Sports

McIntosh hosts South Metro Invitational wrestling tournament this weekend

Fri, 12/08/2006 - 9:43am
By: Michael Boylan

McIntosh High School will be the site for one of the season’s largest and most competitive wrestling tournaments in the Atlanta Metro Area. Thirty-one teams from the South Atlanta Metro area will be competing in the South Metro Tournament starting today at 5 p.m. and continuing on through Saturday. Area teams competing include McIntosh, Starr’s Mill, Sandy Creek, Fayette County, East Coweta, Newnan, Northgate, Whitewater and Woodward.

In an interview McIntosh head coach Nick Bellantoni said, “The South Metro is one of the premier High School wrestling tournaments in the state. We are thrilled to be hosting it at McIntosh for the second straight year; the McIntosh gym is the perfect place for a tournament of this size and caliber. Each year there are a number of schools at the South Metro that compete for the state championships as well as quite a few individual wrestlers that qualify for state and come home with medals.”

Whitewater head coach Mickey Statham added “South Metro will be one of the stronger invitational tournaments in the state this year with Union Grove ranked #1 in their 5-A Region, Starr’s Mill and Woodward with teams that could finish in the top 5 in AAAA, and Henry County who is always a threat to win the state championship in AAA. Should be an exciting weekend with lots of great wrestling.”

McIntosh is going into the South Metro after competing in early season tournaments at Troup County and South Gwinnett (second place) as well as a number of dual meets. Coach Bellantoni went on to say, “We have been having some success so far in the season. As a team we are still a bit young, starting at times three sophomores and three freshmen. But I am expecting this team to compete strongly. At South Gwinnett we began to show our potential and South Metro is an opportunity to continue our progress.”

The McIntosh Takedown Club invites the community to come to the high school to see some of the best high school wrestling in the state. The doors will open at 4 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturday.

login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Some teams will still be missing athletes
Enigma's picture
Submitted by Enigma on Sat, 12/09/2006 - 12:53pm.

Due to the playoff run in football, I know that Starr's Mill will be missing some top notch wrestlers.

Will there be any other local teams competing without a full 'A team' squad? Best of luck to all the local wrestlers this year.

It's a great sport and if you have not been to a high school wrestling match you owe it to yourself and to the kids to check it out!


login to post comments
Wrestling...the only REAL sport, everthing else is just a game!
Submitted by 1bighammer on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 1:09pm.

Come see the finest athletes from Fayette County and the surrounding areas compete for the title of Tournament Champion.

I know lots of people are saying, WRESTLING, Fine Athletes? If they only knew. I've seen guys that played Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, ran Track, and Swam that couldn't cut it on the mat. It truly is a grueling sport that conditions the body and builds character like no other. Mano a Mano, nobody to depend on but yourself, if you make a mistake you alone suffer the consequences. If you win you get the glory, you did it yourself.

Parents,if you have child that loves to compete and you are looking for a sport for them....try wrestling. Bring them out to McIntosh High School this weekend and watch a little. Its very intense.

If they like it, contact the Fayette county Thrashers Youth Wrestling Program:

http://eteamz.active.com/fayettecowrestling/

to get involved.

login to post comments
Wrasslin'
muddle's picture
Submitted by muddle on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 1:35pm.

Wrestling?
I picked up surfing at about 15. Still doing it and loving it.

I pitched for the baseball team. Had a good slider, fastball and knuckleball. Not a bad hitter, either.

I played briefly for the basketball team. I sucked and quit.

They made us wrestle in 9th grade gym. When I found my head locked between some sweaty dude's legs, my face in his groin, I decided that, so long as my heterosexual orientation remained intact, this was not for me.


login to post comments
That Is Quite Enough Muddle
Git Real's picture
Submitted by Git Real on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 3:14pm.

You messed up my composure. I still remember the stench of the wrasslin' room.


login to post comments
Can we wrassle wimmen?
muddle's picture
Submitted by muddle on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 4:04pm.

I mean, if'n they let me tangle with a gurl 'r two, I might jes' reconsider the sport.


login to post comments
Wrasslin'?
bad_ptc's picture
Submitted by bad_ptc on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 5:59pm.

Are we talken "Strawberry Jello" or the kind with plastic "drop-cloths and Wesson Oil"?

Then again, it really wouldn't matter.


login to post comments
Now muddle you are killing me
Submitted by Flydecajon on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 4:20pm.

LOL, chucle maybe if you can chose the woman too.

login to post comments
Fly.....
Git Real's picture
Submitted by Git Real on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 4:47pm.

Let me pick her out for Muddle. I'll guarantee a smackdown that'll draw some attention to this sport.


login to post comments
Wrasslin': Christy Brinkley?
muddle's picture
Submitted by muddle on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 7:25pm.

After 25 years, I'd still like ta wrassle wif her. Kin you set me up for a bout? Eye-wink


login to post comments
re: Wrasslin': Christy Brinkley?
bad_ptc's picture
Submitted by bad_ptc on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 7:29pm.

I would think Mrs. Muddle would take exception to that.

Can you sleep with your eyes open?

Susan Anton!


login to post comments
Wrasslin"
Submitted by loveptc on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 7:32pm.

From the female side:
George Clonney or Brad Pitt... I would even let them pin me!

login to post comments
Git Real you got it
Submitted by Flydecajon on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 5:47pm.

I would love to see that and once they got sweaty it will be great.

login to post comments
Muddle
Submitted by Flydecajon on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 1:52pm.

LOL that is a great story.

login to post comments
True ...
Enigma's picture
Submitted by Enigma on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 1:14pm.

Best 'unknown' sport in all of high school is wrestling.


login to post comments
Wrestling only Unknown in GA....
Submitted by 1bighammer on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 3:33pm.

The National Federation of State High School Associations ranks participation in Wrestling as the 6th most popular sport in high schools across the country with the participation numbers increasing every year.

People would be SURPRISED at the successful wrestling in Fayette County. Starr's Mill has had two team State Championships in Wrestling in the past 6 years and a couple of Individuals, Whitewater got their first State Champion from Wrestling, Fayette County produced ALL-STATE, Country, Continent, Hemisphere, World Champion Drake McCoy and the programs at Sandy Creek and McIntosh continue to improve each year. The South Metro Tourney this weekend has the potential to have 434 entries spanning 14 weight classes. Potentially 70 of those entrants are from right hear in Fayette County.

Yes we probably are "unknown " as you say, but its not for a lack of trying.

login to post comments
Southern Schools
Enigma's picture
Submitted by Enigma on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 4:02pm.

Since title 9 has been enforced several colleges have had to eliminate some of the sports programs for men. One of the first casualties in the SEC, and ACC was men's wrestling.

We have great young men in a great sport here and they compete with all of the best around the nation. The problem is that scholarships are primarily awarded in the northeast and midwest so we don't have the following here that we once had due to a feeling that it is a 'dead-end' sport for these young men.

Fayette County (McIntosh, Starr's Mill, FCHS, SCHS and now WHS) have produced many state finalists and champions for many years.


login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.