After a series of dual matches, the Madison County wrestling team now faces its biggest meet of the season thus far.
The Red Raiders will compete Friday and Saturday in the Panther Invitational hosted by Jackson County.
“Practice is going pretty good,” coach Richie Houston said of his team’s progress. “We’ve got 48 kids out and about 12 or 13 of them are first-year wrestlers. So we’re doing a whole lot of teaching.”
On the heels of five dual meets, the Madison County wresters enter the Panther Invitational — an individual, double-elimination tournament featuring wrestlers from 26 different teams.
“Usually, it’s the top teams form Northeast Georgia,” said Houston, noting that the tournament field includes Jefferson, winner of nine consecutive state titles between Class A and AA.
Madison County went 1-2 in its first three dual matches, beating Cedar Shoals (69-12) and losing to Lumpkin County (55-24) and Franklin County (40-39). In the match against the Lions, Madison County and Franklin County were tied at 39-39 when matches concluded, but the Raider Raiders lost after tie-breaker rules were applied.
Madison County then wrestled Oconee County and Heritage this past Tuesday night, but results weren’t available at press time.
“We’re just kind of a mixture right now of some veterans and some young guys in the lineup,” Houston said. “It’s still early in the year, and we’re just trying to get everybody at the right weight class. I guess everybody else is doing the same thing, too.”
Houston didn’t want to single out any individual to this point but did praise his nucleus of 11th grade wrestlers.
“That whole junior class is looking pretty good,” Houston said. “We’ve just still got a long way to go.”
Madison Co. 69, Cedar Shoals 12 (Nov. 20)
Winners: Max Nash, 119; Cody Phillips (125), Colton Phillips (130), Caleb McCain (135), Kyle Himsl (140), Isaac Ruiz (145), Kyle Bates (152), Steven Resby (171), Michael Robertson (189), Kyle Gordon (215)
Lumpkin Co. 55, Madison Co. 24 (Nov. 24)
Winners: Max Nash (119), Cody Phillips (125), Isaac Ruiz (145), Kyle Bates (152)
Franklin Co. 40, Madison Co. 39 (Nov. 24)
Winners: Max Nash (119), Cody Phillips (125), Jesse Truelove (140), Isaac Ruiz (145), Kyle Bates (152), Steven Resby (171), Michael Robertson (189)
