Gators wrestling off to a strong start
Wewahitchka boys wrestling coach Tracy Malcolm is “looking forward to some great things from both (boys and girls) squads” as the 2022-23 season got “off and running” this past weekend.
His boys hit the mats on Friday, November 18, at the Wakulla preseason jamboree, and of the nine Gator grapplers, five return from last season’s team.
“Seven of those found victory at least once,” said Malcolm, which was “not too bad considering only two of the five returning wrestlers have multiple years experience.”
Three of his Gators left Wakulla unblemished, winning all of their matches.
Leading the way was sophomore Jake Parker, who won regionals last season at 106 lb. and now competes at 126 lb. Eighth graders Luke Bryan (138) and Calvin Carpenter (170) were also undefeated on the day.
Four other Gators finished 1-1 at the competition.
Not to be outdone, the Lady Gator wrestlers, led by Coach Jay Rushing, hosted the inaugural Lady Gator Chomp preseason event on Saturday, November 19, with six area teams attending.
Of the nine Wewa girls, 8th grader Kameron Easter won both of her matches at 110 lb after finishing fourth at last year’s regionals in the 100 lb division.
Easter’s older sister, Kaylee, finished as the FHSAA 1A state runner-up last season in the 130 lb category, and now wrestles for Brewton-Parker College in Georgia.
Six other Lady Gators finished the day with a 1-1 record.
For high school wrestling fans, there will be ample opportunities to view events locally. Wewa will host the first annual Lady Gator Brawl on Friday, December 30, and will host the FHSAA District 1 championships on Friday, February 10, marking the second consecutive year Wewa will serve as hosts.
Malcolm’s boys will be hosting their own Gator Brawl on Friday and Saturday, January 13 and 14 prior to having both the District 1 finals on Saturday, February 18 and the Region 1 championships on Friday, February 24 and Saturday, February 25.
An enthusiastic Coach Malcolm said that after attending a high school wrestling event, “you’ll be in awe.”
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.