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High school wrestling: Hall schools put 50 individuals into the state traditional tournament
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Chestatee 132-pound wrestler Ely Raines (back) competes Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at Chestatee in the finals of the Region 8-4A duals against North Oconee. Photo courtesy Chestatee wrestling program

A total of 50 boys and girls wrestlers from Hall County schools earned a spot in the upcoming Georgia High School Association state wrestling championship tournaments with their performances in sectional tournaments this past weekend.

Chestatee led the way with the most qualifiers by placing nine individuals in the boys Class 4A state meet – led by weight class sectional runners-up Kadin McDonald (106 pounds), Alexis Guardado (113), Ely Raines (132) and Bryant Barnes (165) –  as well as seven wrestlers in the girls all-classification meet – paced by sectional champions Ashley Godinez at 155) and Jaden Lee (190).

Highlighting the list of the other qualifiers are a pair of state champions from last year looking for a repeat in Flowery Branch’s Seth Larson, a two-time champion who won a Class 5A sectional title at 157 Saturday, and North Hall’s Connor Free, who took first in his 144 pounds in 4A.

Three other Hall individuals will be back at this year’s state meet in Macon after placing there last year – sectional champs Zeke Harris of North Hall (144) and Caleb Pruitt of East Hall (285) and sectional runner-up Cal Rockenbach of Flowery Branch (190).

Litzy Soto of Johnson will also got into this year’s girls tournament as a sectional champ after taking the 170 title over the weekend.

In addition to the 50 wrestlers from Hall County to definitely qualify, three more county boys – Flowery Branch’s Preston Valentine (120), Gainesville’s Miguel Benitez (190) and West Hall’s Nasser Aliou (157) – and one other girl – Chestatee’s Charlotte Wheeler (135) – will also serve as alternates in their brackets after placing seventh at sectionals.

The complete list of Hall state qualifiers is as follows:

 

HALL CO. QUALIFIERS FOR 2023 GHSA STATE TRADITIONAL WRESTLING TOURNAMENT

BOYS

(Weight Class, Name, Place in sectionals, Class)

CHEROKEE BLUFF

106 Ethan Maroto (sixth, 4A)

138 Austin Beverly (sixth, 4A)

144 Hayden Biggs (third, 4A)

190 John Duggan (third, 4A)

CHESTATEE

106 Kadin McDonald (second, 4A)

113 Alexis Guardado (second, 4A)

132 Ely Raines (second, 4A)

144 T.J. Terry (fourth, 4A)

165 Bryant Barnes (second, 4A)

175 Hayden Sullens (fourth, 4A)

190 Triston Minor (fifth, 4A)

215 Daniel Zaleta (third, 4A)

285 Nick Brazier (sixth, 4A)

EAST HALL

190 Jacob Hernandez (sixth, 4A)

285 Caleb Pruitt (first, 4A)

FLOWERY BRANCH

*120 Preston Valentine (seventh, 5A)

150 Jason Clark (third, 5A)

157 Seth Larson (first, 5A)

165 Griffin Harper (fourth, 5A)

190 Cal Rockenbach (second, 5A)

215 Vincent Kilroy (fifth, 5A)

285 Max Woodford (sixth, 5A)

GAINESVILLE

106 Joel Beltran (sixth, 6A)

144 Mario Bolivar (second, 6A)

165 Jose Benitez (third, 6A)

*190 Miguel Benitez (seventh, 6A)

215 Sky Niblett (second, 6A)

285 Erick Willock, (sixth, 6A)

JOHNSON

120 Jud Farmer (third, 4A)

165 Logan Caughman (sixth, 4A)

285 Guillermo Rosales (second, 4A)

NORTH HALL

144 Connor Free (first, 4A)

150 Parker Carlston (fifth, 4A)

157 Joey Carew (second, 4A)

175 Zeke Harris (first, 4A)

215 Kade Hawthorne (fifth, 4A)

WEST HALL

106 Michael Moya (fourth, 3A)

*157 Nasser Aliou (seventh, 3A)

190 Caleb Beverly (sixth, 3A)

215 David Beverly (second, 3A)

* – Alternate

 

GIRLS (All-Classification)

(Weight Class, Name, Place in sectionals)

CHESTATEE

100 Jayden White (sixth)

105 Courtney Hawkins (third)

130 Abby Plemons (second)

*135 Charlotte Wheeler (seventh)

155 Ashley Godinez (first)

190 Jaden Lee (first)

235 Isabella Redlinger (third)

FLOWERY BRANCH

235 Litzy Resendez (sixth)

GAINESVILLE

110 Emily Mejia-Martinez (third)

140 Barbara Arredondo (sixth)

JOHNSON

110 Anna Santoscoy (sixth)

170 Litzy Soto (first)

NORTH HALL

125 McKenzie England (fourth)

145 Katelyn Hill (sixth)

* – Alternate

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