As has become tradition this time of year, DeKalb County’s best in wrestling and swimming collided over the weekend.

Those left standing — having survived and thrived on competition as heated as ever — claimed gold. Those who fell short were left with sufficient motivation to rise above the field at respective upcoming state tourneys and next year’s county clashes.

 Golden Grapplers

Marist claimed the 2013 William S. Venable DeKalb County Wrestling Championship team title in dramatic fashion.

The War Eagles swept the final three championship matches to rally

past Southwest DeKalb 223-210. Wins by Kenneth Brinson in the 195-pound division, Jack Trainor at 22 and Steven Wallace at 285 sealed the deal. Mel Bethune (138 lbs.) and Matt Andres (152) also picked up gold wrestling under the Marist banner.

Brinson won by default over Miller Grove’s Wesley Williams 4 minutes 32 seconds into their match to take the 195 title. Trainor followed with a 10-2 decision over Lithonia’s Devon Wallace and Steven Wallace rounded out the day with a 13-9 decision over Miller Grove’s Thadius Nelson.

Stephenson’s Darian Perry won the 170-pound division — as well as the William S. Venable MVP Award in leading the Jaguars to a fifth-place

finish overall.

Deunte Mosley paced Stone Mountain to an eighth-place finish

by winning the 160-pound division gold. Alema Favors led Arabia Mountain to a top 10 finish by taking the 126 class title.

Dunwoody’s Sunny Sharma also won gold, taking the 113 division title.

 Star Swimmers shine

Chamblee snapped Lakeside’s nearly decade-long reign atop the county on the boys’ side at the DeKalb Swimming Championships.

Caleb Wikle got the Bulldogs off to a rousing start by winning the one-meter diving title. Teammate Nicholas Oh won gold in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard freestyle while Alex Kemenenov won the 50-yard freestyle — to go along with team wins in the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay.

Other winners:

 Justin Wulff, Dunwoody (200 and 500 freestyle)

 Cash DeLoache, Tucker (100 butterfly, 100 backstroke)

 Jackson Ford, Druid Hills (100 breast stroke)

The Lakeside girls’ team won their second consecutive DeKalb title, outpointing Dunwoody and Chamblee.