The Ware County Gators wrestling team has fared well this season, sweeping the area duals in January and doing well in the traditionals after starting the season on a tear prior to the area tournaments.
The Gators hit the road to Pooler for the Area 2-AAAAA Dual Tournament. Ware County defeated region foes New Hampstead, Statesboro, and South Effingham for the championship. After taking the area title, the Gators competed in the state duals in Macon.
The Gator wrestling team then traveled to the area traditionals, where they won the 2017 title with 14 Gators qualifying for the regional traditional tournament including 10 individual champions. The top four finishers in each weight class get to advance.
Coach Joe Eichfeld had high praise for his team that surpassed expectations this season. Among the Ware County grapplers leading the way this year were seniors Cole White, who won the regional traditional title in the 152-pound weight class, and Britton Jones, who had been wrestling at 220 pounds.
“But he is going to be our 195-pounder at the end of the year,” Eichfeld said and correctly predicted. Jones was the region 195-pound class champion and won it with one match that ended in a 17-second pin.
Senior Sharod Cobb has also done well for the Gators.
“He’s a pretty tough wrestler,” Eichfeld said. “He’s just about to break out, and I expect to see that happen this year.”
The junior class has Brandon Foster, the team’s most technical wrestler.
“And I’ll go as far as saying the best wrestler on the team at this point,” Eichfeld said of the 113-pound region champion.
Nawin Hyers has been wrestling at 195 pounds, Austin Sweat at 138 pounds, and Eli Hodge at 170 pounds.
“He has been tearing up the mat,” Eichfeld said of Hodge, who won the 170-pound weight class championship with two pins. “He’s one of our pin leaders.”
Sophomore Reese Poole had been wrestling in the 132-pound weight class and is a returning starter who has had a solid season so far, coming away with the 120-pound weight class championship.
“We have a lot of good ninth graders who have come up from the middle schools, and they are really showing out,” Eichfeld said.
Cooper Thomas came up from Ware Middle and has been wrestling a lot of varsity at the 145- and 152-pound weight classes. Freshman Connor White has been wrestling at the 120-pound weight class.
Ware could have as many as five placers and up to 10 qualifiers in the state traditional tournament, according to Eichfeld.
“The last time we had five state placers, we took second in the state in the traditional tournament,” Eichfeld said.
The state traditional tournament is set for Feb. 9 at Gwinnett Arena outside of Atlanta.
SE-SF-0217-Ware
Written by: Rob Asbell
Coach Eichfeld Recognizes Wrestlers
