The Smithfield Packer varsity team hosted its first home tri-meet against Warhill and Grafton, kicking off a good start to the team’s duals competition with some exciting individual bouts. 

The team defeated regional opponent Warhill, 57-17, going on to lose 33-44 to Grafton.  

The Grafton match started rough with a 30-plus point deficit, but the upper weights brought the team pack into the fight with back-to-back pins and another win by decision when the lineup rolled back to 106.  The dual came down to the last bout of the night, in which the lead went back and forth several times, however Grafton was able to secure a late 3rd period pin to win the dual.  Even the referee noted after the match it was an exciting dual for him to officiate.

Packer varsity wrestlers competing that evening were: Zachary Fuller, 106-pound freshman; Brady Guardia, 106-pound freshman; Doc Peterson, 113-pound sophomore; David Gillis, 120-pound freshman; Blaine Reynolds, 126-pound junior; Nashuan Harden, 126/132-pound junior; Jack Hoover, 132-pound junior; Ronald Davis (Sr., 138-pound senior; Logan Neal, 144-pound senior; Jimmy Warf, 150-pound senior; Noah Nichols, 157-pound freshman; Zavian Zellers, 165; Henry Hinkle, 175-pound senior, John Obasun, 190-pound sophomore; Andrew Shipman (Jr., 215-pound junior; and Jackson Helman, 285-pound junior.

Starting the winter break, the team traveled Saturday to the King of Beasts Invitational Tournament at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach. Overall, the team performed well against a strong group of competition with several wrestlers achieving some early-season personal goals. The performance on the mat against the solid competition showed the Packers teams continue to mature on the mat.  The team placed 10th overall, with two making the championship semi-finals and four individual medalists: Nashuan Harden, third; Blaine Reynolds, third; Zachary Fuller, sixth; and Jimmy Warf, sixth.

The other Packer King of Beasts wrestlers were Doc Peterson, Logan Neal, Noah Nichols, Zavian Zellers, Henry Hinkle, John Obasun, Andrew Shipman and Jackson Helman.