Fan's Guide - Georgia 1A
Welcome to our Fan’s Guide for the Georgia 1A StateTournament.
For those of you new to SEWrestle, or for anyone who has never read one of our Fan’s Guides, this is a brief introduction to what you’ll see this coming weekend at the Clayton County Convocation Center. If you already know (or have already read this last week or in another Fan’s Guide) - jump below to see what we think.
The Fan’s Guide is a look at the tournament as a whole—and at each individual weight class—from a fan’s perspective. It is not a prediction of who will win a title or who will stand on the podium. Instead, it highlights key storylines and pieces within each bracket that make the tournament compelling.
Each Fan’s Guide includes the following:
Favorite – The wrestler who enters the tournament as the perceived front-runner, or the athlete who appears to have the best shot at the top step based on past results and accomplishments.
Contenders – Wrestlers who should make a legitimate run at a title. We fully expect to see them on the podium.
Darkhorse – Typically a wrestler who finished 3rd or 4th at the sectional tournament, but has the tools to make a deep run and earn a spot on the podium.
Bracketbuster – A wrestler who finished 5th through 8th at the section tournament. A wrestler that has all of the tools to cause chaos and make a run for the podium.
Isn’t that kind of a prediction?
Yes - and no.
We do identify a favorite, but beyond that, predicting who will navigate the bracket and ultimately claim a championship is foolish. High school wrestling is unpredictable. Few wrestlers—if any—are unbeatable. While we can lean on past results and accomplishments to make educated observations, outcomes are never guaranteed.
At the end of the day, we’re fans just like you.
Our hope is that every athlete goes out, competes to their ability, and gives themselves the best chance to achieve their goals. The sole purpose of our Substack, Facebook, Instagram, Fan’s Guides, photos, and coverage is simple: to promote the sport of wrestling in the Southeast.
Have a great weekend, enjoy the wrestling, and best of luck to everyone competing.
Schedule
Qualifiers
A quick note on Georgia’s bracket process:
Georgia uses an alternate solution to help ensure brackets are full. If a qualified wrestler is unable to compete due to injury, the designated alternate is inserted into the bracket and the remaining competitors are adjusted accordingly. This can significantly impact both the bracket layout and individual matchups.
Because Fan’s Guides must be written before final brackets are released, these late adjustments may not always be reflected. If we become aware of a confirmed change, we will make every effort to update both the bracket and the accompanying narrative; however, given the volume of guides produced, corrections cannot be guaranteed in every case.
Teams
It’s been clear for much of the season—so this shouldn’t come as a surprise. The real team race is for second, along with which programs can crack the top five or top ten. Social Circle enters with seven section champions and 13 of 14 wrestlers qualified. Barring something completely unforeseen, they should comfortably add another state title on Thursday.
The battle for second is where things get interesting. Toombs County brings 10 qualifiers, with six finishing first or second at sectionals—an important edge, since most team points come from wrestlers seeded at the top of their sections. That gives Toombs a slight advantage on paper. But Bremen and Elbert County each bring one more qualifier than Toombs (and Commerce), and that extra body can make all the difference in a tight race.
For Elbert County, Bremen, and Commerce, the key is simple: production from everyone. One zero-point weight can be the difference between contending for second and sliding down (and out of the top 5).
Don’t sleep on Oglethorpe County and Trion either. Both bring eight qualifiers (as does Haralson County) and have multiple wrestlers capable of making the podium—meaning big point potential. Meanwhile, Temple, Heard County, Banks County, Brantley County, Gordon Lee, and Dublin all bring enough firepower to make a legitimate push for a top-10 finish.
Social Circle sits alone at the top. After that, it’s a scramble—and every point is going to matter.
106 lbs.
Favorite: Bryson Rutledge - Chattooga
Contenders:
Elijah Merritt - Fitzgerald
Sammy Edgeworth - Trion
Wendell Drury - Mt Pisgah
Keller Stringer - Brantley County
Darkhorse: Cooper Saine - Gordon Lee
Bracketbuster: Lane Fleming - Elbert County
This is a fascinating bracket largely because of the number of unknowns. As expected, 106 features a wave of new faces at the state tournament—freshmen with significant upside, but also plenty of unanswered questions about how they’ll respond on the sport’s biggest stage.
