Published Saturday, February 06, 2010
Indians land five in finals; Payton leads Cougar effort
The Newnan Times-Herald
So far, so good for East Coweta at the Area 4-AAAAA Individual Wrestling Tournament at John Thrower Gym.
On Friday, the Indians four top-seeds took care of business in relatively easy fashion, giving host East Coweta five wrestlers reaching today's finals. More importantly, each has set itself up for a strong run at next week's Class AAAAA West Sectionals.
Senior siblings Hart (103 pounds) and Hunter Buchanan dominated their weight classes through Friday's semifinals. Hart pinned Morrow's Xavier Hand in a mere 33 seconds and Hunter needed only 3:11 for a similar fall during his only match of the opening night to reach the finals.
They'll be joined by East Coweta teammates Eric Nelson (119) and Blake Ginger (145) in today's finals. All five have qualified for next week's sectionals at Tift County.
The 4-AAAAA tournament, meanwhile, continues today with consolation rounds at 9 a.m.
Newnan will have at least one of its 10-seeded wrestlers moving on to the sectionals after reaching today's finals. Austin Payton's pin at the 2:47 mark of his 119-pound semifinal moved the freshman into a today's championship against East Coweta's Nelson.
The bulk of Cougars battled through Friday's late set of wrestlebacks after each taking losses during the first day of competition. Eric Shea (135), Alec Nauris (160), David Finlay (152) and Lucas Malcom (140) all reached the semifinals with victories before falling into the consolation round.
An Indians team that has been hampered by injury over the past month entered the tournament shorthanded. Both junior Kenny Reeves (knee) and freshman Aaron Crankshaw (back) were unable to make it back on to the mat.
"I hate it for those guys who are out," said East Coweta coach Josh Herring. "But it's not worth the risk. We'll have both of two back next year ready to go."
In what will be their last three weeks of wrestling, the Buchanans seemed focused on ending respective careers on top. Nelson followed by quickly building an 11-0 lead on Chapel Hill's Kemonte Figures at 119 pounds before scoring his pin in 2:58 of the match.
In his semifinal, Payton fell behind 2-0 on an early takedown, but scored nine consecutive points before a pin with 1:13 left in the second period.
At 130 pounds, senior Austin Wood jumped ahead 7-4 in his semifinal match against Deandre Kingberry of Pebblebrook scoring a first-period pin. Kingsberry had advanced with a pin of Newnan's Joseph Tallman.
Ginger, a No. 2 seed, took care of Morrow's William Clemons after receiving a forfeit in the quarterfinals. The Indians senior jumped out with a quick takedown and nearfall seconds into the semifinals, and moments later got the pin.
Recapping other weight classes after day one of the 4-AAAAA tournament:
135: Newnan's Eric Shea opened the tournament in a hard-fought win over East Coweta's Connor Cox. In the semifinals, Shea lost to No. 1 seed Derek Holmes of Lovejoy. Shea and Cox are now in the wrestlebacks.
140: Newnan junior Lucas Malcom opened the tournament with a pin of East Coweta's Cory Ramos, who was filling in for the Indians. Malcom was then pinned in the semifinals by No. 1 seed Gio Ortiz of Lovejoy.
145: In addition to East Coweta's Ginger, Newnan's Caleb Spinks fell to No. 4 seed James Greene of Westlake in the first round and was fighting his way back in the wrestlebacks.
152: Newnan junior David Finlay pinned Lovejoy's Christian Hale to open the tournament before losing to top-seeded James Thomas of Mundy's Mill. Both Finlay and Zach Kryzsiak are in the wrestlebacks.
160: Newnan's Alec Nauris and ECHS's Tyler Rogerson were battling through the wrestlebacks. Nauris opened strong with a pin of Riverdale's DeKendrick Johnson, before falling to No. 1 seed Devante Winslow of Westlake.
171: Both Newnan's Philip Tallman and East Coweta's Nick Clark were in the wrestlebacks.
189: Newnan's Justin Gates fell to No. 1 seed Edwin Jackson and both Gates and East Coweta's Chris Holladay were in the wrestlebacks.
285: East Coweta's Mathis suffered an exhausting 11-9 loss to No. 2 seed Nathan Isles of Westlake, battling back from a five-point deficit in the third period before running out of time. Justin Mathis opened the tournament with a pin of Newnan's Troy Owens.
