As the coaches and wrestlers prepare for the new season, they believe it will be “super-duper swagalicious” as said by Coach Joshua Montesinos. Wrestlers have been practicing after school since the last season; however, the first official practice took place on Monday, Oct. 25. 

On Sunday, Oct. 24, weigh-ins were held to determine the stance of wrestlers as the season is starting to begin. They underwent testing to check hydration levels and skinfold measurements to determine the healthiest weight class for each individual. 

The team’s first meet will be on Saturday, Nov. 20, at Buford High School for the Buford Invitational. After this meet, the team will participate in conference duals to prepare themselves for the tournaments. The first tournament that the varsity wrestlers will participate in is the “Coal Mountain Classic” on Dec. 18 at North Forsyth High School. The “Coal Mountain Classic” is considered a non-conference meet, and the Raiders have been strong competitors in this tournament since their appearance in the 2013-2014 season. The “Coal Mountain Classic” is special to head coach Travis Jarrard, as he was praised for guiding his wrestlers to their 500th victory at the tournament in 2019 and taking home the tournament championship title.

Many wrestlers are very excited about the upcoming season. Junior Ruthi Chancey mentions, “It will be a fun season, and I think that everyone is going to do really well this year.” She has been on the team since her sophomore year. Chancey has high hopes for what is to come with the new wrestlers joining the team. She believes that they each “bring motivation to the team” and “cannot wait to watch them and help them grow.”

In the 2020-2021 school year, the team had a top 10 Traditional State finish as they placed fourth in Class AAAAAAA. They were also placed in the “Elite 8” for their dual finishes. The team worked extremely hard for these placements; however, they will not stop until they come out on top. They are optimistic about their abilities for this season.