ROCKINGHAM — A common phrase during Wednesday’s practice was “if you’re not moving, you’re losing.”
That’s what Andre’ Ellerbe, Richmond Senior High School’s head wrestling coach, reminded the team of during a series of takedown drills.
Not only was the statement applicable to what the more than 20 Raider wrestlers were working on, but it’s also a mantra Richmond will use this season.
Another slate of winter sports will start with the Raider wrestling team this weekend.
Led by Ellerbe, who is in his fourth year, the Raiders will put their talents on the mat to start what Ellerbe hopes will be a successful campaign.
As the program continues to grow under Ellerbe’s leadership, Richmond will return many of its starting wrestlers from a season ago in a variety of weight classes.
Hoping that’s a strong starting point, Ellerbe shared that the team is hoping to “keep moving forward” and remain competitive within and out of the Sandhills Athletic Conference.
A big part of that hopeful success will hinge on the skills of several returning wrestlers, as well as the addition of a few new faces and younger talent.
Ellerbe also noted that the Raiders understand the need for overall team success, as well as individual wrestlers remaining dominant on the mat.
The eyes of the program will be on returning senior K’Mauri Morgan, Richmond’s lone NCHSAA 4A state championship qualifier from a season ago in the 215-pound weight class.
Primed to make another run through the SAC, regionals and at a state championship, Morgan won’t be with the wrestling team until he finishes his duties with the Raider football team as an inside linebacker in the 4A state playoffs.
Morgan recorded a 17-5 overall record as a junior entering the state championship and he won one of his three bouts.
Ellerbe is also expecting a lot out of a trio of middleweight contenders — senior Adam Estridge and sophomores Konner Gardner and Hayden Smith.
All three are back for another season with the team and Ellerbe shared he’s been impressed with their progress, as well as Gardner bulking up to compete in the 160-pound weight class.
After a middle-of-the-road finish in the final SAC standings last season, Richmond is looking for a talented spark this winter.
That may come in the form of freshman Dylan Nunez, who joins the program as the reigning middle school conference champion as an eighth grader. Showing a lot of promise early on, Ellerbe said Nunez is expected to anchor Richmond’s lightweight wrestlers and compete in the 113-pound weight class.
A host of other wrestlers will return this season, bringing with them experience and the understanding of the program’s expectations. Among them are heavyweight junior Monte Martin, along with senior Jackson Hamilton and junior Jordan Hamilton, all of whom are on the football team.
Senior Amir Vaughan and junior Jason Gainey are two others expected to contribute to the team’s success following football season.
Junior Braxton Martinez and freshman Jake Gardner, who were practice partners Wednesday, are two more wrestlers Ellerbe hopes will take on large roles this season.
An area of focus for Richmond the past few seasons has been eliminating forfeits due to not filling out a complete roster. Each forfeit costs the team six points and Ellerbe said that many matches in the past have been swayed in the opponent’s favor because of them.
Admitting there are still some gaps to fill in the lineup during the early going, Ellerbe is confident that the Raiders will struggle less with being able to send a fuller roster into the match.
In addition to seeing the team grow in its development and technique, Ellerbe classified a successful season as being able to notch one more win than a season ago.
Wrestling, he said, has the unique component of being a team sport but also allowing wrestlers to have individual success. While the Raiders will be focused on contending with SAC threats like Hoke County, Pinecrest and Union Pines, each Raider will also be vying for a shot at a conference crown and a trip to the postseason in his respective weight grouping.
That bodes well for Richmond, which returns four regional qualifiers from last season — Morgan, Estridge, Martin and Gainey.
Helping guide the Raiders on the coaching staff as assistants this year are Alex Bowler and Jaxson Martin, the latter of whom was a state qualifier for Richmond in 2022.
Richmond’s season begins Saturday at Union Pines. The tournament will begin at 9 a.m.
The Richmond Observer will continue its award-winning coverage of the wrestling team this winter.
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