For the second straight year, Payton Wilson will go for a state championship at 22o pounds. He’ll have company.

Josiah Ramirez will wrestle for the 170 pound state championship at the Greensboro Coliseum. Both Orange High wrestlers won their matches on Saturday in the 3A state championships.

Wilson scored two more pins to improve to 45-0 on Friday to advance to the state championship match. He defeated Ravon Kirkland of Anson County in the quarterfinals in 2:58. In the semifinals, Wilson scored another pin, beating Eastern Regional Champion Jason McDonald of West Craven in 2:23. Wilson now has 27 pins this season.

On Saturday evening at 5, Wilson faces Dan Louba of Hickory Ridge for the state title. Louba, who won the Midwest Regional Championship last weekend, pinned Chapel Hill’s Joseph Cannon in 4:37 to advance to the championship match.

In 2016, Wilson lost to Latham Bumgarner of North Gaston 10-4 in the state championship match.

Wilson’s state championship match may determine which team takes the individual championship. Orange goes into the final day of the state tournament with 74.5 points. Hickory Ridge is in 2nd with 69.5. North Henderson is 3rd with 56.

At 170 pounds, Ramirez edged Jacary Bethel of West Brunswick in the semfinals 3-2. In the quarterfinals, Ramirez knocked off Jonathan Hilton of North Lincoln 4-2. Ramirez, a junior, is now 53-4. He will face Midwest Regional Champion J.C. Ciaramella of Marvin Ridge for the state championship. Ciaramella is 44-3 after pinning Austin Mosly of King’s Mountian in 4:00.

At 182, junior Braden Homsey defeated Joel Kanagay of Sun Valley 8-4 to advance to the semifinals. However, Tyrie Houguton of Weddington pinned Homsey in 5:20. Homsey will start competing in the consolation rounds on Saturday morning.

Several Panthers hold out hopes of placing in the top five in their respective weight classes. At 106, Mitchell Askew is still alive in the consolation round after beating North Henderson’s Kyle Randall 9-7. After advancing to the quarterfinals on Thursday, Askew lost to Southern Guilford’s Jalen White 11-1 on Friday morning.

At heavyweight, Havelock’s Destin Flloyd defeated Orange’s Daylan Alston 13-6. Alston bounced back in the consolation rounds to beat Concord’s Isaac Cochran 8-4.

Since dropping his opener at 145, Avery Jenkins has won two straight. He pinne Andrew Capul of Marvin Ridge in 2:00, edged Josh King of Northern Guilford 6-2.

The Southern Durham Spartans defeated Orange 87-75 to win the Big 8 Tournament Championship on Friday night. Orange was led by Connor Crabtree’s 44 points, but the Spartans got 27 points from Antonio Daye to end a 3-game losing streak to the Panthers.

No Title

The Spartans took the Big 8 Tournament Championship by beating Orange 87-75 on Friday night at Jim King Gymnasium. Orange will still be the #1 seed in the Mideast for the 3-A State Tournament.

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There was a bit of sadness on Wednesday when Orange wrestling held its final practice of the year inside the grappling training room. In Orange Coach Bobby Shriner’s perfect world, there would be more practices and less dual meets because then he gets a chance to teach.

However, the results on the opening day of the 3-A Indvidual State tournament in Greensboro brightened the Panthers spirits.

Along with Orange’s success, Cedar Ridge’s Devin Beck advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Dylan Porter of Gray’s Creek via pinfall in 2:52. Beck will face Southern Durham’s Matthew Darby in the quarterfinals at 182.

For starters, six Panthers captured their opening matches on day one of the 3-A State Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum. At 220, Payton Wilson maintained his undefeated season by scoring a technical fall over Tanner Klutely of Hunter Huss 20-5. Wilson, now 41-0 on the year, will face Raven Kirkland of Anson County on Friday.

Junior Heavyweight Daylan Alston advanced to the quarterfinals via injury default over James Boyd of Morganton Freedom in 1:03. Alston, now 38-8, faces undefeated Destin Flloyd of Havelock in the round of eight.

On the other end of the weight spectrum, Mitchell Askew scored Orange’s first pin of the day, finishing off David Jacob of Rocky Mount in 3:38. Southern Guilford’s Jalen White awaits Askew in the state quarterfinals. Askew, a junior, is now 41-10 on the season.

In his state championship debut, sophomore Levi Anderson notched a major decision over Ethan Workman of Central Cabarrus 12-4. Anderson, who won the 3A Mideast Regional Championship last weekend in Eden and is now 35-10, will wrestle Morgan King of North Henderson on Friday. King edged Linton Holmes of Wilson Fike 2-1 in the 1st round.

