After a regular season filled with dominance, the Bulloch Academy wrestling team carried its winning ways into the postseason Wednesday night.
    The Gators put on an impressive display at the Region 4-AAA tournament, easily securing a 73-point victory to clinch the first region title in program history.
    In all, Bulloch had seven different wrestlers win their individual weight classes while five others came in second place — also earning trips to the state competition. For a team that has had such an easy time with its opponents throughout the year, it’s tough to believe that the Gators are relatively new to the sport and still have wrestlers on the squad that started their careers in middle school with the birth of Bulloch’s program.
    In a season that has seen the Gators go undefeated in dual meets, the region competition was no exception. Bulloch’s 163 points nearly doubled the 90 points of second place finisher — and 2011 state champion — Trinity Christian, while fellow GISA power Robert Toombs placed third with 84 points.
    Individual Gator region champions were Justin Lane (106 pounds), Mitchell Ball (120), Daniel Hendrix (126), John Gowan (132), Caleb Bohannon (195) and Connor Reed (220).
    “I’m really proud of our guys,” BA coach Andy Tomlin said. “We gave ourselves some very high goals this season. We’ve achieved them so far, but we still have more to do.”
    After finishing in a tie for second as a team and boasting three individual state champions last season, Bulloch will get its chance to climb the top of the Class-AAA mountain next weekend at the state meet in Macon at Tattnall Square Academy.