Colquitt wrestling team places second in region duals
Published 5:29 pm Saturday, January 8, 2022
MOULTRIE — Michael Bledsoe won via a technical fall in the final match to give the Colquitt County wrestling team a 36-35 victory over Lowndes in the first round of the Region 1-7A team duals on Saturday on the William Bryant Court.
The victory helped the Packers claim second place.
The runner-up finish sends the Packers to a state duals preliminary match against Walton, the No. 3 team from Region 3 next Saturday at Archer High.
Teams must win two matches in the prelims to advance to the state duals finals, which will held on Feb. 22, at Lambert High School in Suwanee.
Seven-time defending state champion Camden County defeated Tift County 66-12 in the first round and the Packers 53-12 in the second to take the region championship.
The Wildcats will meet Marietta in the prelims.
Colquitt and Lowndes split their matches, with the Packers taking second place by virtue of the win over the Vikings.
Lowndes won its second-round match over Tift County 40-33 to take third.
Tift County’s two losses dropped the Blue Devils to fourth place.
Colquitt had to scramble to get the victory over Lowndes. Heading into the final four matches, the Packers trailed the Vikings, who are ranked No. 2 in Class 7A, 34-15.
Ethan Sellers,wrestling at 126, got the Packers four points with a 11-1 decision.
Freshman Logan Paradice wasted little time getting a first-period pin at 132 and the Packers had pulled to within nine at 35-25.
Nate Taylor was awarded six points after his opponent apparently suffered a broken ankle less than a minute into their match at 138.
The Packers needed five points to win and Bledsoe got them at 145 in convincing fashion.
He led 6-0 after the first period, 13-0 after the second and the match was called when it reached 18-0.
Also against the Vikings, the Packers got pins from Austin Paradice at 170 and Jesus Grijalva at 182.
Russell Flowers chipped in a 6-3 decision at 160.
Against Camden County, the Packers 3-0 decision by Austin Paradice, a 16-0 win by Ethan Sellers at 120 and a 13-4 win by Logan Paradice.
