By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

BREMEN – They’ve made history.

The Callaway Cavaliers finished second in the Area 4-AA duals on Saturday to advance to the state wrestling duals for the first time ever.

Callaway, along with 11 other Class AA teams, will compete in the state duals beginning on Thursday in Macon.

Callaway upended Heard County 57-24 in its opening match on Saturday, and it advanced to face Bremen.

After Callaway lost to Bremen, it had to wait to see how the match between Heard County and McNair came out.

If McNair had won, it could have challenged Callaway for the second spot since the two hadn’t wrestled yet.

Heard County won the match, though, and since it had already lost to Callaway, it wasn’t able to challenge for the number two spot.

When Heard County won the final match to secure the victory, Callaway’s wrestlers celebrated the long-awaited state berth.

The Cavaliers have come close to qualifying for state in recent years, including last season when they hosted the area duals.

“I got the job (before the 2017-2018 season), and that’s what I preached to them was, let’s go to state, let’s do it,” said Jason Boatman, Callaway’s head coach. “And we barely missed it (last season). We worked so hard trying to win that thing last year.”

Following that disappointment, Boatman said “we didn’t change what we did. I told the guys, you’ve got to wait a year. Let’s earn it.”

The Cavaliers did earn it, beating the rival Braves to secure the state bid.

“It sets another, standard,” Boatman said. “Hopefully we can build off this.”

CALLAWAY’S WRESTLERS

Cameron Key, Corbin Browning, Ladarious Williams, Jakwan Nunley, Jayvon Nunley, Derrell Parham, Troy Hilton, Laquize Gilbert, Curmondre Bray, Anthony Elliott, Jared Nation, Austin Thomas and Lathan Patterson