1A Dual Team Wrestling Championship: Robbinsville edges Rosewood for their first dual team title
ROBBINSVILLE, N.C. – In the school’s first appearance in the dual team wrestling finals Robbinsville held off Rosewood 36-31 to claim their first dual team crown.
With his Robbinsville team trailing 31-30, Fredy Romero stepped onto the mat with Hunter Weeks from Rosewood for the decisive 195-pound bout. Romero worked a pin 3:10 into the match to bring Robbinsville the win.
Elijah Wachacha (220), Arlus Orr (120), and Kade Millsaps (126) also pinned their opponents for Robbinsville. Austin Lovin scrapped for an 8-7 decision over Seth Finney at 160-pounds while Issac Wilkinson took a 7-6 decision over Joey Behrend at 170-pounds. Wilkinson was named the championship M.V.P.
Robbinsville finished the dual season 22-5 on the year, claiming the school’s first dual team championship. Rosewood ended dual season 42-4 and won the Eastern Regional Dual Team Championship for the third time in school history (2010 & 2016).
2A Dual Team Wrestling Championship: Newton-Conover trips Carrboro to claim fourth dual team crown
PITTSBORO, N.C. – In a see-saw affair that saw the overall lead change hands three times on the afternoon, Newton-Conover held off Carrboro 32-28 to win the 2A Dual Team Wrestling Championship for the third time in school history.
Newton-Conover held a one-point advantage heading into the final bout of the dual. Joshua Nichols won a hard fought 7-4 decision over David Veltri to seal the victory for the Red Devils in the 152-pound bout to close out the dual. Nichols was named the match M.V.P. for his clutch performance.
Mitch Glover (106) and Jayden Kimsey (120) won by pin for Newton-Conover. Glover took care of Louise Monnet in just 39 seconds while Kimsey dispatched A.J. Jackson in 1 minute, 23 seconds.
Carrboro finished the dual season at 10-3 and claimed the school’s first Eastern Regional Dual Team Championship. Newton-Conover finished at 43-1 in duals this season, claiming the school’s sixth Western Regional Championship in dual team and the Red Devils fourth dual team championship and their second straight.
3A Dual Team Wrestling Championship: Piedmont claims second dual team title holding off Orange 29-27
MONROE, N.C. – Piedmont jumped out to an early lead but had to battle back late against a tough challenge from Orange to earn the Panther’s second dual team state championship.
The Panthers jumped out to a 17-8 lead after six matches as the Panthers got a pin at 152-pounds from James Price in just 1:04. Orange secured the next five matches to run out to a 27-17 advantage with three bouts remaining.
Piedmont got a 15-5 major decision at 285-pounds as Luis Oropesa won to trim the Orange lead to 27-20. Nathan Huntley claimed a decision at 106-pounds to cut the advantage to 27-24. Then Piedmont got a technical fall win by Colby Funderburk at 113-pounds to claim the school’s first dual team title since 2012. Funderburk was named the match M.V.P.
Orange finished the dual season 31-1, having earned their head coach Bobby Shriner his 600th career dual team victory earlier in the season. Orange made their ninth appearance in a dual team state championship match, their last appearance coming in a 2012 victory over Southwestern Randolph.
Piedmont wrapped up the season 30-1, claiming the school’s second state championship in four appearances in the dual team championships.
4A Dual Team Wrestling Championship: West Forsyth goes back-to-back with win over Laney
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Things started out bleak for the defending 4A dual team champions, West Forsyth, as Laney jumped out to an early 19-5 lead through the first four bouts. Ethan Hernasko’s win by pin over Marcus Mondragon at 126-pounds helped stem the early tide and the Titans slowly clawed their way into control of the match on their way to a 31-28 victory and second straight dual team state championship.
Keon Muckelvene of West Forsyth was named the match M.V.P. after claiming a forfeit win at 170-pounds to push the Titans lead to 31-22.
Mike Barbra claimed an 18-3 technical fall win over Seth Thomas at 106-pounds. Javon Boozer (145) and Dallas Mize (152) all claimed decision wins for West Forsyth. Preston Broadhurst (132) earned a major decision win over Shaun Panas while Tyler O’Neal took a major decision win over Khalil Tucker at 160-pounds to give the Titans their first lead of the night at 25-22.
Laney finished the dual team season at 26-2 claiming the school’s first Eastern Regional Dual Team Championship and making their first appearance in the dual team championship final. West Forsyth wrapped up the dual team season a perfect 54-0. They won the school’s second dual team state championship and third Western Regional Dual Team Championship.
