After finishing third in their area in duals and qualifying for the state tournament, the Dawson County Tigers’ wrestling team were unable to move onto the next round of the state tournament, losing 53-24 against Stephens County High School. 

Like so many teams this season, the Tigers have been battling quarantine after quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure. Saturday’s tournament was no different, with five Tigers wrestlers missing the match due to being quarantined. 

“We thought this week was gonna be the first week that we put everyone in the right weight class,” Tigers head coach Arron Haynes said after the match on Saturday. “I’m very happy about how we wrestled. We didn’t wrestle poorly. We’re just like every other team in the state right now trying to hold our whole roster.”

The TIgers’ 24 points came on four pins. The Schuette brothers, Kincaid and Colton, both were victorious by fall (or pin) in the first round. Logan Buytendorp and Scotty Warner both pinned their Stephens County opponent in the second round.

Though the duals season finishes for Dawson County, the traditional season moves on for the next few weeks. On Feb. 5, the TIgers will travel to Gilmer High School to battle their area opponents in the traditional area tournament. The top-three finishers from that tournament will qualify for state. Since there are only four teams in the area, Haynes said he’s confident that he will send 8-10 kids to state. 

“Because of how our area is laid out, I think the majority of our kids will get through the state tournament,” Haynes said. “We’re peaking at the right time.”