The 2013-2014 season will see its second round of wrestling champions
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| Photo by Sonny Kennedy |
decided this weekend at six different sites where the state traditional championships will take place. The traditional meet places more emphasis on the individual than last month's dual tournament, in which entire teams were invited. This weekend's affair was postponed after last week's inclement weather forced widespread school closings around the metro Atlanta area. The meet was originally schedule to take place entirely at the Arena at Gwinnett, which has a scheduling conflict this weekend.
Archer, last year's traditional team champion, leads the way in Class AAAAAA with qualifiers in each of the 14 weight classifications, including eight sectionals champions. The Tigers are fresh off a dual state championship, their second in a row.
Camden County and Collins Hill are two of the stiffer tests for Archer in the state's largest classification. The Wildcats bring 13 grapplers and Collins Hill has seven, including Oklahoma commitment Ryan Millhof.
A bit of drama unfolded at the Area 7-AAAAA meet, as dual champion and defending state traditional champ Pope was unseated by Cambridge, which is in its second year of existence as a program. Each team will wrestle nine athletes this weekend. Pope, which suffered some key injuries prior to the area meet, will have two top seeds competing while Cambridge boasts three. Woodland-Cartersville, the 2011 dual champion, has 10 qualifiers.
Traditional power Gilmer reigns in Class AAAA as dual champion and defending traditional champ. However, Cass gave the Bobcats a tough time at the dual meet, losing by just one point (31-30).
Class AAA dual champion Buford burst onto the wrestling scene this year with its first state title of any kind in the sport. The Wolves will be a factor in the traditional meet as well, with eight wrestlers competing this weekend, including five top seeds. Banks County may be Buford's chief competition for the state crown with seven qualifiers. Woodward Academy, however, will bring six wrestlers including four top seeds.
Jefferson has dominated Class AA since entering it in 2009. The Dragons have won a traditional wrestling championship every year since 2001, with the first eight coming in Class A. Bremen, however, is a traditional power in its own right with four straight Class A traditional titles before moving to AA prior to the 2013 season. Both Bremen and Jefferson will bring 11 wrestlers, although Bremen has seven top seeds to the Dragons' five.
Class A may have the most parity of any classification, as Holy Innocents', Gordon Lee and Commerce have each won or shared state championships in the past two seasons. Commerce won this year's dual title last month, but Gordon Lee is the defending traditional champion.
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