By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Eastern Alamance’s Alfonzo Gonzalez-Turner and Southeast Alamance’s Maleek Booker and Troy Crain had first-time accomplishments in the Eagle Invitational wrestling tournament.
For Eastern’s Elijah Watson, it was more of the same.
That quartet comprised a share of the individual champions in the 37th edition of the tournament Saturday at Mebane Arts & Community Center.
Watson, the 126-pound champion and representing the host school, repeated as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Gonzalez-Turner, the heavyweight titlist, along with Crain at 150 pounds and Booker at 215 pounds, were first-time champions in a varsity tournament. Twelve schools were entered.
Watson, a senior, decked Southeast’s Ajani Mungroo in 1:49 of the final after two earlier pins. He improved his record to 15-1, though he found other satisfaction.
“Seeing some of my closer friends getting medals,” Watson said. “And seeing some of my older teammates from last year who came out here.”
Crain, a senior, defeated Orange’s Kolton Swinehart 12-9 in the final after securing a major decision and a 45-second pin.
Booker stuck Randleman’s Hunter Hall in 3:13 to capture the championship. That was Booker’s fourth pin of the day.
“It’s a big step,” Booker said of winning a tournament. “A big improvement from last year.”
Gonzalez-Turner, a sophomore, flattened Southeast’s Hunter Friskney in 2:07 of the title bout.
“It felt personal,” Gonzalez-Turner said. “I decided I wanted to push and put everything on the line this tournament.”
Gonzalez-Turner, also an offensive lineman for Eastern’s football team, weighed in at 234 pounds for the division that allows up to 285. He won the tournament the day before his 16th birthday.
Southeast was the team runner-up with 162½ points to Orange’s 176. Northwest Guilford was third with 131.
“Some things didn’t fall our way,” Southeast coach Grant Gibson said. “But there were a lot of good things.”
Southeast’s Judah Robinson (113) fell by third-period pin to Randleman’s Alex Raymundo in a matchup of 2025 state tournament qualifiers. They split matches last season.
“Raymundo was coming for him,” Gibson said.
Southeast’s Trey Trollinger (138) and Eastern’s Christopher Schild (190) placed second.
Among third-place finishers were Southeast’s Zane Thompson (106), Eastern’s Jayden Batten (120) and Cummings’ Zyyihr Wiley (215) and Brandon Rodriguez (285).
Bartlett Yancey’s Yurem Torres took first place at 132.
For the girls, Southeast claimed the team title. Gibson said the 13-member team has strong depth.
Kaleigh Poteat (100), Briley Killingsworth (138), Samari Acevedo (145), and Janiyah Quidachay (165) were champions for the Stallions. Katie Lloyd (132) was a runner-up.
