HAZLEHURST — Brantley County’s grappling Herons captured the 11-team Class 1A Area 3 Traditional title here Saturday at Jeff Davis High School.
BCHS’s Dallon Lowe (138 lbs.), a defending Class AA weight classification champion, and Payton Perez (175) grabbed individual titles. The two are part of 12 wrestlers who qualified for the Saturday, February 8 state Sectional B at Jeff Davis.
Finishing runners-up were Keller Stringer (106), Sawyer Grimsley (126), Jonathon Westberry (132), Rylen Smith (150) and Hayden Dearmond (190). Placing third were Rylan Benton (120), Ty Hughes (157) and Aubrey Carter (285). Posting fourth-place finishes were Caden Benton (144) and Joshua McConnell (165).
Both Noah Smith (113) and Ethan Eunice (215) came up short in earning a spot at the Sectional.
The top four finishers in each weight division advance to the Sectional. Regions 1, 3, 5 and 8 will comprise Sectional B. Sectional A is made up of Regions 2, 4, 6 and 7.
The 12 qualifiers helped Brantley County accumulate 229 points for the championship trophy. The Herons were followed by McIntosh County Academy (215.5), host Jeff Davis (204), Screven County (138), Charlton County (126), Bryan County (95.5), Savannah Country Day (50), Savannah Christian (32), Metter (11) and Savannah High (6).
Champion
Lowe (138; 31-3) won his two matches, both via pin. Lowe pinned (1:00) Dakota Heath of Jeff Davis in the semifinals and Savannah Country Day’s Charlie Kraeuter (37 seconds) in the championship match.
Perez (175; 43-4) recorded an 8-0 major decision over Bacon County’s Kaid Horton in the semis and pinned (5:58) Miguel Harrell of Jeff Davis in the finals.
Runner-up
Stringer (106; 18-9) opened with a pin (36 sec.) of Bacon County’s Robert Komanecky in the semifinals and lost via pin (41 sec.) to Screven County’s Zykelle Frano in the championship.
Grimsley (126; 22-16) began his tournament bracket with a pin (1:23) in the quarterfinals of Charlton County’s Javion Lambert. He followed with a pin (3:04) of Bryan County’s Jayden Lee in the semis. McIntosh County Academy’s Tyshawn Holland posted a pin (5:38) over Grimsley in the championship match.
Westberry (132; 45-5) scored a pinfall (1:37) of MCA’s Talon Stonecipher in the semifinals. Westberry lost by injury default in the finals to Gavin Coleman of Jeff Davis.
Smith (150; 40-6) captured his opening quarterfinal match winning by forfeit over Bryan County’s Graysen Kirkpatrick. Smith pinned (1:10) Chaz Wood of Jeff Davis in the semifinals. He lost by pin (3:01) to Bacon County’s Ashton Anderson in the finals.
Dearmond (190; 34-8) notched a 15-0 technical fall in the quarters over Bryan County’s Zane Renteria. He followed with a pin (3:38) of Savannah Christian’s Britton Yount in the semis. Dearmond lost a 6-2 decision in the title match to MCA’s Anthony Jackson.
Third-place
Benton (120; 29-13) had a quick 12-second pin against Pablo Zarraga of Jeff Davis in the quarterfinals. MCA’s Eric Jackson pinned (5:40) Benton in the semifinals. Benton followed with a pin (4:31) of Metter’s Mike Miller in the consolation semis and a pin (1:20) of Bryan County’s Riley Schuman in the third-place match.
Hughes (157; 15-13) began his bracket with a quarterfinal pin (4:43) of MCA’s Tanner Willis. Savannah Country Day’s Ramon Barboa notched a 12-2 major decision in the semis. Hughes bounced back pinning (2:42) Bacon County’s Reese Lorado in the consolation semifinals and pinning (2:56) Garrison Coleman of Jeff Davis in the thirdplace match.
Carter (285; 8-7) followed suit. He pinned (5:12) Screven County’s Breylon Daniels in the quarters before being pinned (2:32) in the semis by Jonathan Hutto of Jeff Davis. Carter pinned (4:47) Savannah Country Day’s S’Zavier House in the consolation semis and MCA’s Javonte Cummings (2:57) in the third-place matchup.
Fourth-place
Benton (144; 27-10) notched a pin (59 sec.) of Savannah Country Day’s Thomas Wynn in the quarterfinals before dropping an 18-2 technical fall decision to Bryan County’s Jason Newman in the semifinals. Benton pinned (3:36) Charlton County’s Clayton Hayden in the consolation semis before being pinned (5:24) by MCA’s Jonathon Hutchinson in the third-place match.
McConnell (165; 27-12) recorded a 15-0 technical fall decision in the quarterfinals against Bryan County’s Gunner Ennis. He lost by pin (2:47) to MCA’s George Campbell in the semifinals. Mc-Connell followed with a pin (1:33) of Savannah Christian’s Ian Berry in the consolation semis. He lost by pin (3:21) to Screven County’s Legend Courtney in the thirdplace match.
Smith (113) was unable to compete forfeiting his two matches.
Eunice (215; 6-8) suffered two pin losses falling to Bacon County’s Deanthony Harrison (3:23) and to Screven County’s Kody Cochran (1:10).
