RINGGOLD, Ga. -- The Sonoraville wrestling team continued to build on its second-place showing at the Georgia state duals and ran away with the Area 6-AAA traditional tournament title Saturday. The Firebirds totaled 247 points and qualified 10 wrestlers for sectionals, including seven champions.
"We wrestled well," said Sonoraville coach Steve Hamilton. "We had a couple of other guys we would've liked to put through, but overall we wrestled well. Now we just have to focus on staying healthy and shape up a few things."
Calhoun (191.5) and Adairsville (153.5) were second and third, each with eight qualifiers and two champs. Calhoun managed to put seven in the finals, trailing only Sonoraville's eight.
"I'm content," Yellow Jackets coach Michael Herndon said. "You always want to wrestle better, but we're taking eight to sectionals, and that's the state qualifier. You don't want to say I'm a sectionals qualifier -- you want to be a state qualifier."
Coahulla Creek (142.5) was fourth with six qualifiers, and North Murray (142) and host Ringgold (117) each put seven wrestlers through. Two top seeds were knocked off in the finals, as North Murray's Luis Velez earned an upset win at 120 pounds with a pin and Sonoraville's Austin Tillman took a one-point decision at 138.
Other individual champions were Sonoraville's Kyle Chastain (126), Chris Gonzalas (160), Ryan Farist (170), Kevin Hurtiz (182), Jacob Bagwell (195) and Kenny Cooper (285); Calhoun's Aaron Aguirre (113) and Jacob Calahan (132); Adairsville's Salavador Grimaldo (106) and Daelen Harrison (152); and Ringgold's Nathan Bello (145) and Jesse Wade (220).
Sectionals are set for next weekend at Sonoraville, and Hamilton looks to have his Firebirds ready to continue finding success.
"We're going to keep our guys excited and motivated for what's coming up," Hamilton said. "It's like I tell them, they're on mile 22 of the marathon, and they just have a few miles to go."
Contact Idris Garcia at sports@timesfreepress.com.