Wrestling has been around since the dawn of time. It made its first appearance as an event in the ancient Olympic Games all the way back in 708 BC.

In the roughly 2,700 years to follow, the rules have stayed relatively the same – outmatch your opponent and take them down. While the sport of wrestling has not changed greatly, the GRC wrestling team has done quite the opposite.

In just its third season, GRC wrestling has improved immensely with seven state qualifiers and two state placers from the girls team. Junior Aanyah Betancur placed 3rd while fighting through a sprained ankle, and sophomore Bailey Fletcher placed 6th.

One reason for this success is Coach Chad Grant. Grant wrestled competitively for 17 years and is the perfect man to lead this up and coming program.

“Many other programs start their wrestlers when they are in kindergarten or first grade,” said Grant. “We didn’t have the opportunity to benefit from a feeder program and these wrestlers have overcome the gap, put in the time, and caught up with their competition that, in many instances, have been wrestling for a decade.”

Grant is proud of his wrestlers and knows how to give credit when it is due.

“What stood out was our seniors’ and juniors’ work ethic and how that motivated the rest of the team to rise to the challenge with them,” said Grant. “I couldn’t be prouder of the guys like McCaden Skeens, Cody Gibson, Brock Heidel, and Matthew Pelfrey who have been drinking from the firehose to learn the sport.”

Grant works hard to put his wrestlers in the best position possible for success.

“My goal as a coach is to train our wrestlers so their goals and accomplishments align at the end of the season,” said Grant. “We want to make sure that if you want to be a state placer or state champion, you are getting the types of workouts you need each day and the coaches are keeping you accountable to that goal.”

GRC’s wrestlers have shown Grant what they can do both in and out of wrestling.

“I can’t tell them enough how proud I am of what they have already accomplished,” said Grant. “There are no limits to what they can achieve on the mat, in school, and with helping our community. We’ve taught them it is good to have goals, but without a systematic way of accomplishing your goal, it’s just a dream.”

Grant and GRC Wrestling as a whole have done a great job this season. They have worked harder than anybody and pushed themselves to the best they can be. With plenty of returning talent, the future is brighter than ever for GRC.

“Wrestling is unique in that each person has a different degree of experience, but it is a sport that tailored to anyone,” said Grant. “It becomes a family or brotherhood of people who love the sport. Another aspect that really excites me is seeing the sport grow so quickly in community that didn’t have wrestling just a few years ago. The outpouring of interest from kids and parents has been moving.”

—

FINAL RESULTS FROM COACH GRANT:

GRC Boys

GRC Wrestling traveled to the Alltech Arena to compete in the KHSAA State Finals We had some very tight matches:

• • • Quentin Falls, Senior, 165lbs – 1-2 record at states
    • Braylen Livingston, Freshman, 150lbs – 1-2 record at states
    • Bryan Falls, Junior, 215lbs – 0-2 record at states

• • 150 – Braylen Livingston (29-17) and scored 2.5 team points.

• • • Champ. Round 1 – Westin Brown (LaRue County) 42-11 won by decision over Braylen Livingston (George Rogers Clark) 29-17 (Dec 6-5)
    • Cons. Round 1 – Braylen Livingston (George Rogers Clark) 29-17 won by tech fall over Dawson Jackson (Montgomery County) 10-11 (TF-1.5 4:07 (16-0))
    • Cons. Round 2 – Keegan Bishop (Covington Catholic) 50-12 won by decision over Braylen Livingston (George Rogers Clark) 29-17 (Dec 7-1)

• • 165 – Quentin Falls (27-8) and scored 1.0 team points.

• • • Champ. Round 1 – Samuelu Hazelwood (Central Hardin) 26-5 won in sudden victory – 1 over Quentin Falls (George Rogers Clark) 27-8 (SV-1 8-3)
    • Cons. Round 1 – Quentin Falls (George Rogers Clark) 27-8 won by decision over Dan Molowayi (Fern Creek) 32-22 (Dec 5-2)
    • Cons. Round 2 – Jeffrey Temprano (Lafayette) 32-12 won by decision over Quentin Falls (George Rogers Clark) 27-8 (Dec 4-2)

• • 215 – Bryan Falls (20-16) and scored 0.0 team points.

