The Rockdale County varsity wrestling team might have finished on top in the area last Saturday, but Alcovy and Newton will still be well-represented today at the Class AAAAAA East Sectional at Lowndes High School.
The Bulldogs came away with top honors at the Area 2-AAAAAA traditional wrestling meet, scoring 262.5 points to finish first overall, while the Tigers placed second with 217.5 points. Newton rounded out the top three at the event with 151 points.
Rockdale paced the field by advancing 13 individual wrestlers to today’s sectional meet, while Alcovy sent 12 wrestlers to the tournament. Newton sent seven to the event.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class advanced to the East Sectional.
The Bulldogs finished with nine weight-class champions, five ahead of Alcovy’s four first-place finishers. Alonzo Allen (113), Stephen Hart (120), Lenny Mejias (126), Clifton Casurra (138), Ronzell Teague (152), Sean Mer (160), Luis Galindo (182) and Michael Mason (285) earned area championships for Rockdale County.
Alcovy’s Darryl Nichols (106), Austin Richardson (152), Parfait Fondseyuf (170) and Kamari Williams (195) will represent the Tigers today as area champions, while A.J. Palomino (220) finished as Newton’s lone area champion.
Four Rams finished second in their respective weight classes, while Alcovy finished with three second place finishers.
Eduardo Jarquin (106), Akil Maolud (145), James Paul (152) and Anthony Bradley (170) earned runner-up finishes at the event for Newton, while Tajuan Jenkins (113), Johnathon Carlson (126) and D’Anthony Elder (160) finished second in their weight classes for the Tigers.
Tyler Jackson (170) will also represent the Bulldogs at the East Sectional, along with Alcovy’s Patrick Cochran (120), Jake Hendrix (138) and Christopher Dubois (145) and Newton’s Shaidren Carter (182) after winning their third-place consolation brackets.
Fourth place finishers Dante Lawhorns (152, Rockdale), Jaulil Rash (195, Rockdale), Keythone Robinson (220, Rockdale), Jerry Pike (132, Alcovy), Michael Thurman (182, Alcovy) and Oliver Jarwuin (113, Newton) also earned spots at the East Sectional.
Wrestling will wrap up Saturday at Lowndes. The top eight wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the state tournament beginning Feb. 13.