Traditional State 2008
Posted 02/29/2008
It’s only fitting that I make the last news post of the season on the last day of February. The month that dreams come true in Gwinnett Arena for 70 kids who have eat, slept and bled wrestling for 4 months to be crowned state champions at their weight. I had the special honor of experiencing a state title with not just kids I've coached for years but also my son. Words can't describe the emotions these kids deal with on a stage larger than some of us will ever be on in our lives.

We ask kids to perform in front of thousands of screaming fans and expect perfection from 15 and 16 year old boys and sometimes they deliver and some times they don't. As I sat and watched finals match after finals match and how some celebrated victory and how some handled defeat it made me realize how precious this great sport is to so many young men. Not just the champions or runner ups, not just the kids that podium. For each kid that can gut out a wrestling season no matter how tough or rigorous their schedule is, they will hold it dear for the rest of their lives. It takes a special bread to compete in our sport and an even more special breed to excel at it with consistency. The life lessons, victories and defeats these young men learn to deal with each match is un paralleled in any sport in my opinion and that’s what makes us all unique. We started our season with about 40+ eager young men and ended our season without about 30 warriors. For those that experienced greatness at times this season as a member of our team and for those who experienced disappointment in defeat we solute you guys in a very successful season as part of the 2007/2008 Henry County Warhawks and congratulate every member for their experience of a lifetime and hopefully many more to come in our great sport of wrestling.

Congratulations to all our All State wrestlers for 2008 - 103 - Kavon Saddler 4th, 112 - Jordan Turpin 4th,
119 - Evan Warrington 1st, 135 - Tyler Austin 2nd, 145 - Anthony Fretwell 1st, 171 - Benson Gyang 4th

Area Champs once again!
Posted 02/18/2008
Looking back on a season that feels like just began its time once again to take that I85 stroll up to Gwinnett Arena for the 2008 Traditional State Tournament. Thinking of how the Warhwaks opened up the season with an 0-8 dual meet record to where the team has progressed to now one can only ask what’s in the water at the water fountains at Henry County High school. Well I can't tell you but I can say we've had a room full of kids eager to learn and win since day one. Combine that with a couple decent coaches and we end up with a 2 region titles and Dual State Championship and the potential to win another one. The Warhawks wrapped up the area tournament with 6 Champions and a total of 12 placers going to state.

"We didn't qualify as many as some of our rivals like, Cass, Ola and Gilmer but we have several kids with good bracket draws that can go deep and score big points." exclaimed Hutsell. Combine that with a handful of guys that can wrestle back well and you will find the warhawks in the hunt for the top 3 spots come Saturday night if all goes well. All the guys wrestled well, top notch proformances from Chris Stewart (1st), Brandon Brown (2nd), Kavon Saddler (1st) and Benson Gyang (1st) help put the Hawks in a position to win another area title.

Congratulations to the Henry County Warhawk wrestling team for their continued success!

View full results here

View photos from the this weekend

Skull and Crossbones
Posted 02/13/2008
The warhawks traveled to Paulding County for their last individual tournament of the season before Region and State. "We are gonna kick it up a notch and get ready to win some Region and State Titles" stated head coach Marty Hutsell. "Our kids have improved way more than I expected and I think we can contend for our second title this season." This weekend at the Crossbone Classic the coaching staff saw all the improved kids hardwork pay off and also saw a few things the team can tighten up going into the Area tournament. Big winners at the Crossbone Classic were much improved Tyler Austin (135) and captain Anthony Fretwell (145). The Warhawks put 4 in the finals and placed 8 without the presence of Warrington and Turpin. The team finished 3rd behind rivals Cass and 4A contenders McIntosch. It was a very good tournament finish to head into Region with.

Well its that point in the season where its OK to be a little selfish, with state duals out of the way and nothing but individual state titles on the minds of hundreds of Georgia hopefuls the training gets a little harder and the mentality is a little different. Although a team mentality in the practice room can help a lot of individual progression, the team can't help you much in February at the Gwinnett Center. "I can't believe we just started and its almost all over already." stated a parent at the Eagles Landing tournament Saturday. The season has flown by but the warhawks are flying high in the process. Fresh off a state dual title, the varsity hawks finished second to Parkview at the Eagles Landing Last Man Standing putting 3 in the finals and having 2 champs.

Evan Warrington and Anthony Fretwell both were crowned champs with Fretwell getting his 3rd striaght finals pin in a row, at the Last Man Standing and Zae Price finished 2nd when all was said and done. Shadayrious Slaughter and Tyler Austin both placed 3rd and the team finished 2nd overall.

