Hannah Styles
hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com
On Monday night, the Swain County wrestling team traveled to Cherryville for the 1st and 2nd rounds of the Dual Team State Tournament. The first round was originally scheduled for Saturday but was postponed due to wintry weather.
In the first round, Swain was matched up against Mitchell County, where the team won by a whopping 66-15. In the second round, the Devils battled it out with home team Cherryville, who is the 4th seed in the Dual Team Tournament. In the end, the Devils pulled out the nail biting 53-30 win, making them first in both rounds.
Wrestling Head Coach Adam Jaimez said the team wrestled tough in their matchups, despite having a group of young guys, and they continue to improve each match.
“One of the hardest things to do in wrestling—or any other sport for that matter—is for them as wrestlers’ and parents to understand that ‘team’ must come 1st before anything else. We’ve mixed and matched our lineup all year to maximize the potential of this team, and it has paid off for us,” Coach Jaimez said. “Our kids have embraced that concept, and it has made us even tougher.”
Coach Jaimez added he’s thankful to everyone involved in the program and for all their hard work.
“I would like to thank my kids, parents, administrators, and coaches for their efforts and dedication thus far!! I’m blessed to be the steward of this wonderful program,” he said.
Swain is currently 22-3 this year. The 3rd and 4th round of 1A Wrestling Championships were held at Swain, instead of previously announced Avery, on Wednesday, Feb. 2nd. Results will be available in next week’s paper.