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Published Sunday, February 05, 2012 in Sports

Photo by Bob Fraley

Newnan senior captain David Finlay gets the upper hand on M.L. King’s Aubrey Seals en route to his 170-pound area title.

Area 2-AAAAA: Cougars capture title, send 13 to state

By Doug Gorman

The Newnan Times-Herald

Newnan head wrestling coach Tom Everett had trouble containing his emotions at the end of Saturday's Area 2-AAAAA meet at East Coweta High School.

That's because the veteran wrestling coach watched his team win one of the closet area competitions in recent memory.

When the dust settled, the Cougars edged Stephenson, 156.5 to 152.0.

"It's about all the kids and all of my assistant coaches," he said. "We have worked hard through injuries and some tough times. I couldn't ask for a better group of coaches. Newnan wants to stay here for a while."

For the Cougars, Saturday's championship follows in a year when the program also captured its first-ever Coweta County title.

More importantly, Newnan now sends 13 wrestlers to next week's Class AAAAA state sectionals in Tifton.

Four Cougars -- Tyler Causey (106-pounds), Andrew Sowerbrower (113), Caleb Spinks (138), and David Finlay (170) -- earned individual titles by winning respective weight classes.

Sowerbrower ended his match against Stephenson's Dexter Brown in a pin, going 2-0 with pins in each.

Finlay earned a decision over M.L. King's Aubrey Seals in the finals.

"It's a great way to finish up by senior year," said Finlay. "Region champion is something really special."

Causey, a freshman, and Spinks, a senior, added pins to advance as top seeds to next week's sectionals.

Sowerbrower says the Cougars have raised the bar for the future of wrestling at Newnan.

"Most of our placers are not even seniors," said the Newnan junior. "We feel like we are coming up."

Sowerbrower isn't surprised the wrestling was so close.

"One match could have changed the whole thing," he said.

Newnan's placed a wrestler in every weight class, but one, and Antonio Bandiera had the entire team rooting him on in the consolation semifinals while finishing fifth.

Max Davis (145) took second losing a decision to Newton's Jose Rivera. Troy Owens (220) also took second place.

Newnan Nathan McGaha (132), Eric Shea (152), and Josh Goodall (160) all finished in third place with victories in each of their last two matches.

Cody Collier (126) Justin Gates (182), Javious Favors (195) and Joshua Coffman (285) advanced to next week's sectionals with fourth-place finishes.

Despite only fielding a team with nine wrestlers, the East Coweta Indians will send seven wrestlers to next week's sectionals, led by 126-pound champion Drew Higgins.

"I am really proud of these guys," said East Coweta coach Josh Herring said. "They have all worked really hard to overcome something."

Zach Gabriel (106), Blake Green (120) and Tyler Rogerson (182) were all second in their weight classes.

Brian Owens (220) and Diego Dawaii (285) were third.

East Coweta's Xavier Cook (152) was fourth.

Three of Saturday's matches to deciding seeding at next week's sectionals came down to a showdown between East Coweta and Newnan rivals.

Causey picked up a pin against Zach Gabriel (106) in the championship match, and Eric Shea earned in a decision against Cook.

East Coweta's Dawaii pinned Coffman in the third-place match.

"We have had some unfortunate things happen this year, but we are working on getting back. We are confident we will be back next year," Herring said.

•••

TEAM SCORES, TOP 4 OF 8

Newnan: 156.5

Stephenson: 152

Newton: 104

East Coweta: 91

STATE QUALIFIERS (TOP 4)

106 pounds: Tyler Causey, Newnan; Zach Gabriel, East Coweta; Torsha Bazz, Stephenson; Eduardo Jaquin, Newton

113 pounds: Andrew Sowerbrower, Newnan; Dexter Brown, Stephenson; Robert Che, Luella; Greg Whie, Westlake

120 pounds: Jabari Collins, Stephenson; Blake Green, East Coweta; Kameron Wallace, Newton; Tim Boze, Westlake

126 pounds: Drew Higgins, East Coweta; Henry Williams, Stephenson; Charles Brown, Luella; Cody Collier, Newnan

132 pounds: Deyonte Nixon, Langston Hughes; Rory Champagne, Westlake; Nathan McGaha, Newnan; James Sweatmen, Luella

138 pounds: Caleb Spinks, Newnan; Tyree Wright, Langston Hughes; Lawrence Rolle, Westlake; Chase Kourajian, Luella

145 pounds: Jose Rivera, Newton; Max Davis, Newnan; Rashad Averhart, Westlake; Frederick Sims, M.L. King

152 pounds: Stephen Wiley, Stephenson; Zach Jenkins, Newton; Eric Shea, Newnan; Xavier Cook, East Coweta

160 pounds: Darian Perry, Stephenson; Nnamdi Onyekwuluie, Newton; Josh Goodall, Newnan; Jordan Walker, Langston Hughes

170 pounds: David Finlay, Newnan; Aubrey Seals, M.L. King; Jeremy fuller, Newton; Dylan Thompkins, Luella

182 pounds: Jacob Ramos, Luella; Tyler Rogerson, East Coweta; Dale Warren, Newton; Justin Gates, Newnan

195 pounds: Mike Gates, Stephenson; Marcus Bostick, Westlake; AJ Palomiino, Newton; Javious Favors, Newnan

220 pounds: Todd Vaughn, Langston Hughes; Troy Owens, Newnan; Brian Green, East Coweta; Devonte McLemore, M.L. King

285 pounds: Brandon Addison, Stephenson; Javan Gant, Newton; Diego Dawaii, East Coweta; Joshua Coffman, Newnan

•••

(To view or purchase photos from this event, please visit http://photos.times-herald.com/mycapture and click on Sports for the Wrestling Tournament - Newnan HS & East Coweta HS gallery.)

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