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Middle School Sports Report: wrestling team splits first matches of 2019 as Fullwood stays perfect

Cordova Middle's Sebastian Fullwood improved to 8-0 on the season during Wednesday's meet.
The Richmond Observer.

RAEFORD, N.C. — With the first full school week of the new year, the Richmond County Schools’ middle school wrestling team returned to action for the first time in nearly a month on Wednesday.

The middle school Raiders traveled to Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference opponent West Hoke Middle School, and faced off against the host Pride and Sandy Grove Middle School. It was the second time this season that the Raiders faced both teams, each match being a win, but Richmond split its first action of 2019.

The Raiders fell short 42-63 to the Sandy Grove Panthers, but bested West Hoke by a final score of 66-48. The split decision was an improvement from the 0-2 spurt the Raiders had in the final meet of 2018 against Scotland and Anson, and now gives the team a 4-4 overall record on season.

In the program’s inaugural meet on Nov. 28 at East Hoke Middle School, Richmond defeated West Hoke 72-45, the program’s largest win to date.

Entering the competition, three Richmond wrestlers put perfect 6-0 records on the line. The only one to emerge victorious with two pins on the day was Cordova Middle School’s Sebastian Fullwood, as he improved to a team-best 8-0. The other two wrestlers, Will Whitley and Messiah Shaw, went 0-2 and 1-1, respectively.

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Damon Bryant was the lone Raider to pick up a forfeit win against Sandy Grove in the loss, but five other Raiders (aside from Fullwood) pinned their opponent to the mat to tally the remaining 30 points. Those wrestlers were: Irwin Campos, Jabari Douglas, Tykeem Ellerbe, Jabori Hester and Raymond Shubert.

Richmond managed to flip the script against West Hoke, using nine total pins to put away the Pride for the second time this season. Ellerbe added six more points for the Raiders by way of a forfeit. Fullwood was joined by Campos, Douglas and Hester as the only Richmond wrestlers to go 2-0 on the day by way of pinfall.

Getting in on the winning action were Dylan Locklear, Jaxson Martin, K’mauri Morgan, Aiden Roundtree and Messiah Shaw, all of whom pinned their opponent.

Area middle school wrestling teams all have two more regular season meets (Jan. 16 and Jan 23) ahead of the SEMSAC championship, which is set for Feb. 2 at Hoke County High School. The Raiders will head to Anson Middle School next Wednesday, Jan. 16, to face East Hoke and Anson middle schools.

Also in the season opener, Richmond rolled over the East Hoke Eagles 66-42. On Dec. 13, the Anson Bearcats handed the Raiders their worst loss of the season, a 66-38 decision.



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Kyle Pillar is a 22-time North Carolina Press Association award-winning sports editor with The Richmond Observer. Follow the sports department on X @ROSports_ for the best in-depth coverage of Richmond County sports.