Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign

MIDDLE SCHOOL GRAPPLERS
  • Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
    Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
  • Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
    Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
  • Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
    Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
  • Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
    Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
  • Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
    Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
  • Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
    Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
  • Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign
    Middle school wrestlers take second in region tourney, eager for rest of campaign

    With a bit younger roster than usual, Jones County’s middle school wrestlers have been in plenty of situations to prove themselves.

    Of those settings, the stakes were highest last Tuesday at Gray Station Middle School for the Middle Georgia Middle School Athletic Association tournament, where Jones County fought back late, coming up just short of first place overall, finishing second to Henderson Middle. It comes in a season where key wrestlers from last year’s middle school squad are not just wrestling at Jones County High School but are doing so in the starting lineup.

    “You always want to win, but we have a young squad this year,” Jones County middle school head coach Bryan Ulrich said. “We lost a lot of eighth graders and some of them are in the starting lineup in high school, so we are kind of reloading right now.”

    The annual league tournament may hold its degree of weight, but it hardly means the end of the season. Once the calendar turns to 2025, work will continue toward the Jan. 25 state tournament as well as other dual events.

    “We have a lot of opportunities to wrestle coming up, so we still have lots of wrestling left to do,” Ulrich said. “We have huge numbers right now, so it’s exciting time for wrestling in Jones County.”

    One of those was on Saturday at the Bulldog Invitational in Morgan County, where seven wrestlers placed first or second.

    Taking first were Caleb Thompson, Hunter Swearingen and Malakie Fritz with Brooks Scott, Harrison Page, Leilan Gaskins, Canyon Ulrich and Gabriel Lowe placing second.

    Tryton Fields and William Bowling came in third with Brantley Rosenberger and Logan Searcy taking finishes of fourth.