The JV hawks cleaned house at the JV Tiger Invitational tournament taking home the team title and putting 9 kids in the finals with 3 champs. Yarbrough, Landis and J. Orosco took home 1st place with James, Payne, Alonso, A. Orosco, Alexander and Taylor finishing second, Jodon also placed 3rd. The Varisty is in South Paulding this weekend for the Crossbone Classic and the JV has a busy week competing at the Woodland Duals Tuesday at Woodland HS (McDonough) and then facing Dutchtown and Luella Thursday at Luella HS.

View full results here

View photos from the this weekend

Where there is a Hutsell there is a way.
1/20/2008
If Marty Hutsell were to retire this year you could call it his swan song for sure. One of the most successful coaches in Georgia's history secured another State cup this past weekend in Macon, GA. Although the title was shared with Cass High School due to unexpected weather complications and the inability to wrestle a true finals match the Warhawks and Colonels will both sleep well knowing they are this year's AAA State Dual Meet Champions. "Our goal was to win our area tournament and get the team in the finals...anything can happen in the finals." The warhawks wrestled their toughest match in the opening round against a very deep Hardaway team and came out on top 34-22 with key pins coming from captains Anthony Fretwell and Evan Warrington.

The second round victory over Blessed Trinity 57-16 sent the message that the Warhawks although not considered the best AAA team in the tournament, they didn't get the memo that they weren't. A big pin from 215 pounder Rashad Buchanan capped off the dual and put the guys in the semi finals against Benedictine. The boys needed to win the toss against the cadets to match up well and they did. Saddler, Turpin, Fretwell, Brown and Gyang secured wins to close the dual out 45-30 and reserve a spot against the Cass Colonels in the finals.

An early wake up call to the coaches Saturday morning informed us that due to the weather some matches would not be wrestled and the finals had been moved up to Saturday morning instead of Saturday night at 7:30. Amidst the chaos and shuffling to the arena the decision was made to crown both finalist teams Co-Champs for the 2008 Dual tournament. Although a little bitter sweet its a state title none the less. In a little more than 3 years the warhawk wrestling program has finished in the top 4 5 times 2 of them being state titles.

Congratulations to the 2008 AAA State Dual Meet Champions!

Add another banner in the Warhawks' Gym
1/01/2008
Early underdogs in a rebuilding year, the warhawks claw their way through a tough Ola team to claim the Area 4 AAA Region Dual Championship. Undefeated wrestlers Kavon Saddler, Jordan Turpin, Evan Warrington, Anthony Fretwell and Brandon Brown lead the squad to a well deserved area title. "Anything can happen in a dual, and Ola came to take home a title today, but so did we." stated Hutsell. The warhawks and Ola qualified for the state tournament at the Macon Coliseum in just one week for the GHSA State Dual Wrestling championships to decide who the best dual team is in each classification.

View photos from the Area Duals

JV is vastly improving
1/08/2008
The JV continues their winning ways. Although the varsity has been on the grind lately, the JV squad has been working hard and preparing for their second biggest tournament of the season. JV South Metro hosted 20+ teams for one of the toughest Southside tournaments of the season. Brett Yarbrough and Daryl Alexander both made the finals with Daryl coming away with the lone individual championship at 140 for the squad. The team finished an impressive 3rd in the team point race. Havens, Jodon, Landis and Taylor all placed in the top 4. Keep up the good work guys.

View photos from the tournament

Scrambled, Scattered and Smothered
1/01/2008
Dubbed "Crack the Egg Duals" by coach Marty Hutsell is nothing short off 3 of the most grueling days of the Warhawks season. "I want a traditional and dual area title fellas, and we have the guys to do that." emphasized Hutsell at the close of one fo many holiday practices. While some sat around playing WII bowling and eating stocking stuffers during the holidays the HC squad was on a roadtrip that would push their physical, mental and emotional states to the limit. The state tournament is 4 days long which means you have to maintain your weight and wrestle for 3-4 days. These 3 days is a dry run to give the boys what a 3 day weight cut and tournament will feel like. No one was injured on the trip and the boys returned tired but with minor bumps and bruises some physical and some ego, but the trip was a huge success from a progression standpoint. "I'm proud of these boys, they made a huge sacrifice to come on this trip and it will pay off in the next couple weeks in our area duals" stated the head coach.

Lone undefeated wrestler Evan Warrington went 13-0 notching tough wins over Baylor and Park Hill Missouri. Anthony Fretwell went 12-1 with several tough wins. Other solid performances by wrestlers on the trip were Kavon Sadler, Shaydarious Slaughter, Mac Woodard and Jordan Turpin. The boys will be back in action against county rival Ola at home January 3rd.

