By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

They got plenty of mat time.

The Troup Tigers faced off against five different opponents during Friday’s Dariel Daniel Grind that was held in the school’s gymnasium.

Troup went 2-3 with wins over Northgate and Starr’s Mill and losses to Northside-Columbus, Harris County and Central-Carroll.

“We knew coming in they were great programs, and they fill pretty much every weight class,” Troup coach Tripp Busby said of the three squad his team lost to. “We’re sitting here forfeiting 106, 113, 170. That’s tough.”

Troup did have some standout wrestlers, including 285-pound Colby Harry, who went unbeaten.

Harry was an offensive lineman for the Troup football team that reached the state semifinals, so he was a late arrival to wrestling.

“It takes a minute,” Harry said of making the transition from football to wrestling. “It’s a whole lot different with conditioning, and getting back into the groove and everything.”

Harry is one of the few veterans on a team with a new look following the departure of so many talented seniors from last season’s squad that had top-five finishes in the state duals and the traditional state tournament.

The wrestlers who are new to the varsity lineup this season got plenty of time on the on Friday.

“It feels good to have mat time, and wrestle people with different styles,” Harry said. “It gives you a lot of experience.”

Darious Hanson, who along with Harry was a state placer last season, also went unbeaten on Friday. Pearson Strickland, who also placed at state last season, only lost once, and that was against Harris County.

Among Troup’s other winners were Riley Bowles and Mason Lumpkin.

OF NOTE: For more photos from the Dariel Daniel Grind, check out Facebook.com/LDNSports