Wayne Grandy
The Moultrie Observer
MOULTRIE —
Reigning state champion Travis Register might not be available for another month, but the Colquitt County wrestling team will start without him on Saturday.
The Packers will be without Register and several other key members when it opens the 2012-2013 season on Saturday in the Crisp County Cougar Duals in Cordele.
Register, who defeated Camden County’s Desmond James to win the 220-pound Class AAAAA state championship at the Arena at the Gwinnett Center last February, is still with the Packers football team that opens the state playoffs tonight against McEachern in Powder Springs.
Register was 34-0 last year and will take a 97-16 record to the mat when the rejoins the team after football season.
Garrett and Hudson May, Quintin Hampton, Til Blalock, Alex Williams and Anthony Lewis also are expected to join the wrestling team when the football team completes its playoff run.
But Colquitt County wrestling coach Travis Torbert is pleased with the group he will take to Cordele on Saturday.
The Packers will be light in the upper weight classes, but have some potential in the lower weights.
“We’ve got a good base of kids with experience who go hard in the lower weights,” Torbert said.
Among those Torbert will carry to Cordele are Miguel Carranza, 106 pounds; freshman Saul Antonio, 120 pounds; Enrique Aguilar, 120 pounds; Jorge Martinez, 126 or 132 pounds; Anderson Glenn, 138 pounds; Hart Sumner, 132 or 145 pounds; McCants Plymel, 145 or 152 pounds; and Javier Martinez, 182 or 195 pounds.
Glenn was 25-6 last year. He is 93-38 in his career and holds the school record for career major decisions with 10 and career near falls with 58.
Javier Martinez was 31-13 last year and is 48-34 in his career.
“We’re missing some in the upper weight classes, but some of the football players should fill them,” Torbert said.
The Packers are still looking for a heavyweight, someone to replace the graduated Bryce Giddens, who finished third in the state last year.
Giddens graduated with a career record of 94-22 and won two bronze medals at state meets.
Torbert said that other teams also might be missing wrestlers this early in the season with football teams still playing.
And he expects his team to fare well on Saturday.
“We should be in the top three or I’ll be disappointed,” Torbert said.
Colquitt will be guaranteed five matches on Saturday.
The 10-team field also includes Crisp County, Veterans, Howard, Bainbridge, Cook, Lee County B, Spencer, Turner County and Rutland.
“It will be good experience for us,” Torbert said. “We’ll be taking three or four brand-new kids.
“They’ll get thrown right into their first varsity experience.”
The Packers will travel to Bainbridge on Thursday, November 29, for their next action. The first home meet will be on Friday, Nov. 30, against Monroe and Turner County.
The Region 1-AAAAAA duals will be held on Saturday, January 5, at Lowndes High.
The state duals are scheduled or Jan. 11-12 at the Macon Centroplex.
The Region 1-AAAAAA tournament will be hosted by new region member Camden County on Feb. 2, followed by the East Sectional on Feb. 8-9. The state tournament will be held Feb. 14-16 in Macon.
