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Published Sunday, February 07, 2010 in Sports

'Work' left to be done after Indians grab five titles at area

By Chris Goltermann

The Newnan Times-Herald

The shade of fluorescent green on the East Coweta T-shirt senior Blake Ginger wore after winning his 145-pound title at Saturday's Area 4-AAAAA wrestling tournament was so bright, he could be seen from anywhere in the John Thrower Gym.

The two words on the back were as much a walking billboard of the Indians' mantra this season, as well as being both concise and downright blunt. They read -- 'Do Work.'

And for those who did put in the work this season at both East Coweta and Newnan, last weekend's area tournament was well worth the effort.

Minus two starters to injury, the host Indians still scored 149 points and had five individual champions, including Ginger, to finish 26 points behind 4-AAAAA champion Lovejoy. In all, East Coweta will take seven wrestlers to this week's West Sectionals at Tift County, all after top-three finishes, with hopes of advancing to the Class AAAAA finals in Gwinnett.

"Our guys took care of their business," said Herring. "That's what counts. Now we'll see where we go from here."

Newnan, meanwhile, was a solid fifth with 92 points and qualified eight wrestlers for the sectionals led by freshman Austin Payton's runner-up finish at 119 pounds against Indian sophomore Eric Nelson. Lucas Malcom placed third at the 140 weight class and six Cougars finished fourth.

The top-four finishers at area advance to the sectionals, with fifth-place acting as an alternate in case of injury.

"We had some that snuck in there," said Newnan coach Tom Everett. "For us to have a freshman in the finals is a good thing for our program."

While coming short of repeating as 4-AAAAA champions, East Coweta came out of the weekend knowing finished with more individual winners than the Wildcats, who scored 175 points ahead of ECHS, Mundy's Mill (134 1/2) and Westlake (134).

Head coach Josh Herring sent six wrestlers to the area finals including Ginger, all but one winning titles. For the 145-pound Indian, a 5-2 decision over Lovejoy's Corey Alexander brought a dose of redemption, having been pinned by the sophomore during a quad-match in December.

Ginger upped his record to 41-9 on the season, scoring an escape to break a 2-2 tie early in the third period and clinching it with a takedown in the final minute.

"It was good to end it like that," said Ginger of Alexander, who reached the area finals last year. "Coach (Herring) always talks about peaking. I think as a team, we're right there."

Seniors Hart and Hunter Buchanan dominated to capture area titles at 103 and 112 pounds. Hart moved his record to 46-6, jumping out to a 12-0 advantage against Lovejoy's Cassius Williams and pinning the sophomore with six seconds left in the second period.

"Before the match I told Hart to go all out and have fun with it," said Herring of Hart's final home match of his career.

Hunter built just as big a lead against Wildcat 112-pound sophomore Michael Whitney, earning an 11-1 victory.

Joining the group of East Coweta champions was Nelson, who withstood Payton's aggressive start that kept the 119-match close at 5-4. But the Indian sophomore jumped back up 7-4 and then pinned the Cougar with 40 seconds left in the first period to improve his record to 39-16.

A fourth senior, Austin Wood, secured his first trip to the GHSA state tournament after being a two-time state qualifier in Virginia. The transfer put together a pair of 1-point escape moves in between the second and third periods for a 4-2 lead and finished with a pair of takedowns for a 8-2 decision over junior DeJohn Turner of Mundy's Mill.

East Coweta's other finalist, 125-pound freshman Drew Higgins took on unbeaten Pebblebrook senior Nathan Gallaway and battled for over three minutes before being pinned. Higgins won his first two matches of the tournament to improve his record to 25-22 heading into his first trip to sectionals.

"It says something about our lightweights when I can sit down at 103 and don't have to get up out of that chair in the final round until 135 (pounds)," said Herring. "I don't think some of our freshman are capable yet to realize how far they've come this year. Just in January there was a major turnaround with some of those guys like Drew."

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Area 4-AAAAA Tournament

Team Standings

1. Lovejoy 175

2. East Coweta 149

3. Mundy's Mill 134 1/2

4. Westlake 134

5. Newnan 92

Individual Finishers

(Top Four advance to State Sectionals)

103 Pounds

1. Hart Buchanan, East Coweta

2. Cassius Williams, Lovejoy

3. Melvin Johnson, Creekside

4. Xavier Head, Morrow

5. Boze, Westlake

112

1. Hunter Buchanan, East Coweta

2. Michael Whitney, Lovejoy

3. Dyonte Nixon, Westlake

4. Neil Rayburn, Newnan

5. Armond Edwards, Mundy's Mill

119

1. Eric Nelson, East Coweta

2. Austin Payton, Newnan

3. Reeves, Westlake

4. Kemonte Figures, Chapel Hill

125

1. Nathan Galloway, Pebblebrook

2. Drew Higgins, East Coweta

3. Zach Venning, Chapel Hill

4. Brian Shea, Newnan

5. Rolle, Westlake

130

1. Austin Wood, East Coweta

2. DeJohn Turner, Mundy's Mill

3. Marcus Hale, Lovejoy

4. Deaundre Kingsberry, Pebblebrook

135

1. Derek Holmes, Lovejoy

2. Teyantay Mitchell, Mundy's Mill

3. Malik Homes, Chapel Hill

4. Eric Shea, Newnan

5. Cruz Mantel, Pebblebook

140

1. Gio Ortiz, Lovejoy

2. Charles Jolly, Morrow

3. Lucas Malcom, Newnan

4. Dearcus Griffin, Westlake

5. Cheyenne Maske, Chapel Hill

145

1. Blake Ginger, East Coweta

2. Corey Alexander, Lovejoy

3. James Green, Westlake

4. Caleb Spinks, Newnan

5. Donshay Gant, Mundy's Mill

152

1. James Thomas, Mundy's Mill

2. Sayyid Clemons, Morrow

3. Dumas, Pebblebrook

4. David Finlay, Newnan

5. Zach Kryzsiak, East Coweta

160

1. Greg Rutledge, Mundy's Mll

2. Devante Winslow, Westlake

3. Stoutamire, Lovejoy

4. Nordlund, Chapel Hill

5. Alec Nauris, Newnan

6. Johnson, Riverdale

171

1. Dyonte Hampton, Lovejoy

2. Darius Wakefield, Morrow

3. Malike Baldwin, Lovejoy

4. Jabari Adams, Mundy's Mill

5. Philip Tallman, Newnan

189

1. Edwin Jackson, Westlake

2. Caleb Culbreath, Mundy's Mill

3. Dajon Stanley, Riverdale

4. Angelo Grisby, Lovejoy

5. Daemon Garvin, Morrow

215

1. Courtney Freeman, Mundy's Mill

2. Marcus Bostick, Westlake

3. Devon James, Pebblebrook

4. Hondo Carter, Lovejoy

5. Turner, Morrow

285

1. Collin Mack, Lovejoy

2. Nathan Isles, Westlake

3. Justin Mathis, East Coweta

4. Troy Owens, Newnan

5. Casey Davidson, Chapel Hill

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