HS Wrestling Update: 5 area girls win state titles; 2 local teams take dual meet crowns

The Charlotte and Raleigh areas accounted for five individual champions Saturday in the annual girls’ state meet, and two Charlotte-area boys’ teams were crowned champs in the dual meet playoffs.

Both the girls’ championships and the dual team finals were held at the Greensboro Coliseum fieldhouse complex.

Fred T. Foard captured the 3A boys’ dual meet title, and Bandys won in 2A. Avery County won the 1A championship, and Laney High from Wilmington was the 4A champion.

Among the girls’ champions was Parkwood High’s Savannah Bramhall, who captured her third consecutive state title but needed a third-period rally to do so.

Bramhall, wrestling in the 165-pound division, won by pin over Cleveland’s Laura Thompson. It happened 25 seconds into the third period, but Thompson entered the final period leading on points.

For Bramhall, it was the finish to a 25-0 senior season.

Saturday’s match was the only time during the two-day meet that Bramhall had to wrestle beyond the first period. She took her opening match Friday in just 22 seconds, then won in the second round and the semifinals with second-minute pins.

Thompson finished with a 7-2 record.

Girls’ meet

Charlotte-area champions were Caleigh Suddreth of Lake Norman (152 pounds), Ella Beam of Burns (185) and Khalila Corry of Mallard Creek (235).

From the Raleigh area, Cleveland’s Susannah Piatek took the 145-pound title.

Suddreth, who finished with a 32-18 record this season, beat Jack Britt’s Sophia Ozanich in a first-period pin for the championship.

Beam capped a 10-9 season with a pin at 4:53 over Laney’s Elaina Pollock. It was Pollock’s first loss in seven matches this season.

Corry won a tight match, 3-0, over Jocelyn Paredes of West Wilkes. Corry finished with a 19-1 record.

And Piatek won by a technical fall, piling up a 15-0 margin over Sumaiya Aamoud of Jack Britt. Piatek was 9-3 this season.

Other Charlotte-area wrestlers who placed in the top four:

100 pounds: Jeulenea Khang (Freedom), second.

114: Leah Edwards (East Rowan), third.

120: Ferrell Ava (Cox Mill), fourth.

126: Kahlen Kuddie (A.L. Brown), fourth.

132: Brianna DeLeon (Weddington), third.

138: Alysha Earley (Alexander Central), second.

145: Sarem Desalegn (Mallard Creek), fourth.

185: Cynthia Smith (Hickory Ridge), third.

235: Saige Cook (Burns), third; Natalie Douglas (Lake Norman), fourth.

Other Raleigh-area wrestlers who placed:

100: Anna Ockerman (Corinth Holders), third.

165: Laura Thompson (Cleveland), second.

Dual meet finals

Class 3A

Fred T. Foard, which won the 2A dual team title in 2020, made the jump to 3A seamlessly by trouncing Union Pines 58-12. It was the school’s fourth state championship in dual meet wrestling.

The Tigers’ got an emotional victory at 145 pounds, when Brock Carey overcame an injured leg and beat Gaige Lloyd 5-3. Carey suffered the injury during his match and essentially wrestled on one leg. He was named the 3A finals’ Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Fred T. Foard’s winners:

106 pounds: George Coleman; 113: Karter Floyd; 120: Brayden Mejia; 132: Hunter Clark; 138: Dawson Cody; 145: Brock Carey; 160: Conner Weaver; 182: Evan Steiger; 195: Colby Mace; 220: Dylan Smith; 285: Andrew Jackson.

Class 2A

Bandys won the first eight matches and rolled to a 58-18 victory over bunn. It was the third dual meet state championship for Bandys, which also won in 2005 and 2006.

Caleb Moore led the Trojans, pinning his opponent at 160 pounds in just 22 seconds. He was named the 2A Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Bandys winners:

113: Justin Krendon; 132: Trey Story; 138: Bryson Burkett; 145: Will Nix; 152: Trey Ballew; 160: Caleb Moore; 170: Ian Moore; 182: Raydyn Brooks; 195: Zackory Evans; 220: Austin Cline.

Class 4A

In the closest of the finals, Laney held off a comeback effort by Northwest Guilford and won 32-31. Laney had a 16-point lead with three matches remaining, but Northwest Guilford won by a pin and then an injury default. That cut Laney’s lead to 32-27.

In the final match, at 132 pounds, Laney’s Jayden Harrison avoided a pin and lost by decision to Will Gibson.

Class 1A

Avery County built a big early lead and then held on for a 39-30 victory over Uwharrie Charter.

Kenneth Pritz, Avery County’s 120-pounder, won a first-period pin and was named the 1A Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle

Full NCHSAA Girls State final Results

2022 NCHSAA Women’s Wrestling Invitational

100 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Lily Prendergast of South Brunswick

2nd Place - Jeulenea Khang of Freedom

3rd Place - Anna Ockerman of Corinth Holders

4th Place - Omarzria Wright of West Caldwell

1st Place Match

Lily Prendergast (South Brunswick, 38-5) over Jeulenea Khang (Freedom, 35-7) (Dec 2-0)

3rd Place Match

Anna Ockerman (Corinth Holders, 20-2) over Omarzria Wright (West Caldwell, 25-21) (Dec 8-1)

107 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Aynsley Fink of Robbinsville

