Georgia Bulletin

The Newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

  • Blessed Trinity High School senior Daniel Fulcher, top right, and sophomore Jordan Secret of Marist School wrestle in the 152-pound division as referee Tom Dursee looks on. Fulcher was confirmed the winner after a first period pin. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • In the 195-pound division Marist School senior Robert Larmore pins Blessed Trinity High School freshman John Jacobs in the match’s first period. With the victory Larmore reached 84 wins and 38 pins. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • In an effort to finish off Matthew Peragine of St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, Alex Poma, center, of Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell, locks his legs around Peragine in what is called body scissors, and extends the left arm to expose Peragine’s back so he can try and pin him. Poma would win the match in a major decision 10-0. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Noah Kile , top right, of Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell, looks at over referee Tom Dursee for a signal declaring him the winner. Eventually Kile would win the 126-pound match after pinning Davis Kirkland of St. Pius X High School, Atlanta. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Referee Tom Dursee, right, looks on as Chris Bradley, center, of Marist School, Atlanta, attempts to pin Jonathan Anderson of Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell. Bradley would successfully pin Anderson later in the first period of their 182-pound weight class match. Bradley reached 71 wins and 24 pins with the victory. Photo By Michael Alexander

Blessed Trinity High School senior Daniel Fulcher, top right, and sophomore Jordan Secret of Marist School wrestle in the 152-pound division as referee Tom Dursee looks on. Fulcher was confirmed the winner after a first-period pin. Photo By Michael Alexander

Atlanta

BT wins mat tussle in Catholic Duals

By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer | Published February 5, 2016

ATLANTA—After each team’s preliminary weigh-in, wrestlers from Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell, and Atlanta’s Marist School and St. Pius X High School took to the mat wearing singlets in their school colors of green, blue and white, respectively.

Over 50 wrestlers, competing in weight classes ranging from 106 to 285 pounds, participated in the 12th annual Catholic Duals at Marist’s Centennial Center Jan. 20.

Once the bodies were untangled and the scores were tallied, Blessed Trinity was declared this year’s winner, defeating St. Pius 45-18 in the first match and three-time defending champion Marist 43-24 in the following match. The victory also marked the 400th career win for Blessed Trinity head wrestling coach Richard Barden.

“Any time you reach milestones in your career they are great moments,” said Barden. “I have been blessed during my tenure here at Blessed Trinity to have great assistant coaches and wrestlers who believe in my system and carrying it out in practices and competition.”

In an effort to foster brotherhood among the schools, Barden launched the good-natured competition of the Catholic Duals in 2005. Blessed Trinity hosted the first Catholic Duals and Marist won it two consecutive years. Blessed Trinity won its first Catholic Duals trophy in 2007. Since competition can be so intense in other settings, Barden wanted to bring the wrestlers, coaches and parents together in an environment grounded in their Catholic faith.

Marist finished in second place with a 49-25 victory over St. Pius. As the first place team, Blessed Trinity will host the 2017 Catholic Duals at its gymnasium.