21st ANNUAL NCHSAA DUAL TEAM WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULED

Championships in four classifications will be decided this weekend in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 21st annual dual team wrestling championships.

The championships are held on high school campuses, alternating years between Eastern and Western sites. All of the teams advancing to the Saturday championship matches in 2-A, 3-A and 4-A earned a pair of victories on Thursday night to gain a shot at the state title.

As of Friday at 2:30, the 3-A and 4-A finals are slated for Saturday. Tthe 1-A regional and state finals have been moved to Sunday, and the 2-A final will now be Sunday.

The 4-A match pits the rare situation in which two undefeated defending state champions and perennial powers meet, as Cary (34-0) goes to Winston-Salem Parkland (41-0). Cary is the defending 4-A champ while Parkland won the 3-A crown a year ago and moved to 4-A in the new realignment.

Cary, under veteran head coach Jerry Winterton, has won eight previous NCHSAA dual-team championships and the Imps are in the finals for the 15th time. The Imps make their 10th consecutive appearance in the championships and will be gunning for their fourth consecutive dual-team title and fifth in the last six years.

Parkland is seeking its fourth consecutive dual-team crown after winning three straight at the 3-A level. The school has a stellar 36-8 record all-time in post-season wrestling play in 14 trips to the playoffs, while Cary is the all-time leader in playoff victories with an amazing record of 77-11.

Weigh-ins are scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday with the final at 7 p.m.

The 3-A final is slated for Orange High School in Hillsborough, as the Panthers (32-3) take on Concord Jay Robinson (23-2). Orange seeks its third consecutive state championship and fourth all-time against a school making its first trip to the finals. Weigh-ins are set for 5 p.m. with the final starting one hour later.

The 2-A championship sends undefeated Newport Croatan (16-0) to Monroe to take on Piedmont (43-1). Piedmont beat three-time state runner-up Newton-Conover 31-27 on Thursday night to advance to the finals. Match time is now 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Four teams will converge at West Montgomery on Sunday to wrestle for the state title, with weigh-ins at noon followed by the regional matches at 1 p.m. The championship will follow at four o’clock Sunday afternoon.

West Montgomery will take on Rosewood while Robbinsville faces West Wilkes in the regional round. West Wilkes was the state runner-up last year to Hampstead Topsail.

Wendy’s is the presenting sponsor of the NCHSAA sports programs.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

2010 DUAL TEAM WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS—21st ANNUAL

Saturday, February 13, 2010

CLASS 4-A CHAMPIONSHIP: Cary (34-0) at Winston-Salem Parkland (41-0): PPD TO SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, weigh-ins at 2 p.m., championship at 3 p.m.

CLASS 3-A CHAMPIONSHIP: Concord Jay Robinson (23-2) at Orange (32-3), weigh-ins at 5 p.m., championship at 6 p.m.

CLASS 2-A CHAMPIONSHIP: Newport Croatan (16-0) at Monroe Piedmont (43-1): PPD TO SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, weigh-ins at 2 p.m., championship at 3 p.m.

CLASS 1-A CHAMPIONSHIP: at West Montgomery High School on Sunday, February 14

1 pm Eastern final: West Montgomery (11-8) vs. Rosewood (6-0)

1 pm Western final: Robbinsville (19-4) vs, West Wilkes (16-3)

Winners of regional matches will then wrestle for the state championship at 4 pm