One wrestler who won’t be overwhelmed is Bryson Rutledge, who has already been here and already stood on the podium. Rutledge finished fifth at this weight last season and cruised through Section A, surrendering just one point across four matches. That lone point came during a 17–1 technical fall in the semifinals over Colt Redman, underscoring just how dominant his run was. Out of Section B, Elijah Merritt looked every bit as impressive. He handled Wendall Drury 11–5 before rolling to a 19–3 technical fall over Keller Stringer—a returning state qualifier—in the finals. Both champions enter on a roll, but neither can afford a slow start in a bracket that has the potential to get chaotic quickly.
The most intriguing scenarios may come in the potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal matchups. Historically, No. 2 and No. 3 seeds win roughly 90 percent of their opening-round matches, which is why these quarters often become focal points. In this bracket, neither of the projected 2-vs.-3 matchups—Stringer vs. Drury or Saine vs. Edgeworth—took place last week. However, Saine and Edgeworth did meet two weeks ago, with Saine earning a narrow 3-1 win. That result adds an extra layer of intrigue, particularly if Edgeworth makes adjustments in a rematch setting. With alternates and bracket movement always in play, there remains plenty of room for the unexpected.
Our darkhorse at 106 is Cooper Saine. His road is unforgiving, with a potential early test against Furlong followed by a likely re-match with Edgeworth, but Saine looked sharp last week. After a narrow 10–8 quarterfinal loss to Luke Solomon, he rattled off four straight wins to finish third, controlling every match on the backside. The ultimate bracket-buster candidate is Lane Fleming, a returning state placer who finished seventh at Section A. Making a podium run from that position is a tall task—but Fleming has already proven at this weight that he’s capable of doing exactly that.
113 lbs.
Favorite: Gable Hargrove - Social Circle
Contenders:
Lukas Young - Toombs County
Cruz Floyd - Elbert County
DaMontae Holland - McIntosh County Academy
Dylan Maddox - Irwin County
Darkhorse: Ty Smith - Bowdon
Bracketbuster: Andrew Goller - Oglethorpe County
Five returning state placers—including a returning state champion—along with four additional state qualifiers make this bracket deep with experience. That said, the clear favorite is returning state champion Gable Hargrove of Social Circle. Hargrove is 53–2 on the season, with both losses believed to have come at the Knockout and while competing up at 120. He’s been dominant all year, and that was on full display last weekend as he tore through a strong field, capped by an 18–0 technical fall over Cruz Floyd in the finals.
Lukas Young of Toombs County won Section B in convincing fashion, recording three falls and a technical fall without being seriously challenged. The task now becomes much tougher, however, as Young finds himself on the same side of the bracket as multiple returning state placers, including Ty Smith.
As we’ve mentioned throughout, the quarterfinal focus is almost always on the potential 2-vs.-3 matchups. While early-round upsets do happen, they’re relatively rare with the 2’s and 3’s, and these quarters often feature rematches from the sectional tournament or earlier in the season. Neither of the projected quarterfinals—Easterlin vs. Holland or Maddox vs. Floyd—took place last week. In both cases, Easterlin and Maddox lost only to the eventual sectional champions, and both losses came in the semifinals.
Our darkhorse in this bracket is Ty Smith. A state placer at 106 last season, Smith knows how to navigate the backside and grind his way to the podium. He dropped a semifinal match to Holland last week after trailing by just one point in the second period before getting pinned. He was also leading Easterlin in the consolation finals before again getting caught. If Smith can stay off his back, he has the experience and skill set to make another deep run.
Choosing a bracket-buster here was difficult, but we landed on Andrew Goller. Goller’s losses last week came against Maddox and Everitt, and he opens with Smith. If he’s able to put Smith on his back, Goller could advance to a quarterfinal matchup with Young—where the bracket could quickly open up.
120 lbs.
Favorite: Noah Brown - Gordon Lee
Contenders:
Quinton Lovett - Dublin
Khai Baker - Georgia Military College
Aiden Carroll - Temple
Ethan Shroyer - Bremen
Darkhorse: Kaleb Jones - Social Circle
Bracketbuster: Matthew Gottschalk - Fellowship Christian
Like 113, this weight is headlined by a returning state champion—but this time we raise the stakes with a two-time state champion in Noah Brown. Brown is simply better than everyone else in the bracket. That doesn’t guarantee a third title, but objectively, he’s one of the best 120-pounders in Georgia, and if he wrestles the way he has all season, he should walk away with another championship.
