WADESBORO — Competing in just its third meet in program history, the Richmond County Schools’ middle school wrestling team was swept last Thursday.
On the road at Anson Middle School, the middle school Raiders fell in both of their matches against Scotland County and host Anson. Richmond, which tied Scotland County the week prior before losing on a coin flip, lost to the Fighting Scots 58-48, before losing to the Bearcats 66-38.
Through six matches this season, the Raiders, coached by Andre Ellerbe and Richard Kerekes, are 3-3.
Impressing for Richmond were William Whitley, Sebastian Fullwood and Messiah Shaw, as the trio of wrestlers went 2-0 on the day and remained a perfect 6-0 on the season. Both of Whitley’s wins Thursday came way of a forfeit, while Fullwood earned wins from a forfeit and a pin. Shaw was able to pin his first opponent before winning in a minor decision against Anson.
Against Scotland, Aiden Roundtree and Louis Fernandez joined Fullwood and Whitley win forfeit victories. It was the likes of Jabari Douglas, Tykeem Ellerbe, Dylan Locklear and Shaw who held their Fighting Scot opponent to the mat to pick up pinfall wins.
The Bearcats, which have had a long-established middle school wrestling program, proved to be the Raiders’ toughest opponent thus far. The 28-point loss was the largest deficit this season for Richmond.
Whitley’s forfeit earned six points for the Raiders, while Ellerbe, Fullwood, Irwin Campos and K’mauri Morgan combined for 24 more points with pins. Roundtree came through with the team’s only technical fall win, as he beat his opponent by 15 points, collecting five more points for the Raiders. Shaw rounded things out with his minor decision victory (add three more points).
Richmond won’t return to the wrestling mat until after the upcoming holiday break, as the Raiders will head to West Hoke Middle School on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. The Raiders will face off against West Hoke and Sandy Grove Middle School, two programs they’ve defeated already this season.
