By Chris McCarthy/ Publisher/Editor
Lee Edge is headed to the Peach State.
The Southside High senior signed a wrestling scholarship to Darton State College in Albany, Ga. on May 16.
Competing in the 195-pound weight classification this season, Edge posted a 34-11 record. He finished second in the Class 5A North Sectional Tournament in 2014 and helped Southside finish as runnerup in both the sectional and state tournaments. Edge also placed third in the 2013 5A state finals, He has been a member of the Panther wrestling team for six years, including four with the varsity.
“It feels great to be able to wrestle at the next level,” said Edge, who also played football until his junior year. “It feels like getting a second chance at wrestling. Darton has a pretty good program, and hopefully I can do well and move on to a D-I school.”
This past season, Darton won the Eastern District II Championship and had a national champion and three All-Americans compete at the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament in Spokane, Wash. Cavaliers head coach James Hicks received the Eastern District Coach of the Year Award.
“Lee has a lot more potential left than most wrestlers would when they leave high school,” said SHS head wrestling coach Kyle Routon. “Lee’s a big kid with around 200 pounds of muscle, and we really didn’t have anybody on the team that size to wrestle with him. As good as Haden (Ryals) and Kade (Kitchens) are, they didn’t want to wrestle with him because he’s so strong and he overpowers you. And our bigger guys were less experienced and really didn’t give him that good of a look.
“Once he gets into a college wrestling room with around five other guys with his strength and size and speed, I think he’ll really turn it own. It comes down to the same story of competition will only make you better. Lee’s also a smart kid in the classroom, and there’s no doubt that he’ll represent Southside well.”