Three Piedmont Wrestlers Are State Champs

The Piedmont Academy wrestling team had three competitors bring home state championship medals last Saturday from the GISA Class A/AA tournament in Statesboro.

Senior Chris Brunton and juniors Ryan Young and Blake McMichael each entered state as No. 1 seeds and showed they deserved those rankings by winning their respective weight classes. Brunton won first at 135 while Young was state champion at 125 and McMichael at 140.

“I am very proud of how they performed at state,” said Piedmont wrestling coach Darrell Young. “To have three state champions is a very nice accomplishment.”

This was the first year that the GISA held a separate tournament for Class A/AA schools. These schools will also have the chance to compete at the upcoming all-classficiation state wrestling tournament next month.

By virtue of their No. 1 seeds, each of the Piedmont champions received byes in the opening round. Brunton then pinned opponents from Trinity and Mill Springs to win the 135 title. Young pinned his Calvary Christian opponent in approximately 40 seconds before winning the state medal against a Brandon Hall opponent in just 30 seconds.
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McMichael was equally as impressive pinning his opponent from Westwood in the opening period before defeating his Windsor foe in less than a minute for the state medal.

Piedmont was close to having four state champions as sophomore B.J. Benjamin turned in a strong performance at 114 pounds. Benjamin entered the tournament as a No. 2 seed and did not lose until the finals.

The Mat Cougars were also represented at state by junior Joey Schroeder and sophomore Charley Needham. Both wrestlers entered the A/AA tournament as No. 5 seeds. Schroeder competed at 152 pounds while Needham wrestled at 171. Schroeder pinned an opponent from Robert Toombs during the tournament.

Overall, Piedmont was fourth Saturday among 14 teams. Coach Young said he was proud of the fourth place team showing since the Mat Cougars competed with only six varsity wrestlers. The three teams who placed in ahead of Piedmont each had complete teams.

Coach Young said he hopes the GISA will have two separate state classifications in the future. With there being 14 A/AA schools with wrestling programs and 12 Class AAA schools, the Piedmont coach believes it is time to have separate state divisions.

“Wrestling is a fast growing GISA sport,” Coach Young said. “The quality is getting better each year. I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish at state.”

The Piedmont varsity wrestlers will compete at Riverside Military Academy Saturday to try and qualify for the all-classification state tournament. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance.

Four Piedmont junior varsity wrestlers also competed in Statesboro last week. Zach Benjamin was third at 104 pounds while Chandler Sanders was third at 114. Mateson Slaughter and Drew Odegaard also competed for the JV Mat Cougars.
Prior to the state tournament, the Piedmont varsity wrestlers competed against Brandon Hall, Weber and Hidden Lakes last Thursday. Ryan Young had two pins and a forfeit win for the Mat Cougars while B.J. Benjamin had a pin and two forfeits.

Brunton picked up a forfiet victory and a win while McMichael had two forfeits and a pin. Schroeder earned a pin and a forfeit win for Piedmont.

Piedmont also competed against Stratford and Windsor earlier in the week. Odegaard had a win in an exibition match.

For the varsity wrestlers, B.J. Benjamin, Ryan Young, Brunton and Schroder each had pins. McMichael earned a win by points and a forfeit victory.