ROCKINGHAM — Back on the mat for the second time this season, the Richmond County Middle School wrestling team picked up where it left off.
The middle school Raiders tallied two more wins against Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference opponents in a home meet Wednesday. Richmond rolled past Scotland County’s team 63-39 and picked up a 66-42 win over Sandy Grove Middle School.
Through two meets this season, the Raiders and head coach Richard Kerekes are 4-0.
“I’m very proud of how our team has wrestled with confidence and being aggressive,” Kerekes said. “Starting the season 4-0 has me very excited to see how this season will turn out, but it’s still early and my team has a lot to learn and improve on.
“I think we have a solid lineup this year with a lot of talent,” he added.
Wrestling against Scotland, eight different Richmond wrestlers would earn a pinfall victory, recording six points each.
Defeating their respective opponent was: Kingston Cipriani (76-pound, Hamlet), Joseph Patterson (90-pound, Rockingham), Aiden Roundtree (98-pound, Ellerbe), Adam Estridge (106-pound, Cordova), Jesus Castro (113-pound, Cordova), Linden Garcia (126-pound, Hamlet), Tykeem Ellerbe (138-pound, Ellerbe) and Braxton Jenks (149-pound, Cordova).
Austin Taylor (154-pound, Cordova) and Joe Parsons (250-pound, Rockingham) were awarded forfeit wins for another 12 points. Cordova’s Johnny Lunceford (220-pound) gave the Raiders three more points with a minor decision victory. Scotland was also docked a point for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Eleven pinfall wins accounted for all of Richmond’s points against Sandy Grove. Cipriani, Patterson, Rountree, Estridge, Garcia, Ellerbe, Jenks and Taylor all recorded their second pins of the day. Parsons, along with Jackson Hamilton (142-pound, Cordova) and Eric Greene (152-pound, Cordova) each earned their first pin.
“Tykeem is very talented and wrestles with so much natural athleticism,” Kerekes said. “Aiden has amazing form and technique and great overall mat awareness. Braxton is another very athletic and strong kid who has pinned all four opponents in the first period, and one only took nine seconds.
“Joseph has really impressed me,” he closed. “He has been bumped up a weight class to fill our 90-pound class and has destroyed all four of his opponents. I have a lot of talent throughout my lineup.”
Richmond will return to the mat for another SEMSAC after Christmas break on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. The Raiders will travel to Anson Middle School and wrestle the Bearcats and Scotland.
