MOULTRIE — Like the Colquitt County boys basketball team that is scheduled to open its season this weekend, the Packers wrestling team will be without some football players when it hits the mats for its first match today.
A young Colquitt County wrestling team will get its first taste of competition in the 2009-2010 season when it travels to Lovejoy High in Hampton today for the two-day Tara Classic.
The 16-team, six-mat tournament will feature both varsity and junior varsity competition.
Colquitt County will be the only South Georgia team in the field.
Also competing in the double-elimination event are Central-Carrollton, Jonesboro, Upson-Lee, Lakeside-DeKalb, Redan, Griffin, Mundy’s Mill, Westlake, Harris County, Langston Hughes, Mt. Zion, Forest Park, Charles Drew, Druid Hills and Tri-Cities.
“I think we have a decent chance to finish in the middle to the top part of the field,” said coach Travis Torbert. “But we’ve got a lot of young guys and a lot of new guys.”
In fact, Torbert said that as many as 10 freshmen could wrestle today.
Some of the Packers young wrestlers have some experience, but three — Cameron Boyd, Arin Thompson and Creig Harris — have never wrestled before this season.
When the Packers compete today, veteran junior Jose Zunun will wrestle at 112.
The 119 spot will be held by either Johnny Ward, Anderson Glenn or Matthew Deal.
The two who do not wrestle in the varsity competition will be in the junior varsity division.
Ian Ramos will wrestle at 125 and Will Burt at 130.
Colquitt will have no wrestler at 135, although Aaron Gondor, a sophomore transfer from Pelham ineligible for varsity competition, will be in that weight class in the junior varsity match.
John Boatwright will be at 140 and Marquavious Clark wil be at 145.
The Packers will have no varsity wrestler at 152, although Thompson, a senior who transferred from Westover, will be in that weight class in the junior varsity meet.
Antonio Slaughter will be at 160; Chris Johnson at 171; Travis Register at 189; Quan Henry at 215; and Dalton Dillon at 285.
Dillon, Henry, Register, Boatwright, Ramos, Ward and Glenn are freshmen.
The only seniors are Clark, Slaughter and Johnson, although senior Dillon Underwood is expected to wrestle at 189 or 215 when he joins the team after football season.
The rest of the Packers roster included Taylor Greene, Matt Norman, Richard Smith, Caleb Collins, Arturo Sierra, Raekwon Scott, Dylan Royal, Mitchell Adderton, Ronnie Caldwell, Calvin Blount, Blake Segers, Ikeem Blakely, Mason Jones, Tareik McNeal, Jay Jones, Blake White and Nicholas Masonoff.
Junior Tommy Marshall, sophomore Bryce Giddens and freshman John Gray, all still with the football team, will compete for a spots.
Torbert will be assisted this season by Kevin Sumner and Kirby Bodiford.
The Packers’ first home match will be at 5 p.m. on Dec. 3 against Lawton Chiles and Dougherty at the Pineland gymnasium.
Local Sports
Young wrestling team to open season
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Swimmers and divers head to state
Five swimmers and three divers are in Atlanta today to compete in the Georgia High School Association’s 2012 State Swimming and Diving Championships at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center Friday. The Class AAAAA diving championships will begin at 9 this morning. The Class AAAAA swimming prelims will start at 6:30 p.m. today. The finals will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday. Representing Colquitt County High are, front, from left, divers Anastasia Jimenez, Elizabeth Ann Kirkland and Haley Goodman; back, swimmers Peyton Childs, Austin Vines, Ethan Sobalvarro, Cole Wilkes and Austin Hawkins. The swimming and diving finals will video stream live on GHSA.tv.
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Cokely to take over Marianna football program
Former Colquitt County head football coach Tim Cokely is leaving Greater Atlanta Christian to take over the program at Marianna (Fla.) High.
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Tennis teams to open seasons today in Tifton
The Colquitt County High tennis teams will travel to Tifton today for Chick-fil-A Tift County High School Invitational to begin a season in which both teams appear to have legitimate shots at Region 1-AAAAA championships.
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Middle school soccer sweeps openers
Olivia Griffin connnected on a penalty kick in overtime to give the Colquitt County middle school girls soccer team a victory over Lee County in their season-opener in Leesburg on Thursday.
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Peach signs with Thomas University
Cook High senior Kaitie Peach signs to play softball next season at Thomas University. She is the daughter of Wesley and Sheila Peach, formerly of Moultrie. She is granddaughter of Darrell and Gayle Burgess and Thomas and Helen Peach, all of Moultrie. She was a first baseman for Cook the last four seasons, was an all-star for Adel-Cook for five years and plays travel softball for CHOAS. Shown with Kaitie as she signs are, front, from left, Wesley Peach, Sheila Peach and Thomas University coach Bill Wilson; back, Cook head softball coach Scott Ray and assistant coaches Christy Duke and Paula Simmons.
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10-and-under champions
- Middle school soccer teams to open today
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Heading to Arkansas State
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Conference champions
The Colquitt County seventh-grade girls basketball team celebrates its South Georgia Athletic Conference championship. The team includes, front, from left, coach Sheila Williams, Za'Nautica Downs, Akia Sutton, Ty'Asia McNeal, Shy Seay; and back, Sydnee Dalton, Shay Stanfill, Kiarra Lovett, Abiyah Spencer, Coach Jon Scroggins, Angel Kinchen, Chyna Calhoun, Michaela Bennefield, Istajhe Johnson, Ashuntee Stewart and Ja'nysia Brown. Not shown, Coach Tamika Seay and Emily Dozier.
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Lady Pack clinches top seed for region tournament
Makeba Ponder’s free throw with 6 seconds remaining gave the Colquitt County girls a 55-48 victory over Lowndes on Tuesday on the William Bryant Court at the Gladys Espy Gymnasium and ensured the Lady Packers would have the top seed in next week’s Region 1-AAAAA tournament at Tift County.
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