ROCKINGHAM — If there is ever a season for Richmond Senior to break through on the mat, this is the one.
Richmond coach Earl Nicholson has been anxiously building the wrestling program to try to topple Pinecrest and claim the Southeastern Conference championship.
“Our first goal is to win conference outright,” Nicholson said. “Winning the conference would then help us with our second — qualifying for the playoffs and being in the final eight. We have the team do it it. We are competitive at every spot and we have a good backup.”
Richmond returns its lone state tournament representative from a season ago — Tommy Shelton. As a freshman, Shelton wrestled in the 106-pound division and advanced to the state tournament in Greensboro. Shelton is now competing in the 120-pound class and went 5-0 in the opening tournament. All five of his wins were by pinfall.
In addition to Shelton, Richmond had six other wrestlers one win away from advancing to the state tournament. Of those six, four are back this season.
Dominique Everette returns at 160 for the Raiders. Everette opened the season with five wins in the opening event in Raider Gymnasium.
Trinity Hunt, who qualified for the state tournament as a sophomore, will wrestle at either 138 or 145 this season. Hunt went 4-1 in the first tournament.
Bryan Marsh went 5-0 in the 132-pound division in the season-opening tournament. Marsh competed at 126 last year.
Luke Souder also was 5-0 last weekend in the 182-pound class. Souder won three of those matches by pinfall.
“I am hoping to have eight or nine in the same position this time,” Nicholson said. “And I hope six or seven make it to the state tournament.”
Nicholson added he is without a handful of wrestlers who are competing on the football team as it attempts to win the school’s eighth state championship. Those missing wrestlers are expected to start in their weight class or battle with others for the starting spot.
Robert David will try to replace David Watkins at 285 pounds. Watkins was also one win away from returning to his second straight state championship in his senior year.
Curt Freeman and Antoine Shaw are to expected to start at 182 and 220, respectively. Damontre Bennett will compete with Josh Feldman for time in the 170-pound division. Also, Yusef Gibson has talked about trying to cut his weight to 145 after football season.
“We have four seniors that we are counting on,” Nicholson said. “This is the year I have been looking for.”
Richmond competed in a multi-team event at Hoke Wednesday night. The results will appear in Friday’s edition. Richmond will travel to Anson for a tri-team meet with Cheraw 6 p.m. Dec. 3.
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