By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

LAGRANGE – They defended their home floor.

The LaGrange High wrestlers came into Saturday’s Granger Duals hoping to secure the championship trophy, and they made it happen with an unbeaten performance.

LaGrange went 5-0 to not only win the championship, but to remain perfect on the season after also going 5-0 in a tournament in Carrollton last month.

“I think we were thinking about (winning at home),” said senior Jordan Ragan. “And we haven’t lost a dual yet. So we’re trying to keep that going, keep that alive.”

It had been a while since LaGrange’s varsity team had competed, since the tournament in Carrollton was in the middle of November.

“This was only our second varsity competition,” Weathers said. “We wrestled the Central-Carroll duals, which had been about three weeks. We kind of had to knock the cob webs off and get going again.”

Weathers added that “we wrestled well at some places, and not so well at others. We’ve got a lot to work on, a lot to improve on.”

One wrestler who has been flying high this season is senior John Todd Bohn, who has yet to experience defeat.

After an unbeaten showing in the Central-Carroll tournament, Bohn was 4-0 in the Granger Duals, and he is 7-0 overall.

Bohn said winning at home was a big deal, particularly for the seniors who were competing in their final Granger Duals.

“We want to win our tournament, of course,” Bohn said. “It’s definitely a big thing being our senior year. I want to win all of our tournaments, but especially at home. It means the most. And this is our last one.”

Five LaGrange wrestlers won four matches on the day, and that included Bohn and Ragan, two of the senior leaders.

Ragan wrestled up a weight class at 220 pounds, and he did well, posting a 4-1 record.

Ragan, one of the football players who has recently made the transition to wrestling, said having five matches in a short period of time was a challenge.

“After my fourth match, I was kind of dragging a little bit,” Ragan said.

Knowing this is his final season, though, Ragan wants to be on the mat whenever he can.

“I’m just ready to wrestle,” he said.

Ragan, like Bohn, is off to a fast start this season.

Ragan went 4-1 in the Carrollton tournament, and he had a key pin that helped LaGrange come back from a 24-7 deficit against Central-Carroll in the championship match.

Also going 4-1 in the Granger Duals were Dijon Hart, Quindon Dunson and Lane Oliver.

De’Erious Sands and Colt Creed each wrestled three matches on Saturday, and they won them all to post matching 3-0 records, and Richard Gaskin and Dexter Fitzpatrick were each 3-1.

Chase Sams and Walter Oliver each went 2-1, and Doc Stanford, Luke Haynes and Denaldo Deleon were 2-1.

Jackson Bozeman wrestled five times and had a 2-3 record, and Wyatt Oliver and Charles Ray were each 1-0, and John Arthur was 1-2.

“We competed hard today,” Weathers said. “That was our focus today was to commit and compete. It was good to see numerous young guys get varsity mat time and see how they would compete. I am excited about this team but we have to improve every day at practice and every opportunity that we compete against another team.”

LaGrange beat Brookstone 72-6, Cedartown 63-6, Heard County 72-12, Northgate 48-30, and Smiths Station 42-36.

“Overall it was a great day,” Weathers said. “Anytime you can win a tournament or place as a team at a tournament that is a great accomplishment.”

LaGrange will continue its season when it travels to Heard County on Wednesday to compete against Mt. Zion, Carrollton, Northgate, as well as the host team.

LaGrange will wrestle in the Chattahoochee River Wrestling Association tournament at Alexander High on Saturday.