From a part of the state that has already established itself as one of Georgia’s top high school wrestling areas comes a name that may go down as one of the best wrestlers the state has ever known. Anthony Lowe, a senior at Brunswick High School, has a career that will rival any other to come from the wrestling-rich Golden Isles coastal region of Georgia.
Lowe is undefeated over the past two seasons, closing out a high school career that saw him finish with an 83-match win streak. As incredible a feat as that is, what Lowe was able to do over that two-year undefeated stretch is the stuff of legends: He was never taken down, or scored upon, during those two seasons on his way to a second straight state championship. Lowe secured that state title on Feb. 17 with a win over Jackson Waters from Newnan High School in the 190-pound weight class.
Lowe finished this season with a 50-0 record and an overall high school record of 155-11. He also became the first four-time region champion in the history of Glynn County wrestling and is a high school wrestling All-American. He currently has approximately 12 offers from colleges and universities to continue his wrestling career at the next level.
Brunswick head wrestling coach Tom Bartolotta said he recalls seeing Lowe wrestle for the first time in middle school.
“I first saw him wrestle in the eighth grade, and I could tell then that he was ahead of the curve for his age,” Bartolotta said. “I could tell then that he was going to be special.”
Lowe is the son of Andrea and Bobby Brown and has lived in Brunswick his whole life. He first began wrestling in the seventh grade, but in the beginning wasn’t sure the sport was for him.
“I was in the seventh grade, and my gym coach, Coach Bennett, encouraged me to come out and wrestle for him,” Lowe said. “But after every loss, I would tell myself that I wasn’t going to continue wrestling.”
Lowe hung in there, and as he got to high school, he decided that he had a future in wrestling.
“Ultimately, I decided not to let the sport defeat me,” he said. “Towards the end of my freshman year, I began to realize that I had the ability to go far in the world of wrestling.”
Still Obstacles for Lowe to Overcome
As talented as Lowe is, both he and his coach agreed there are still some major hurdles to clear if he hopes to continue wrestling.
“Wrestling in Georgia is about average, and that isn’t a knock on the sport or any one high school wrestler,” Bartolotta said. “Anthony could win a high school title in every other state outside of Georgia with no problem. But the sport just becomes a lot tougher on a national level. It’s different on a national level than it is here in Georgia.”
Bartolotta said that even with Lowe’s exceptional skills, he will need to keep working on perfecting his craft.
“Anthony will need to continue to learn the sport of wrestling,” Bartolotta said.
Lowe agreed.
“The main obstacle that I will continue to face is the fact that wrestling isn’t a large sport in the South, and that affects every aspect of the sport,” Lowe said. “It affects the training, the travel, the competition, and my improvement rate.”
Still, Bartolotta said that Lowe is one of the Top 3 wrestlers he has ever coached.
“He learns very fast, and one of his greatest skills is how quickly he adapts to his opponents during each match,” Bartolotta said.
In addition to his high school team at Brunswick, Lowe wrestles with club team Storm Wrestling, which allows him to compete against some of the best wrestlers across the country.
“Anthony defeated a Minnesotta All-American high school wrestler at the national tournament this past fall, Marco Christiansen,” Bartolotta said. “He has signed with Nebraska.”
Bartolota said wrestling against top wrestlers from “traditional wrestling states” is how Lowe will continue to get better.
But considering Lowe hasn’t been scored on in 83 consecutive matches, is it even possible for the Brunswick wrestler to get any better? Look out for Anthony Lowe.
