It’ll be a December to remember for a Cedartown Bulldog who hit a career milestone over the weekend when he notched a big win on the wrestling mats at Heard County.
On Saturday, December 16, Cedartown Bulldog senior Adam Payton celebrated his 150th career win against visiting teams during matches hosted by the Braves. The team also grabbed a second place spot in the Braves Invitational as well.
Payton said that he was singularly focused on picking up the victories he needed to get to the 150-mark.
“I have to work hard,” he said. “Once you get that close to a milestone, it gets hard. But I kept my mind in the right spot and I kept winning.”
The son of Tonya and Lenny Payton and the brother of Coach Joey Payton, he has ambitions to continue his career at the college level. Where that will be is still up in the air, though he does have some offers (he couldn’t say where yet.) He ultimately knows what he wants to do further down the line, which involves his favorite sport: become a teacher, return to Cedartown High and coach the team.
Photos contributed by Gail Conner/camerachik.smugmug.com
Payton said that he was determined to get the win after years of hard work. He started wrestling when he was just four years old.
“It means the world to me,” he said. “I put in so much work into all my goals, and that was a big achievement I was trying to hit… I’ve been grinding as long as I can remember.”
What motivates him to continue on the mats? His beliefs.
“I like doing it for Christ,” he said. “That’s what keeps me going, that’s what wakes me up in the morning. I couldn’t do it without him.”
The Bulldogs are back in action at Armuchee this afternoon and Thursday morning for the opportunity for Payton and fellow teammates to pick up more wins. The team makes a trip to Alexander on Dec. 27, and then heads to Rockmart for their annual At The Rock tourney at 9 a.m. on Dec. 28.
