The Morgan County wrestling season came to a close Feb. 13 at the GHSA traditional state wrestling tournament in Morrow, where the Mat Dogs sent 10 athletes to compete at The Arena at Southlake.
First-year head coach Stewart Spence said he was pleased with the team’s overall performance and growth throughout the four-month season.
“I like to think that our team did very well in the individual tournament,” Spence said. “We had a few hiccups in the team tournament earlier in the year, but it was a lot of fun to see the kids compete and excel at the end of the season.”
Spence said progress was evident not only in results but in commitment and buy-in from the athletes.
“As a team, I could really see the difference in individuals who wanted to be there and guys who didn’t,” Spence said. “It was exciting to see how these guys bought in and wanted to be a part of everything.”
The season marked a historic milestone for the program, as freshman Airyanna Klinger became the first female wrestler in Morgan County history to qualify for the state tournament. She capped off her debut season by placing sixth in her weight class.
“It was great to see her compete, especially with her success so early,” Spence said. “Her attentiveness and desire to get better really stand out.”
Five Morgan County wrestlers placed at the state tournament, including seniors Kaleo Willcoxson, Jatavious Ward, and Ja’mari Mundy, who wrapped up their careers after four years in the program. Spence credited the senior class for setting the standard and said they will be difficult to replace.
“Having guys like that in the room who push each other is something the team is going to miss,” Spence said. “But seeing younger wrestlers buying in now is what will drive the future success of this team.”
Spence said the future of the program is bright moving forward, and is looking forward to others joining the program after its recent success.
“It’s going to be hard to replace those guys, but it’s exciting to see what the next group can become,” Spence said.