ORANGE TAKES TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1-A/2-A

WINSTON-SALEM – Orange pulled away on Saturday’s second and final day of action to win the team crown in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 1-A/2-A state wrestling tournament championships at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The two teams which met for the NCHSAA dual team title two weeks ago were one-two in the team standings, led by Orange with 111.5 points and Newton-Conover in second with 74. Orange beat Newton-Conover for the dual team championship.

Mount Pleasant, the defending champion, was third with 72.5 followed by Mayodan Dalton McMichael with 67 and Robbinsville with 66.

Jonathan Burns of Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons, won the state crown at 145 pounds, was selected the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the championship.

One of the interesting aspects of this tournament was the performance of Rosewood's Olivia Neal at 103 pounds, the first female wrestler ever to qualify for the state tournament. Neal won her first match, lost in the quarterfinals and wound up being eliminated in the third round of consolation action.

Wendy's and the Carolina Ford Dealers are the presenting sponsors for the NCHSAA sports program, and the event is sponsored by Visit Winston-Salem.

DEFENDING CHAMP WINSTON-SALEM PARKLAND
ROLLS TO BIG WIN IN NCHSAA 3-A WRESTLING

WINSTON-SALEM -- Winston-Salem Parkland built up a big lead over the field after the opening day and increased it on Saturday to capture the team title easily in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A wrestling tournament championships at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Parkland, the defending tournament champ which also won the NCHSAA dual team title earlier this month, had eight wrestlers advance to the finals Saturday night and five of them earned state titles as the team rolled up a whopping 269.5 points in the tournament, the first time a team had ever broken the 200-point barrier.

Parkland far outdistanced runner-up Eden Morehead with 130.5 points, followed by High Point Andrews (95.5), Jamestown Ragsdale (82) and Hickory St. Stephens (69).

Marcus Blue, the state champion at 152 pounds from High Point Andrews, earned the Most Outstanding Wrestler award for the tournament.

Wendy's and the Carolina Ford Dealers are the presenting sponsors for the NCHSAA sports program, and the event is sponsored by Visit Winston-Salem.


DEFENDING CHAMPION CARY TAKES TITLE IN 4-A

WINSTON-SALEM – Cary had little trouble in running its string of state championships to four with an excellent performance Saturday in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4-A wrestling tournament championships at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The Imps, who won the dual team championship earlier this month and have earned five of the last six tournament crowns, placed six wrestlers in the championships Saturday night and five of them earned state titles. Cary rolled up 174.5 points to 85.5 for runner-up Chapel Hill.

Davie County was third with 78.5 points, followed by Matthews David Butler (74.5) and Durham Riverside (62.5).

Chris Townsend of South Caldwell, the 135-pound state champion, was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 4-A championship.

Wendy's and the Carolina Ford Dealers are the presenting sponsors for the NCHSAA sports program, and the event is sponsored by Visit Winston-Salem.