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South Effingham wrestling team pins down Area 2 Duals title
Wrestling
Submitted South Effingham wrestlers won the Class 6A Area 2 Dual Wrestling Championships Saturday. Pictured, left to right are: Eli Wood, 138 lb junior, Nicholas Sessions, 150 lb senior and Moose Bringer, 132 lb sophomore.

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald


South Effingham’s wrestlers had to wait a year, but they got their revenge Saturday afternoon.

SEHS topped Brunswick 37-18 in the finals of the Class 6A Area 2 Dual Wrestling Championships to earn the right to host a four-team state prelim bracket Saturday.

It’s the first area wrestling title for the Mustangs since 2013, coach Christopher Bringer said.

“We had a great, great weekend,” Bringer said. “(Brunswick) said things and got under our skin. We’re going to grab this title and act like a championship team.”

South (32-2) advanced to wrestle Paulding County, the No. 4 seed from Region 5, with the winner moving on to wrestle the winner of Jackson County (Region 8’s No. 2 seed) vs. St. Pius X (Region 4’s No. 3 seed).

The winner of the prelim bracket will continue on as part of the eight-team Class 6A Team Dual Wrestling State Championships on Jan. 21 in Gainesville.

South’s prelim foursome is expected to be competitive because Jackson County, ranked third in 6A by Internet site Georgia Grappler, was upset in its region tournament by North Forsyth in the championship match to slip to a No. 2 seed.

The Mustangs are ranked second in 6A. Woodward Academy is No. 1.

South shouldn’t mind the test. The Mustangs returned determined this year after getting upended by Brunswick 33-25 last season in the area finals.

This time, they had eight wrestlers – Daniel Galindez (106), Emilio Santana (120), Brandon “Moose” Bringer (132), Eli Wood (138), Nick Sessions (150), Enrique Santana (157), DaMyon McFarlin (175) and William Christmas (190) – all finishing 3-0 at area.

Emilio Santana returned to the lineup after missing time with an elbow injury. Wood, who has the most wins on the team, raised his record to 44-6.

Moose Bringer is 38-1. Heavyweight Ashton Anderson is 44-2. Enrique Santana is 32-3.

SEHS opened with an 82-0 win over Evans, then knocked off Glynn Academy 50-15 before meeting Brunswick, the area’s two-time defending champion.

“For me, it was the coolest thing I’ve been involved with since retiring from the army,” coach Bringer said. “It was great seeing the kids set a goal (to win area) and seeing it to completion and we’re not done yet.”

Glynn Academy finished third in the team competition and Evans fourth.

Effingham County failed to advance out of area play.

“I really feel like this could be the year (for a high placement at state),” Bringer said. “From 106 to heavyweight, we don’t have a weak link and that’s what you need in team competition. I feel confident putting our team up against anybody right now.”