Gainesville, Georgia - All season long, Woodward Academy and South Effingham were the #1 and #2 teams in the Georgia High School Association's wrestling team rankings in the 6A classification through various wrestling websites. Both teams were on course to meet in the Class 6A boy's title championship wrestling match.
South Effingham (34-2) took to the wrestling mat three times to take care of business. In match #1, the Mustangs beat Lassiter High School (12-6) 58-16, and then in match #2, they defeated Creekview High School (19-3) in the second round to reach the finals. Woodward Academy (18-0) would not make the finals and lost in their second match in a heartbreaker to North Forsyth (29-0) 32-31.
So, after Saturday's GHSA State Dual Championships at Gainesville High School, the Mustangs earned the right to raise the school's first-ever team championship banner in the South Effingham high school gym. The Mustangs defeated North Forsyth 36-28 to pin the title, and can you say how about those Mustangs!
NOTE: There are two state wrestling championship tournaments in GHSA. The Duals tournament is a team tournament that just concluded. Next will be the GHSA traditional tournament which crowns individual wrestlers in each weight class by classification. This tournament will take place February 16-18, 2023, at the Macon Centreplex.
Records in the story are via MaxPreps.com.
Listed below are South Effingham's championship roster and the results posted for each match via trackwrestling.com.
South Effingham High School Wrestling Roster 2022-23
| Weight Class | Name | Grade | Record |
| 106 | Hardeman, Christopher | 9 | 16-6 |
| 106 | Galindez, Daniel | 10 | 36-12 |
| 113 | Gibson, Alarik | 10 | 20-11 |
| 113 | Tootle, Stephen | 12 | 37-9 |
| 120 | Santana, Emilio | 10 | 15-4 |
| 126 | Tootle, Andrew | 9 | 5-4 |
| 126 | Stellhorn, Jacob | 11 | 34-9 |
| 132 | Bringer, Brandon | 10 | 40-1 |
| 138 | Wood, Eli | 11 | 45-7 |
| 138 | Bailey, Shomari | 11 | 9-5 |
| 144 | White, Gannon | 11 | 31-9 |
| 144 | Yilales, Jayven | 11 | 1-6 |
| 150 | Couch, Donovan | 12 | 9-9 |
| 150 | Sessions, Nicholas | 12 | 40-11 |
| 157 | Lane, David | 9 | 1-2 |
| 157 | Pollard, Morris | 9 | 2-4 |
| 157 | Tootle, Ashton | 11 | 35-10 |
| 165 | Santana, Enrique | 12 | 33-4 |
| 165 | Fisher, Caysen | 9 | 0-5 |
| 175 | McFarlin, DaMyon | 11 | 36-9 |
| 190 | Christmas, William | 12 | 41-6 |
| 215 | Lord, Christopher | 11 | 19-15 |
| 215 | Runkle, Brinstian | 11 | 3-9 |
| 285 | Anderson, Ashton | 11 | 46-2 |
| Head Coach | Bringer, Christopher | ||
| Assit. Coach | Hobbs, Christopher |
GHSA 6A CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET RESULTS
Match #1 Championship Bracket
South Effingham defeated Lassiter H.S. 58-16
106 - Isaac Hoshide (Lassiter H.S.) over Daniel Galindez (South Effingham) Fall 1:12
113 - Riley McElligott (Lassiter H.S.) over Stephen Tootle (South Effingham) Maj 10-2
120 - Carter Brickley (Lassiter H.S.) over Emilio Santana (South Effingham) Dec 8-2
126 - Jacob Stellhorn (South Effingham) over Aijalon Thomas (Lassiter H.S.) Fall 1:49
132 - Brandon Bringer (South Effingham) over Evan Diaz (Lassiter H.S.) Fall 0:33
138 - Eli Wood (South Effingham) over Grant Rhue (Lassiter H.S.) Fall 1:51
144 - Samuel Gadsden (Lassiter H.S.) over Gannon White (South Effingham) Dec 3-1
