Class AA: Jefferson claims ninth-straight title

By Brandon Brigman
GNWA Correspondent

Jefferson won its ninth-straight dual state championship on Saturday, but the excitement of winning hasn't gotten old for the program.
"No, no, no. If It did I would be in the wrong business," Jefferson coach Doug Thurmond said. "Each year is a special year. As you get older you remember being part of a state championship, that's special and you remember that the rest of your life. It never gets old. Each year it gets better."
The latest title came after a 41-22 victory over Sonaraville in the Class AA state finals at the Macon Centreplex. The championship added to Jefferson's state record of consecutive titles.
"Nobody wants to be the group that breaks the chain," Thurmond said. "They stepped up to the challenge and I have to say Sonaraville has a great team. They came prepared."
Jefferson defeated Fitzgerald (64-10), Benedictine (62-18) and Lovett (66-12) to reach the finals.
Against Sonaraville, it was a tight dual early in the match.
"It was back and fourth. We won the first one, they one the second, we won the third, they won the fourth," Thurmond said. "It wasn't until Cain Finch's pin that we started to pull away."
Finch and Wayne Elliott posted back-to-back pins to give Jefferson a 21-7 lead.
Sonaraville cut it to 26-16 with four matches remaining, but Lucas Redd came up with a huge pin at 189 pounds.
"That pin by Lucas Redd was big," Thurmond said. "There was three matches after that and they would have to pin all three to win."
Instead Zac Allen's decision clinched the win and Kyle Springer added a pin at 103 pounds.
Cason Thurmond (decision), Clay Richardson (decision), Cutler Finch (decision) and Forrest Prbysyz (technical fall) also had wins.
"Each dual we had different kids step up and it was a total team effort," Thurmond said.
Jefferson improved to 29-1 in duals this season with its lone loss to Class AAAAA runner-up Pope. After losing seven starters from last year's team, the Dragons have a nice combination of seniors, juniors, sophomores and three freshman on this year's team.
"We're blessed with a good group and it's a good mixture," Thurmond said.
Jefferson will be the favorite at the traditional state tournament next month at the Arena at Gwinnett Center, but Thurmond was quick to dismiss the Dragons as the top team.
"I'm not going to make any predictions. We try to sneak in the back door, but that's hard to do when you got a target on your back," Thurmond said. "What do they say 'Walk quiet and carry a big stick.' We try to be quiet and not toot our horn."
Saturday's dual state title was the 22nd for the program, but Thurmond isn't worried about finding a place for all the hardware.
"We always find room, that's no problem. We'll knock a wall down if we have to, but it hasn't come to that yet," Thurmond said. "But it's fun. It's fun when you have good kids and that's what makes it special."