wrestling

Students lift weights under the support and supervision of former teacher Steve Mason. Mason recently took a job at Commerce High School. (Submitted Photo)

Students lift weights under the support and supervision of former teacher Steve Mason. Mason recently took a job at Commerce High School. (Submitted Photo)

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OCHS weightlifting classes benefit more than wrestlers

Nicholas Eriksen
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Steve Mason’s weightlifting classes have had an impact on Oglethorpe County High School athletes. Junior Luke Holbrooks, a wrestler, could bench only 185 pounds at the beginning of the class. Since then, he has increased his bench to 225 pounds, while squatting 300 pounds.
Miles Mason stands with his dad, Steve Mason, after a wrestling match. Steve coached Miles for five years of his career. (Submitted photo)

Miles Mason stands with his dad, Steve Mason, after a wrestling match. Steve coached Miles for five years of his career. (Submitted photo)

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A tough goodbye as Mason leaves for Commerce job

Grant Turnage and Nicholas Eriksen
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Steve Mason’s Oglethorpe County legacy won’t be sitting in a trophy case. It was at his final wrestling banquet as the OCHS wrestling coach.   “Twenty-six of our 28 men showed up. Two had to work,” he said. “They were all dressed nice. They were all respectful.

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Prep roundup: Gresham finishes fourth at state wrestling meet

News Staff
Friday, February 20, 2026
Staff Report Keyvon Gresham finished fourth and Walker Compton was sixth at the Class A state wrestling tournament last week at the Clayton County Convocation Center in Morrow. Tanner Mckie was 2-2 and one match away from placing, and Andrew Goller and Kendon Brown were both 1-2.

Compton, Mckie spark wrestlers to third place

News Staff
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Walker Compton, a freshman, and Tanner Mckie, a senior, led the Oglethorpe County wrestling team to a third-place finish at the Campbell Spartan Duals on Saturday.  Compton and Mckie were both undefeated as the Patriots defeated Blessed Trinity 56-11, Wheeler 66-0 and Johns Creek 33-29.
Damien Suarez (left) works on drills with teammate Logan Bruce during the boys wrestling team’s practice on Monday. Suarez is 19-15 at 120 pounds in just his second year wrestling. (Photo/Andy Johnston)

Damien Suarez (left) works on drills with teammate Logan Bruce during the boys wrestling team’s practice on Monday. Suarez is 19-15 at 120 pounds in just his second year wrestling. (Photo/Andy Johnston)

Suarez emerges in his second year as wrestler

Andy Mathis
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Damien Suarez didn’t carry the résumé most high school wrestlers have when he walked into the wrestling room at Oglethorpe County High School last season. He had curiosity. “I’ve had a lot of friends who wrestled, and I’d seen the sport a lot online,” Suarez said. “It just looked really fun.
Members of the Oglethorpe County girls wrestling team include (from left): Mary Jane Miller, Victoria Miller, Akira Owens and Lannah Scarborough; (front, from left): McKinley Grimes, Emily Wisham, Lexi Bruce, Emily Gregory and Brooklyn Myers; (back, from left): Alondra Varges, Liz Campbell, Armonie Gresham, Alyson Woods and coach Josh Austin. (Submitted Photo)

Members of the Oglethorpe County girls wrestling team include (from left): Mary Jane Miller, Victoria Miller, Akira Owens and Lannah Scarborough; (front, from left): McKinley Grimes, Emily Wisham, Lexi Bruce, Emily Gregory and Brooklyn Myers; (back, from left): Alondra Varges, Liz Campbell, Armonie Gresham, Alyson Woods and coach Josh Austin. (Submitted Photo)

OCHS girls wrestlers shine at area duals

News Staff
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Emily Gregory, Akira Owens and Alyson Woods each went 2-0 to lead the Oglethorpe County girls wrestling team to second place at the Area 3 Division II duals. The Patriots advanced to the state duals preliminary at Lumpkin County on Wednesday, after The Echo’s deadline this week.
Zion Pass and Oglethorpe County upset state-ranked Rabun County in a Region 8-A Division I game in October. The schools will remain region foes in 8-AA the next two years. (Photo/Ashleigh Johnston)

Zion Pass and Oglethorpe County upset state-ranked Rabun County in a Region 8-A Division I game in October. The schools will remain region foes in 8-AA the next two years. (Photo/Ashleigh Johnston)

OCHS will face familiar foes in jump to 8-AA

Andy Mathis
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Oglethorpe County High School athletics will enter the 2026-27 school year under a new Georgia High School Association region alignment and playoff structure, a shift that looks significant on paper but will feel familiar in practice for many of the school’s programs.

Wrestling team posts two wins at Eberhardt Classic

Andy Mathis
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
The Oglethorpe County wrestling team posted two dual wins and closed the Doug Eberhardt Classic with a competitive loss on Friday. The Patriots opened the meet with a 56-9 victory over Duluth and followed with a 59-17 win against Eastside before picking up a 48-33 loss to T.L.

Patriots to honor Eberhardt with eighth annual classic

Andy Mathis
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
The Oglethorpe County wrestling program will host a strong field in the eighth annual Doug Eberhardt Classic on Friday. The invitational is expected to draw programs from across Georgia and South Carolina, offering the Patriots a midseason test against varied classifications and styles.
Oglethorpe County High School boys basketball roster and remaining schedule

Oglethorpe County High School boys basketball roster and remaining schedule

Trio of OCHS wrestlers shine at Buford invitational

News Staff
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Paris Crowder, Keyvon Gresham and Tanner Mckie won their weight classes at the Aaron Kirkland Invitational at the Buford Arena last weekend. Crowder (144 pounds), Gresham (138) and Mckie (215) were three of only eight Oglethorpe County wrestlers who competed in the 21-team tournament.