WADESBORO — Wednesday’s middle school wrestling match followed the script the Raiders have written all season — another split.
In action at Anson Middle School, the Raiders played deja vu against East Hoke and Anson middle schools from earlier matches this season. Like the first time Richmond faced its Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference opponents, it beat the Eagles while falling to the host Bearcats.
Save for the team’s opening meet and its final meet before Christmas break, Richmond has split every match 1-1 this season. The Raiders held on to defeat East Hoke 66-42, the same score as the first time, while falling to Anson 64-42. The team is now 5-5 overall.
The 66 points scored against the Eagles tied the mark for the second-highest points the middle school Raiders have scored against any opponent all season. Eleven total wrestlers earned a win in the match, eight by pinfall and three via forfeits.
Sebastian Fullwood, Jabori Hester and Dylan Locklear earned six points each with a forfeit win. Entering the day, Fullwood (Cordova Middle School) was the lone Raider to be a perfect 8-0 on the season, while Hester sat a 2-0.
Earning pins against their Eagle opponents were Damon Bryant, Irwin Campos, Jabari Douglas, Tykeem Ellerbe, Nathaniel Mauk, Naamon Perakis, Messiah Shaw and VJ Whaley.
The Bearcats, who have had a longstanding middle school wrestling program, edged the Raiders in the second match. Richmond is competing in its first season under the direction of coaches Richard Kerekes and Andre Ellerbe.
Both teams fielded a full roster for all weight classes, as seven total Raiders earned wins by pinfall (six points each). Campos, Ellerbe and Shaw were the only three Raiders to finish the day 2-0 with both wins coming as a pin.
Joining them against Anson were Hester, Locklear and Fullwood, as all three added to their first-match forfeits with pins against their respective opponents. Also getting in on the pin parade was Jaxson Martin.
Through five regular season matches this season, Fullwood remains a perfect 10-0. Not far behind him are Ellerbe and Shaw, both of whom have 9-1 records. Other top wrestlers include Campos and Locklear with matching 8-2 records, as Hester remained undefeated at 4-0.
Kerekes noted that “all of these first-year wrestlers are doing amazing” and that “they have a very great chance to be conference champions.”
One more regular season match is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 23, at Richmond County Ninth Grade Academy at 4 p.m.. It will be the second match the Raiders will host this season, and will be the final warm up to the SEMSAC championship at Hoke County High School on Saturday, Feb. 2.
