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Preview: Shorter grapplers ready for Mid-South Tournament
2011 Mid-South Conference Tournament
Brackets
LEBANON, Tenn. – Having tasted some instant success in its inaugural season, the Shorter University wrestling team is ready for its first venture on the postseason mats.
For the Hawks, who’s remarkable start has lofted them to a No. 16 national ranking in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll, competing in the Mid-South Conference Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 12 in Lebanon, Tenn., will serve as a primer for what head coach Josh Henson hopes is good things to come for the nine Shorter wrestlers that have already punched their tickets to the NAIA Wrestling National Championship in March.
“The conference tournament will really serve as training matches for us,” Henson said about the Mid-South Tourney that will give his Hawks the measuring stick they need. “You just can’t peak three or four times every week. You have to pick when you do it.
“We’re really training for the regional matches and then the nationals. We’re looking to build momentum this week and take it into the regional and the nationals.”
The Hawks hope to gain that steam on Saturday in an event that features some of the nation’s top squads.
Shorter is one of four representatives from the Mid-South to be featured in the latest national poll. Campbellsville University (Ky.) is the highest rated Mid-South member at No. 5, Cumberland University (Tenn.) comes in at No. 11 and Lindsey Wilson College is ranked behind the 16th-ranked Hawks at No. 19.
Yet Henson and the Hawks are not about to back away from the challenges ahead. After all, the team has already exceeded the expectations of its first-year program.
“Having nine qualify [for the national tournament] is good for a new program,” the coach said. “Aside from the number of guys competing, it’s also good to have a big number going to the national tournament just to have guys you know around you.”
One Hawk in particular, junior transfer and Powder Springs, Ga., native Raleigh Abbott, led the charge this season and is an early favorite to close out the year with national recognition. Abbott, who enters the conference tourney as the nation's No. 3-ranked 165-pounder, is 19-1 on the year and figures to be Shorter’s leading candidate for All-America recognition at the national championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
“He’ll be right in there for the conference title,” Henson said of Abbott, who missed the first month of the season after breaking his hand during preseason workouts. “When you wrestle 19 or 20 matches in a season, you’ll hit with some good wrestlers. He deserves the ranking.”
Joining Abbott in the group of nine national qualifiers are Nate Galloway, a 133-pounder from Atlanta; Clint Jones (133) of Lilburn; Jesse Miller (141) from Lilburn; Colby Rinehart (141) of Marietta; Robbie Collum (149) of Effingham County; Jake McClure (174) from Dahlonega; Josh Cook (174) of Dallas; and Joe Hinchman (184) from Douglasville.
Five other Hawks are also making the trip to the Mid-South Tournament hoping to extend their seasons by placing in the top two of their weight divisions to qualify for the NAIA National Championship.
Hart Buchanan (125), Adam Perdue (125), Gunny Hoyt (184), George Monroe (197) and Alex McGhee (197) can also secure a berth in the East Group Qualifying Tournament in St. Charles, Mo., on Feb. 19 with a top-four conference finish.
From Henson’s point of view, the Hawks’ previous encounters against Mid-South foes provided the team with experience that will pay off this weekend.
“We definitely got to know where we’re at,” said Henson. “Hopefully we’re on the upswing of the learning curve. When you have a lot of young guys out there late in the season, you see exactly what they’ve learned from all those earlier matches.
“It gets a lot tougher now, but the nine guys we have get to compete in two tournaments to get that top experience.”
Regardless of what transpires over the next three weeks, Henson has witnessed a high level of dedication and commitment from his first group of Hawks.
“These guys have done a great job and worked incredibly hard,” Henson said. “They’ve laid the foundation for this program and set the tone for future years.
“They’ve given us something to build on. They’ve earned everything they’ve gotten.”
To view the brackets for the 2011 Mid-South Conference Wrestling Tournament, click here.
