Wrestlers open in Packer Duals

November 21, 2008 11:45 pm

— MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County varsity wrestling team will open its 2008-2009 season today when it plays host to the first Packer Dual tournament.
The tournament will include eight teams, divided into two pools of four teams each.
After three matches, the top two two teams in each pool will face off for the tournmament championship.
Wrestling will start at 9:30 this morning on two mats at the Gladys Espy Memorial Gymnasium. The championship match is expected to start at about 5:30 p.m.
Valdosta is sending two teams to the tournament.
Teams from Thomas County Central, Crisp County, Bainbridge and Berrien also will take part.
Which teams will compete in each pool will be determined by a draw after the weigh-ins this morning.
“We wanted to give our kids something to be proud of to kick off the season,” said Colquitt County head coach Travis Torbert, who is taking over as the varsity head coach this year. He coached the middle school team for several years and was the varsity assistant to Greg Tillery last season.
Torbert’s 103-pounders are fresman Matthew Deal and sophomore Jose Zunun, who qualified for the state meet as a freshman last year.
“We’re expecting a lot from him,” Torbert said.
Sophomore Reed Lott, one of a number of newcomers, will wrestle at 112.
Kevin Lemire, another new member of the team, will be at 119.
At 125 will be junior Cason Conger and freshman Dejarion Spence.
Senior Jacorey Dillard is back with the Packers and will wrestle at 125 if he regains his eligibility.
Dillard wrestled for Colquitt County as a freshman and a sophomore, but moved to Tift County last year, where he gained eligibilty just in time to qualify for state.
Freshman Darius Williams is at 130, and sophomore Ronnie Caldwell and senior Carlos Charles are at 135.
Senior Dillon Hufstetler and freshman Blake Segars will be at 140. Segars won 21 matches in three seasons on the Colquitt County middle school team.
Sophomore Jonah Meister and junior Marquivious Clark are at 145, although Clark is injured and will not wrestle today.
First-year junior wrestler Zach Eldridge is at 152 and juniors Antonio Slaughter and Mason Jones are at 160.
Slaughter is unable to wrestle today.
At 171 are juniors Taylor Huite, Chris Johnson and Beau Weathers.
The Underwood brothers —junior Dillon and freshman Ridge — will wrestle at 189 along with sophomore Thomas Marshall.
Dillon Underwood qualified for the state meet last year at 152.
Veteran senior Michael Davis will wrestle at 215.
The Packers have four wrestlers who can compete in the 285-pound class: senior R.J. Taylor, junior Chris Walsh, sophomore Trey Rhymes and freshman Bryce Giddens.
Walsh was having a strong season last year before breaking his leg in the Wildcat Invitational. He still finished with a 17-3 record.
Giddens won 47 matches, including 36 by pin, in three seasons on the Colquitt County middle school team.
After today’s meet, the Packers will be off until Dec. 5-6, when they compete in the Westover tournament in Albany.