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Feb 22, 2025

South's Akers caps successful wrestling career | Sports | the-dispatch.com

South Davidson’s Gabby Akers will compete in this weekend’s wrestling state tournament. Over the course of the past 30 years, South Davidson’s wrestling program has built a rich tradition with

South Davidson’s Gabby Akers will compete in this weekend’s wrestling state tournament.

Over the course of the past 30 years, South Davidson’s wrestling program has built a rich tradition with individual state champions, a dual-team state title, numerous conference championship teams, a former hall of fame coach and a current one who is rebuilding the Wildcats into a perennial contender.

But the history of South wrestling won’t be complete without Gabby Akers’ name included.

The Wildcats’ senior star has carved her own little spot into program lore with her bravery, talent and charisma. And this weekend, Akers will have her chance at an individual state title, which would further cement her status as one of South’s all-time greats.

“I call her my trailblazer of one,” South coach David House said. “She was the first female to try wrestling here at South. She was a freshman, but she jumped right in and didn’t back down from any of the guys on the team. She’s the one who got girls wrestling going here. And I think she’s a big reason we have so many females wrestling now.”

Akers’ numbers speak for themselves — 127 career wins, a state runner-up finish and a 43-1 record this season. The state tournament, which starts Saturday and concludes Monday, is a unified competition for the girls, meaning all NCHSAA classifications compete together.

“When I got to high school I started wrestling,” Akers said. “I had been doing some things similar to wrestling in middle school, like jiu jitsu. The transition was easier to wrestling because my brother (Joseph Akers) was a part of the team. I was the only girl, and I just jumped into it. It was fun and I ended up being pretty good that first year. Then I had the drive to get better.”

Akers naturally wrestled mostly guys her freshman and sophomore seasons and rarely lost. But she didn’t indulge in any hoopla of a girl beating a guy.

“To me it was just wrestling,” she said. “I did have this one dude I was wrestling during JV that didn’t know the base starting position. So I kind of helped him with one hand around the stomach and one hand on the elbow. I ended up pinning him, so that was kind of funny.”

Girls wrestling officially became a varsity sport last season, and Akers continued to shine, beating all girls at this point and advancing to the state finals match of the 145-pound weight class. She dropped a 4-2 decision in the championship match, her only loss of the season. She continued that success into this season, even moving up to the 152 weight class, and had been undefeated until losing in the regional championship match recently.

“I didn’t, like, dwell on that loss (in the state finals) last year,” Akers said. “I can’t do anything about the past. I’m just focusing on this year and trying for it again this year. I’ve grown from that loss, and groaning about it wasn’t going to do any good.”

While Akers has one last weekend left in her prep wrestling career, she is stoked about where girls wrestling is headed for the Wildcats and in general.

“It makes me feel really proud of the program and where it’s come to,” she said. “We had 13, 14 girls on the team this year. And wrestling has really helped my high school career. I’ll look back with so many wrestling memories. The main people who have helped me become the wrestler I am today are my brother, both my parents (Beth and Joe Akers), Doug House, Coach David House, Combat Athletics, Josh Stanley, Shelton Sales, my trainer, Danny Lewis, and my wrestling partner, Caleigh Sudderrth, who is a three-time state champ. I have been blessed to have them in my life, and I look up to all of them.”

Carlton Hurt is a freelance sports writer and former staff sports reporter for The Dispatch. Reach him at [email protected].

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