Hickory Ridge edges Hough, will wrestle for 4A state title Saturday
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Hickory Ridge won the rematch Wednesday night, and now the Ragin’ Bullls will wrestle for a state championship Saturday.
Hickory Ridge scored a clinching victory in the next-to-last match and beat host Hough 34-32 in the Class 4A West Regional dual meet playoff finals.
The Ragin’ Bulls (25-2) will face Cardinal Gibbons (16-3), the East champion, for the state crown at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Hickory Ridge defeated Cardinal Gibbons in a match last month.
The other championships Saturday will pit Pisgah against Union Pines in 3A; R-S Central against Seaforth in 2A; and Mount Airy against Uwharrie Charter in 1A.
Hickory Ridge was the second seed in the West behind Hough, as the Ragin’ Bulls had lost 42-28 to the Huskies in a dual meet on Jan. 4.
But in Wednesday’s rematch, Hickory Ridge got pins from Brady Donovan (113 pounds) and Damien Couture (285) and led Hough 31-26 with two matches left. In the next-to-last match, Hickory Ridge’s Asher Watson decisioned Abe Frederick 12-6. That clinched the meet — and the trip to Greensboro.
Hough’s Tyton Kostoff (132) and Kyser Kostoff (165) won by pin.
In the quarterfinals Wednesday, Hickory Ridge downed Northwest Guilford 38-31, clinching victory with four matches left. Jacob Dusche (120) won by pin, giving the Ragin’ Bulls a 38-7 lead, and their forfeited the remaining matches.
Hough had advanced with a 34-30 victory over Davie County. Kyser Kostoff (165), Joey Ricci (175) and Giancarlo Evans (215) won by pin, and 138-pounder Auggie Rahaim clinched the victory with a decision triumph.
Hickory Ridge faced Cardinal Gibbons on Jan. 4, in the Husky Duals at Hough, and won 45-26.
Two other area teams, Piedmont (3A) and Bradford Prep (1A), lost in Wednesday’s state playoffs
Piedmont (27-5) beat St. Stephens 40-33 in the quarterfinals but fell 32-27 to Pisgah in the semifinals. The Panthers led Pisgah 27-21 but lost the final three matches. In the St. Stephens match, Piedmont’s Lucas Belk (113) clinched victory with a first-period pin.
Bradford Prep (19-4) lost 52-10 to Mount Airy in the 1A quarterfinals.
CLASS 4A
Wednesday’s results
West
Hough 34, Davie County 30
Hickory Ridge 38, Northwest Guilford 31
Hickory Ridge 34, Hough 32
EAST
Cardinal Gibbons 35, Lumberton 29
Laney 35, Hoke County 33
Cardinal Gibbons 44, Laney 30
Saturday’s state championship
Hickory Ridge (25-2) vs. Cardinal Gibbons (16-3), 3 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Wednesday results
WEST
Pisgah 45, West Rowan 21
Piedmont 40, St. Stephens 33
Pisgah 32, Piedmont 27
EAST
Union Pines 56, Croatan 18
Jacksonville 38, Person 30
Union Pines 67, Jacksonville 11
Saturday’s state championship
Pisgah (40-0) vs. Union Pines (34-2), noon
CLASS 2A
Wednesday’s results
West
Trinity 44, Morehead 25
R-S Central 36, Newton-Conover 31
R-S Central 38, Trinity 33
EAST
Seaforth 63, Southeast Alamance 15
Ayden-Grifton 38, Bunn 35
Seaforth 55, Ayden-Grifton 24
Saturday’s state championship
R-S Central (37-1) vs. Seaforth (20-2), 3 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Wednesday’s results
WEST
Mount Airy 52, Bradford Prep 10
Robbinsville 47, Polk County 36
Mount Airy 38, Robbinsville 27
EAST
Uwharrie Charter 52, South Davidson 24
North East Carolina Prep def. Rosewood, forfeit
Uwharrie Charter 54, North East Carolina Prep 24
Saturday’s state championship
Mount Airy (25-0) vs. Uwharrie Charter (38-1), noon
This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM.
