GREYHOUND GRAPPLERS
Heading to Smith’s Station, Ala., the Greyhound wrestlers had a point to prove on Saturday. After not being able to advance to the state dual championships and seeing teams that they had beaten make it there, it was not hard to find additional motivation.
“We wrestled with a chip on our shoulder,” Greyhounds head coach Adam Gillhouse said. “After we didn’t get in and others that we had beaten did, they decided to prove that they were one of the top teams in the state. When you go out there and everyone keeps winning, those things add up.”
The Greyhounds, who opted to head to Smith’s Station on the way home from Jefferson last weekend, did so with a purpose as they head into the traditional tournament part of the season where individual honors will be sought. Plus, with a sudden vacancy on the schedule, the Greyhounds wanted to avoid two weekends off in a row prior to the region tournament on Feb. 4 that Jones County will host.
Both of those tasks were accomplished on Saturday with a pair of first-place winners as the Greyhounds placed first overall and eight wrestlers were in the top four of their weight classes.
“After things didn’t go how we wanted at Jefferson, I knew that Smith’s Station had been doing a tournament, so on the bus ride back, I got on the phone and called them,” Gillhouse said. “I knew that it wouldn’t be best to take two weekends off.”
Mat time was not the only thing gained by the Greyhounds on Saturday.
Individual victories came too with eight grapplers finishing in the top four of their weight classes. Taking first place were Hunter McCleskey and Chi Anderson at 106 and 170 pounds, while at 138, Arrie Martin went 4-0 until the final match, finishing second. Multiple wrestlers bounced back over the course of the day, rallying from earlier losses to finish near the top.
Carson Lumley’s fourth-place showing at 145 pounds came after winning three in a row prior to the third-place match, and Robert Scott came back from an early loss to win seven in a row at 152 pounds.
It was a similar road at 160 pounds for James Rackley, who won three in a row on the way to finishing fourth with Will Agudelo ripping off four wins in a row to finish third at 285 pounds. Aiden Lipford finished third at 120 pounds.
Jones County hosts Perry on Thursday, its final tuneup prior to the region tournament, one with a more drawn out and individual format similar to last weekend, part of an adjustment that figures to aid the Greyhounds.
“We’ve been to some big tournaments already this year, which allowed us to see that,” Gillhouse said. “Coach (Tony) Monroe said he felt like he lost weight with all the moving around he had to do. We have good leaders, and they stepped up.”
