MACON – Before this season, Colquitt County wrestlers had won a total of just four state championships over the years.

The Packers nearly equaled that on Saturday by winning three more.

In the Class 7A state championships held at the Macon Centreplex, Austin Paradice won his second title, his freshman brother Logan Paradice got his first and Nate Taylor, in his final match as a Packer, got a 7-5 overtime sudden victory in the finals for his first state title.

And the Packers nearly had a fourth champion.

Ethan Sellers fell in the finals to West Forsyth’s Noah Danforth on a 2-1 decision.

The team also got fifth-place finishes from Jesus Grijalva at 170, Michael Bledsoe at 145, freshman Russell Flowers at 152 and Kel’sea Whitaker of the girls team at 142 to finish second in the state behind Camden County.

Whitaker is the first female placer ever for Colquitt County.

Packers coach Benjy Scarbor said he had never had a team finish second in the state in his long career nor had three individuals to win titles in the same championship meet.

“It was a great day to be a Packer,” Scarbor said. “It really has been great to coach the group of young men.”

It was, indeed, an extraordinary day for the Colquitt County wrestling program, which had never produced more than one individual champion in any season.

Travis Register won championships in 2012 and 2013 at 220 pounds; Nic Jarvis won at 220 in 2019; and Austin Paradice capped his junior season with a title at 145 last year.

Colquitt tripled down on those accomplishments on Saturday.

Austin Paradice moved up to wrestle at 160 pounds this season and lost just twice, concluding his Colquitt County career with a 12-5 decision over Roswell’s Christian Cartier in Saturday’s finals on his birthday.

The older Paradice brother, who will continue his wrestling career at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, breezed through his first two rounds at the state championships on Friday, pinning Lambert’s Elijah Castillo in 26 seconds and pinning Archer’s Florin Myndresku to reach the finals.

Austin finished fourth in the state championships as a freshman and was the runner-up as a sophomore.

But in his last two trips to the state championships, Austin has gone a combined 7-0 and claimed the title both years.

Logan Paradice won what could be the first of multiple state championships, by taking an 8-6 decision over Cherokee’s Jacob Silka in the 132-pound finals.

It was not an ordinary victory. Silka is a two-time state champion and was undefeated this season before going up against Logan.

On Friday, Logan took a pair of technical fall victories over Lowndes’ Dominik Iverson-Medina by a 20-4 score and over Brookwood’s Xavier Bentley, 17-2.

Like his older brother, Logan lost just twice during this, his first high school season and finishes 53-2.

Taylor, who was fifth in the state at 138 last year, won his two Friday matches with pins over Harrison’s Tyler Gallegos and Walton’s Emil Necula.

His championship came in style when he won over Porter Bryant of Camden County. Bryant had defeated Taylor twice before this season and nearly won on Saturday.

But Taylor got a reversal to tie the score at 5-5 just before the end of regulation and then got a quick takedown in overtime for the win.

“Nate is extremely good from the top position and that is where he won today,” Scarbor said.

Taylor finishes his senior season with a 33-6 record.

Sellers, who will continue his wrestling career next year at Life University, finished third at 126 in the state last winter.

But on Friday, he advanced to the finals by pinning Harrison’s Wyatt Sligh and North Paulding’s Collin Mullins.

Sellers finishes his senior season with a record of 43-9.

Packers coach Benjy Scarbor now has produced five state champions since taking over the Colquitt County program in 2017.

“We had a challenging schedule this year,” Scarbor said. “We started Nov. 10 and we have wrestled every weekend that we could since then.”

Scarbor also gave a shout-out to assistants Wilder Elliott, Brett Little, Roger Ketchum and Rose Harrell.

“We had a lot of support here today,” Scarbor said. “This really has been a season to remember.”