The primary challenger is Quinton Lovett of Dublin, who may be the one wrestler capable of creating problems if the two meet in the finals. Lovett has a knack for finding his moment, and last weekend he was rolling—winning Section B with four falls. In the finals, he was clinging to an 11–10 lead before securing the pin, showing both his ability to score and to finish matches when it matters most.
Behind Brown, the battle for the podium should be compelling—particularly in the potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal matchups. As is often the case, those wrestlers who finished second and third at sectionals could collide early. Baker vs. Jones and Carroll vs. Shroyer didn’t happen last week, but both matchups did take place two weeks ago at the area tournament. If all four handle business in the opening round, we could see those rematches run back with a state semifinal berth—and a guaranteed spot on the podium—on the line.
Our darkhorse is Kaleb Jones of Social Circle. Social Circle should be carrying plenty of momentum into this tournament, and that kind of team energy can be contagious. Jones is positioned well to capitalize. He finished third last weekend, with his only loss coming to Brown in the semifinals, and two weeks ago he defeated Khai Baker to win Area 4.
Our bracket-buster is Matthew Gottschalk, who draws Jones in the opening round. If Jones is already looking ahead to a potential semifinal run, Gottschalk has the opportunity to derail that immediately. A win there could crack this side of the bracket wide open.
126 lbs.
Favorite: Pierre Nelson - Mt Pisgah Christian
Contenders:
Lauden Ethridge - Social Circle
Eric Jackson - McIntosh County Academy
Emory Moss - Commerce
Silas Mills - Trion
Darkhorse: Cainan Gladden - Trutlen
Bracketbuster: Keymontae Sanders - Dublin
This is one of the best brackets in 1A, and picking a favorite here was brutal. Ethridge is a returning state placer, while Nelson spent last season competing in South Carolina and now returns looking to claim a Georgia title. Ethridge’s only losses this year came at the Knockout. Nelson, meanwhile, went an impressive 5–2 at the Knockout and was just one match shy of reaching the podium at this weight.
The deciding factor ultimately came down to who we believe has the tougher road. Ethridge could see returning state placer Eric Jackson in the semifinals—a dangerous draw in any bracket. Jackson has all the tools to win this weight outright and would be a major hurdle that early. Nelson, by comparison, already solved that puzzle, edging Jackson 4–2 last weekend to win Section B. That head-to-head result, combined with bracket placement, gives Nelson a slightly cleaner path, even in a field this loaded.
As always, the potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal matchups are worth watching. Mills vs. Moss is a rematch from last week’s semifinals, where Moss scored a second-period fall while leading 5–2. Jackson vs. Gladden didn’t happen last weekend, but both wrestlers have state tournament experience and know how to find wins on the big stage, making that matchup unpredictable.
Our darkhorse is Gladden, though his road is anything but easy. He must first get past Walls in the opening round before even thinking about a potential clash with Jackson. Walls dropped his opening-round match last weekend but rebounded with three straight wins to reach the podium, a reminder of how dangerous he can be once he settles in.
Our bracket-buster is Sanders, though it’s worth noting just how difficult this bracket is from the 5–8 range. Opening-round wins will be hard to come by, meaning Sanders may need to do his damage on the backside. Still, an opening-round victory over Maynard would be massive and could set the tone for a serious podium push.
132 lbs.
Favorite: Cohen Hargrove - Social Circle
Contenders:
Wyatt Bunch - Toombs County
Sawyer Seebeck - Wesleyan
Lane Broome - Trion
Tyson Allen - Commerce
Darkhorse: Kye Young - Dublin
Bracketbuster: Sawyer Grimsley - Brantley County
Can you say rematch? Bunch vs. Hargrove was pure chaos a year ago, with Bunch knocking off the defending state champion in one of the more memorable finals of the tournament. These two have felt destined to collide again all season, and on paper, a finals showdown seems likely (they did wrestle early in the year, but meeting in the state finals is a different vibe).
Both were dominant through sectionals. Hargrove posted two technical falls and two falls while surrendering just two total points across four matches. Bunch was every bit as efficient, giving up only two points as well—a fall, a major decision, a technical fall, and then a forfeit in the finals. If you’re looking strictly at form, it’s hard to separate them.
