One’s lucky, two can be a coincidence, but three’s a trend.
    No other team in the history of Bulloch County has managed to capture three state championships in a row. On Saturday, Bulloch Academy’s wrestling team became the first, and it wasn’t even that much of a challenge.
    “It will go down as the largest margin of victory in the history of the GISA,” said head coach Andy Tomlin. “It’ll be another record for us to break in the future.”
    BA won the GISA title for the third year in a row — and for the fourth time in the program’s 12-year history. They beat out their next closest competitor by a whopping 155.5 points, eclipsing the record they set last year by 32 points. BA had nine individual state champions, nine finalists and 14 placers — also all new school records.
    Seniors G.C. Kimbrell, Tyce Lovett and Garrett Williams all won their individual state titles, this first for Williams in what had been a dream for him his entire wrestling career. After being the runner-up his first two trips to the state championship, Williams can finally leave as a champion.
    “I still can’t even put the emotions into words,” Williams said. “I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am.”
    For Kimbrell and Lovett it was their second title in the last three years, both winning as sophomores and finishing second as juniors. The three seniors have been the tone-setters for Bulloch Academy all season long, and they all got their payday Saturday evening with gold medals to go along with another state championship trophy.
    By any estimation, the three are the most decorated athletes in the history of Bulloch County sports and stand as the only seniors to win three consecutive state championships in southeast Georgia alongside the Camden County senior wrestlers of this year.
    “All of it’s just so awesome,” Lovett said. “None of it was given to us. We earned everything we have. And it will be around for as long as we’ll live.”
    Tomlin noted how emotional the entire weekend was. Not only had he — a mere 31 years of age — accomplished something most coaches work their entire lives for, but he’s saying goodbye to three students of his forever.
    Kimbrell, Lovett and Williams have been with Tomlin since he was busing them from BA’s elementary school to a condemned shed to practice. They’ve since built the program, erected a facility with their names on it and now have all seen it come full circle. Tomlin says it may never be again he has three young men the likes of Kimbrell, Lovett and Williams again.
    “They’re a one of a kind group,” Tomlin said. “When you really look at everything they’ve been through, it’ll be hard to replicate everything they’ve brought to the table.”
    However Saturday was about much more than those three seniors, even while their accomplishment is as impressive as any other you’ll find in southeast Georgia sports. Six other wrestlers took him individual titles, all whom are underclassmen who will return for a potential four-peat next season.
    Seth Conner (195), Wilson Joiner (170), Billy Tillman (160), Jake Nelson (152), Kyle Samuels (132) and Lawson Anderson (145) each were crowned as state champions. Samuels cemented himself as a three time state champion — winning as a freshman in 2015 and last season as a sophomore — and will look to join only Mitchell Ball as the only four-time state champions in BA history next season as a senior
    Conner, Nelson and Tillman all repeated as champions, winning as sophomores last season. Billy Tillman captured his second state title as well, winning the crown in 2015.    
    “Those kids coming back are going to give us a shot at winning a fourth title,” Tomlin said. “Kyle really had a shot at something special next season.”
    The other placers included Ford Wildes (113), Spencer Sharp (106), Riley Joyce (120), Hunter Marlowe (138) and Jake Wasdin (126). BA placed all 14 of their wrestlers in at least the top six, yet another unprecedented accomplishment in the realm of GISA wrestling.
    While it may seem like BA is running out of things to conquer in their corner of the Georgia wrestling world, Tomlin says there’s always something to stay hungry for — like winning 14 individual state championships in one weekend.
    “What we did this year will be hard to replicate with Tyce, GC and Garrett all gone,” Tomlin said. “But I feel like we’ll always be in contention to do something special with this team.”
    With BA only losing three seniors on their roster, they’ll be locked and loaded next season for yet another state title. The process never stops for Tomlin, and it’s that kind of unhinged hunger and drive that’s allowed his program to thrive they way it has.
    “Afternoon workouts start next Monday,” Tomlin said. “We can’t afford to take days off around here. We want a fourth title.”