Stanly wrestlers compete in first round of individual state finals
The NCHSAA individual wrestling tournament got a late start this week as Thursday’s activities were moved to today at the Greensboro Coliseum.
In local results, a number of Stanly wrestlers competed in first-round matchups.
1A Wrestling
Five South wrestlers won in the championship quarterfinals to advance to the state semifinals.
South’s Renefere Garcia advanced to the state semifinals at 138 pounds with a 5:30 pinfall versus Andrews’ Cade Vaughn.
Trent Drake advanced at 145 pounds for the Bulls pinning Lucas Brown of Swain County in 4:36.
Hunter Barrier earned a pinfall win in 4:51 versus Alleghany’s Evan Wagoner at 152 pounds.
Tony Rogers won for South Stanly at 220 Linda with a pinfall in 1:05 versus Ethan Taylor of Hayesville.
In the heavyweight division, Khris Mayo opened his state finals with a 2:46 pinfall win over Zachary Vance of Avery County.
In other results, Adrian Little suffered a 5-4 decision loss to Polk County’s Trey Thompson at 195 pounds.
Horveli Rodriquez of Albemarle lost by pinfall at 106 pounds in 3:26 to North Stokes’ Hunter Fulp.
Evan Wagoner of Alleghany posted a 12-1 majority decision over South Stanly’s Michael Gabbard at 138 pounds.
His teammate, Ricardo Bustos, lost by pinfall in 3:56 to Mitchell’s Dylan Lowery.
At 126, South Stanly’s Jaquavius Caraway lost by pinfall with 26 seconds left in the third period to Jayden Nowell of Robbinsville.
Bulldogs Naquain Carpenter fell at 220 pounds losing a 9-6 decision to Mount Airy’s Eric Olvera.
At 195 pounds, North Stanly’s Meliek Bryant lost by pinfall in 4:34 to Mount Airy’s Jackson Tumbarello.
2A Wrestling
In the first round of the championship brackets at 182 pounds, Andrew Becker suffered a 10-2 majority decision loss to Cole Clark of Newton-Conover.