By Ryan Bisesi

For the Salisbury Post

GREENSBORO — Salisbury’s Willie Clark earned a fourth-place finish to highlight the weekend for Rowan County wrestlers at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association championships at the Greensboro Coliseum on Saturday.

Clark, who finished sixth in the state’s 2A 160-pound class last year, beat Franklinton’s Jacob Coats in Friday’s first round and in Saturday’s consolation semifinal before dropping the third-place match.

Clark, who wrestles at the 152-pound weight this season, was pinned by top-ranked Issac McMillian of Forbush Friday night in the semifinals to drop into the loser’s bracket. He rebounded by taking a 4-2 decision against Coats to reach the third-place match. This came after a tight, 7-6 win against Coats in the first round.

“I noticed he liked to tie up,” Clark said. “I changed my position because he liked to tie up with the right arm and he was confused on what to do.”

In Clark’s last match, Patrick Burton of North Brunswick got two points for a takedown to take a 2-1 lead and never let Clark get back in it. Burton went on to win, 10-6.

“I thought I got two points when I had him in a down position early,” Clark said. “I didn’t wrestle well, but also feel like I didn’t wrestle smart.”

Clark finished his senior year 35-9 and was an All-Rowan County selection.

“I didn’t go out how I wanted to,” Clark said. “But for my senior year, I’d rather walk out of here with something rather than nothing.”

In the 3A bouts, East Rowan’s Max Wall (170 lbs.) finished fifth as did Carson’s Brady Argabright (138 lbs.).

Wall won the fifth-place match, 8-1, against Tyler Spurling of East Gaston. Wall, a two-time county champion, rebounded after losing the consolation semifinal Saturday morning. Wall, who plays football and track for East, was assertive early and never let Spurling get in contention. Wall ended his junior year with a 46-8 record.
“I wasn’t going to lose again,” Wall said. “After the last match, I was kind of ticked off.”

Wall was also All-Rowan County and was chosen most valuable in the county meet.

Argabright (21-5) took fifth place by beating Swansboro’s Dustin Childs, 11-3.

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In 4A, A.L. Brown senior Nick Sexton finished second at 138 pounds.
Sexton lost to undefeated Cam Devers (53-0) of Holly Springs, 1-0.
Sexton finished the season with a 28-2 record.
A.L. Brown junior Isaiah Johnson placed second at 160 pounds.
Johnson fell to Southern Alamance’s Tyler Ceparano (45-1) in a 13-12 decision.
It was Johnson’s only loss of the season. He finished 36-1.
•••
Davie County senior Isaiah Olmedo took third place at 182 pounds.
Olmedo (58-4) won a 4-3 decision against Glenn’s Jonathan Pascual-Hernandez (54-9).