View full results here

View photos from the Holiday Duals

Tommy Warren Dual Meet Champs
12/23/2007
A vast improvement from the 1-8 dual meet start, the boys rolled into the Oconee High school campus ready to sweep the tournament. With recent additions from the football field, Brandon Brown (152), Jontrell Reese (171) and Benson Gyang (189) the warhawks were near full strength and showing signs of improvement. The boys went unchallenged on the day with Brown, Fretwell, Sadller and Warrington going undefeated on the day. The hawks went pretty much unchallenged all day until the finals against Clarke Central where the hawks were down early but came back to win by a decent margin to claim the dual tournament title. "We are in the hunt for a Dual Region title" exclaimed Coach Hutsell. The squad will be in action again December 27th, 28th and 29th as they travel to Cherokee Duals for 2 days and then shoot across town to compete in the Kyle Maynard Duals at Collins Hill on the 29th. The boys could wrestle up to 12-14 matches in 3 days but this will prepare them for the rigorous schedule and weigh-in demands for the state tournament. Preseason wrestling is over; we are close to the halfway point in the season.

View full results here

View photos from the Tommy Warren Duals

A South Metro Tiger.
12/17/2007
The South Metro tournament is the longest running individual tournament in the state and one of the toughest, this year although a down year depth wise it was tough non the less. Warrington and Fretwell were the front runners in their respective weights (119 and 145) and didn't disappoint both making the finals. The sleeper and un seeded kid in the tournament Jordan Turpin shocked the 112 class by head locking his way to the finals and pinning a tough Fayette County opponent to take home the 112 pound title. “That Turpin is tough as nails.” exclaimed Hutsell after his win by fall.

The following weekend saw the same Warhawks plus one more swooping down at the bridge and taking home some hardware. Fretwell (145) brought home the lone championship, with Turpin (112), Warrington (119) taking second and Khavon Saddler (103) bringing home 6 th loosing a close decision to Lazor of Union grove in the wrestle back finals for 5 th and 6 th. The Warhawks brought home another top 6 team finish and are starting to show up on some people’s radar now even though they have a lot of work to do before they attend the Christmas Classic and the Kyle Maynard Duals. The Warhawks will embark on a 3 day 15 dual meet road trip to prepare them for the 3 day state tournament in February. “We are going to train hard and drill our butts off over the holidays, we’ll be ready for the Christmas Classic.” The hawks are in action this weekend at the Oconee Duals.

The JV squad is improving as well taking home a top 4 finish at the JV Hoya Duals as well as the JV McEachern Duals. Standouts; Payne, Posso, Yarbrough, James, Landis and Oroxco continue to improve.

View full results here

View photos from the Tiger Classic

Improvement isn't an option, its mandatory.
12/07/2007
Allot of teams haven’t even wrestled a match and the Warhawks had already wrestled 9. An early start to the season means early lumps and signs of improvement. “We wrestle early to see where you are at as individuals and as a team, if you don’t wrestle you can’t make improvements based on your performances.” Barked Hutsell as he addressed his team during practice.

Parkview was a dismal start but a start none the less, the Hoya Duals proved just as painful but the Hawks managed to get their first dual win on the board. 1 and 8 isn’t ideal but there’s plenty of room for improvement.

The Panther invitational in Jackson County saw Anthony Fretwell (145) and Evan Warrington (125) make the finals with Fretwell emerging as the lone champ and Warrington finishing 2 nd and Shaydarious Slaughter finishing 3 rd (119), Mac Wooddard (160) missed placement by one match in the consolation rounds. Jordan Turpin (112)and freshman Bobby Taylor (HW) looked solid as well. Henry County finished 6 th narrowly missing the top 5. Much improved from their 1-8 start just a week prior.

With Marty’s brother Doug Hutsell back in the room from a lengthy football season and the additions of Benson Gyang (189), Jontrell Reese (171) and Brandon Sewart (HW) returning from football as well the Warhawks only look to grow stronger and improve daily. Next on the slate for competition is South Metro December 7 th and 8 th for Varsity and Harrison JV Duals for the JV December 8 th.

View full results here

On the heels of summer, Hutsell eyes some winter champions
11/20/2007
If you could describe a high school wrestling season in one word there is only one that comes to mind.....controlled chaos. That’s actually 2 words so sue me. The weekend travels away from friends and family, the long Saturdays in cramped load gyms, the 11:30PM "where do we eat a healthy meal" discussions. Filing on busses, off busses, into weigh-in rooms, out of weigh-ins rooms, finding out what mat your on, what your bout number is, who do I have first round, for god sakes which designer singlet are we wearing this tournament?

For a high school freshman starter this could be quite an overwhelming experience, for some veterans it still becomes confusing and hectic, but you can't help but embrace the chaotic lifestyle for 4 months in route to Gwinnett Arena. Speaking of “freshMEAT” the Hawks will start a few this year and try to turn them into point scorers by February. “We are young and inexperience” stated Hutsell “as always we will look to mold them into point scorers and contenders by February. I see these younger guys improve each day, I think we’ll be ready in a couple months.”

The predictions are being made, the “Roddy Report” and “Berg Report” are posted in cyberspace for all to view, now there is nothing but hard work, Reselite and podiums to look forward to.