HMS wrestler wins Metro South Championship

Last year, seventh-grader Carial Tarter placed fifth at the Metro South Middle School Wresting Tournament. Not satisfied with this accomplishment, he wrestled in the off-season and focused on winning first place for his eighth-grade year.

 “Wrestling is my sport,” Tarter said. “That’s what I’m good at, and that’s where I want people to know my name.”

His weight class was full of talented students from the Metro South area, so this was no easy task. Before the Metro South Tournament, Tarter won first place at the Vestavia Kickoff Classic, second place at St. Nick Invitational and Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Metro South Duals.

Going into the Metro South Championship, Tarter had a record of 25-5. One of his loses came from a very capable opponent at Liberty Park and the other from a gifted Pizitz wrestler. 

To win the Metro South Championship, Tarter had to wrestle hard and stick to his technique. He did that, winning every match at the tournament and becoming the first Metro South Champion for Homewood Middle School in many years. 

In addition to Tarter’s win, Homewood Middle School’s wrestling team placed at two different tournaments for 2014. Four boys, including Tarter, took home medals at the Metro South Tournament. At the first Hannah Gladden Girls Youth Championship, two HMS wrestlers, Jessie Toral-Javier and Jennifer Ontiveros, placed first in their weight classes.

Tarter plans to continue off-season wrestling, and he competed in the state championship in February. Next year will kick off his high school wrestling career, during which Tarter hopes to start building a foundation for a college scholarship.