Cole Williams enjoyed a breakout season on the football field this fall.
On the wrestling mat? So far, so good.
Wrestling at 195 pounds, Williams is 17-1 so far this season with four more victories Wednesday at the War Eagle Duals at South Forsyth High School. His only loss this season came Wednesday while wrestling up a class against North Oconee's 220-pound wrestler.
Two county teams were in action — South Forsyth and Lambert — in the 10-team tournament that included Cass, Etowah, Hiram, North Oconee, North Paulding, Roswell, Woodland and Woodstock.
South finished 3-1 in Pool A play, beating Woodland, Etowah and Roswell, and falling 58-24 to last year's Class 5A runner-up Cass. Lambert fell 38-37 to North Oconee and dropped a seven-point decision to the eventual Pool B champions North Paulding. However, the Longhorns rallied to beat Hiram 60-18 and Woodland 64-18.
Williams finished in the top six last year in a star-studded 182-pound weight class. Forsyth County produced that weight class' state champion [Avery Krippner, Forsyth Central] and runner-up [Tristan Graham].
Williams finished as the War Eagles' top tackler in the fall, collecting 56 total stocks and 10 tackles for loss.
"I just feel like you keep that same work ethic that you have in football," Williams said. "Just keep that same mindset and things will work out well for you."
Williams said he played at 210 pounds for football season before slimming down to 195 pounds this winter.
"Well, I feel like for football you're trying to get a lot bigger," Williams said. "But for wrestling, if there's a certain weight class you have to go to just to kick some but, you've got to do what you've got to do."
South is stronger this season at several spots, including the middle weights with 145-pounder Neal Rajesh and 152-pounder Andrew Meersman.
Lambert and South will square off again next week at the annual Hook 'Em Holiday Clash Dec. 29-30 at Lambert High School. Fellow county schools Denmark, North Forsyth and West Forsyth will help make up the nearly 30-team tournament.