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ROXBORO — On Saturday, Jan. 3, the East Wake wrestling team competed in the Rocket Invitational at Person High School.Coach Mike Kendall said the day began a bit slow when the team loaded a bus that was "on E" upon arrival at 6:30 a.m.“As the coaching staff preaches day-in, day-out to our we wrestlers, we adapted and improvised,” Kendall said. Kendall and coach Kevin Gangewere teamed up to drive the eight wrestlers to Roxboro in their own cars. The group arrived on time and the wrestlers weighed in — just waiting to see the prospective consequences of a long holiday break with sporadic attendance to wrestling practice. But by the end of the tournament wrestlers, coaches and fans could not have felt better about the way the team wrestled.
The Warriors finished in second place behind the home team Person. One of 11 schools in attendance, East Wake sent six wrestlers to the finals.Jordan Miller was voted the tournament’s Most Valuable Wrestler — an award decided by the head coaches from each team.After this Monday’s practice in Wendell, Connor Porter was awarded the trophy the group won over the weekend at the Rocket Invitational. Kendall said it’s something new to dedicate a team trophy to one person, but if they earned it, so be it.“If we happen to win a team trophy the coaches talk with some of the wrestlers, as well as with other coaches, and decide whether or not we put the trophy in the wrestling room or give it to an individual that really stood out that day,” Kendall said. “Connor Porter stood out on Jan. 3, 2009.”Individual Warrior results from the Rocket Invitational are as follows: 103 — Scott Staples (2nd place)
119 — Jordan Miller (1st place, MOW of tournament)
130 — Greg Martin (1st place)
135 — Jake Sullivan (3rd place)
140 — Connor Porter (1st place)
145 — Mitchell Morgan (4th place)
171 — Marquis Joyner (1st place)
189 — J.J. Rodriguez (1st place)
The team’s next match is today, Wednesday, Jan. 7, at home against Southeast Raleigh. The group will then travel to Beddingfield High School, in Wilson, on Saturday, Jan. 10, to compete in the seventh annual TDR Wilson Beddingfield Tournament. Results will be posted following the event.
