The Morgan County Middle School wrestling program entered this season without a coach. Enter Marcus Crowe, a former high school wrestler and career EMS professional for 20 years. After acquiring his high school education degree, the 41-year-old was hired late by the Morgan County Board of Education as a teacher at the high school in healthcare administration. Upon his hiring, head wresting coach Dusty Sidwell acquired his services to work with this year’s youngsters at the middle school. Crowe will become an ordained deacon in his church in the coming weeks, something he was happy about.
This past week the Bullpups competed in the Peach State Individual Championships, a middle school league consisting of 12 other schools with wrestling in weight classes ranging from 75-275 pounds. It was their last big match of the season with good results for the team. Morgan finished in sixth place out of those 12 teams with a good showing.
These wrestlers placed to lead Morgan to their sixth place finish:
Will Furr- 1st place
Alexis De La Cruz-Second
Place
Quint Hyman-Second place
Miles Butler-4th place.
The following wrestlers also
Competed in the tournament and earned valuable team points:
Levi Alliston
William Wages
Jayce Craft
Jamarioun Clark
Zyjawn Turner-Myers
Christopher Morgan
Blake Rector
Desi Wood
Earlier in the week the team defeated the Jasper County Middle School Hurricanes in a single team match 54-36. The following wrestlers competed and won their matches.
Will Furr-Pin
Levi Alliston-Pin
Will Wages-Technical fall
Jayce Craft-Pin
Jamarioun Clark-Technical fall
Zyjawn Turner-Myers-Pin
Brennan Rothschild-Technical
fall
Alexis De La Cruz-Technical
fall
Quint Hyman-Pin
Coach Crowe talked about his first season and the tournament saying, “The tournament had a big bracket with all 12 schools filling most of the weight classes. Only one of these young men had ever even seen a mat in real competition so I was really proud of their effort. It was a crazy day being there all by myself when the other two coaches couldn’t attend. None of our guys were put out in the first round and all wrestled well. They all participated and scored team points. It was a good showing considering the circumstances of me coming in late after the season started. I want to build a middle school program that will feed the high school program with kids that are ready and familiar with what the coaches are looking for. I think it’s important that I learn more of what they are looking for and what they like to use in their moves. Hopefully, before we get started next year I will be more on the same page with Coach Sidwell.
Next year we hope to have a Middle School tournament. I’d love to have it. Overall, I had a great time and really enjoyed working with a really good group of kids. They earned my respect.” Crowe wanted to thank Coach Milfred Franklin, Doug Connelly, and Sidwell for their help and support. “They have all been fantastic to work with,” he said.