By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Junior wrestler Jace Rich of Southern Alamance became a three-time Central 3-A Conference champion.
Two boys and three girls from Alamance County schools won conference tournament titles Saturday at Williams.
Rich rang up a 21-3 lead for a technical fall in 4:21 against Eastern Alamance’s Carson Gardner in the 157-pound final. Rich earlier had a bye and first-period pin in the semifinals.
“It feels good to win locally,” Rich said. “I’m getting in shape.”
Western Alamance’s Omar Rushing defeated Roxboro Person’s Julian Combs 9-3 in the 126 final. Rushing notched first-period pin in the semifinal after a bye.
Among the runners-up were Southern heavyweight Luke White. Reigning Class 3-A state champion Trevquan Gary of Roxboro Person pinned White in 1:43. White reached the final with a pair of second-period pins.
Western’s Gavin Smith was second at 132, falling in 1:22 to Roxboro Person’s Rodney Lyons in the title bout. Esaiah Slade of Western was the 215 runner-up after Orange’s Jayden Medley notched a pin in 4:56. Slade trailed only 4-3 until the final second of the second period.
Williams had runners-up in three consecutive weight classes. Angler Laxson lost in 1:05 to Roxboro Person’s Easton McLain at 165; Gavin McMahan dropped an 8-5 decision to Orange’s Connor Harward at 175; and Sawyer Marshall was dealt a 17-8 loss to Orange’s Jordan Barbee at 190.
McMahan rallied from an 8-1 deficit before his bid stalled. Trailing 10-2 in the third period, Marshall’s reversal and back points gave him a chance.
Eastern Alamance had Erik Sanchez-Ovilla as the 106 runner-up, losing by first-period pin to Roxboro Person’s Ian Speight. Eastern’s Elijah Watson lost in the 120 final via a pin by Pierce Prescod in 3:36.
Roxboro Person was the team champion, followed by Orange, Cedar Ridge, Western, Southern, Eastern and Williams.
- There was a separate girls’ division as part of the tournament for the first time.
Western’s Toriana Murphy won at 126, improving her record to 21-2 with dramatics in a final that was scoreless through regulation.
Murphy used one move for a takedown of Orange’s Ava Lytle in a 7-0 overtime victory.
“I about was in danger,” Murphy said. “Just winning that match (was the highlight).”
Gabby Canup, a Southern junior, won at 152 pounds. She said she transferred after attending Clover Garden since kindergarten because she wanted to compete in wrestling.
Canup defeated Western’s Leanna Baez with a pin in 2:18 in the lone match in the division.
“(It was great) just being here for the team and winning the match,” Canup said.
Jazmine Smith of Eastern Alamance won the 235 division with first-period pins of Orange’s Rose Brady and Cedar Ridge’s Caroline DonJuan.
Williams teammates Brooklynn Potter (132) and Yenica Arizaga (185) were runners-up.
Cedar Ridge was the girls’ team champion. Because of a limited number of entrants, there were brackets for just eight girls’ weight classes.
Mid-Carolina Conference
Saturday at Siler City, the Southeast Alamance girls’ team won the conference team championship with five individual titlists.
Southeast posted 109 points, with Cummings in second with 57 among nine teams.
Champions for Southeast were Rutha Say (107 pounds), who pinned Chatham Central’s Aspen Phillips in 35 seconds of the title bout; Layorah Jamison (126), who won with a pin in 2:42 against Seaforth’s Sarah Tanner in the only matchup in the weight class; Katie Lloyd (138), a 2:37 pin winner against Seaforth’s Caroline Cook; and Janiyah Quidachay (165), who notched a 52-second pinning of Jordan-Matthews’ Ruth Interiano in the only match in the division.
Southeast’s Samari Acevedo (145) and Cummings’ Zilazsha Johnson (235) were the only entrants in their weight classes.
Cummings’ Laniya Johnson won the 132 title with a pin of Northwood’s Marelyn Martinez in 3:34.
- In the boys’ division, Southeast placed second behind state power Seaforth.
Ajani Mungroo of Southeast won the 126 title, pinning Chatham Central’s Aiden Hernandez in 3:02 of the final.
Southeast’s Judah Robinson was the 113 runner-up and teammates Winston Hazeley (175) and Maleek Booker (190) were also second.
