Troup wrestling team rolls in home tourney
Published 7:57 pm Sunday, December 25, 2016
By Kevin Eckleberry
kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com
That’s four in a row.
The Troup High wrestling team continued to steamroll the opposition by taking the top spot in the Dariel Daniel Grind that was held on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Troup gym.
It was a busy few days for the Tigers, who wrestled nine matches and won them all.
Troup not only captured its fourth consecutive tournament championship, but it extended its dual-match winning streak to 27.
Troup won five matches on Tuesday, and it completed a perfect tournament stay with four wins on Wednesday.
Most of Troup’s wrestlers didn’t take a match off, meaning they were on the mat nine times in two days.
“It’s tough,” said Chase Seals, who went 8-1, with his lone loss coming to a wrestler from Carrollton. “You get really tired, and it’s a mental thing, too.”
Seals said the work the wrestlers put in during practice helped prepare them for the grueling two days.
“All the competition in the mat room helps us a lot,” Seals said.
Brantly Robinson, who had a successful two days, said the tournament was a positive experience for the wrestlers.
“You go out there for five matches a day. It’s a long tournament,” Robinson said. “It’s a big challenge, but it makes us better in the long run.”
Junior Scott Hicks said the name of the tournament is a fitting one.
“It’s definitely called a grind for a reason,” Hicks said.
Troup handled that grind just fine and continued what has been a phenomenal season.
Troup’s wrestling program has made tremendous strides over the past few years, and Hicks has seen first-hand the progress that’s been made since he has been on the team since the 2014-2015 season when he was a freshman.
“I’m really excited just to be a part of this team,” Hicks said. “We’ve gone from my freshman year getting our butts whooped every weekend, to progressing and working hard and coming here and winning tournaments.”
While Troup won all of its matches, there were a few close calls.
Troup beat Carrollton 36-33, and Central-Phenix City 39-33.
“We had some tight matches, which was good,” Troup head coach Craig Garner said. “We had to come back, and we found a way to get it done.”
Troup also had to overcome an injury to a key wrestler, 120-pounder Trevor Upchurch, who went down during a match on Tuesday.
In his place, Mason Lumpkin stepped in and performed well.
“He did a great job,” Garner said.
Here are the Troup results:
TROUP 52,
LOCUST GROVE 19
Troup won 10 of the 14 matches, including seven by pin.
Troup’s winners were Michael Irvin (220 pounds), Colby Harry (285 pounds), Pearson Strickland (106 pounds), Brantly Robinson (126 pounds), Cade Garner (132 pounds), Chase Seals (138 pounds), Trey Harris (152 pounds), Scott Hicks (160 pounds), Dre Flagg (170 pounds) and Byron Butts (182 pounds).
TROUP 57,
CREEKVIEW 14
Troup won the first nine matches, and it cruised to the one-sided win.
Winners for Troup were Quenton Kersey (195 pounds), Michael Irvin (220 pounds), Colby Harry (285 pounds), Pearson Strickland (106 pounds), Darius Hanson (113 pounds), Mason Lumpkin (120 pounds), Cade Garner (132 pounds), Chase Seals (138 pounds), Gavin Wood (152 pounds) and Dre Flagg (170 pounds).
TROUP 68,
EAST PAULDING 10
Troup won 12 of the 14 matches against an over-matched East Paulding squad.
Troup’s winners were Byron Butts (182 pounds), Quenton Kersey (195 pounds), Michael Irvin (220 pounds), Pearson Strickland (106 pounds), Darius Hanson (113 pounds), Mason Lumpkin (120 pounds), Brantly Robinson (126 pounds), Cade Garner (132 pounds), Chase Seals (138 pounds), Gavin Wood (145 pounds), Trey Harris (152 pounds) and Dre Flagg (170 pounds).
TROUP 36,
CARROLLTON 33
In its closest match of the tournament, Troup edged Carrollton by three points.
In the final match, Trey Harris lost, but he avoided getting pinned, so Carrollton only got three points.
Troup’s winners were Scott Hicks (160 pounds), Byron Butts (182 pounds), Quenton Kersey (195 pounds), Michael Irvin (220 pounds), Colby Harry (285 pounds), Pearson Strickland (106 pounds), Darius Hanson (113 pounds), Mason Lumpkin (120 pounds) and Brantly Robinson (132 pounds).
TROUP 70,
NORTHGATE 6
Troup made easy work of Northgate, winning all but one of the 14 matches.
Troup’s winners were Byron Butts (182 pounds), Quenton Kersey (195 pounds), Michael Irvin (220 pounds), Colby Harry (285 pounds), Pearson Strickland (106 pounds), Darius Hanson (113 pounds), Mason Lumpkin (120 pounds), Brantly Robinson (126 pounds), Cade Garner (132 pounds), Chase Seals (138 pounds), Trey Harris (145 pounds), Gavin Wood (152 pounds) and Scott Hicks (160 pounds).
TROUP 69,
LAMAR COUNTY 12
Troup won 11 matches, and 10 of them were by pin.
Troup’s winners were Trey Harris (145 pounds), Gavin Wood (152 pounds), Scott Hicks (160 pounds), Dre Flagg (170 pounds), Byron Butts (182 pounds), Quenton Kersey (195 pounds), Colby Harry (285 pounds), Pearson Strickland (106 pounds), Mason Lumpkin (113 pounds), Darius Hanson (120 pounds) and Brantly Robinson (126 pounds).
TROUP 45,
LUELLA 27
Troup won nine of the 14 matches, and all but two of those victories came via the pin.
Troup’s winners were Chase Seals (138 pounds), Trey Harris (145 pounds), Scott Hicks (160 pounds), Dre Flagg (170 pounds), Byron Butts (182 pounds), Colby Harry (285 pounds), Darius Hanson (1113 pounds), Mason Lumpkin (120 pounds), Brantly Robinson (126 pounds) and Cade Garner (132 pounds).
TROUP 75,
HEARD COUNTY 6
Troup only lost once, and it won nine of the matches by pin, and there was one forfeit.
Winners for Troup were Cade Garner (132 pounds), Chase Seals (138 pounds), Trey Harris (145 pounds), Gavin Wood (152 pounds), Scott Hicks (160 pounds), Dre Flagg (170 pounds), Byron Butts (182 pounds), Quenton Kersey (195 pounds), Michael Irvin (220 pounds), Colby Harry, Pearson Strickland, Darius Hanson and Brantly Robinson (126 pounds)
TROUP 39, CENTRAL-PHENIX CITY 33
In one of its most competitive matches of the tournament, Troup earned a hard-fought win over its opponent from Alabama.
Troup won nine of the 14 matches, but four of Central’s five wins were by pin which kept the score close.
Winners for Troup were Brantly Robinson (126 pounds), Chase Seals (138 pounds), Scott Hicks (160 pounds), Dre Flagg (170 pounds), Byron Butts (182 pounds), Quenton Kersey (195 pounds), Colby Harry (285 pounds), Darius Hanson (113 pounds) and Trevor Upchurch.
