28-0 lead, before giving up any points. Leaving one Trojans’ fan to sadly proclaim “they’re done” before the match was halfway over. Gilmer refused to horse around, and won 46-28.

In the next round The Bobcats clipped the wings of the Eastside Eagles. Using yet another fast start, the Gilmer led 24-0, before Eastside got on the board. The Bobcats gave up only 13 points, while scoring 57.

Gilmer faced off with the Raiders of West Laurens in the semi-final round. Yet again the Bobcats lead by double digits, 15, before the opposition scored a point. The Raiders cut the lead to three at 18-15; however, a West Laurens had a team point deducted for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Joey Ray’s 6-0 minor victory, sparked a 6-1 finish, including two straight pins from heavyweight J.P. Pritchett, and 103 Cameron Perry, to close out the “Cats’” victory 48-20, and set up a match up in the finals with the Generals.

Gilmer had only lost three duals all year, two were to Heritage with both being decided by double digits. Heritage was heavily favored throughout the year to be the new AAA Duals State Champion.

Snider spoke of how the senior laden Heritage team (the Generals had 10 senior starters while Gilmer had six total seniors, with only four starters) may have been overconfident, due to having beaten Gilmer twice already.

“Very heavily favored, and I’ve heard from some coaches from that area are that are familiar with them, that it never crossed their mind that they would lose,” Snider said.

Snider also spoke of the great respect he and the Gilmer fan base have for the Heritage and its fan base. The two teams were actually seen hugging before the Area finals.

“There’s not a hatred at all. I know they were very disappointed.”

Snider knowing the tough challenge that Heritage would present at the state tournament, if Gilmer faced them in the finals, began to prepare for the challenge four weeks prior.

“We had a four week plan, and we knew that certain kids could make the sacrifices to get to certain weights, and we tried a couple things the two previous matches just to see. From the first match to the second match we had eight different match ups, and from the second match to this match we had five different match ups. We changed things up to make it work, and it seemed like every detail since right before we found who we were facing, Carrollton, every detail for this seemed to be falling in line, then the kids had to execute.”

Heritage was the only team to fail to fall behind by double digits before scoring. Johnie Flakes scored a minor victory at 138 to make the score 3-0. The Generals answered with a minor victory of its own, over Sam Rogers at 145, to tie 3-3. Despite the loss, both fan bases erupted due to the fact that Rogers scored an escape point with less than six seconds left to secure a minor victory instead of a major, keeping Heritage from taking a 4-3 lead.

Snider feels that the pivotal match was at 152, where Gilmer freshman Jamie Lopez faced a senior and won with a take down in overtime, giving Gilmer a 6-3 lead.

“When Johnie won the first one, and Jamie knocked off their senior, our freshman Jamie Lopez knocked off their senior, you could tell a little bit of nerves got on them. They were quieter, and their coaches were like, ‘if we lose three out of these four, then we’re in trouble,” and they lost three out of the four that they didn’t want to lose.”

The three matches featured Joey Ray, the always Super Crunk Ben DeLoach whose chant’s of “We Fight,” and their echoes, could be heard all weekend, and Tyler Bertolini, who all secured victories, giving Gilmer a 12-9 advantage.Gilmer secured the title by winning 10 of the first 12 matches, and not giving up any major victories or pins, until after Justin Kahr’s 5-2 victory at 120 secured the title for Gilmer, putting the Bobcats up 29-15 with only two matches to go.

In a classy move, Snider put in two back ups to wrestle the final two matches once a comeback was impossible for the Generals. Two Heritage pins later, the Bobcats won 29-27 officially owning the crown of AAA State Duals Champions.

Snider also spoke about the possibility, of sweeping both the Duals and Traditional titles for the third year in a row, and the strategy that separates the two events.

“Whatever you weigh in at (at Duals) you can go one weight class above, so I can make one movement up, and I’ve got such good second people, back ups that I can move them. Let’s say that we’re about to face someone really really tough, and we may not win it, but he can pin the next guy, if we put one of our key back ups in, we might lose a three point match but gain a six point match. If you’re giving up six and getting six, that doesn’t help you much, but if you getting six and maybe only lose three…”

With the Traditional tournament,

“Our goal is to have 14 that can score. You’re always going to have those kids that get in the semis, the quarters and the finals, but our state championships have always been won by this kid scoring three, and this scoring five,” Snider said. “The whole idea is, you have to advance.”