The 2023 Dual Team Wrestling State Championships wrapped up with four teams crowned State Champions. Seven of the eight teams competing in this year’s State Championships were returning regional champions. Only Newton-Conover, the 2A Western Champions, did not appear in the 2022 edition of the event.

The 2A Championship was a much tighter affair than last year’s match, as Bunn kept things close against Newton-Conover. However, Newton grapplers overpowered the Wildcats in the mid-weights stretching out their lead and sealing a 51-18 victory. The win was the Red Devils’ fourth Dual Team State Championship and their first since winning the title in 2016. Caiden Rowe was selected as the Most Valuable Performer from Newton-Conover, winning his match in the 160-pound division over Kevin Silverio by fall at 1:09.

Fred T. Foard rolled past Union Pines for the second consecutive year, winning the 3A Dual Team Championship and the Tigers’ third consecutive Dual Team title. The Tigers dominated the match, winning eight of the 14 bouts by fall. Colby Mace was selected as the 3A Most Valuable Performer by Foard after battling back from injury to participate this season.

The NCHSAA is committed to promoting and highlighting outstanding sportsmanship at its events. The Association has partnered with NC Farm Bureau Insurance to award two sportsmanship awards at each of the NCHSAA’s sanctioned championships. The NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Award winners for the 1A Duals were Caden Bond from Uwharrie Charter and Brandon Cabrera from Avery County. In 2A, the Sporsmanship Awards were presented to Nelson Aguilar from Bunn and Mike Xiong from Newton-Conover. The 3A Duals Sportsmanship Award winners were Dustin Maness from Union Pines and Sam Bolch from Fred T. Foard. The 4A Sportsmanship Awards were given to Mason Blue from Laney and Eli Pendergrass from Northwest Guilford.

 

2023 NCHSAA 2A Dual Team Wrestling State Championship Match

Newton-Conover (48-1) def. Bunn (27-2) 51-18

285 lbs. – Dyllin Ellis (Bunn) over Mason Abbrnethy (Newton-Conover) by decision (Dec 1-0) (Bunn leads 3-0)

106 lbs. – Alex Monks (Bunn) over Christian Garcia (Newton-Conover) in sudden victory period (SV-1 8-6) (Bunn leads 6-0)

113 lbs. – Cohen Smith (Newton-Conover) over Brooke Morrow (Bunn) by fall (Fall 0:30) (Tied 6-6)

120 lbs. – Isaiah Pittman (Newton-Conover) over Spencer Stallman (Bunn) by fall (Fall 0:44) (N-C leads 12-6

126 lbs. – Phoenix Michaud (Newton-Conover) over “Chino” Catalan-Escamilla (Bunn) in sudden victory period (SV-1 10-8) (N-C leads 15-6)

132 lbs. – Austin Chastain (Bunn) over Cooper Murray (Newton-Conover) by fall (Fall 3:43) (N-C leads 15-12)

138 lbs. – Connor Shumate (Newton-Conover) over George Hanna (Bunn) by fall (Fall 3:08) (N-C leads 21-12)

145 lbs. – Jayden Alston (Bunn) over Landon Williams (Newton-Conover) by fall (Fall 0:58) (N-C leads 21-18)

152 lbs. – Jason Brawley (Newton-Conover) over John Fuentes (Bunn) by fall (Fall 1:06) (N-C leads 27-18)

160 lbs. – Caiden Rowe (Newton-Conover) over Kevin Silverio (Bunn) by fall (Fall 1:09) (N-C leads 33-18)

170 lbs. – Jordan Henze (Newton-Conover) over Damarion Watkins (Bunn) by decision (Dec 9-8) (N-C leads 36-18)

182 lbs. – Matthew Race (Newton-Conover) over Dominic McDowell (Bunn) by fall (Fall 4:19) (N-C leads 42-18

195 lbs. – Owen Clark (Newton-Conover) over Cody Anderson (Bunn) by fall (Fall 1:38) (N-C leads 48-18)

220 lbs – Joseph Lioret-Tutty (Newton-Conover) over Howard Edwards (Bunn) by decision (Dec. 7-3) (N-C leads 51-18)

 

2023 NCHSAA 3A Dual Team Wrestling State Championship Match

Fred T. Foard (38-1) def. Union Pines (27-2) 54-24

285 lbs. – Sam Bolch (Fred T. Foard) over Sincere Bonner (Union Pines) by fall (Fall 1:38) (FTF leads 6-0)

106 lbs. – George Coleman (Fred T. Foard) over Nathan Maness (Union Pines) by fall (Fall 1:58) (FTF leads 12-0)

113 lbs. – Keaton Crawford (Union Pines) over Austin Laws (Fred T. Foard) by decision (Dec 8-6) (FTF leads 12-3)

120 lbs. – Jayden Crawford (Union Pines) over Toby Bowman (Fred T. Foard) by fall (Fall 3:11) (FTF leads 12-9)

126 lbs. – Parker Johns (Fred T. Foard) over Joseph Lloyd (Union Pines) by fall (Fall 3:06) (FTF leads 18-9)

132 lbs. – Brayden Johns (Fred T. Foard) over JT Erle (Union Pines) by fall (Fall 5:20) (FTF leads 24-9)

138 lbs. – Kevin Romero (Fred T. Foard) over Finnius McCafferty (Union Pines) by injury default (Inj. 1:06) (FTF leads 30-9)

145 lbs. – Brock Carey (Fred T. Foard) over Joseph Vrabcak (Union Pines) by fall (Fall 1:20) (FTF leads 36-9)

152 lbs. – Brayden Mejia (Fred T. Foard) over Houston Leeah (Union Pines) by fall (Fall 3:07) (FTF (FTF leads 42-9)

160 lbs. – Brock Sullivan (Union Pines) over Jon Byrd (Fred T. Foard) by fall (Fall 2:28) (FTF leads 42-15)

170 lbs. – Zane Birtchet (Fred T. Foard) over Dustin Maness (Union Pines) by fall (Fall 0:54) (FTF leads 48-15)

182 lbs. – Nicholas Mascolino (Union Pines) over Sam Drum (Fred T. Foard) by fall (Fall 2:44) (FTF leads 48-21)

195 lbs. – Dylan Smith (Fred T. Foard) over Dantrell Williams (Union Pines) by fall (Fall 1:48) (FTF leads 54-21)

220 lbs. – Colton Collins (Union Pines) over Colby Mace (Fred T. Foard) by decision (Dec 6-4) (FTF leads 54-24)