DCHS Wrestling Team Takes Second In Yellowjacket Duals
By EDDY GIFFORD
Sports
The Dade County High School wrestling team wrestled 11 matches in three days last week, going 9-2 in competition. Dade started the gauntlet Thursday night at Heritage High School where they faced off with Dalton and Heritage. The Wolverines beat Dalton but lost the match to Heritage on the General’s senior night. Then the Wolverines pulled out of the Dade County High School parking lot at 6 a.m., Friday morning headed to Hazelhurst to compete in the 15th annual Yellowjacket Duals at Jeff Davis High School.
Friday night Dade took down Treutlen High School 66-10, Coffee County High School 54-17, New Hamstead High School 57-15, and Screven County High School 46-33.
Saturday morning the Wolverines would face Jones County and Effingham County for their final two pool matches. Dade beat Jones 51-22 and beat the previously unbeaten Effingham squad 51-20 to earn a spot in the gold bracket championship.
Dade started bracket competition against Toombs County, the first AA opponent they have faced this season, and the Wolverines turned heads by dismantling Toombs 69-12 to advance to the semifinal match against Vidalia. Dade faced Vidalia last season at the State Dual Championship and won a close match.
This time around it was not close as the Wolverines sent another message to teams in AA with a dominant 63-18 victory to advance to the gold bracket finals against 6A Brunswick.
Dade started with a 21-0 lead, but Brunswick would win a hard-fought match at 220 to get on the board and make the score 21-3. Dade then won another hard-fought battle at 285, and the score was 24-3. After double forfeits at 106 pounds, Brunswick went on a six-match run to go up 34-24 before Dade won by pin at 152 to close the dual out. Brunswick was able to win 34-30, and Dade finished runner up in the 26-team tournament.
“Three days in a row is brutal, and we didn’t start it very well mentally on Thursday, but we handled business pretty well Friday and Saturday. The kids should really be proud of what they did. Going 9–2 over three days against really good competition is impressive. We learned a lot about our team, and I think they realized they have a chance to be special,” coach Jeff Poston said.
Dade County will wrestle at home Thursday night against Coosa and Gordon Central. The middle school will also wrestle at DCHS Thursday night.