By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

In a season that had its share of peaks and valleys, it has been a strong group of seniors who have helped keep the Troup High wrestling team afloat this winter.

There have been plenty of highlights, but the season has had its low points as well, most notably a disappointing loss to LaGrange in the county championship.

When it counted most, though, with the seniors showing the way, the Tigers were at their best.

In the Area 2-AAA championship at LaGrange High, seven Troup wrestlers made it to the finals, allowing the Tigers to out-distance Columbus for the area championship.

Three of the seniors, Zach Latimore, Alex McGhee and Luke Gay, lost in the finals, while Adam Lundberg won in the consolation finals to finish third.

Senior Lucas Bridges finished fifth to just miss out on a state berth, but as an alternate he still has an outside chance to get to state.

In all, 10 Troup wrestlers qualified for the state meet that will be held at the Gwinnett Arena Thursday through Saturday.

Nearly half of those wrestlers are seniors, and head coach Chris Rippy said “they’ve been invaluable. They pulled the team together, they push us.”

Three of the seniors, Gay, Lundberg and Latimore, are veterans of the state stage, while McGhee is making his state debut.

McGhee is anxious to test himself against the best the state has to offer.

“I’m very excited. I just want to go out there and win as much as I can,” said McGhee, who wrestles at 189 pounds.

McGhee was glad to be a part of the first area championship team Troup has had in awhile.

“I was proud, mostly, because I was able to help our team, able to help us win area,” McGhee said.

Although Bridges didn’t qualify for state, he’s been in the wrestling room working hard alongside his teammates.

Even if doesn’t work out and he doesn’t get to wrestle at state, he wants to spend as much time with his teammates as he can before the season ends.

“Some of us have been together since middle school,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun.”

For Bridges to wrestle at state, one of the four state qualifiers from Area 2-AAA would have to miss state for some reason.

“I’m hoping I’ll get a chance to go out there,” he said.

Lundberg, Latimore and Gay are each making their second trip to state.

A year ago, Lundberg and Latimore made it to state as area champions, but they were unable to repeat that feat this year.

They’re in the field, though, and that’s really all that matters.

“Finishing in the top two was big for seeding,” Latimore said.

Lundberg was hoping to be in the finals of the area tournament, but he made the most of his situation by winning his third-place match.

Gay, meanwhile, has had a stellar senior season that nearly ended with an area title.

“I’ve had a good season,” Gay said.

All of the seniors were thrilled to be part of an area championship team.

The Tigers came close at the area duals where they finished second.

They have been a much strong traditional format team, though, and they showed that at the area meet.

“It felt good considering we were missing a couple of weight classes,” Latimore said. “We feel like we’ve been competitive every year. This year we were able to put it all together.”

Lundberg, who missed the county championship with an ankle injury, said the wrestlers “were well rested” at the area tournament, and that made a big difference.

“We were ready,” he said.

Six other Troup wrestlers qualified for state.

Stephen Cain won Troup’s lone area title, while Otis Thornton (103 pounds), Lance Patillo (130 pounds) and Tim Hart (185 pounds) each finished second at area.

Peyton Evans (215 pounds) and Jeremy Torbush finished third at area.

McGhee said every wrestler will go to state confident in his ability.

“I believe everyone going has a good shot to place,” he said. “Everyone should have a shot to win the whole thing.”