MACON — Ware County had three of its eight grapplers medal here at the Macon Centreplex in the Class 4A Traditional state wrestling championships.
Gunter Fore posted the best finish placing third in the 157-lb. weight class. Both Jordan Maxwell (132 lbs.) and David Muchison (165) notched sixthplace finishes.
Also participating were Jaden McKelvin (144), Kayden Drury (150), Cameron Hambrick (175), Jalen Hampton (215) and Kyler Matthews (285).
The Gators finished 11th in the field of 48 teams represented during the two-day tournament (Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14).
Cass won its second title in four years (2022 Class 5A) with 186 points denying a repeat for defending Class 4A champion Central-Carroll (159.5). The rest of the Top 10 dominated by North Georgia programs included Woodland-Cartersville (143), 2024 Class 5A champion Ola (128), Eastside (87.5), Walnut Grove (65.5), North Oconee (64), Flowery Branch (61.5), Southeast Whitfield (60) and Stockbridge (54.5).
Finishing 11 thru 20 were Ware County (52), Harris County (50.5), Jones County (49.5), Cambridge (48), Perry (48), Locust Grove (45), Dalton (40.5), Allatoona (40), Southwest DeKalb (38.5) and Cartersville (37.5).
Placing 21-30 were St Pius X (35), Benedictine (30), East Forsyth (25), Westminster (24.5), Madison County (22.5), Blessed Trinity (20.5), Union Grove (20.5), Northview (16.5), Hiram (16) and New Hampstead (16).
The rest of the tournament field included Tucker (13.5), ELCA (13), Marist (13), Wayne County (9), Cedartown (8), Kell (7), Pace Academy (7), Centennial (5), Lithonia (4), McDonough (4), Hampton (3), Jackson-Atlanta (2.5), Cedar Shoals (1), North Springs (1), Griffin (0), M.L.K. (0), Starr`s Mill (0) and Warner Robins (0).
• Fore (157; 43-9) battled his way through the consolation bracket following a second round loss. He opened with a pin (4:45) before dropping a wild 21-16 decision in the quarterfinals.
Fore followed with four consecutive wins starting with a 194 technical fall and a 19-3 technical fall. He won via pin (4:23) in the consolation semifinals followed by a 19-1 technical fall win in the third-place match avenging his lone loss against Benedictine’s Zachary Krauss.
• Maxwell (132; 27-6) opened with a forfeit win followed by an 11-0 major decision setback in the quarterfinals. Maxwell posted a 16-0 technical fall in the consolation round followed by a 25-second pin to reach the consolation semis where he lost a 12-5 decision. Maxwell had a medical forfeit in the fifth-place match.
• Muchison (165; 45-20) recorded a quick pin (31 sec.) in his opening match before suffering a 17-1 technical fall loss in the quarterfinals. He won his first two consolation matches by fall (44 sec., 1:28) to reach the consolation semifinals where
