ROCKINGHAM — Competing in front of a full gymnasium on Saturday at Richmond Senior High School, the Richmond County middle school wrestling team took third place in the final meet of the season.
The middle school Raiders concluded their second season of existence with a strong showing in the Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference championship.
A total of six teams competed in the final event, and Richmond sent 12 wrestlers to the podium. At least one member of each of the four middle schools (Cordova, Ellerbe, Hamlet and Rockingham) finished in the top three to earn a medal.
A season ago, head coach Richard Kerekes and assistant coach Andre Ellerbe led the Raiders to a SEMSAC championship in their first season. Despite slipping in the final placement, Kerekes expressed his pride in his team.
“I am very proud of our team this year,” he said. “This team was really young and the majority of our starting 18 were sixth or seventh graders. Out of our 30 wrestlers, only four wrestled with us last year, so I am very pleased with our results.
“These strong young men dedicated themselves to one of the hardest sports out there,” Kerekes continued. “They spilled their blood, sweat and tears into this sport.”
The Raiders had two first-place finishers, thus earning a conference championship in their respective weight class. Cordova’s Braxton Jenks (145-pound) and Rockingham’s Joe Parsons (250-pound) each went undefeated and won an individual conference championship, the first of their careers.
Six Richmond wrestlers claimed a second-place. They were: Jesus Castro (Cordova, 113-pound), Linden Garcia (Hamlet, 126-pound), Eric Greene (Cordova, 152-pound), Ariel Granados (Cordova, 160-pound), Adrian Padron (Cordova, 180-pound) and Johnny Lunceford (Cordova, 220-pound).
Rounding out Richmond’s podium finishers were four third-place wrestlers. Hamlet’s Jabari Douglas took third in the 98-pound division, followed by Ellerbe’s Aiden Roundtree in the 106-pound weight class.
Also taking third were Jackson Hamilton (Cordova, 138-pound) and Felix Guinn (Cordova, 170-pound).
“I want to thank the participants, the parents, athletic directors and principals from each school,” Kerekes said. “They all went above and beyond to make this season successful.
“I am so grateful to have had this coaching opportunity,” he closed. “I am just so proud of all my wrestlers.”
