GREYHOUND GRAPPLERS
Countless wrestlers arrived at the Macon Coliseum late last week with multiple goals. For those who were seniors, that included being able to win the final match of their high school. By the time the overhead LED lights dimmed late Saturday, the Greyhounds’ Arrie Martin was among those walking away from the cavernous arena as a victor in his final bout on the mat as a high schooler.
Wrestling in the 138-pound class, Martin concluded his Greyhound career with a final of third. After a quarterfinal win against Jin Davis of Northview, Martin came away from the opening day with a berth in the semifinals. After a loss in that round, Martin battled back, staying alive to win in the consolation semifinal against Dylan Banes of Eastside before a consolation final win via technical fall against Tomarian Hardin of Eagles Landing.
Martin’s consolation semifinal win was his 100th career win.
“Getting guys to place is something we talk about a lot as well as winning your last match,” Greyhounds head coach Adam Gillhouse said. “Arrie had an opportunity to do that. It was big for him.”
Martin helped the Greyhounds finish ninth as a team at the traditional state AAAAA meet, concluding a season in which Jones County was fifth in the state duals. Martin was one of two others to place for JCHS.
Will Agudelo at 285 pounds and David Little at 157 both advanced to the semifinals as well. Despite losses there and in Saturday’s consolation semifinals, the two finished fifth in their respective weight classes, giving JCHS three state placers for the second year in a row.
The Greyhounds’ finish in the top 10 was obviously helped by those who placed, but others advancing within their brackets aided things, as well. Of the nine Greyhounds wrestling at state, seven advanced to at least the third consolation round.
In the lighter weight classes – Landon Lewis at 106 pounds, Hunter McCleskey at 113 and Aiden Lipford at 126 – each began with 1-1 records before losing in the consolation rounds with Jacob Skinner also staying alive with a round-two consolation win to stay alive and also make it to the third consolation round.
“Any time you can go and place three guys, especially in our classification, that’s a good tournament,” Gillhouse said.
