You can add another title to the already impressive list compiled over the years by the Jefferson Mat Dragons.
State title number 21. They added that win to their trophy case on Saturday as they took top honors in the AA State Tournament at the Gwinnett Arena.
Jefferson wracked up 225.5 points en route to the title. Second place Lovett scored 133 points.
Two Mat Dragons came home as state champs in their weight classes. Cason Thurmond brought home top honors in the 103 lb. class, while Zac Crosby came out on top in the 171 lb. class.
Of the 13 wrestlers that Jefferson took to the state competition, 11 placed.
Coach Doug Thurmond said winning their 13th traditional state championship felt great.
“All that hard work culminated during the weekend out there,” Thurmond said. “I was very, very proud of the team and how well they did.”
Thurmond said it was a little bittersweet, as several of his wrestlers didn’t win in their weight classes, but said the Mat Dragons reached their team goal in placing several kids.
“We just wanted some of them to finish it out winning the championship individually,” he added.
Along with the two championship placers, four Mat Dragons brought home second place honors, including Cutler Finch in the 125 lb. class, Cam Thurmond in the 135 lb. class, Jay Fowler in the 152 lb. class and Patrick Allen in the 215 lb. class.
Fowler, a senior, just missed his fourth title, losing in triple overtime.
“He lost to a kid from Swainsboro that he had beaten the week before,” Thurmond said. “Jay didn’t get his fourth, but I was as proud of him as I would have been if he did because of his mannerisms and how he took it. He was a good sport. Jay’s a good kid.”
Two wrestlers, Cain Finch in the 130 lb. class and Zach Allen in the 189 lb. class placed third. Placing fourth were Daniel Barber in the 112 lb. class and Ben Knight in the 145 lb. class.
Forrest Przybysz placed sixth in the 140 lb. class.
Thurmond said the win came as a result of a total team effort.
“The first round, we won all 13 matches, no matter who they were up against. After the second round, we ended up having 11 that won, pushing them into the semis. From there, we put six in the finals, and the other kids ended up placing. It was just a great team effort.”
For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald.
