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Wrestling earns county champ distinction
Feb 3, 2003 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
With a new school record of 16 wins and nine losses, the varsity wrestling team ends a successful season as Floyd County Champions and looks forward to great potential for next year’s season. “The kids worked hard this year,” Coach Larry Johnson said. “They raised their own standards and expected more.”
The Tigers beat Armuchee, Model, Pepperell, and Coosa in the county championship, hosted by the School in December. Six wrestlers placed first and one second. In early January, Darlington participated in the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Texas. The Tigers wrestled teams such as Oklahoma State Champions and double Texas State Champions. Despite losing those four matches, the team earned an important victory when it beat Jesuit, the defending state champion of the Texas private school league.
While wrestling in the Texas tournament, senior Peter Hicks, state-ranked number one at that time, broke his finger. Hicks has been on the varsity since his freshman year and captain for the past two years. He was not able to return to finish the season, but other wrestlers stepped in to compensate for his absence.
“Patrick King was one of the most consistent wrestlers this season,” Johnson said. He also recognized Caleb Hufstetler for his team leadership and Jacob Cook as number one wrestler in the area.
“Hicks, King, and Matt Ely will graduate this year, but we’ll still have wrestlers with great potential in freshmen like heavyweight Lee Spradlin and JV wrestler Bryan Martin who has already pinned his opponent twice at the varsity level and other wrestlers such as Luke Hyder, Hufstetler, Steve Owens, Brian Eberhard, Max Hinton, and the rest of the varsity team. Plus, we look forward to gaining several good Middle School wrestlers for the JV team,” Johnson said.
“We’re definitely moving in the right direction, from 5 wins, 15 losses my first year at Darlington to 10:13 last year and 16:9 this year,” Johnson said. The team fell just short of competing at the state level, but will host the State Duals Tournament nonetheless, this Saturday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., in the Yankee Wrestling Room of the Huffman Memorial Athletic Center. The top eight teams in the state will compete for the state team championship.
The Tigers beat Armuchee, Model, Pepperell, and Coosa in the county championship, hosted by the School in December. Six wrestlers placed first and one second. In early January, Darlington participated in the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Texas. The Tigers wrestled teams such as Oklahoma State Champions and double Texas State Champions. Despite losing those four matches, the team earned an important victory when it beat Jesuit, the defending state champion of the Texas private school league.
While wrestling in the Texas tournament, senior Peter Hicks, state-ranked number one at that time, broke his finger. Hicks has been on the varsity since his freshman year and captain for the past two years. He was not able to return to finish the season, but other wrestlers stepped in to compensate for his absence.
“Patrick King was one of the most consistent wrestlers this season,” Johnson said. He also recognized Caleb Hufstetler for his team leadership and Jacob Cook as number one wrestler in the area.
“Hicks, King, and Matt Ely will graduate this year, but we’ll still have wrestlers with great potential in freshmen like heavyweight Lee Spradlin and JV wrestler Bryan Martin who has already pinned his opponent twice at the varsity level and other wrestlers such as Luke Hyder, Hufstetler, Steve Owens, Brian Eberhard, Max Hinton, and the rest of the varsity team. Plus, we look forward to gaining several good Middle School wrestlers for the JV team,” Johnson said.
“We’re definitely moving in the right direction, from 5 wins, 15 losses my first year at Darlington to 10:13 last year and 16:9 this year,” Johnson said. The team fell just short of competing at the state level, but will host the State Duals Tournament nonetheless, this Saturday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., in the Yankee Wrestling Room of the Huffman Memorial Athletic Center. The top eight teams in the state will compete for the state team championship.
