Cary, Parkland, Orange, Topsail grab state dual wrestling titles

4-A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

CARY - Cary won its third consecutive North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A dual team wrestling crown and eighth in the 20-year history of the event Saturday night as the Imps rolled past Matthews David Butler 43-18 at Cary High School.

The Imps were appearing in their ninth consecutive championship match and 14th all-time as they ran their perfect record to 36-0 on the season under veteran coach Jerry Winterton.

Butler, which advanced to the state finals after earning the Western Regional title on Friday night with a pair of victories, jumped out to a 6-0 lead with decisions in the first two matches at 135 and 140 pounds. But the Imps got it rolling, paced by the performances of Gabe Brotzman at 152 pounds and Eloheim Palma at heavyweight. The Cary duo shared the Most Valuable Performer award for the championship match.

Butler finished the dual-team campaign with a 21-4 record.


3-A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP


GREENSBORO ­- Winston-Salem Parkland earned its third consecutive North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A dual team wrestling championship on Saturday night by rolling past Greensboro Dudley 46-18 at Dudley.

Parkland, winning its fifth state championship in dual-team wrestling in the 20-year history of the tournament, kept its record unblemished on the season at 38-0 while Dudley is 20-6.

Parkland¹s Luis Ramos at 145 pounds was named the Most Valuable Performer of the championship match. He helped lead the charge after Dudley had opened with a 3-0 lead to enable Parkland to take command.


2-A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP


HILLSBOROUGH ­ - For the second year in a row, Orange downed Newton-Conover in a close match to win the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A dual team wrestling championship on Saturday night at Orange.

Orange beat the Red Devils 33-27 for the state title in their home gymnasium after downing the Red Devils at Newton-Conover in the 2008 final, 29-25.

It was the third NCHSAA dual team title for Orange, which earned the 2005 3-A championship to go with the Panthers¹ two straight at 2-A and has a 27-3 mark.

Newton-Conover was in the finals for the third consecutive year and finished with a dual team record of 36-6.


1-A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP


THOMASVILLE --  Hampstead Topsail broke a 16-16 tie and tallied 28 unanswered team points to hold off West Wilkes 44-28 and win the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A dual team wrestling championship on Saturday at Thomasville High School.

Topsail was making its fourth consecutive appearance in the dual team championship match, but earned its first state crown.

Stuart Nadeau of Topsail at 171 pounds was named the Most Valuable Performer of the championship.

Topsail had advanced to the final with a 42-36 victory over host Thomasville in the regional final held earlier on Saturday, while West Wilkes moved into the championship with a 34-29 regional triumph over Polk County.