In NC’s main gym Saturday, November 12, NC hosted the first wrestling tournament of the season for NC’s JV and varsity wrestling teams, and surrounding teams in the county. Fourteen teams entered with wrestlers from schools such as Allatoona, Campbell, Harrison, Mceachern, South Cobb and Osborne. As the hosting school, the NC wrestling managers and coaches helped by scoring matches and keeping the event organized. On the mat, members from NC’s Team A and B competed fiercely. While NC did not take home the gold, the team started off the season with a bang. 

 Numerous Warrior wrestlers took home individual awards for the meet. Freshman Jayden Bryant and sophomores Dondre Barrett and Isaac Sikes-Rasby finished third place in the 132 lbs, 175 lbs and 215 lbs weight classes respectively. Sophomore Christian Morales and freshman Trey Daniels placed as runner-ups in the 150 lbs and 120 lbs weight classes while sophomore Zach Afalla and junior Michael Heyliger took down the competition and won championship titles in the 113 lbs and 215 lbs weight classes.

“It felt good getting second place, and it was a good start for the season. I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season turns out,” Morales said

Gallery • 3 Photos

Ciara Whimbush

Sophomore Zach Afalla won the 113 lbs weight class. His overall record in the tournament stood as 2-0, scoring 24.0 team points for NC.

Overall, Harrison’s Team A won the tournament with a total of 178.0 points. While NC’s teams did not crack the top three overall schools, Teams A and B placed fourth and sixth place respectively, with Team A accumulating 142.0 points, and Team B garnering 86.0 points. As the season progresses, head wrestling coach Jeffrey Bettis hopes to witness a flourishing of skill and character from students. 

“[Warrior Invitational is] the same thing every year, where we kind of look to see where we and the wrestlers are at as a team, and it sets the tone for the rest of the season. I was pleased with the effort and conditioning I saw. Moving forward, it’ll be great to see how kids improve their technique and grow as people,”  Bettis said.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Ciara Whimbush

Team A sophomore Zach Afalla defeated his opponent, Colton Cranford from Campbell HS Team A. He won the semifinal match by a fall in one minute and 50 seconds.

The Warrior Invitational marks the beginning of the 2022-23 competitive wrestling season and sets a sturdy foundation for the rest of the year. From November until mid-February, the young men and women of the NC wrestling team and staff will travel around Cobb County to attend tournaments and meets at various schools. Their next event takes place November 16, when the JV and varsity teams compete against Harrison and Marietta High School.