JEFFERSON, Ga. — It was an all hands on deck effort by the Eastside wrestling team to assist in the Eagles’ fourth place finish at Region 8-AAAAA traditional tournament.  

Five wrestlers finished as region runners up: Nolan Christian (113-pound weight class), Dylan Baynes (126-pound), Jordan Hittle (132-pound), Grayson Carter (165-pound) and Jordan Amedee (138-pound). 

But those individuals weren’t the only Eagles who had solid performances. 

Grayson Poynter (120-pound), Damani Fleming (150-pound), Jertavious Allen (157-pound) and Wyatt Bauer (175-pound) each finished third in the respective weight classes. To top it all off, Nate Sinyard placed fifth in the 144-pound weight class. 

This was after Eastside finished as No. 7 in the state at the duals tournament.
“This was the first time Eastside has been in the top eight of state duals in a decade,” Miller said. “It’s a testament to the direction we’re moving in and the hard work our guys have put in on the mat, in the classroom and beyond since October.” 

Saturday’s finish just strengthens Miller’s hope for the future of Eastside wrestling, too. In addition to his optimism for the future, Miller believes this season’s success is a great indicator of what his team can still accomplish this season. 

And, while the hope was there before the season began, there was a particular moment during the year that Miller felt like his team caught fire. 

“We really hit a good stride right before Christmas and gained a lot of momentum after wrestling some big tournaments and focusing on what we do well,” Miller said. “But that again is a testament to our ‘One step at a time’ philosophy: Keep building on what you do in practice and look to score the next point in the match you’re in; don’t look ahead, look at now.” 

Next stop for the Eagles is the state sectionals tournament at Locust Grove High School.