Burton is regional wrestling champ
Published 12:00 am Monday, February 17, 2014
Salisbury’s Jeffrey Burton (182 pounds) and North Rowan’s Jaleel Hitchens (138) and Braxton Rabon (160) qualified for the state tournament at the 2A Midwest Regional held in Ashe County on Saturday and Sunday.
Burton, seeded second, was regional champion. He had a quick pin in the final and had four straight pins in the regional.
Burton is 34-8 and will represent the Hornets in the state tournament that starts later this week in Greensboro. Rabon and Hitchens won four matches apiece. Both placed fourth.
Thomasville was the regional champion, with West Wilkes second. Salisbury finished 13th, while North was 17th.
• A.L. Brown’s wrestlers did very well in the 4A West Regional at Hough on Saturday and Sunday and produced five state qualifiers. The Wonders were fourth in the team scoring. Lake Norman was regional champion.
Jayquon McEntrye (106), Nicholas Sexton (126) and Keechan Ware (220) placed second in the regional. Avery Clinding (120) and Isaiah Johnson (138) placed third.
• The 3A Midwest Regional at Hickory Ridge started on Sunday and will conclude today.
Rowan wrestlers who won their first two matches Sunday included Sam Cornacchione (East, 106), Logan Durham (South, 106), Thomas Current (West, 113), Tyler Hall (South, 126), Zac Ridenhour (West, 138), Brandon Sloop (Carson, 160), Shiheem Saunders (East, 170) and Alex Lyles (Carson, 285). Many others have one loss and are still alive for state berths.
• Davie is competing in the 4A Midwest Regional that started Sunday and concludes today. Davie’s Alex Gobble (182), Jack Robertson (195) and Parker Correll (220) reached the winners bracket semifinals with 2-0 records.
In the SPC, South Rowan-Concord games postponed last Thursday won’t be made up. Games postponed on Friday — South-East Rowan, Cox Mill-Carson, Hickory Ridge-West Rowan and Central Cabarrus-NW Cabarrus will be made up tonight.
The SPC tournament will begin on Tuesday, with higher seeds at home. The first round format is No. 8 seed at No. 1 seed, 7 at 2, 6 at 3 and 5 at 4. East’s top-seeded girls and South’s second-seeded girls will be at home for the first round. Carson’s boys will be at home as either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed.
Carson is the host school for the semifinals and championship game.
• In the CCC, Salisbury and North Rowan will make up Friday’s postponement tonight at Salisbury. Salisbury also will make up CCC games at West Davidson on Tuesday.
Administrators will finalize the format for the CCC tournament today. Before the weather situation, it was supposed to start tonight. Lexington is the host team.
• In the MECKA and CPC, things are almost normal. Friday’s regular-season finales that were postponed will be made up tonight.
The CPC tournament will be played Wednesday through Friday.
Catawba and Livingstone are making up important conference doubleheaders tonight at home. Catawba takes on Coker, with the women’s game starting at 6 p.m.
Livingstone takes on Fayetteville State, with the women’s game starting the doubleheader at 5:30 p.m.
This will be the final home game for the Blue Bears.
Catawba is home again on Wednesday and Saturday.
Catawba’s baseball team was swept in a SAC doubleheader at Brevard on Sunday.
The Tornados (3-3, 2-3) won 7-6 and 1-0.
Brevard scored five runs in the bottom of the first in the opener. Mario Parisi and T.J. Wharton had two-run singles for the Indians (1-7, 0-2). Zach Joyce pitched a one-hitter and struck out six in the nightcap. Sean Grant pitched brilliantly but took a tough loss for the Indians.
Leonard Murdock scored 26 points and Chris Taylor had 19 as the North Hills boys won 75-62 against Covenant Classical.
North Rowan’s boys won 58-8 against China Grove. Xavier Titus led the Mavericks (4-1) with 13 points. Cameron Gill (11), JaBreel Russell (10), Jaden Perry (10) and Brevin Goodlett (nine) also had good games.
• North’s girls won 49-21 behind 25 points by Bil’Lizah Connor. Javen Sherrill and Alexis Neely scored six each.
Ally Cress had six points for the Red Devils, and Zoie Lee had five.