2nd Place - Morgan Repasky of McDowell

3rd Place - Megan Rowland of Pinecrest

4th Place - Glennin Hansen of North Henderson

1st Place Match

Aynsley Fink (Robbinsville, 37-11) over Morgan Repasky (McDowell, 24-12) (Fall 1:41)

3rd Place Match

Megan Rowland (Pinecrest, 23-9) over Glennin Hansen (North Henderson, 20-7, Sr.) (Fall 0:44)

114 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Hope Horan of Mt Airy

2nd Place - Jazmin Palma of Uwharrie Charter Academy

3rd Place - Leah Edwards of East Rowan

4th Place - Anabel Rodriguez of Dixon

1st Place Match

Hope Horan (Mt. Airy, 18-8) over Jazmin Palma (Uwharrie Charter, 12-3) (MD 11-3)

3rd Place Match

Leah Edwards (East Rowan, 33-8) over Anabel Rodriguez (Dixon, 14-10) (MD 11-0)

120 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Isabel Rodriguez of Dixon

2nd Place - Kamilah Brooks of Manteo

3rd Place - Ayonna McNeill of Westover

4th Place - Ferrell Ava of Cox Mill

1st Place Match

Isabel Rodriguez (Dixon, 17-9) over Kamilah Brooks (Manteo, 21-20) (Fall 3:28)

3rd Place Match

Ayonna McNeill (Westover, 13-8) over Ferrell Ava (Cox Mill, 10-8) (Fall 4:30)

126 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Brooke Zak of Currituck County

2nd Place - Jewel Arrowsmith of Pine Forest

3rd Place - Mickey Allen of West Henderson

4th Place - Kahlen Kuddie of A.L. Brown

1st Place Match

Brooke Zak (Currituck County, 8-0) over Jewel Arrowsmith (Pine Forest, 10-12) (Fall 4:51)

3rd Place Match

Mickey Allen (West Henderson, 18-9) over Kahlen Kuddie (A.L. Brown, 16-19) (Fall 1:50)

132 Lbs. Divison

Medalists

1st Place - Angelica Steffy of Croatan

2nd Place - Natalie Titus of Havelock

3rd Place - Brianna DeLeon of Weddington

4th Place - Kenley Riley of West Carteret

1st Place Match

Angelica Steffy (Croatan, 16-14) over Natalie Titus (Havelock, 11-4) (Dec 8-5)

3rd Place Match

Brianna DeLeon (Weddington, 19-1) over Kenley Riley (West Carteret, 11-5) (MD 8-0)

138 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Eva Keefauver of East Henderson

2nd Place - Alysha Earley of Alexander Central

3rd Place - Gabby Akers of South Davidson

4th Place - Mara Cavazos of Bunn

1st Place Match

Eva Keefauver (East Henderson, 14-0) over Alysha Earley (Alexander Central, 6-1) (Fall 1:47)

3rd Place Match

Gabby Akers (South Davidson, 19-14) over Mara Cavazos (Bunn, 9-7) (Fall 0:57)

145 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Susannah Piatek of Cleveland

2nd Place - Sumaiya Aamoud of Jack Britt

3rd Place - Jamira Jackson of Montgomery Central

4th Place - Sarem Desalegn of Mallard Creek

1st Place Match

Susannah Piatek (Cleveland, 9-3) over Sumaiya Aamoud (Jack Britt, 11-8) (TF-1.5 4:00 (15-0))

3rd Place Match

Jamira Jackson (Montgomery Central, 11-8) over Sarem Desalegn (Mallard Creek, 11-9) (Fall 1:47)

152 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Caleigh Suddreth of Lake Norman

2nd Place - Sophia Ozanich of Jack Britt

3rd Place - Reilyn Swift of Swansboro

4th Place - Autumn Motes of North Henderson

1st Place Match

Caleigh Suddreth (Lake Norman, 32-18) over Sophia Ozanich (Jack Britt, 8-4) (Fall 0:57)

3rd Place Match

Reilyn Swift (Swansboro, 6-4) over Autumn Motes (North Henderson, 10-11) (Fall 2:26)

165 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Savannah Bramhall of Parkwood

2nd Place - Laura Thompson of Cleveland

3rd Place - Tatiana Encinas of West Henderson

4th Place - Franshesca Morales of North Henderson

1st Place Match

Savannah Bramhall (Parkwood, 25-0) over Laura Thompson (Cleveland, 7-2) (Fall 4:25)

3rd Place Match

Tatiana Encinas (West Henderson, 12-3) over Franshesca Morales (North Henderson, 11-11) (Fall 2:22)

185 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Ella Beam of Burns

2nd Place - Elaina Pollock of Laney

3rd Place - Cynthia Smith of Hickory Ridge

4th Place - Emma Warren of Enka

1st Place Match

Ella Beam (Burns, 10-9) over Elaina Pollock (Laney, 6-1) (Fall 4:53)

3rd Place Match

Cynthia Smith (Hickory Ridge, 15-7) over Emma Warren (Enka, 6-4) (Fall 2:01)

235 Lbs. Division

Medalists

1st Place - Khalila Corry of Mallard Creek

2nd Place - Jocelyn Paredes of West Wilkes

3rd Place - Saige Cook of Burns

4th Place - Natalie Douglas of Lake Norman

1st Place Match

Khalila Corry (Mallard Creek, 19-1) over Jocelyn Paredes (West Wilkes, 5-8) (Dec 3-0)

3rd Place Match

Saige Cook (Burns, 8-5) over Natalie Douglas (Lake Norman, 18-7) (TB-1 7-5)