Hough downs Millbrook, captures 8A dual meet state wrestling title

Hough High captured its second N.C. High School Athletic Association dual meet wrestling state championship Tuesday night, taking the Class 8A title with a pair of victories.

The Huskies capped a 31-5 season by edging host Northwest Guilford 32-29 in the West Regional final to open the evening. The Huskies then downed East Regional champ Millbrook 45-20 in the finals.

The Jan. 31 snowstorm altered the NCHSAA’s dual meet playoffs and resulted in regional and state championships being decided on the same night at a school site.

Millbrook reached the 8A championship match by downing top-seeded Laney 55-24 in the East Regional final earlier Tuesday evening.

It was the second dual meet state crown for Huskies’ coach Tripp Rogers, whose team also won in 2020, in a tournament that was completed a few weeks before the COVID-19 epidemic shut down sports.

Tuesday’s opening match, against Northwest Guilford, turned out to be the tough one.

The Huskies trailed 8-6 after the third match but went ahead to stay 9-8 when 106-pounder Michael Santoro scored a 7-4 decision over Northwest Guilford’s Landon Weir. Hough extended the lead to 15-8 when Brandon Lefler (113 pounds) won by pin and then went up 21-8 after 120-pounder Adrian Feliciano won by pin.

But Northwest Guilford kept it close, and the Vikings trailed only 25-20 after the 10th of 14 matches.

That’s when Hough standout Tyton Kostoff scored a 9-3 victory in his 150-pound match. Northwest Guilford took the 157-pound match and cut Hough’s lead to 28-23.

But the Huskies clinched a spot in the final when 165-pounder Amir Mingo scored a 13-2 victory.

Hough got off to a rough start in the championship, as Millbrook won the opening match (215 pounds) and then got a victory by pin in the 285-pound bout. Jacob Bowen beat Hough’s Nathan Mitchell in that 285-pound contest.

That put the Wildcats ahead 9-0.

But Rogers’ team coolly battled back.

Santoro (106) and Leffler (113) each won by pin, putting Hough up 12-9. Feliciano added another pin at 120 pounds for an 18-9 lead.

The Huskies clinched the state title in the 10th of 14 matches. Vincent Grack edged Millbrook’s Campbell Tufts 7-6 in the 157-pound contest, putting Hough ahead 36-17.

Other Charlotte-area wrestling teams fall

Five other Charlotte-area teams competed Tuesday night and came up short.

West Lincoln downed Lincolnton and then Mount Airy for the 3A West championship but lost to Trinity in the state finals.

In the Class 7A Western regional semifinals, Hickory Ridge fell 60-17 to Davie County, and A.L. Brown edged Mooresville 42-35. Davie County then ousted A.L. Brown 53-30 in the West Regional finals. Davie County went on to beat New Bern for the 7A title.

Class 6A Piedmont lost to eventual state runner-up St. Stephens in the West Regional semifinals.

State finals results

CLASS 8A

(at Northwest Guilford)

Regional finals: Hough def. Northwest Guilford 32-29; Millbrook def. Laney 55-24

Championship: Hough def. Millbrook 45-20

CLASS 7A

(at Athens Drive)

Regional semifinals: Davie County def. Hickory Ridge 60-17; A.L. Brown def. Mooresville 42-35; New Bern def. Topsail 76-3; Cardinal Gibbons def. Lumberton 36-35.

Regional finals: Davie County def. A.L. Brown 53-30; New Bern def. Cardinal Gibbons 39-31

Championship: Davie County def. New Bern 40-30.

CLASS 6A

(at Union Pines)

Regional semifinals: St. Stephens def. Piedmont; Eastern Guilford def. Dudley; Union Pines def. Middle Creek; White Oak def. Jacksonville

Regional finals: St. Stephens def. Eastern Guilford 39-25; Union Pines def. White Oak 56-14.

Championship: Union Pines def. St. Stephens 37-21.

CLASS 5A

(at Cedar Ridge)

Regional semifinals: West Rowan def. East Rowan 46-36; Enka def. North Henderson 39-32; Croatan def. Montgomery Central 39-38; Person def. Cedar Ridge 35-32.

Regional finals: West Rowan def. Enka 38-34; Croatan def. Person 38-32.

Championship: West Rowan def. Croatan 38-30.

CLASS 4A

(at Uwharrie Charter)

Regional semifinals: Pisgah def. Bandys 54-30; R-S Central def. Maiden 42-31; Uwharrie Charter def. North Pitt 75-6; Central Davidson def. Morehead 44-36.

Regional finals: Pisgah def. R-S Central 44-29; Uwharrie Charter def. Central Davidson 51-22.

Championship: Uwharrie Charter def. Pisgah 44-28.

CLASS 3A

(at Wheatmore)

Regional semifinals: West Lincoln def. Lincolnton 33-32; Mount Airy def. Polk County 42-28; Trinity def. Ayden-Grifton 71-6; Wheatmore def. Eastern Randolph 42-36.

Regional finals: West Lincoln def. Mount Airy 39-36; Trinity def. Wheatmore 56-21.

Championship: Trinity def. West Lincoln 42-33.

CLASS 2A

(at East Wilkes)

Regional semifinals: East Wilkes def. Hayesville 70-12; Alleghany def. Mitchell 41-27; Rosewood def. American Leadership/Johnston 41-32; South Stanly def. Bradford Prep 49-28.

Regional finals: East Wilkes def. Alleghany 45-29; Rosewood def. South Stanly 36-30.

Championship: Rosewood def. East Wilkes 56-15.

CLASS 1A

(at South Davidson)

Regional finals: Robbinsville def. Thomas Jefferson Academy 65-10; South Davidson def. North East Carolina Prep 42-38.

Championship: Robbinsville def. South Davidson 58-24.

This story was originally published February 18, 2026 at 6:30 AM.