High school wrestling: Falcons advance, but Cavaliers, Raiders eliminated

Published 12:07 am Sunday, February 2, 2025

From staff reports

MOUNT ULLA — West Rowan’s wrestling team won its first and second round matches in the 3A West dual team state playoffs on Saturday.

The fourth-seeded Falcons were wrestling at home.

West wrestled against North Henderson in the first round. The official score was 47-35. West forfeited several matches after clinching victory.

West got pins from Andrew Taylor (150), Hunter Ingram (175), Harry Hartwell (190), Dakota Athey (215), Mason Truman (106) and Bryson Wilhelm (113).

Oliver Perry won at 120 by forfeit.

Kevin O’Brien, who is closing on the county record for career wins, won by technical fall (21-5) at 138.

• In the second round, West took on fifth-seeded defending state champ Eastern Guilford and won 38-31.

Freshman Chris Gaither’s pin at 132 was the turning point in the match. West also got pins from Truman, Ingram and Stetson Collins (138). O’Brien won by forfeit. Max Brown won a 13-11 decision at 157.

West had a 33-31 lead going to the final match, and Taylor won a 16-0 tech fall to clinch the win.

West advanced to a third-round match against Pisgah. The third and fourth rounds will be contested on Wednesday either at West or at St. Stephens in Hickory. The fourth round is the regional final.

•••

MONROE — South Rowan lost 60-16 to Piedmont in the first round of the 3A West dual team state playoffs.

South’s Mateo Diaz (126) and Evan Cox (285) won by pin. Peyton Hinson won a 13-4 major decision for the 14th-seeded Raiders at 120.

Third-seeded Piedmont also won in the second round, advancing to Round 3 with a 40-21 win against Fred T. Foard.

•••

DENTON — North Rowan lost 54-24 to South Davidson in a first-round match in the 1A East dual team state playoffs.

Stephen Hughes had a pin for the 13th-seeded Cavaliers at 285. North’s James Garrigus (190), Anton Pontoon (126) and Cadence Dombrowski (138) won by forfeit.

Fourth-seeded South Davidson also won in the second round, advancing with a 42-32 win over fifth-seeded South Stanly.