Our second team, which had several probable starters on it, went 5-0 at Mountain View. The format was a normal dual, counting forfeits and using weight classes. We defeated North Gwinnett 42-36; Marist 57-18; Mtn View 39-30; Campbell 52-18; and North Hall 33-24.
Trevor Priest, Lucas Patterson, Dusty Lacy, Will Gudger, James Reimer, Jaime Lopez, Nate Jones, Zach Allen and Caleb Grimsley all had 3 or more wins. Coach Bo Dorsey filled in as this team’s coach, while we wait for two assistant coaches to be located and hired to replace the two we have lost to other positions.

Our first team faced six opponents at Archer; however, the format was to try and match up within five pounds of each kid’s weight to try and get the best match ups. Traditional team scores were not kept in a true dual format. We did everything well and worked hard to improve on areas we needed to improve upon. Our team finishes were determined by the scoring of the scheduled matches.

One of the matches that had a question as to how to score it was three matches in. We had won the first 3 matches and the other team came over and said they would not have a match for our state runner up due to an injury. I counted that match as a forfeit in that situation because they did have a kid in that weight class who wrestled against one of my other young wrestlers.

Round one we faced off first thing with the reigning 5A state runner ups, Collins Hill. We had won a dual over them a few summers ago but they later said they had only brough their c-team. This time they had their A – Team. We matched up 10 matches and we both won 5 a piece. The only match which had bonus points was when Tyler Bertolini pinned at 195.

Recap:
103 Marcelino Lopez won over Arnold 6-0;
120 Daniel Bautista lost to state champion Russel 3-7;
126 Cameron Perry lost to 2X state champ Milhof 5-10;
138 Jake Wheeler lost to Rile 2-4;
132 McCollum beat Bratmuhler 4-2;
145 Johnie Flakes beat Raquet 4-3;
160 Ty Reece beat state placer Connel 4-1;
182 Jared Sweat lost in over time 2-4 to Codella;
182 Robbie Evans lost 2-4 to Gall;
195 Bertolini pinned Gilbert.

We turned right around and faced 1A state champions Gordon Lee and the 2nd place in state at 4A Woodland as a combined team.

Recap:
103 Alberto Lopez won by pin;
120 Daniel Bautsista beat state champion Ragsdale 9-2;
126 Cameron Perry pinned state placer Clayton;
145 Johnie Flakes majored state placer Spires 9-1;
138 Wheeler lost to state placer corianna 2-7;
152 Chaz Reimer scored a major win 11-1;
182 Evans lost 3-5.
Marcelino Lopex won at 103 vs Woodland, Brady McCollum, Omar LAndaverde, Alberto Lopez, and Jp Pritchett all won against Woodland.

In our third round we faced a combined team of Athens Christian and Buford and we won 9 matches with 6 of those by pin and one by tech fall and we lost 2.

In round four we faced Lee County. We wrestled and won 8 matches. The high light was at 195 where Tyler Bertolini won a 1-0 decision against a previously unbeaten opponent.

In round five we faced the predicted top 5A team, Archer. To start it off we had Marcelino, Alberto and Daniel Bautista all win. Daniels was an overtime win, which ended in a pin. In a normal dual we would have had a 13-0 lead at this point. It is at this point they told me the kid scheduled to Wrestle Johnie Flakes was injured.

Match 4 was Cameron Perry vs Adcocks. This match was strongly suggested by the Archer coach and I was told the kid weighed less than 5 pounds heavier than Cameron. Cam lost 3-6 and I thought the kid looked a little big for 130. I also was a bit confused why the coach did not want to wrestle him against our 135 kid, Brady McCollum.

I later found out that the kid actually weighed 142 and he and his coach wanted revenge for a previous loss at an earlier competition this year. We lost the next two and then won the next two. We picked up a win later by Jared Sweat and Bertolini. Scoring this like a regular dual would have put us at a 28-24 advantage.

To give us better competition in the 6th round we changed the schedule to face the Florida State champions who had four state champs on their squad. As a dual score we came up short 34-17 but we had great match ups. Winning for us was Marcelino Lopez who, along with Alberto Lopez, went undefeated on the day. Cameron Perry defeated the Florida state champion 4-2 While Brady McCollum defeated his drilling partner 7-2.

Flakes finished undefeated on the day with a 5-1 win. And the amazing Tyler Bertolini finished undefeated with a 3-2 win. Our middle weights in Chaz Reimer and Ty Reece had a solid day facing stiff competition all day.

It was a great day and a ton of wrestling. I am glad we went.

Article Submitted by Sam Snider, Gilmer High School head wrestling coach.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHELLY MORROW