Three local wrestling teams walked away from the “Cat’s den” with their heads held high on Saturday following the final matches of the Carpet Classic Invitational in Dalton.

Ringgold combined for 189 points to finish second to champion Starr’s Mill (197).

Class AAAA No. 4 ranked LaFayette finished with 164 points, while Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe finished fifth behind Gilmer County.

“We feel great,” Ringgold first-year head coach Phil Daniel said. “We brought a bunch of young kids, who wrestled their butts off in the medal rounds. I’m thrilled with the way they responded to the pressure.”

Ringgold 135-pounder Greg Hopkins, who finished third for the Tigers, said the tournament exceeded his team’s expectations.

“We came in here thinking we were going to run through the tournament just because we wrestle a tough schedule,” he said. “You have to fight to win anything. Starr’s Mill is a tough team.”

Both Starr’s Mill and Ringgold had 10 wrestlers finish in the top four and win medals. LaFayette had seven medal winners.

“This just shows how tough our area will be this year,” Dalton coach Richard Garrett said.

Dalton, the host team, finished ninth in the 15-team field.

Six of the teams were state-ranked entering the tournament, according to the weekly Georgia Wrestling Network poll.

At No. 3 in Class A, Trion was the highest-rated team in the one-day tournament. Gilmer County is No. 3 in Class AAA.

LaFayette, Ringgold and LFO are rated fourth, fifth and eighth, respectively, in Class AAAA. Starr’s Mill is No. 10 in Class 5A.

“These tournaments are the ones that get you ready for the bigger things,” LFO 130-pound champion Mark Nicely said.

Nicely defeated top-seeded Joey Robinson of Gilmer County in the 130-pound weight class.

Individual champions were Luna Jenkins of Rome in the 103-pound weight class, Garrison Goins of Ringgold (112), Stephen Savage of Starr’s Mill (119), Devin King of Starr’s Mill (125), Nicely of LFO (130), Mike Cooper of Starr’s Mill (135), Jeremy Norman of Murray county (140), Jack Grooms of LaFayette (145), Tracy Finley of Southeast Whitfield (152), Josh Yarbrough of LaFayette (160), Rob Baker of Ringgold (171), Chris Battles of LaFayette (189), Kyle Harrison of Dalton (215) and Kyle Lofty of Dalton (275).

Joey O’Neill of LFO finished second in the 112-pound weight class.

Ringgold’s Tyler Slaughter finished second at 119, while teammate Andrew Crawford finished second in the heavyweight division. Crawford lost to top-seeded Kyle Lofty of Dalton in a 3-2 decision.

“I hadn’t faced Crawford since I was a sophomore, and this is the first time I’ve beaten him,” Lofty said. “I’ll probably see him again in the state final.”

Harrison was named Most Outstanding Wrestler in the 145-275 weight classes.

Rome’s Luan Jenkins received the same honor in the 103-140 weight classes.

Jake Edgeman finished second for LaFayette at 140 along with Chase Thomas at 171.

Murray County’s Norman — who finished first in the 104 weight class — won the “Best Match” award in his 10-6 decision over LaFayette’s Edgeman. Norman, a freshman, won four straight matches to reach the finals.

Team results by points

Starr’s Mill, 197

Ringgold, 183

LaFayette, 164

Gilmer County, 97.5

Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, 96

Armuchee, 88.5

Rome, 83.5

Murray County, 79

Dalton, 65

Trion, 60.5

Southeast, 60

Northwest, 56

Winder-Barrow, 48

Gordon Central, 6

Individual winners by weight class

Luna Jenkins, Rome, 103

Garrison Goins, Ringgold, 112

Stephen Savage, Starr's Mill, 119

Devin King, Starr's Mill, 125

Mark Nicely, LFO, 130

Mike Cooper, Starr's Mill, 135

Jeremy Norman, Murray, 140

Jack Grooms, LaFayette, 145

Tracy Finley, Southeast, 152

Josh Yarbrough, LaFayette, 160

Rob Baker, Ringgold, 171

Chris Battles, LaFayette, 189

Kyle Harrison, Dalton, 215

Kyle Lofty, Dalton, 27