But is a Hargrove–Bunch final a given? Absolutely not. The No. 2s and No. 3s in this bracket all have state tournament experience and are more than capable of making noise—assuming they can survive their quarterfinals first. Lane Broome vs. Tyson Allen could set up yet another Trion vs. Commerce quarterfinal this weekend, even though the two didn’t meet last week. And if we get Seebeck vs. Young, it would be a rematch of last weekend’s quarterfinal, where Seebeck earned an 18–5 win. That said, this is a weight worth monitoring closely, as Seebeck medically forfeited his finals match to Bunch, opening the door for possible bracket movement.
Our darkhorse is Kye Young of Dublin. After dropping his quarterfinal to Seebeck, Young went on a tear, winning four straight matches to finish third. That kind of backside run builds confidence, and with some uncertainty surrounding Seebeck’s status, Young could find himself with a very real shot at reaching the semifinals.
Grimsley earns the bracket-buster nod, though there were several worthy candidates in this spot. The road from the No. 5 through No. 8 seeds is unforgiving, and Grimsley will need to start fast. He opens with Max Brady, and a win there would immediately put him in position to make a push toward the podium - a loss makes the road that much tougher.
138 lbs.
Favorite: James Sievers - Social Circle
Contenders:
Elijah Karr - Bremen
Thomas Morgan - Commerce
Cayson Wadley - East Laurens
Keyvon Gresham - Oglethorpe County
Darkhorse: Houston Simmons - McNair
Bracketbuster: Jordan Brannon - Toombs County
Perhaps there is no bigger favorite in 1A than James Sievers (with the possible exception of Harrison Murdock). Sievers enters at 48–1 on the season and has won everywhere—against elite in-state competition and on the national stage. His lone loss came in the finals of the Knockout, where he dropped a last-second takedown decision to Timmy Boda in a tremendous match. This isn’t meant to diminish the rest of the field, but it would be a genuine shock to see someone other than Sievers standing atop the podium.
If that shock were to occur, the most likely candidate is returning state runner-up Elijah Karr. Karr handled business at Section B to claim the title and looks primed to make another run to the state finals. He’s been steady, composed, and efficient all season—exactly the traits needed to survive a bracket like this.
As usual, the potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal matchups are intriguing, though this is a weight where no one can afford to look ahead. Brannen, Cornish, Davis, and Contreras are all very much in the mix and represent dangerous early tests. If the chalk holds, we could see a rematch between Wadley and Simmons in the quarters—a bout Wadley controlled 9–0 in last week’s Section B quarterfinals.
Our darkhorse is Houston Simmons. After the 9–0 loss to Wadley last weekend, Simmons responded impressively, ripping off four straight wins to take third place. He was dominant throughout the consolation run, with the only caveat being a forfeit over Benton in the consolation final. That kind of rebound speaks volumes about his mindset entering the state tournament.
Our bracket-buster is Brannen, who faces a tough opening-round draw against Gresham and could then could see Morgan if he advances. Brannen pushed Karr to the brink in last week’s Section B semifinals, falling 10–7, before losing to a red-hot Simmons in the consolation semis and forfeiting to finish sixth. The results may not jump off the page, but the performances suggest Brannen is capable of disrupting this bracket if things break his way.
144 lbs.
Favorite: Pace Lilenfeld - Mt Vernon
Contenders:
Walker Woodard - Social Circle
Samson Dobbs - Toombs County
Kendon Brown - Oglethorpe County
David Eaton - Wesleyan
Darkhorse: Zane Chavis - Commerce
Bracketbuster: Idris Muhammad - Northeast Magnet
It’s the old guard versus the new guard. Senior versus freshman. Both have been outstanding all season, and both took care of business at last weekend’s sectional tournaments.
Mount Vernon’s Pace Lilenfeld steamrolled his way through the bracket with two falls, a technical fall, and capped it with a 16–4 major decision over Samson Dobbs in the finals. Woodard was just as dominant in Section A—literally producing the same set of results: two falls, a technical fall, and a major decision—only in a different order, finishing with a fall over Kendon Brown in the finals. We ultimately went with Lilenfeld as the slight favorite based on his past accomplishments at the Georgia State Tournament, but there is a very real case to be made for the freshman. All three of Woodard’s losses this season came at the Knockout, where he still managed to reach the podium at 150 pounds—a rare feat for any freshman, especially at that weight and at that tournament.
The potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal matchups are intriguing as well. Dobbs defeated Eaton 7–3 in last weekend’s semifinals, a match that largely came down to Dobbs’ ability to execute on his feet. Chavis and Brown didn’t meet at Section A, but they did cross paths at Area 8, where Chavis earned a win in the finals.
Eaton is our darkhorse, though like the other No. 2s and No. 3s, he must stay focused on the opening round before thinking about potential rematches. Returning state qualifier Idris Muhammad gets the bracket-buster nod after reaching the semifinals last weekend and then battling back on the backside to finish fifth. Muhammad vs. Karr is a high-quality opening-round matchup, and Muhammad isn’t the only potential disruptor. Hunton, White, and Solomon are all returning state qualifiers as well, making this a bracket where very little will come easy.
150 lbs.
Favorite: Ronny Marlow - Heard County
Contenders:
Cale Prater - Social Circle
Hogan Sims - Commerce
Tyson Brantley - Toombs County
Winston Wu - Wesleyan
Darkhorse: Kaden Ellis - Gordon Lee
Bracketbuster: Coleman Lee - Trion and Chip Fahlbusch - Mt Vernon
It’s hard to argue that anyone in 1A is hotter right now than Cale Prater. Prater tore through a deep Section A field, opening with a 14–5 major decision before adding two falls and a technical fall. Along the way, he scored a tech fall over returning state placer Coleman Lee and capped his run with a fall over returning state placer Hogan Sims in the finals. It was as complete a sectional performance as you’ll see this time of year.
Still, we lean toward returning state runner-up Ronny Marlow as the favorite. Marlow enters at 30–2 on the season, with his only losses coming against nationally ranked opponents Dallas Russell and Dylan Villers. He dominated Section B and looks primed to take the final step after coming up just short a year ago.
The potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinals could be outstanding, but this is a bracket where no one can afford to look past the opening round. Sims edged Kaden Ellis 4–1 in last week’s quarterfinals, only to see Ellis respond with four straight wins to place third, including a 5–3 victory over Lee in the consolation semifinals. That kind of volatility is everywhere in this weight.
Winston Wu—our darkhorse—lost only to Marlow last weekend and showed real resolve by avenging an Area loss with an 8–4 decision over Fahlbusch in the consolation semifinals. Both Fahlbusch and Lee are worth circling as well. Each is a returning state placer who finished fifth last weekend, and both earn bracket-buster status here. They know how to win in this environment and will expect to make a serious push regardless of where they start in the bracket.
157 lbs.
Favorite: Dane Kracht - Social Circle
Contenders:
Ashton Anderson - Bacon County
Hudson Fleming - Elbert County
Clayton Loughridge - Trion
Logan Johnson - Bremen
Darkhorse: Alexander Muzafarov - Vidalia
Bracketbuster: Cale Farris - Chattahoochee County
Returning state champion Dane Kracht dominated last weekend on his way to the 157-pound Section A title and enters as the clear favorite after compiling a 51–2 record this season. Like his Social Circle teammates, Kracht’s only losses came out of state at the Knockout, where he went 5–2 wrestling up at 165 and narrowly missed the podium. Back at 157, he’s been nearly untouchable and is the easy pick to repeat.
The bottom half of the bracket, however, is loaded with returning state placers, starting with Section B champion Ashton Anderson of Bacon County. Anderson had to grind his way through the tournament, but he delivered when it mattered most. His 6–3 sudden-victory win in the semifinals was pivotal and came against Alexander Muzafarov, a matchup that could resurface in the quarterfinals this weekend. That potential rematch is why Muzafarov earns darkhorse status—assuming he can first navigate a tough opening-round bout with Cale Farris.
Also on the bottom side is returning state placer Hudson Fleming of Elbert County. Fleming finished fifth last year and dropped the Section A finals to Kracht, but he has the skill set to be a difficult out for anyone not named Kracht. He shares the third quarter of the bracket with fellow returning state placer Clayton Loughridge, creating another potential bottleneck in an already crowded half.
On the top side, the projected 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal—if both advance—would be Logan Johnson vs. Alec Fahlbusch, a matchup that didn’t happen last weekend and adds another layer of intrigue.
