Wrestling Play-offs Begin

The Piedmont Academy wrestling team has worked for months for this weekend.

The Mat Cougars will compete in the GISA all-classification state wrestling meet Saturday in Gaines-ville. The state event will be held at Riverside Military Academy beginning at 10 a.m. The finals are tentatively scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
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“This week we¹ll go over the finer points in practice and make our final preparations,” said Piedmont wrestling coach Darrell Young. “We are looking forward to Saturday. We have faced some strong competition this season, and I believe that will help us.”

The coach said he would take from seven to nine wrestlers to state, which will include 16 GISA programs.

Piedmont hosted Riverside and Southland last Saturday in its final regular season match. With only seven varsity wrestlers competing, the Mat Cougars still managed to earn four wins against Riverside and two against Southland.

Blake Anglin (140) and Rob Wynens (145) earned pins against Riverside while Frank Christian (heavyweight) pinned his opponent from both Riverside and South-land.

Ryan Young continues to perform well this season for Piedmont. Young, who has lost only once this year, defeated his Riverside opponent 7-2 and his Southland opponent 15-0. He suffered his lone defeat of 2003-04 on Jan. 26 against First Presbyterian.

Young was leading 8-4 in the third period when his opponent managed to pin him.
In the match against FPD, Wynens and Anglin both posted wins on points for Piedmont.

Several Piedmont wrestlers also competed in a middle school tournament in Macon last Saturday at Windsor Academy. Keaton Lester took first in his weight class while Charlie Needham was second. Luke Harvey and B.J. Benjamin both finished fourth in their respective weight classes.