Instead of buying chocolates and flowers for their Valentine’s on Saturday, the Social Circle High School wrestling team won the GHSA 2A Traditional State Championship at the Macon Centerplex. Just a month after winning the GHSA Team State 2A title (first state wrestling title in school history), the Redskin’s won their first Traditional State title in school history.
Social Circle finished the event in first place with 215 points, second Bremen (160.5), third GAC (109), fourth Lovett (82.5) and fifth Armuchee (60.5) out of 33 teams which had the top eight wrestlers in the state in the 14 weight classes.

The Redskins qualified 12 wrestlers to state and all 12 placed. SCHS had eight wrestlers in the finals with four state champions, junior James Corasaniti (132), junior Reid Harris (138), junior Cameron Paschal (160) and Junior David Engstrom (195). Junior Levi Leach (120), sophomore Cade Lackey (152), sophomore Khamari Whimper (170) and senior Aaron Forrester (182) all finished as runner-ups. Both freshman Kyle Morris (106) and junior Travis Tyson (145) placed third with junior Mitchel Clegg (126) in fourth and senior Emmanuel Reese (285) in sixth.

Coach Randy Prater said, “Last year we had eight place all in the top three with one state champion. I remember thinking to myself of how will I be able to top that and look what happened. We place 12 with eight in the finals, and four state champions.”

For the past two years, Prater and his assistant coaches (Roger Strom, John Pittard, Brooks Adams, and Jimmy Lackey, new coaches Jason Austin, Jimmy Corasaniti and Robert Cline) had set a goal of winning the state wrestling championship. For the last few years, SCHS has been steadily improving (2012 5th in state, 2013 4th in state, and last year 2014 3rd in state).

Prater also commented, “I cannot put into words how great of a season the program has been able to accomplish. The way in which the program finished the season as a team and individuals was truly unbelievable. From the state duals to Traditional State, they never got satisfied, kept working hard and peeked at the right time. Every Coach desires to have their team peek at the right time. I remember my wrestling coach always telling our team how important that was. Well as a Coach, I just witnessed it and must say it is a moment in time that I will always cherish. We are family at SC, parents, wrestlers and coaches. Everyone bought into the program, and everyone worked towards a common goal and together we achieved it. I am so happy for the wrestlers, parents, fans, school system and our community.”

Coach Prater might have just started his own dynasty in the little town of Social Circle with (five) returning state champions, and (five) returning state placers, a middle school team who just won their area tournament, and a exploding USA wrestling program. Social Circle High School wrestling had a great Valentine’s Day.