Ultimately, this is Kracht’s bracket until proven otherwise. Beyond that, almost anything feels possible. Anderson showed last weekend that he can survive close, physical matches, and if he can replicate that effort, he could find himself standing across from the defending champion in the finals.
165 lbs.
Favorite: Harrison Murdock - Chrsitian Heritage
Contenders:
Wyatt Sowell - Screven County
Davian Knox - Banks County
Brycin Hughes - Elbert County
Lane Moran - Heard County
Darkhorse: Keon Clealand - Mt Vernon
Bracketbuster: Payton Perez - Brantley County
Returning state champion Harrison Murdock continues to dominate. He took a solid Section A field and dismantled it on his way to the title, and the sophomore has been unstoppable all season (honestly he might be unbeaten in his high school career). That isn’t likely to change this weekend. Murdock rolled through the bracket with a 17–2 technical fall over returning state placer Brycin Hughes in the semifinals and followed it with a 20–4 technical fall over returning state runner-up Davian Knox in the finals.
Those results drop Hughes (third last weekend) and Knox (second) to the bottom half of the bracket alongside Section B champion Wyatt Sowell. Sowell impressed in his own right, recording three falls and closing out the title with an 8–5 decision over Lane Moran.
Hughes and Knox didn’t meet last weekend, but they’re far from strangers. Knox claimed the Area 8 title two weeks ago with a win over Hughes, setting the stage for a potential rematch in the bottom quarterfinals. Moran also enters with momentum after pinning Clealand in last weekend’s semifinals, giving us a rough sense of how the bracket could unfold—though leaning too heavily on past results is risky, especially after the chaos we saw across the state last weekend.
Our bracket-buster is returning state placer Payton Perez. Even if he gets past Rocky Holloway, knocking off Murdock would be a tall order. Still, Perez has been on the podium before, understands how to navigate this environment, and is more than capable of making another run if the bracket opens up. Keep an eye on the bottom side of this bracket - it could be all fireworks.
175 lbs.
Favorite: Lucas Coley - Toombs County
Contenders:
Cooper Middleton - Christian Heritage
Case Hanley - Banks County
Tim Brown - Temple
Christian Lange - Mt Pisgah
Darkhorse: Caden McWilliams - Commerce
Bracketbuster: Trent Harris - Mt Zion (Carroll)
175 may be the best weight in 1A. Five returning state placers and four additional returning state qualifiers make this bracket absolutely loaded, and picking a favorite here felt like flipping a coin. Coley and Middleton both emerged from deep sectional tournaments with relative ease, which is saying something given the level of competition.
Coley knocked off returning state placer Christian Lange 13–2 in the semifinals before beating Brown 10–5 in the finals. Middleton was just as impressive, rolling to a 15–0 technical fall over McWilliams in the semifinals and then outlasting returning state placer Case Hanley 13–8 in the finals. There’s no margin for error here—this bracket is going to be a grind from start to finish.
The potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal matchups only add to the intrigue. Lange vs. Brown and McWilliams vs. Hanley are both matchups worth circling. It’s unclear whether Brown and Lange have crossed paths recently, but McWilliams did defeat Hanley to win the Area 8 title two weeks ago—an important result to keep in mind if the two meet again. That prior win is why McWilliams gets the darkhorse nod. Without looking too far ahead, a possible McWilliams–Coley semifinal would be must-watch wrestling.
Our bracket-buster is Trent Harris, who showed last weekend just how dangerous the backside can be at this weight. Harris dropped his opening match, then rattled off three straight wins to reach the consolation semifinals before falling to Lange. Making the podium at 175 is likely to require exactly that kind of run, and Harris has already shown he’s capable of it.
190 lbs.
Favorite: Steele Brown - Mt Pisgah
Contenders:
Rivers West - Commerce
Leeson Allen - Toombs County
Robert McCoy - Temple
Layne Vaughn - Gordon Lee
Darkhorse: Daniel Passmore - Social Circle
Bracketbuster: Brandon Chandler - Trion
One point. That might be the best way to describe what separates much of the field at 190. The margins are razor-thin, and last weekend’s sectional results made that crystal clear.
