Morrissey, 12, a wrestling champion in the Dome

Twelve-year-old Francis Morrissey, a sixth grader at Bonaire Middle School, won the Georgia Kids States 2014 wrestling 90-pound championship in a tournament held in the Georgia Dome the weekend of March 1.

The Morrissey family moved to Bonaire from Delaware in August, and Francis has been wrestling for five years. Locally, he practices with Storm Wrestling Center under coach Gerald Carr from Dublin, and he also works out with Veterans High School’s Mike Malcom and several of his Warhawk wrestlers.

Francis competed four times in the Dome, winning all four. The first two were by pinfall, the third went the distance with a 4-0 score, and then he dominated his final 11-0.

He was selected to wrestle for TEAM Minion, which is one of Georgia’s top traveling wrestling teams for kids. Already this year, Francis and his team went to Richmond, Va., and Columbus Ohio.

Francis practices four nights a week, twice in Dublin and twice in Warner Robins. During the season he wrestles every weekend in two divisions, 12 and under and 14 and under (90/95lbs). His record for this is 100 wins and 10 losses.

Up next for Francis are tournaments in Jacksonville and Virginia Beach.

Others who competed at the Georgia Dome are Ethan Buffone, Gerald Buffone, Matt Molina, Latrell Schaefer, Charles Zimmerman and Marshall Engledow.

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