WRESTLING: Tigers ready for the Clash in Minn.

The Tigers finished third at the Kyle Maynard Duals, which took place last Thursday. The Tigers went 4-1. They defeated Thompson (50-25), Mt. Zion (59-9), Mill Creek (56-12) and Gilmer County (43-30).

The only loss came to Archer in the semifinals.

“To be honest, we didn’t wrestle very well and I told our guys that,” head coach Kendall Love said. “They (Archer) are a good team, but I feel like we’re better and we didn’t show it in that match.”

The Tigers gave up six points due to a forfeit in one weight class. They lost the match by five points (34-29). And even though the Tigers are still getting some guys into the proper weight classes, Love wasn’t going to make any excuses for the loss.

“We still felt like we should’ve won the dual match,” Love said. “Just felt like there were certain areas that we need to work harder on and be more intentional on coming off the mat.

“They (Archer) rode us a little more than they should have but that’s to their credit. They’re a good team. They’ve won the Class 6A state championship the last few years. They just outwrestled us.”

This weekend, the team travels to Rochester, Minn., to compete in The Clash. Love said the team won’t forget about the Archer match. Instead, it will use it to get better as the Tigers head into a national competition against teams from California and other states.

Love said several teams competing have half of their lineups ranked nationally in high-school wrestling.

“It’s definitely the toughest tournament that any Commerce wrestler has ever been involved with,” Love said. “It’s just a testament to the guys that we have right now to get an invite like this. We’re going to go compete and see what happens.”

Love adds that if the team finishes in the middle of the pack, that’s a “great” showing, considering the competition it will face.

“We’re a small Class A team in Georgia and we’re competing against some of the best teams from across the country,” Love said.

By the same token, Love knows his group isn’t satisfied with just being invited.

“We want to show that we belong and show there’s a reason why we were invited,” he said. “You’ve got to believe that we belong there just like the rest of them and see what happens.”

He also wants to come out healthy, as upon returning to Commerce, the Tigers will compete in the Area Duals.