Prep wrestling rewind: Metrolina Christian wins NCISAA state title; Hough takes regionals
Metrolina Christian edged Charlotte Latin by the tiniest of margins Saturday, winning the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship.
The title was decided in the final minute of the final match of the season.
Metrolina Christian’s Gavin Ulrich rallied in the third period, beating Charlotte Latin’s Spear Gorelick 9-5 for the 140-pound title. Entering that final match, the Hawks held a one-point lead over Metrolina.
But Ulrich’s victory gave Metrolina Christian a 265.5-264.5 edge over the Hawks, who won last year’s NCISAA state championship.
Gorelick had taken a 3-0 lead after the first period and was up 5-3 after two periods. But Ulrich scored points on a reversal and a near-pin in the final period, rallying for the 9-5 triumph.
Metrolina Christian and Charlotte Latin dominated the meet, with the Warriors winning five weight classes and Latin taking four.
Three Metrolina wrestlers — Graham Furtick (159), Jaxon Williams (177) and Jason Hubbard (217) — won by pin. The Warriors’ other state champions were Ngus Ward (152) and Ulrich.
Charlotte Latin did well in the lower weights, as Dino Lambos (108), Liam McConaughy (115) and Davis Jones (128) won championships, along with 287-pounder Banks Cutter.
Other Charlotte-area champs were Aidan Schirra of Providence Day (122), Nicholas Arrado of Charlotte Country Day (146) and Jackson Laws (192) of Cannon School.
Team scores from the NCISAA state championship (top 10): Metrolina Christian 265.5; Charlotte Latin 264.5; Providence Day 148; Charlotte Christian 140; High Point Wesleyan 132; Charlotte Country Day 113; Cannon School 99; Rabun Gap School 89; Ravenscroft School 86.5; Iron Academy 69.5.
Championship results:
108 pounds: Dino Lambos (Charlotte Latin) def. Carson Castor (North Raleigh Christian) 17-5; 115 pounds: Liam McConaughy (Charlotte Latin) pinned Christian Grzelak (Metrolina Christian) 0:59; 122 pounds: Aidan Schirra (Providence Day) pinned Trey Paige (Charlotte Latin) 5:42.
128 pounds: Davis Jones (Charlotte Latin) pinned Harrison Landon (Charlotte Christian) 1:03; 134 pounds: Joshua Stonebraker (Cary Christian) pinned Jason DeLeon (Charlotte Christian) 2:52; 140 pounds: Gavin Ulrich (Metrolina Christian) def. Spear Gorelick (Charlotte Latin) 9-5.
146 pounds: Nicholas Arado (Charlotte Country Day) def. Mikey Leaf (Ravenscroft) 10-1; 152 pounds: Ngus Ward (Metrolina Christian) def. John Zarbatany (Providence Day) 9-7; 159 pounds: Graham Furtick (Metrolina Christian) pinned Levi Jackson (Iron Academy) 4:32.
167 pounds: Carson Owens (Iron Academy) def. Brock Alexander (Metrolina Christian) 7-3; 177 pounds: Jaxon Williams (Metrolina Christian) pinned Robert Cheek (High Point Wesleyan) 2:29; 192 pounds: Jackson Laws (Cannon School) def. Jackson Hedrick (Metrolina Christian) 8-5,
217 pounds: Jason Hubbard (Metrolina Christian) pinned Bobby Wakefield (Charlotte Country Day) 2:37; 287 pounds: Banks Cutter (Charlotte Latin) def. Preston Broadway (Metrolina Christian) 20-4.
Hough dominates 4A West
Hough won five of the 14 weight classes and qualified 10 wrestlers for next week’s 4A state meet, dominating the 4A West Regional on Saturday at Olympic High.
The Huskies outdistanced the competition, totaling 231.5 points. South Iredell edged Providence for second place, 107.5 to 102.
Hough’s champions were Cody Bui (126 pounds), Tyton Kostoff (132), Jackson Rowling (150), Kyser Kostoff (165) and Giancarlo Evans (190). Kyser Kostoff won via a pin.
A number of teams — Charlotte Catholic, East Mecklenburg, Lake Norman, Myers Park, Providence, South Caldwell and South Iredell — qualified four wrestlers for the state meet, set for Friday and Saturday at the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro.
Results from the meet:
Team scores (with state qualifiers in parentheses): Hough 231.5 (10); South Iredell 107.5 (4); Providence 102 (4); Lake Norman 94 (4); South Caldwell 93 (4); Mooresville 90.5 (3); East Mecklenburg 88.5 (4); Myers Park 83 (4); Watauga 80.5 (3); McDowell 77.1 (2).
Other area teams with state qualifiers: Mallard Creek (3); Charlotte Catholic (2); Olympic (2); South Mecklenburg (2); Berry Academy (1); Marvin Ridge (1); Palisades (1)
Weight class finals
106 pounds: Ryder Menard (Lake Norman) def. Adrian Feliciano (Hough) 18-6; 113 pounds: Dru Kerley (South Iredell) pinned Cooper Malhon (Lake Norman) 3:11; 120 pounds: Jace Barrier (Mooresville) pinned Anirudh Badhi (Marvin Ridge) 4:59.
126 pounds: Cody Bui (Hough) def. Lawson Bean (Olympic) 10-3; 132 pounds: Tyton Kostoff (Hough) def. Kaleb Martin (South Caldwell) 10-5; 138 pounds: Austin Green (Mooresville) def. Marcello Scadaferri (South Mecklenburg) 15-0.
144 pounds: Job Brown (T.C. Roberson) def. Mason Hollar (South Caldwell) 11-8; 150 pounds: Jackson Rowling (Hough) def. Cole Kenerley (East Mecklenburg) 19-3; 157 pounds: Santiago Ruiz Diaz (Providence) pinned Jordan Guinn (Olympic) 3:33.
165 pounds: Kyser Kostoff (Hough) pinned Corey Pettigrew (Palisades) 3:11; 175 pounds: Colton Bogan (Providence) def. James Bailey (East Mecklenburg) 13-9; 190 pounds: Giancarlo Evans (Hough) def. Carson Smith (Watauga) 11-1.
215 pounds: Hayden Haynes (McDowell) pinned Keyshon Morrison (Lake Norman) 4:25; 285 pounds: Dom Basrawala (Charlotte Catholic) def. Yaman Shehadeh (Providence) 18-3.
This story was originally published February 15, 2025 at 6:04 PM.
