Pack’s Daniels gets eight wins In Knockout Christmas Classic

Published 10:55 am Thursday, December 28, 2023

MOULTRIE — Colquitt County’s JaQuavian “Turk” Daniels won eight matches and took a third-place finish at 285 pounds to lead the Colquitt County wrestling team in the recent 2023 Knockout Christmas Classic held at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla.

Colquitt earned 53 points to finish third in the annual event, which drew 70 teams.

The Packers had 11 wrestlers compete.

Daniels won his first two matches in the championship round, pinning Cameron Talley of Ringgold and Kage Price of Chilhowie.

In the third round, Daniels lost a 4-3 decision to Tim Gray of Crystal River to fall into the consolation round.

There, however, Georgia’s defending Class 7A state runner-up, won the next six in a row, including a 4-1 decision over Tyson Russel of Cleveland in the third-place match.

Daniels started his impressive run with a 3-1 decision over Frankie Marquez of Winter Springs.

He then eliminated Ashley Ridge’s Isiah Richardson in the ultimate tie-breaker.

Daniels next took a 4-0 decision over Riverview-Sarasota’s C.J. McCutcheon followed by a pin of Fort Pierce-Central’s Hernan Ortiz to reach the consolation semifinals.

There he earned a 5-1 decision over South Effingham’s Ashton Anderson to advance to the third-place match and the win over Russel.

At 215 pounds for the Packers, Matthew Dillon earned 13 team points by going 5-2.

After opening with a pin of Florida High’s Josiah Houston, Dillon was pinned by Mater Lakes Academy’s Kevin Breton.

But Dillon then won four straight, pinning Miami Southridge’s Anthony Romero; winning by a 14-4 major decision over Jesuit’s Julian Alonso; pinning Jensen Beach’s Teagen Nelson; and taking a 5-3 decision over Doral Academy’s Jason Sastre.

Dillon was eliminated in Round 6 when he was pinned by Thompson High’s Avery Clark.

Colquitt’s Randy Smith went 3-2 at 150 and Russell Flowers was 2-2 at 157.

Also representing Colquitt County at the Knockout Christmas Classic were Cristobal Camarena at 113; John Brady Tillman at 120; Britton Marshall at 126; Eric Henson at 138; Billy Lawton at 144; Trenton Dunbar at 165; and Rafael King at 190.

Colquitt County sent seven varsity wrestlers to the Dec. 23 Wildcat Invitational at Valdosta High School, where Ki’myra Crawford won all three of her matches to finish first at 125 pounds in the girls meet.

Crawford pinned Ashlynn Hughes of Veterans High, Miriam Koviridze of Wiregrass Ranch and Claire Little of Perry.

The Packers had 14 of its wresters compete in the JV Wildcat Invitational, including four who took first place: Cruz Grijalva, at 126; Andy Sanchez, at 132; Tray Gomez, at 138; Cheveiyo Barber, at 157.

Taking second-place finishes were Ryder Wilson, at 113; Conner Avery, at 138; Anthony Duque, at 144; Alexander Barajas at 190; Henry Galvin, at 106.

Kevin Acosta was third at 215. Tammarian Sims, at 285, and Logan Murfin, at 157, turned in fourth-place finishes.

The Packers will compete next on Friday and Saturday in the Jefferson CFK Invitational at Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Ga.

On Friday, Jan. 5, Colquitt will play host to the Packer Classic Scramble for junior varsity and girls teams. Competition will begin at 5 p.m.

On Saturday, Jan. 6, the annual Packer Classic for varsity teams will be held beginning at 9 a.m. on the William Bryant Court at the high school.