Lambert High School

Wrestling: Lambert takes 3rd at state

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DULUTH — A year ago, Lambert’s wrestling program finished its second season tied with five other squads — for 51st place.

The Longhorns showed Saturday they’ve made some significant progress in the past 12 months.

Lambert placed four wrestlers on the winner’s podium at the Class AAAA traditional state championships, including two runners-up, and skyrocketed all the way up to third place in this year’s competition at the Gwinnett Arena.

After scoring only two points at the 2011 event, Lambert finished last week’s tournament with 75.5.

“I think we shocked a lot of people,” Lambert coach Kevin Contardi said.

“The boys even shocked me. I think this was one of the few times in my coaching career where the kids actually outdid my expectations of them.”

The Longhorns were led by senior Michael Nelems (132 pounds) and junior Gantt Bauer (220), Area 7-AAAA champions who reached the state title match in their respective weight classes.

Nelems lost a 6-4 decision to Flowery Branch’s Nick Lankford, while Bauer was pinned by Apalachee’s Matthew Moore at the 2:39 mark.

For Nelems, this year’s finish was a breakthrough after narrowly missing a place in the top six each of his previous seasons.

“He was one takedown away every year,” said Contardi, who worried Nelems would put too much pressure on himself this season.

Nelems, who Contardi said hopes to continue his career at the United States Naval Academy, scored the first two takedowns of his title match and led 4-1 at one point, but Lankford rallied to win his second state title with a 6-4 decision.

“Sometimes a loss like that can be motivation for the rest of your career,” Contardi said.

“I kind of ended my high school career on a sour note, and I think it’s probably made me a better coach.”

Though Bauer was pinned in his final match, he also provided 10 points for the Longhorns with pins in each of the first three rounds of the tournament. Last year he didn’t even make it out of sectionals.

Sophomore Andrew Morin (113 pounds) rallied to win his first two matches in the third period before losing to eventual state champion Cameron Munse (Pope) in the semifinals. Morin added one more comeback victory in the consolation bracket and claimed fourth place.

Morin’s brother Rob Morin (126 pounds), a senior, lost his quarterfinals match but defeated three opponents in consolation to claim third place.

Rob Morin’s path through the consolation bracket included a 15-0 win by technical fall against an opponent he lost to at sectionals.

“Probably the most inspiring match in the whole tournament,” Contardi said. “We were just amazed how he went after the kid.”

Senior Quinn Crewdson (120 pounds) lost his first-round match and missed placing in the top six by one victory, but Contardi credited him for the points his two victories in wrestlebacks provided the team.

Lambert fell short of a county duals title earlier this season and failed to qualify for the state duals. But late Saturday afternoon, the Longhorns went out on by far the highest note the young program has ever seen.

“We had an OK season,” Contardi said, “and a great ending.”