Coach David Kirkland’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats varsity wrestling team and coach Chad Smith’s Bainbridge Middle School Bearcats wrestling team turned in convincing victories recently.

The varsity Bearcats had a convincing dual match victory over the Dougherty High School Trojans Wednesday, Dec. 8 at the Decatur County Memorial Coliseum.

The junior varsity Bearcats followed up the varsity win with convincing wins over the Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets and Cairo High School Syrupmakers Wednesday at the former Bainbridge Middle School gymnasium.

“We only lost three weight classes in the win over Dougherty, so it was a total team effort,” Kirkland said. “Wrestling is a more one on one competition, but when you can fill the weight classes and everyone has a good performance, the whole team benefits.’

Recording pins for the Bainbridge Middle School Bearcats against the Thomas County Central Middle School Yellow Jackets were Ryan Bardwell, Grayson Heard, who had two pin wins, Hunter Odom, Greg Merritt, Will Johnson, Mason Birdsong, Tyler Biggles, Hayden Guy, Blake Merchant, Curt Marshall, T’shombe McKay, Dalin Mack, Glenn Cooper and Ashton Cato.

Coach Smith said he was pleased with the way his team prepared for Thomas County Central and Cairo.

“Cairo arrived with a small core group of guys to go against our 41 man roster,” Smith said. “Ryan Bardwell, Hayden Guy, Damian Rackley, Curt Marshall, Latavious Baker, T’shombe McKay and Jack Reynolds all performed well and won.

The Middle School Bearcats are 5-1 for the season.