Rockdale Citizen

Photo by Howard Reed

LOGANVILLE -- The magic number was eight for the Heritage and Alcovy wrestling teams Saturday at Loganville High School.

The Patriots and Tigers each had eight placers to finish in the top six at the Eric Hill Memorial Tournament.

Heritage finished fourth, thanks in large part to runners-up Jacob Lambo, who lost a 10-8 decision to Tift County's Zimmie Mack in the 189-pound final and Dalton Heath, who was pinned in 3:53 by Rockdale's Grady Jarrett in the heavyweight title match. Boyce Cornwell was third at 215, while Marco Harris (sixth at 103), Joel Maldonado (fifth, 112), Brandon Coleman (sixth, 119), Mitch Clemens (fourth, 140) and Zach Walker (sixth, 145) also placed for the Patriots.

"Good weekend. Very good weekend," said Heritage coach Randy Hooley.

Alcovy entered just eight wrestlers in the tournament, but each grabbed a medal during the team's sixth-place finish. Boimah Karmo dropped a heart-breaking, 2-1 decision in overtime to defending state champion Carey Cloud of Tucker in the 152-pound final, and Zach Barton was never in his match with Woodland's Trent Gresham before being pinned in 4:53 in the 145-pound final. Alcovy coach Mike Mostek was most impressed with Karmo, who is in just his second year of wrestling.

"As a second-year wrestler, he's really coming on strong," Mostek said. "He's getting better every time out."

Kyle Barronton finished third at 135 pounds, while Jon Seymour (sixth, 112), Kenneth Queh (fifth, 119), Calvin Dallas (fourth, 125), Seth Parris (sixth, 130) and Sam Miller (fourth, 285) reached the podium as well.

"We brought eight and we placed all eight. Overall, I'm pleased," Mostek said.

Rockdale finished eighth, but had just three placers after a rough day of consolation matches. Jarrett continued to establish himself as the premier heavyweight in Class AAAA, finishing off the 285-pound title with the pin of Heath.

"That's what I'm trying to get, a state championship. I'm just really looking forward to the end of the season," Jarrett said. "Coach (Craig) Hargrove has done a good job of ... putting me against the best dudes in the state."

The Bulldogs lost two title matches as 103-pound Alonzo Allen suffered a hamstring injury, then was pinned late in the first period by Loganville's Dalton Wheeler. Ulises Ponce was trailing 5-3 in the third period of the 125-pound championship and had control of Loganville's Tyler McCance, but McCance picked up a two-point reversal to seal a 7-3 victory.

"(Ponce is) wrestling well. Definitely showing a lot of grit, definitely like seeing that out of him. (Allen) keeps impressing me every time he gets out there," Hargrove said.

Eastside's Lincoln Temple had a third-period escape and take down, which erased a 2-1 deficit and helped the 215-pounder hold off Jackson County's Austin McDonald for a championship. The Eagles finished 11th, though just one point behind 10th-place Carrollton, thanks to placers Tyler Bailey (third, 112), Misha Felton (sixth, 125), Daniel Whitlow (fifth, 135) and Jonathan Hilley (sixth, 171).

Newton had three fourth-place finishers -- 135-pound Jose Rivera, 189-pound Jeremy Fuller and 215-pound Marcel Walker -- to finish 13th.

"We've done some different drills this week (and) the things that have gotten us this far are the things we've practiced this week," said Rams coach Paul Nelson.

Salem finished 20th, led by Shawn Slaughter, who finished sixth in the heavyweight division.