CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES SET IN NCHSAA WRESTLING TOURNAMENT


 
GREENSBORO — The North Carolina High School Athletic Association state wrestling championships at the Greensboro Coliseum rolled through its second day of action on Friday, concluding Friday night with semifinal matches in all classifications.

            Winston-Salem Parkland, which advanced four wrestlers into the 4-A championship round, is seeking its sixth straight state tournament title in two different classifications and third straight 4-A title.  Parkland has Phazon Roddy at 106 pounds, Drew Turner at 113, Jeremy Ward at 126 and Christopher Walker at 285 who will wrestle for state championships.

Parkland enters the final day with 86 points, ahead of Southern Pines Pinecrest with 74.5.  Pinecrest has five wrestlers still alive, including two in the finals.  Southern Alamance is third with 73.6 points and Asheville T.C. Roberson is fourth with 52. A total of 68 schools have scored points in the 4-A tournament.

            Orange holds a slim lead in the 3-A standings, but has nine wrestlers remaining in Saturday’s action although only one is in the championship finals, Zach Rimmer at 145. The Panthers, who won the dual team tournament earlier this month, have 69 points to 64 for Northeast Guilford. Northeast has four grapplers remaining in contention, three on the championship side of the bracket.

            Concord Jay Robinson is third in the 3-A class with 52.5 points and Cameron Union Pines is in fourth at 49.5. There are 68 3-A schools with team points in the championships.

            Trinity has a substantial lead among the 2-A schools with 107 points to 73 for second-place Newport Croatan, the defending tournament champion. Trinity also has four of its remaining wrestlers battling in the championship round.

            High Point Andrews is third in the 2-A standings with 64 and Monroe Piedmont is just back with 63.5.  A total of 59 schools have tallied points in the 2-A team standings.

            In the 1-A classification, defending champion West Wilkes leads the way with 66.5 points, ahead of second-place North Rowan with 53. West has seven wrestlers still competing, including four in the championship round, while North Rowan’s hopes are resting on nine athletes still in the tournament, but six in consolation action.

            Central Academy is third among the 1-A schools with 52 points and Robbinsville fourth with 38.5. A total of 22 1-A teams scored points in Friday’s action.

            The 2-A, 3-A and 4-A competitors began wrestling on Thursday night, with the 1-A class starting on Friday afternoon since it has fewer wrestlers in the field.

            Action will begin at 8:30 Saturday morning with third round consolation matches in the 2-A, 3-A and 4-A classifications, followed by several rounds of consolation matches in all classes.

            After the fifth and third-place bouts, the championship matches in all classifications are scheduled for Saturday evening, starting at 5 p.m. with the Parade of Champions.