Sports Editor

The South Metro Wrestling Invitational took place at

Fayette County High School last Friday and Saturday. There were 20

teams of varying strengths and it was a battle from the opening match

until the last match. McIntosh won it all with 214 points, though

Eagle's Landing was the favorite going in. It was the eighth year in a

row that Coach Marty Hutsell and the McIntosh Chiefs have won

the South Metro tournament title.

The Chiefs had three champions in South Metro,

Carlos Dinkins at 103 pounds, Eddie Smith at 135 and Lukas Smith

at 189. Coach Hutsell feels that Joe Giovinco is having a great

year. Giovinco knocked off last year's AAA state champ in the last

two seconds of the semifinals on Saturday.

As for the hosts of the Invitational, Coach Bailey was

impressed with his Fayette County Tigers performance. Jared

Bailey was a champion in the 130 pound division while his older

brother, Johnathan, got his 100th career victory. Everyone on the

Tiger's wrestling squad scored points and two wrestlers forfeited

their matches on Saturday to take the ACT test. If they had wrestled

it would have most likely boosted Fayette County to a fourth

place finish.

Starr's Mill Coach Mickey Statham is pleased with his

team's performance over the weekend. The Panthers placed sixth and

had to face some of the toughest programs in the state. Drew

Cofty was champion of the 140 pound grouping, while

Stephen Behringer and Clint Barbour took third place in their weight

divisions. Starr's Mill hosts the Starr's Mill Invitational next Friday

and Saturday.

As for Sandy Creek, Coach Damian Belvedere is a little

disappointed. There were five matches that the Patriots led

wrestler who placed for Sandy Creek. The Patriots will work on how

to hang on to a lead as they travel to the Eagle's Landing Classic

this Friday and Saturday.

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