UGA signee Dylan Fairchild advances to Class 7A state wrestling finals

MACON, Ga. — There comes a moment in at least every other match where Dylan Fairchild shows off that “assault” mentality. For Fairchild, the quest on Friday was to repeat as the Georgia Class 7A state heavyweight wrestling champion.

He buzzed through the Class 7A tournament on Friday at the Macon Centreplex. The 2021 All-American Georgia Bulldog signee went 3-0 and will face a familiar foe in the Class 7A state finals on Saturday afternoon.

It is easiest to note the time of the pins for Fairchild. Because that’s what he does. He’s now 21-0 with 21 pins in his senior season. That extends his two-year stretch to 67-0 with 67 pins.

His first match on Friday: 22 seconds
His second match on Friday: 79 seconds
His third match on Friday: 40 seconds

That assault mentality came in his second match of the day. It was the one that extended him the longest, but that “wow” moment came as he gave his opponent a big shove.

His opponent almost lost his balance and fell to the ground.

“You kind of have two options when he pushes you,” West Forsyth coach Evan Goff said. “If you push right back him, he snaps you back to your face. He’s got such a good feel for pressure and how to respond to it. The push and pull. The pressure and release. That comes with a lot of years of wrestling and he does a great job with it. Like I always say, he’s in total control of the other person’s body and he can do what he wants sometimes.”

Goff is from a family of Georgia fans and graduates. He can’t help but appreciate what he sees.

“Hopefully all of that stuff he does well on the mat transitions very well to the field for the Bulldogs next year.”

Dylan Fairchild records another pin on Friday in the GHSA 7A state heavyweight bracket on Friday at the Macon Centreplex. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation)/Dawgnation)

The run through the 7A bracket was typical Fairchild.

“I expect him to be there,” Goff said. “He’s been dominant and he’s got so many years of experience on the guys he is wrestling. He is also bigger, stronger and faster and he is a better athlete. He’s got all the tangibles. Everything.”

Fairchild was pleased with what he did.

“I think I wrestled well and executed my plan on all matches and I’m confident going into [tomorrow’s championship final] but also ready for anything.

He was likely happiest to see his best friend Ethan Rickert in the finals for West Forsyth, too. Fairchild told DawgnNation this week to watch out for Ricket and his freshman teammate Reed Walker to make a big run at the 7A tourney this week.

They did. Rickert and Reed are both in the finals, along with another West Forsyth teammate.

“It is an awesome feeling,” Fairchild said.”Reed wrestled incredibly today and so did Ethan. They both deserved it.”

All-American Georgia football signee Dylan Fairchild advanced to the Class 7A state heavyweight finals on Friday in Macon. He will wrestle for a repeat state title on Saturday afternoon in Macon. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation)/Dawgnation)

SENTELL’S INTEL

(the recent reads on DawgNation.com)