Five others advance to sectionals
Tyler Adams proved that rankings are overrated.
Seeded fourth in the 215-lb. class in this past weekend’s region tournament, Adams upset the 8-AAAA no. 1 seed in the semifinals and pinned the region’s no. 2 in second period of the region finals match en route to a region individual championship.
“To be honest, I think he’s just peaking at the right time,” coach Richie Houston said. “… He wrestled really well, He’s gotten better since the beginning of the season.”
Adams is one of six Raider wrestlers advancing to the newly-implemented East Sectionals in Brunswick this weekend.
He’s joined by Chris Savage (second-place, 140-lbs.), Cody Phillips (third-place, 112-lb.), Michael Kilpatrick (fourth, 130-lb.), Kyle Bates (fourth, 135- and Issac Smith (fourth, 145-lb.).
“I think it was far above what most people expected, especially out of our region,” Houston said. “So I thought it was really good. I was really excited for the boys.”
This number ties the most wrestlers Madison County has advanced out of the region tournament in Houston’s five seasons with the team.
This was an unlikely year to do it, too.
“Having so many underclassmen, I think that’s a pretty good number,” Houston said.
As a team, Madison County finished fifth out of 11 schools in the region standings (105.5 points), tied with Clarke Central.
Rockdale County won the region title.
The state sectionals are new to the state tournament format this year.
The top eight finishers at sectionals move on to a 16-man bracket at state.
Any Raider wrestlers winning two matches are in.
Houston noted that the East Sectionals include traditional state powers like Tucker, Marist, Southwest Dekalb, Glynn County and Effingham County.