Returning state runner-up Steele Brown edged returning state qualifier Leeson Allen 1–0 to claim the Section B title. In Section A, Rivers West outlasted returning state placer Layne Vaughn 8–7 for the championship. Allen’s path included a 3–0 sudden-victory win over returning state placer Robert McCoy in the Section B semifinals. Those results alone show just how close the top five wrestlers are in this bracket.
The potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinals loom large, with possible rematches of Allen vs. McCoy and Vaughn vs. Passmore—the latter ending in a second-period fall by Vaughn last weekend. Any of the top contenders here is capable of winning this weight, but doing so will require surviving multiple tight, physical matches.
Passmore is our darkhorse. The score was 0–0 when he was pinned in the second period of last weekend’s semifinals, a reminder of how competitive he was against Vaughn before one small mistake changed everything. Brandon Chandler earns bracket-buster status after finishing fifth at Section A. Chandler dropped a 5–4 decision to West in the quarterfinals and then lost 4–1 to Passmore—both highly competitive matches.
And Chandler isn’t the only name deeper in the bracket worth watching. Kaid Horton, Zaccaria Long, and George Campbell are all returning state qualifiers capable of capitalizing if the bracket breaks their way.
If you’re looking for one weight that could be decided in the final seconds, circle 190.
215 lbs.
Favorite: Will Mealer - Heard County
Contenders:
Malcolm Burris - Fitzgerald
Lincoln Blackmon - Elbert County
Xzavion Colclough - Social Circle
Owen Griffin - Irwin County
Darkhorse: Ty Hughes - Brantley County
Bracketbuster: Matt McDade - Georgia Military College
Mealer, Burris, and Blackmon. All three are returning state placers from 2025, and together they anchor a 215-pound bracket that is as balanced as any in 1A. Mealer edged Burris 7–6 to win the Section B title, while Blackmon powered through Section A with four falls. Even then, Blackmon was tested in the finals by Colclough, showing just how thin the margins are at the top.
We haven’t seen Mealer and Blackmon face off this season, but that matchup may not even come to pass—both have difficult roads just to reach the finals. That’s what makes this weight so compelling.
The potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinals are must-watch. Burris vs. Hughes is one possibility; the two didn’t meet last weekend, so there’s no recent result to lean on. The other is Griffin vs. Colclough, which would be a rematch from last week’s semifinals, where Colclough secured a pin while leading 5–1 in the third period. The top four at 215 are separated by very little, but each must survive their path before thinking about rematches or a title run.
Our darkhorse is Hughes, who has the ability to make the podium if everything breaks right. A run that includes wins over Burris, Blackmon, and a potential matchup with Mealer would be an enormous task—but not out of the question.
McDade earns the bracket-buster nod, with an important caveat. He medically forfeited his final two matches last weekend, so his status bears monitoring as brackets are finalized. If he’s in the field, he’s absolutely one to watch.
285 lbs.
Favorite: Domimarkeyo Walden - Dublin
Contenders:
Josh Murtaugh - Gordon Lee
Jordan Handsom - Emanuel County Institute
Brayden Patrick - Banks County
Robert Erickson - Lamar County
Darkhorse: Javonte Cummings - McIntosh County Academy
Bracketbuster: Nick Morrell - Social Circle
The two best wrestlers at 285 sit on opposite sides of the bracket after capturing sectional titles a week ago. Defending state champion Domimarkeyo Walden controlled his Section B run, opening with a 9–1 decision over Cummings before earning a disqualification win over Jordan Handsom in the finals. Walden looks firmly on track to defend his title.
On the other side, Murtaugh, a returning state placer, handled the Section A field with relative ease. He pinned Morrell in the semifinals and then pulled away for a 10–4 win over Patrick in the finals to secure the title. With both heavyweights peaking at the right time and positioned on opposite halves, a finals collision feels very much in play.
The potential 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal matchups add another layer of intrigue. Handsom vs. Cummings is one possibility; the two did not meet last weekend, making that bout difficult to project. The other is Patrick vs. Erickson, which would be a rematch from the Section A semifinals. Patrick earned the pin in that meeting, but Erickson was leading 13–3 at the time, giving him plenty of reason to believe a different outcome is possible this weekend.
Cummings earns darkhorse status after showing he can hang with the defending state champion. That said, his path is far from easy, with both Handsom and Murtaugh standing between him and another shot at Walden. Morrell is our bracket-buster after reaching the semifinals last weekend and is capable of shaking things up if the opportunity presents itself.