MOULTRIE — The remnants of an emotional tie-breaker loss to Tift County in its final pool match might have cost the Colquitt County wrestling team in the finals of the Tift Duals last Saturday in Tifton.

The Packers won their first three pool matches over Lowndes, 44-32; Cairo, 63-15; and Cook, 81-0.

When the final bout was completed in the final pool meeting with Tift County, the score was tied 36-36.

Tift won on the tie-breaker with the most six-point victories.

Colquitt still captured the pool, primarily by virtue of its 12-point victory over Lowndes.

But the loss to Tift might have affected the Packers when they met Ola for the championship.

Colquitt had defeated the Mustangs in the Ola Duals 39-30 on Nov. 23, but couldn’t beat them on Saturday, falling 46-27.

Packers coach Benjy Scarbor said the close, tie-breaker loss to Tift County might have affected his team.

The Packers got some strong individual performances in Tifton.

Nathan Taylor, at 170, and Austin Paradice, at 145, were 5-0. Deontae Edwards, at 152, and Alec Rosales, at 138, were 4-1. Ethan Sellers, at 120, also wrestled well, Scarbor said.

“They all did an excellent job all day,” Scarbor said.

The Packers junior varsity competed at Lee County on Tuesday as the varsity wrestlers prepared for the Capital City Classic at Lawton Chiles High in Tallahassee that will run Friday and Saturday. The event is expected to have 28 teams.

Scarbor is pleased with the performance of his team so far.

“We’ve been in the top three in every tournament we’ve been in,” he said. “I think we are getting a lot out of those we are putting out there.”

Scarbor credits the work of his assistants of getting the wrestlers ready to compete.

He cited the work his staff — especially former college wrestlers Wilder Elliott and Kenny Mason — has done to prepare first-year wrestler Gabe Freeman, who competes at 106 pounds.

“He’s never wrestled before and he is holding his own,” Scarbor said.

Scarbor said he hopes three members of the Colquitt County football team will take to the mats soon to help strengthen the lineup.

Colquitt also will compete in the Wildcat Invitational at Valdosta High on Dec. 20-21.