Raiders win 12th straight region wrestling title
Published 2:35 pm Friday, January 28, 2022
- The Southland Academy Varsity Wrestling Team celebrates their 12th straight region championship with a team picture. Standing left to right: Keaton Griffin, James Wall, Head Coach Mike Smith, Will Rhodes, Coach JR, Colby Green, Trey Sellers, Coach Freeman, Garrett Love, Ethan Beck, Will Kinney, Tanner Humphrey, Kinney Kinnebrew, Davis Peck, Coach Fort. Kneeling left to right: Landon Griffin, Kolden Kinney, John Saye, Cayce Joyner. Submitted Photo
From Staff Reports
CORDELE – The Southland Academy Varsity Wrestling Team (SAR) showed that it is a program still to be reckoned with in the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) by winning its 12th straight GISA Region 3-AAA wrestling title on Tuesday, January 25, at the region meet at Crisp Academy in Cordele.
Six Raiders emerged from the competition as individual region champions and six of them finished as region runners-up. Two other Raider wrestlers, Trey Sellers and James Wall, also turned in strong performances in the meet. Sellers finished third in the region in the 152 lb. weight class and Wall turned in a fourth place finish in the 160 lb. weight class.
The six Raiders who won region championships in their various weight classes include Kinney Kinnebrew (120 lb.), Ethan Beck (126 lb.), Landon Griffin (145 lb.), Cayce Joyner (182 lb.), Colby Green (220 lb.) and John Saye (285 lb.). The six Raiders who finished as region runners-up include Will Kinney (106 lb.), Garrett Love (113 lb.), Tanner Humphrey (132 lb.), Keaton Griffin (138 lb.), Will Rhodes (170 lb.) and Kolden Kinney (195 lb.).
The Raiders will be competing in the GISA Class AAA Wrestling State Tournament Thursday and Friday, February 3 and 4, at the GSW Storm Dome.
