Wrestlers vying for another successful season

Coming off a season that saw them claim both the Area 3A Duals and Traditional titles in the same season for the second time in school history, the SCHS Gamecock wrestling team of Griffen Greene will seek to build on that success with another big season. The loss of a single wrestler to graduation from the lineup that went to the state traditional tournament means there is a great possibility for another deep run.

Already scheduled to have hosted a quad meet on November 18, the team was scheduled to travel to South Effingham for the Turkey Duals on November 23-24. The schedule next has them hosting Effingham County and Swainsboro in a tri-meet on December 1.

Primary to Greene is improving the team’s statewide finishes, fifth in duals and 17th in traditional. “Our goal this year is to improve on our fifth place finish at state duals last year,” he said. “We are returning the majority of our dual lineup from last year, so I expect us to do well if we can stay focused and hungry. We can't get complacent and just expect good things to happen.”

The 11 team make up of Area 3A includes Bryan County, Calvary Day School, Dublin, Emanuel County Institute, McIntosh County Academy, Metter, Montgomery County, Savannah Christian, Savannah Country Day, Screven County, and Treutlen County. The Area Duals meet will be at Montgomery County on January 8 while the Area Traditionals will be in the Harold Lee Scott Gymnasium on January 29.

Despite the fact that but one member of the 2020-2021 team graduated, there are still but two seniors on this year’s team. Both seniors are relatively inexperienced as far as mat time at SCHS. Timothy Frank (138-145) was 9-9 a season ago in his first time out while Malik Perry is new to the program with some experience at his previous school.

In the lower weights (106-145) Greene says every starter is returning including five area traditional medalists led by 120 pound champion sophomore Zach Smith (23-11) along with runners-up junior Justin Pearce (106, 21-15, 27-23 career), sophomore Sam Robbins (113, 13-11), and sophomore David McFarland (138, 25-13). Junior Carson Ellis (145, 15-20, 30-30 career) was third. Lady Gamecock juniors Bella Maust (26-17, 39-29 career) and Lynnlie Rountree (9-7, 24-25 career) each advanced to the state in the girls 102 bracket and did very well.

Others in the lower weights are junior Hayden Skinner (18-15, 18-18 career) and sophomore Ryder Rankin (14-9) who were starters last year who had tough Area brackets and barely missed qualifying for the state tournament according to Greene. Other lightweights fighting for a spot are freshmen Blake Cheney and Isaac Maust, sophomore Bo Doss, and juniors Zach Taylor, Hayden Cheney, Jayson James, and Isaac Maust.

“With a ton of talent returning, we are going to have a log-jam especially in the top half of the lineup,” continued Greene. “Starting spots will work themselves out through the Wrestle-Off process which will take place prior to each competition.”

Greene continued by saying, “The bottom half of the lineup (152 - 285) loses our best wrestler from last season (Cody Thompson), but is still very solid.” Junior Vasquez Lonon is a two time area champ (160, 17-14, 31-16 career), junior Adam Lingerfelt (195, 23-10, 33-14 career) and sophomore Jemiah Stewart (285, 24-17) were each area runners-up last year. Junior Ed Lee (182, 10-11, 15-15 career) claimed third at area. Junior Luke McFarland (220, 32-4, 67-21 career) also returns.

Others in the upper weight classes who are fighting for a spot in the lineup are sophomores Jason Zheng, Ben Warren, and Gavin Ellis and freshman Cody Cochran.

One change in the wrestling program is the absence of Andy Tomlin who has left education to pursue another career. Said Greene, “It’s tough seeing Andy go. He did so much for our program and we are going to miss him.”

For this season the schedule is tougher than in many years as the staff seeks to go up against better competition in preparation for state competition. In addition to some of the meets the team has consistently gone to over the years that are trips to Berkmar High School’s Gorilla Warfare Tournament in Gwinnett County as well as out of state trips to the Coastal Clash at Hilton Head SC on December 10-11 and the Rumble on the River in North Augusta SC on December 29-30. All three are traditional (Individual bracket tournaments) tournaments.

Greene concluded with, “The amount of potential this group has is off the charts. We have to figure out how to get it out of them. Last year’s results were great, but there were a few situations where we thought we could’ve done better. We aren’t the young, inexperienced team anymore. We have veterans up and down the lineup, and we expect to win a ton of matches this year.”

SCREVEN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GAMECOCK WRESTLING; 2021-22

NAME; GRADE; PROJECTED WEIGHT

Lynnlie Rountree; 11; 106

Bella Maust; 11; 106

Bo Doss; 10; 113

Justin Pearce; 11; 113

Sam Robbins; 10; 120

Blake Cheney; 9; 120

Zach Smith; 10; 126

Hayden Skinner; 11; 126

Ryder Rankin; 10; 132

Jayson James; 11; 138

Zach Taylor; 11; 138

Malik Perry; 12; 138

Timothy Frank; 12; 138

Hayden Cheney; 11; 138

Carson Ellis; 11; 138

David McFarland; 10; 145

Isaac Maust; 9; 145

Jason Zheng; 10; 152

Kody Cochran; 9; 160

Vasquez Lonon; 11; 170

Ben Warren; 10; 170

Adam Lingerfelt; 11; 182

Ed Lee; 11; 195

Luke McFarland; 11; 220

Jemiah Stewart; 10; 285

Gavin Ellis; 10; 285

SCREVEN COUNTY WRESTLING VARSITY SCHEDULE

Coach Griffen Greene

Coach Rusty Rankin

Coach Bo Viness

V/JV/MS; Nov. 18; Quad (NH/Metter/Groves); Home

V/JV/MS; Nov. 23-24; Turkey Duals; South Eff. High School

V/JV; Dec. 1; Tri (EffCo/Swains); Home

V; Dec. 3-4; Yellow Jacket Duals; Jeff Davis High School

V; Dec. 7; Tri (BCHS/ARC); Burke Co. High School

V; Dec. 10-11; Coastal Clash (IBT); Hilton Head High School

V; Dec. 17-18; Gorilla Warfare (IBT); Berkmar High School

V; Dec. 29-30; Rumble on the River (IBT); North Augusta Parks & Rec

Playoffs:

Jan. 8; 3A Area Duals; Montgomery Co. High School

Jan. 14-15; State Duals Sectional; TBD

Jan. 21-22; State Duals Finals; Commerce High School

Jan. 29; 3A Traditionals; Home

Feb. 4-5; A Trad. State Sectional; TBD

Fb. 10-12; A Trad. State Finals; TBD

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Wrestlers vying for another successful season