The winter weather has played havoc with Oglethorpe County athletic schedules, especially girls wrestling, which faces two tournaments in three days.
The girls wrestling team was scheduled to compete at the area traditional tournament at Locust Grove on Wednesday (after The Echo’s deadline).
The top four finishers in that tournament will move to sectionals at East Jackson on Friday, which will force the wrestlers to miss school. The meet begins at 9 a.m.
“Wrestling two tournaments in three days isn’t common, but with host site availability and the state tournament right around the corner, there just aren’t many options,” OCHS co-athletic director Michael Holland said. “We will just have to be tough and adapt. Everyone else will be in the same boat.”
In November, girls wrestling had an average of five days of rest between meets. The schedule was primarily assembled with multiple days of rest to help prevent athletic burnout.
Although, with the state tournament next week and the team being required to make up all matches in order to participate, the team is on the clock to complete its schedule in time.
The girls wrestling team defeated Harlem 48-36 in the first round of the Area 3 Division II duals and placed second overall.
The boys wrestling team was able to compete at the area tournament at Commerce, but not without issues.
“It was a crazy week,” boys wrestling coach Steve Mason said. “The tournament directors and GHSA were worried about the incoming weather. I think we had five start time changes for our event going into Friday before they finally settled when we would start. I am just glad we were able to get the event in as scheduled.”
Baseball
The OCHS baseball team is set to play at Monroe Area in a preseason scrimmage at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
“Baseball scrimmage, I believe, is supposed to happen next week,” Holland said in an interview last weekend. “So that’ll be the real question — would be whether we get that in.”
Opening day is scheduled on Tuesday, Feb. 10, when the Patriots will travel to Putnam County at 5:30 p.m.
Basketball
Both boys and girls varsity basketball were able to play their games on Friday night before the winter storm began.
The boys lost to Elbert County 56-47 despite outscoring the Blue Devils in the fourth quarter, and the girls lost 62-36.
They have region byes this week and will host Elbert County on senior night on Feb. 10. The basketball teams play at Rabun County on Friday, Feb. 13.
Soccer
Both OCHS soccer teams are scheduled to play at Winder-Barrow on Friday. The girls will play at 5:30 p.m., followed by the boys at 7:30 p.m.
Both teams have new coaches. Brandon Thixton will coach the boys and OCHS alum Madison Nimmons is the girls coach.