Scott Phillips
The Americus Times-Recorder
AMERICUS —
The Southland Academy wrestling program has picked up right where they left off last season as one of the best GISA programs in the state. After finishing in fourth place out of 20 teams in their opening tournament of the 2012-2013 season, the Raiders claimed another fourth place finish last weekend to get their young season off to an excellent start.
Southland opened the 2012-13 season with a duals tournament at Westfield on December 15. In a duals tournament, teams compete directly against each other for an opportunity to advance. The Raiders strong performance ended with a fourth place finish, edging out 16 other teams in the tournament. In junior varsity action at Westfield, Cole Landreth took first place in the 85 pound weight class, and teammate Tyler Kennedy also won the 80 pound weight class. Morgan Youngdale finished third in the 120 pound weight class, and Jon Anderson also took third in the 148 pound weight class.
The Raiders then traveled to Dublin, Ga. to compete in the Trinity Christian School Invitational Tournament on January 11-12 last weekend. The TCS Invitational featured 24 of the best teams in the state, and Southland again showed out with a fourth place finish. Southland had three wrestlers finish second with Cauldin Smith taking the runner-up spot in the 182 pound weight class, Andrew Alexander in the 220 weight class, and Lance Harrod in the 285 pound weight class. Corey Dogget and Colt Stephens each brought home a third place finish in the 113 pound weight class and the 160 pound weight class, respectively, and William Grinnell rounded out the Southland placers with a fifth place finish in the 145 pound weight class.
In the junior varsity portion of the tournament Cole Landreth was once again the champion of the 85 pound weight class with a dominating performance. Jordan Grinnell scored a second place finish in the 105 pound weight class, and Reagan Norman also finished second in the 154 pound weight class. Overall, the junior varsity Raiders finished in fifth place out of 20 teams.
The Raiders will be back in action today as they travel to Albany to take on Deerfield-Windsor, Westwood, Crisp Academy, Tiftarea, and Georgia Christian at 5:30 p.m. The Region wresting tournament is scheduled for January 28 at Deerfield at 5:30 p.m., and the State tournament is scheduled for February 8-9.
