Putnam County High School’s Lady War Eagles were in Harris County on Jan. 16, honing their wrestling skills in the annual Queen of the County tournament.
“Hitting the road at 5:30 a.m. is always challenging, but when it’s a holiday coupled with an off day from school, it’s tough on any athlete,” wrestling head coach Joe Hutsell observed. “It really shows the dedication of our girls and the coaching staff.”
Coach Sandra Webb, who has been instrumental in the development of both middle school and girls’ wrestling, also joined the PCHS girls on the 2.5-hour bus ride. Six Putnam County girls were entered in the 30-team tournament, and Webb said the opening round was particularly amazing.
“Our girls really showed up,” she said. “We started 6-0, as every (Putnam) girl won their match.”
As the brackets eliminated wrestlers one by one and competitors increased in strength, the Lady War Eagles dropped some close matches in later rounds, but two of the six laid claim to second place in their respective weight classes.
Natalie Hinson finished runner-up to Aniri Patel of Woodward Academy in the 100-lb. class, while Lily Frisch claimed silver in the 115-lb. after being narrowly defeated by Lee County’s Delilah Betances in a final match that lasted more than three-and-a-half minutes. The second-place results were almost like victories for the Putnam team, though, after what ultimately will be the toughest regular-season tournament they attend, Webb said.
“It was really worth the trip as we got to see some of the best ladies Georgia has to offer,” she added.
Also making the Queen of the County trip for the Lady War Eagles were Jade Mullis (110) Michelle Hernandez (125), Addison Hutsell (135) and Kannericka Nelson (235).
The competitions weren’t quite done for the Lady War Eagles, either, as they traveled to Mount de Sales on Jan. 20, to participate in the Bibb County Championships. The Putnam County team earned a special invitation to the event in recognition of the talent and growth the program has shown.
And of course, the Lady War Eagles lived up to and beyond expectations as they finished with six medals out of seven wrestlers attending. Frisch and Nelson each brought home gold, while Natalie Hinson, Hernandez and Hutsell scored silver in their respective weight classes. Meanwhile, Isabella Hinson and Amber Winslette locked down bronze medals and Mullis won two matches to contribute to an overall first-place finish, which also represented a first for the team.
Webb noted it was a huge win for the program as the Lady War Eagles not only continue to build momentum for this year’s area tournament (Feb. 3) but also for the next four years with an ultimate goal to grow the program until it competes for area and state titles.