Eagles 2nd at Warrior Slam
LowcoSports.com
Beaufort High’s wrestling team went 4-1 and finished runner-up to Class 5A power St. James on Saturday at the Warrior Slam Duals at Whale Branch Early College High School.
Colton Freeman, Jaden Priester, and Jessob Paris all went 5-0 on the day for the Eagles, and Priester collected his 100th career win in the championship match against St. James.
The Eagles were back in action Monday with a Region 6-4A match at Bluffton, falling 50-25 as Beaufort had to surrender forfeits at four weight classes due to injuries and illness.
against Hilton Head Island on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Local wrestlers qualify for sectionals
Three junior varsity wrestlers and 14 middle school wrestlers from Northern Beaufort County placed in the top five in their weight classes Friday and Saturday at the Area 9 Qualifier, earning them the right to advance to Saturday’s Coastal Sectional at Summerville High School.
Bridges Prep had a strong showing in the middle school tournament with seven wrestlers advancing and leading the Bucs to a third-place finish among 18 teams. Nico Mercado (102) and Camdon Russell (106) claimed titles, while Thatcher Hartmann (80), Lane Duckett (88) and Garrett Torres (135) finished third, and George Scott (114) and Dominic Kromm (126) placed fifth. Caleb Wetherington was fourth at 175 in the JV division.
John Paul II had a school-record six wrestlers advance, including four in the middle school ranks with Nick Kessinger taking the 114-pound title, Jack Duncan (102) and Everett Thiesen (108) placing second, and Ben D’orazio (102) taking third. Harrison Millard (175) placed third, and James Del Mazo (106) was fifth in the JV tournament.
Robert Smalls Leadership Academy had two wrestlers advance in the middle school division with Nick Lanz winning gold at 145 and Jayden Fields placing fourth at 285, and Lady’s Island Middle School’s Lorenzo Communale placed fifth at 80 pounds.
The top four placers in each weight class Saturday will advance to the Carolina Invitational — the de facto state tournament for middle school and junior varsity wrestlers — on Jan. 24 at Lexington High School.
