Georgia Bulletin

The Newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

Photo By Michael Alexander
Blessed Trinity High School junior Evan Strawn, right, pinned his St. Pius X opponent at the 5:46 mark of their 6:00 match. Blessed Trinity defeated Marist School and St. Pius X High School to retain the Catholic Duals Championship.

Roswell

Blessed Trinity Repeats As Catholic Duals Champion

By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Photographer | Published January 19, 2012

Blessed Trinity High School held onto its championship title as its wrestlers defeated Marist and St. Pius X High School during the seventh annual Catholic Duals. The wrestling tournament took place at Blessed Trinity’s gymnasium Jan. 4.

Marist School head wrestling coach Riddick Beebe, center, and team members along the sideline, react to freshman Joseph Geeslin’s wrestling victory in his 106-pound weight division match. Photo By Michael Alexander

Blessed Trinity managed to win this year’s tournament by defeating St. Pius 58-18 in the first match and Marist School 41-27 in the final match. Marist finished in second place with a 60-13 victory over St. Pius.

“Our wrestling team makes sure that they are at their peak performance by the time we compete at the Catholic Duals,” said Richard Barden, Blessed Trinity’s head wrestling coach. “It is always our goal to win the Catholic Duals. We feel that if we do well at the Catholic Duals then we are ready for the Area Duals, not to mention by winning the Catholic Duals it guarantees you a home match the following season.”

As this year’s champion, Blessed Trinity will host the wrestling tournament again in 2013.

Barden started the friendly competition of the Catholic Duals in 2005 to foster camaraderie among the schools. Since competition can be so intense in other settings, he wanted to bring the wrestlers, coaches, and parents together in an environment surrounded by their Catholic faith.