By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
Brandon “Moose” Bringer earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler award while winning the 157-pound weight class at the Creekview Invitational on Dec. 6-7 in Canton.
South placed second in the 20-team field. Adam Hardeman (106), Tahrik Bailey (113), Mayson Young (120), Emilio Santana (132) and Kevin Steptoe (285) won their respective weight classes.
Other SEHS placers were Brayden “Bear” Bringer (fourth at 144) and Andreo Manlove (third at 106).
In girls’ action, Leann Hill was fourth, Brooklyn Hughes fifth and Emma Williams seventh.
SEHS and Effingham County will be back in action locally at the Rebel Invitational at ECHS on Friday and Saturday (Dec. 13-14).
FLAG FOOTBALL
ECHS falls to South Paulding at state
Effingham County saw its season end with a 19-0 loss to South Paulding Dec. 5 in the first round of the GHSA Division 3 State Flag Football Championships.
The game was held at No. 1 seed Peach County High School.
The Rebels (9-11) finished third in Area 1 to make the playoff field. Their nine wins were the school’s single-season record after winning just two games in 2023.
ALUMNI NOTES
ECHS alum Martinez excelling with Brooklyn FC
Former Effingham County standout girls soccer goalie Sydney Martinez continues to shine while playing professionally with Brooklyn FC in the USL Super League this season.
With Martinez seeing most of the action as the starting goalie, Brooklyn is in first place in the eight-team league after 13 matches.
Martinez’s four clean sheets (shutouts) are tied for third in the league and her 26 saves are fifth.
She had four saves in a 3-0 win over DC Power in her last start.
Martinez graduated from Effingham County High School in 2018 after leading the Rebels to the state tournament.
Thompson earns all-conference honors at Peru State
Effingham County football standout alum Ashley Thompson, now in his second year at Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska, captured first-team, all-conference honors in the NAIA Heart of America Athletic Conference recently.
Thompson, a defensive back, registered 44 tackles (26 solo) with five interceptions and two pass breakups as Peru State went 7-3 this season.