150 - Nicholas Sessions (South Effingham) over Jacobee Connell (Lassiter H.S.) Fall 3:06
157 - Ashton Tootle (South Effingham) over Dominic Fiorenza (Lassiter H.S.) Maj 15-3
165 - Enrique Santana (South Effingham) over Alex Johnson (Lassiter H.S.) Fall 2:22
175 - DaMyon McFarlin (South Effingham) over Brody Brantley (Lassiter H.S.) Fall 1:43
190 - William Christmas (South Effingham) over Jackson Whitley (Lassiter H.S.) Fall 1:45
215 - Christopher Lord (South Effingham) over Victor Esclusa (Lassiter H.S.) Fall 1:58
285 - Ashton Anderson (South Effingham) Forfeit
Match #2 Championship Bracket
South Effingham defeated Creekview 44-18
106 - Daniel Galindez (South Effingham) over Ty Warren (Creekview) Fall 4:19
113 - Stephen Tootle (South Effingham) over Preston Abrams (Creekview) SV-1 14-12
120 - Brock Salas (Creekview) over Emilio Santana (South Effingham) Dec 7-2
126 - Jacob Stellhorn (South Effingham) over Jairon Jarrett (Creekview) Maj 11-3
132 - Brandon Bringer (South Effingham) over Aaron Campbell (Creekview) Maj 9-1
138 - Jonathan Yeager (Creekview) over Eli Wood (South Effingham) Fall 1:12
144 - Austin Hamm (Creekview) over Gannon White (South Effingham) Fall 4:52
150 - Nicholas Sessions (South Effingham) over Weston Wilkie (Creekview) Fall 3:31
157 - Ashton Tootle (South Effingham) over Gabe Peterman (Creekview) Dec 8-7
165 - Enrique Santana (South Effingham) over korrigan Marsh (Creekview) TF 16-1
175 - DaMyon McFarlin (South Effingham) over Jacob Hughes (Creekview) TB-1 5-2
190 - William Christmas (South Effingham) over Grant Gilleland (Creekview) Maj 11-0
215 - Jackson Locke (Creekview) over Christopher Lord (South Effingham) Dec 8-2
285 - Ashton Anderson (South Effingham) over Isaac Hubert (Creekview) Fall 5:42
Match #3 1st Place Match
South Effingham defeated North Forsyth 36-28
106 - Arcadian Eaton (North Forsyth) over Christopher Hardeman (South Effingham) Fall 1:04
113 - Stephen Tootle (South Effingham) over Xavier Martinez (North Forsyth) Maj 10-0
120 - Emilio Santana (South Effingham) over Reece Meyers (North Forsyth) Maj 21-8
126 - Michael Gryder (North Forsyth) over Jacob Stellhorn (South Effingham) Dec 7-4
132 - Brandon Bringer (South Effingham) over Barrett Griffis (North Forsyth) Fall 1:26
138 - Eli Wood (South Effingham) over Isaac Hall (North Forsyth) Maj 10-1
144 - Dmitriy Vostrikov (North Forsyth) over Gannon White (South Effingham) Fall 1:24
150 - Christopher Henderson (North Forsyth) over Nicholas Sessions (South Effingham) Maj 11-3
157 - Ashton Tootle (South Effingham) over Cody Scroggins (North Forsyth) Maj 15-4
165 - Enrique Santana (South Effingham) over Nick Ruis (North Forsyth) TF 17-2
175 - DaMyon McFarlin (South Effingham) over William Verdirame (North Forsyth) SV-1 3-1
190 - Colin Kelley (North Forsyth) over William Christmas (South Effingham) Dec 4-2
215 - Collin Miller (North Forsyth) over Christopher Lord (South Effingham) Fall 1:02
285 - Ashton Anderson (South Effingham) over Seth Daugherty (North Forsyth) Fall 3:26
PHOTO CREDIT: GHSA Twitter page
Optim Orthopedics supports Benedictine Military School, Calvary Day School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. Dr. David Palmer is the team doctor for Calvary Day School, South Effingham, and Richmond Hill. Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game.
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