• • • Champ. Round 1 – Luke Hyden (Walton Verona) 39-5 won by fall over Bryan Falls (George Rogers Clark) 20-16 (Fall 5:54)
    • Cons. Round 1 – Joshua Lingle (Trinity (Louisville)) 25-12 won in tie breaker – 1 over Bryan Falls (George Rogers Clark) 20-16 (TB-1 3-2)

GRC Girls

The GRC Girls competed in the inaugural KHSAA State Championships at the Alltech Arena. We had two state placers with Aanyah Betancur taking 3^rd place and Bailey Fletcher taking 6^th place.  Aanyah showed some real grit. She sprained her ankle during her second match and then wrestled back 4 matches on the taped up injury to take 3^rd place.

• • 120 – Bailey Fletcher (21-10) placed 6th and scored 10.0 team points.

• • • Champ. Round 1 – Bailey Fletcher (George Rogers Clark) 21-10 won by fall over Lakelynn Janssen (McCracken County) 17-17 (Fall 3:12)
    • Quarterfinal – Bailey Fletcher (George Rogers Clark) 21-10 won by major decision over Camara Carter (Dupont Manual) 4-7 (MD 15-2)
    • Semifinal – Sutton Fuller (Union County) 26-2 won by tech fall over Bailey Fletcher (George Rogers Clark) 21-10 (TF-1.5 5:19 (18-2))
    • Cons. Semi – Lillianah DeWitt (Fort Campbell) 24-10 won by fall over Bailey Fletcher (George Rogers Clark) 21-10 (Fall 3:57)
    • 5th Place Match – Brooklyn Banfield (Montgomery County) 17-4 won by fall over Bailey Fletcher (George Rogers Clark) 21-10 (Fall 2:55)

• • 126 – Danica Patrick (8-14) scored 0.0 team points.

• • • Champ. Round 1 – Bailey Duh (Montgomery County) 17-7 won by fall over Danica Patrick (George Rogers Clark) 8-14 (Fall 1:52)
    • Cons. Round 1 – Sera Gutterman (Eastern) 31-8 won by fall over Danica Patrick (George Rogers Clark) 8-14 (Fall 1:31)

• • 138 – Aanyah Betancur (22-3) placed 3rd and scored 22.0 team points.

• • • Champ. Round 1 – Aanyah Betancur (George Rogers Clark) 22-3 won by fall over Payton Turner (Boyle County) 9-14 (Fall 0:59)
    • Quarterfinal – Jeila Ramos-Sanchez (Southern) 9-1 won by injury default over Aanyah Betancur (George Rogers Clark) 22-3 (Inj. 5:19)
    • Cons. Round 2 – Aanyah Betancur (George Rogers Clark) 22-3 won by fall over Hannah Fetters (Bell County) 21-12 (Fall 2:15)
    • Cons. Round 3 – Aanyah Betancur (George Rogers Clark) 22-3 won by fall over Jenny Fortner (Harrison County) 17-8 (Fall 2:04)
    • Cons. Semi – Aanyah Betancur (George Rogers Clark) 22-3 won by fall over Val Sears (Whitley County) 14-4 (Fall 4:42)
    • 3rd Place Match – Aanyah Betancur (George Rogers Clark) 22-3 won by decision over Mayte Lopez (Apollo) 20-4 (Dec 4-2)

• • 165 – McKenzie Bush (18-11) and scored 3.0 team points.

• • • Champ. Round 1 – Hailey Childers (Boyle County) 16-12 won by fall over McKenzie Bush (George Rogers Clark) 18-11 (Fall 1:24)
    • Cons. Round 1 – McKenzie Bush (George Rogers Clark) 18-11 won by medical forfeit over Maddie Jones (Harrison County) 10-13 (MFFL)
    • Cons. Round 2 – Rhionna Baughman (Central) 17-11 won by fall over McKenzie Bush (George Rogers Clark) 18-11 (Fall 0:38)

Region 6 Boys Results (at Frederick Douglass):

• • Quentin Falls, Senior, 165lbs – 2^nd Place
  • Braylen Livingston, Freshman, 150lbs – 4^th Place
  • Bryan Falls, Junior, 215lbs – 4^th Place
  • McCaden Skeens, Senior, 175lbs – 5^th Place (Alternate)

Of note, Quentin Falls really wrestled an exceptional tournament and controlled the matches leading up to the finals.

The GRC Girls traveled to Bryan Station for the Region 3 Championship on February 3rd.

• • Bailey Fletcher, 120lbs Regional Champion
    • Lex Herald Coverage – https://www.kentucky.com/sports/high-school/article285046977.html
  • Aanyah Betancur, 138lbs Regional Runner-Up
  • McKenzie Bush, 165lbs 3^rd place
  • And our 7^th grader, bright future for Danica Patrick with a 126lbs 4^th place finish