Wrestling: First round of state tourney in the books
Published 9:31 pm Friday, February 20, 2015
From Staff Reports
State title contenders from Rowan County took the first step toward achieving that dream Friday at the N.C. High School Athletic Association wrestling state tournament. The results of the second-round and consolation matches were not available at press time.
The undefeated season for South Rowan stud Logan Durham remained intact. Durham, the defending 3A state champion at 106 pounds, improved to 31-0 after dispatching Bailey Hawkins from Orange with a 15-0 tech fall.
Salisbury’s J.C. Burton, wrestling at 182 pounds, earned a first-round pin of Chris Huion of North Pitt. Burton needed only 2 minutes, 57 seconds to defeat his opponent.
Two contenders from Carson with a good chance of claiming state championships were victorious Friday. Brandon Sloop (170 pounds) and Alex Lyles (285) won by major decision and pinfall at the Greensboro Coliseum. Lyles pinned Jamie Williams from Northern Nash in the final second of the second period to advance. Sloop defeated Corinth Holders’ Luke Turner 13-2 to move on to the second round.
Another state title contender was on the wrong end of a first-round upset. East Rowan’s Shiheem Saunders, wrestling at 182 pounds, lost to undefeated Willie Blevins out of Eastern Guilford. Blevins knocked Saunders down to the consolation bracket with a 12-4 major decision.
Other first-round winners in the 3A tournament were East Rowan’s Landon Carico (113 pounds), West Rowan’s Zac Ridenhour (138 pounds) and Carson’s Jaron McMasters (160).
In the 2A tournament Salisbury’s Willie Clark (160 pounds) and Marquis Peele (285) both advanced to the second round.
Wrestlers from Davie County and the A.L. Brown also found success at the Coliseum.
Davie County’s Parker Correll, wrestling at 195 pounds, made quick work of Jonathan Rose of West Johnston. Correll pinned Rose in just 31 seconds.
Brown’s Isaiah Johnson, wrestling at 145, needed only 1:18 to pin Jean-Claude Leblanc from Southern Pines Pinecrest in his first-round match.
Nick Sexton, from Brown, got a 16-5 major decision over Tyler Moon from Southern Alamance.
A complete list of the first-round results from Friday’s action is below.
2A 106: Keshon Mclean (Hunter Huss) 43-10 won by fall over Tyrell Blakeney (Salisbury) 28-13 (Fall5:58)
2A 132: Josh Thomas (Dixon) 44-1 won by fall over Jibri Cowan (Salisbury) 32-12 (Fall 4:43)
2A 160: Willie Clark (Salisbury) 36-12 won by major decision over Austin Higgs (South Granville) 31-7 (MD 19-10)
2A 182: J.C. Burton (Salisbury) 42-4 won by fall over Chris Huion (North Pitt) 31-12 (Fall 2:57)
2A 285: Marquise Peele (Salisbury) 34-10 won by forfeit over Stevie Sharp (Croatan) 26-15 (For.)
3A 113: Champ. Round 1 – Landon Carico (East Rowan) 28-11 won by major decision over Zane Hairston (Morehead) 30-17 (MD 10-0); Champ. Round 1 – Logan Durham (South Rowan) 31-0 won by tech fall over Bailey Hawkins (Orange) 33-15 (TF-1.5 2:44 (15-0))
3A 120: Champ. Round 1 – Mitchel Langford (North Henderson) 43-0 won by fall over Logan Haas (East Rowan) 27-12 (Fall 0:52)
3A 138: Champ. Round 1 – Zach Ridenhour (West Rowan) 30-4 won by decision over Eli Owens (Pisgah) 39-11 (Dec 5-2)
3A 160: Champ. Round 1 – Jaron McMasters (Jesse Carson) 36-8 won by decision over Charlie Bailey (Fred T. Foard) 37-8 (Dec 7-2)
3A 170: Champ. Round 1 – Brandon Sloop (Jesse Carson) 37-3 won by major decision over Luke Turner (Corinth Holders) 34-8 (MD 13-2)
3A 182: Champ. Round 1 – Willie Bivens (Eastern Guilford) 41-0 won by major decision over Shiheem Saunders (East Rowan) 31-4 (MD 12-4)
3A 220: Champ. Round 1 – Nathan Gilbert (West Brunswick) 30-0 won by fall over Anthony McCurry (Jesse Carson) 34-11 (Fall 3:00)
3A 285: Champ. Round 1 – Alex Lyles (Jesse Carson) 34-3 won by fall over Jamie Williams (Northern Nash) 16-4 (Fall 3:59)
4A 120: Avery Clinding (AL Brown) 40-10 won by decision over Roman Flaherty (Holly Springs) 31-11 (Dec 8-2); Michael Vernagallo (Jack Britt) 38-7 won in sudden victory – 1 over Lake Billings (Davie County) 40-15 (SV-1 8-6)
4A 132: Nick Sexton (AL Brown) 28-5 won by major decision over Tyler Moon (Southern Alamance) 30-13 (MD 16-5)
4A 138: Daniel Wilson (Davie County) 43-10 won by decision over Dwayne Chaney (Overhills) 22-6 (Dec 5-3)
4A 145: Isaiah Johnson (AL Brown) 41-2 won by fall over Jean-Claude Leblanc (Pinecrest) 25-19 (Fall1:18); Trevor Loken (Clayton) 45-8 won by decision over Bailey Ingram (Davie County) 43-10 (Dec 2-0)
4A 152: Austin Tucker (Glenn) 47-2 won by major decision over Marcus Bolick (AL Brown) 24-8 (MD 11-0)
4A 170: Monquez Townsend (Lumberton) 42-8 won by major decision over Jerry Donatien (AL Brown) 16-11 (MD 12-4)
4A 195: Keechan Ware (AL Brown) 33-5 won by fall over William `Alex` Willis (Laney) 32-15 (Fall 4:22); Parker Correll (Davie County) 47-3 won by fall over Jonathan Rose (West Johnston) 14-3 (Fall 0:31)
