Lee County wrestling club successful at state

The Georgia Kids state wrestling championships took place in Cartersville last weekend and some of the Lee County Trojan Warriors wrestling club participated at state level competition.

This year’s tournament saw more than 1,000 participants in five age groups from six and under (6U) to fourteen and under (14U) and various weight classes per age group.

First-year wrestlers Anvil Pressley and Rylan Cook each placed at the state tournament. Pressley finished fourth in the 6U 49-pound class out of 11 participants, while Cook finished fifth in the 6U 46-pound class from a field of 14.

Easton Hunter participated in the 12U 73-pound class which boasted 24 wrestlers. Hunter gave a strong effort but did not place. This was also Hunter’s first year wrestling and many of his opponents were veterans of 3-5 years.

Other Lee County Trojan Warrior club members who participated in tournaments throughout South Georgia this season are Napu Cruz , London Epply, Paxton Epply, Greyson Tanner, Jarin Mctyeire, DJ Lewis, Mario Hare and Marley Washington.

“All of our young men learned a lot this first season about wrestling, and themselves,” coach Phil Maxfield said. “Wrestling is as much about mental toughness as it is about physical strength and technical skill, although those are important too.”

Maxfield is a former high school assistant and head coach with nearly 20 years of coaching experience.

“My own son graduated, so I no longer have a dog in the fight,” Maxfield said. “But I still want to share my love and experience in the sport with others, willing to learn.”

The team is scheduled to take a break for the rest of the month and into April, but they expect to start back around the first of May.

“It’s important to let the kids have a break from the intensity of the practice and tournament schedule,” Maxfield said. “You don’t want kids to burn out in middle school.”

Summer practices will be low-intensity drilling and learning new moves with a lot of games aimed at improving skill and agility.

Booster club spokesperson Terry Pressley said he is very proud of his son Anvil and all of his boys.

“This club is not new in the sense that Lee County has had youth programs in the past, but this new incarnation has strengths and ideas to move it forward,” Pressley said.

He also said it takes dedicated athletes and parents to make the club grow.

“We have a great coach in Maxfield, very knowledgeable and patient,” Pressley said. “That’s a winning combination.”