At 180, Regional runner-up Braden Homsey pinned John Kanipe of Fred T. Foard in 5:48. Next up for Homsey will be Joel Kangay of Sun Valley, who upset 3A Eastern Regional Champion Kendall Frazier of Havelock 4-2. Frazier went into the match 26-3.

Josiah Ramirez, coming off his own regional championship last weekend, started the state tournament strong by pinning Vyshaun Richardson of Southern Nash in 1:36. Ramirez improves to 49-6 and takes on Jonathan Hilton of North Lincoln in the quarterfinals.

Orange leads the 3-A team standings with 22.5 points, while North Henderson has 22.

The state championships will conclude on Saturday.

There was solace for Orange wrestling in Eden on Saturday, and not a moment too soon.

Seven days after coming two points short of winning the 3-A state dual championship in Monroe, the Panthers resoundingly won the 3-A Mideast Individual Tournament at Morehead Head School. Orange finished with 220.5 points, while Union Pines finished 2nd with 174.5. Cedar Ridge finished 11th with 55 points.

Overall, Orange had four wrestlers win regional championships and will send 11 grapplers to the 3-A state championship meet next weekend in Greensboro.

Perhaps most interesting (or most concerning, depending on your perspective) was the four wrestlers who captured regional titles were all underclassmen. Two of them will compete in their first state championships next weekend.

Junior Payton Wilson, currently ranked #1 in the state at 220 by Retroranking.com who finished runner-up in the state last season, continued his dominant form by scoring a 16-1 technical fall over Morehead’s Holden Bailey in the championship match. Wilson, who received scholarship offers from Clemson, Notre Dame, Auburn and Florida State last week, pinned both of his opponents in previous matches on Saturday to improve to 42-0 on the season.

It’s Wilson’s 2nd regional championship. He defeated Morehead’s Cameron Sanders 8-3 in 2016.

The most dramatic championship match on the afternoon came at 120, where sophomore Gavin Wiggins earned his first regional championship, holding off Dallis Simmons of Terry Sanford 5-4. Wiggins earned his spot in the final by beating Josh Yeshulas of Union Pines 9-7. Wiggins is now 44-9 this season. It will be his first state championship appearance.

Also earning his first regional championship was junior Josiah Ramirez. He defeated Terry Sanford’s Ferris Allen 7-1 for the championship. In the semifinals, he decisioned Morehead’s Kyler Whicker 10-5, his 50th win of the season.

Sophomore Levi Anderson won his first regional championship at 138, beating Morehead’s Logan Howell 15-7. Anderson had a thrilling semifinal match, scoring a takedown to defeat Northern Guilford senior Hunter Elliott  6-4 in overtime. Anderson’s record is 37-10.

At 106, Orange’s Mitchell Askew is headed to the state championship after finishing runner-up at the regionals. Askew reached the finals by beating Western Alamance’s Garrett Johsnon 10-8. Northern Guilford’s Heath Gonyer defeated Askew for the championship 9-5. Askew will enter Friday’s opening round at 42-16.

Junior Bailey Hawkins finished 2nd at 132 after pinning Chapel Hill’s Wesley Kelley at 5:59 in the semifinals to improve to 34-7. Jacob Toms of Morehead defeated Hawkins in the final 10-2. It will be Hawkins’ 2nd apperance in the state tournament after finishing 2nd at 120 in the 2016 Regionals.

At heavyweight, Daylen Alston advanced to the finals with a pin of Eastern Guilford’s Tyray Vanscoy in 2:55. George Blackstock of Morehead, who defeated Alston in the 2016 Dual Team Playoffs last year in a bout that determined the entire match, knocked off Alston 12-5. It will be Alston’s first state championship appearance.

Sophomore Avery Jenkins finished 4th at 145 to punch a ticket to Greensboro. Jenkins advanced to the consolation finals by pinning Kyle Webb of Morehead in 2:28.

Senior Charlie Fitzpatrick earned fourth place at 152 after pinning Douglas Byrd’s Warren McLeod in 1:45.

Two Hillsborough wrestlers advanced to Greensboro at 182. Orange’s Braden Homsey faced Cedar Ridge’s Demarcus Smith in the semifinals, a match that Homsey won 13-3. Northwood’s Hunter Queen pinned Homsey in 1:56 for the regional championship.

Smith finished fourth at 182. Smith ensured a spot in the states by defeating Southern Durham’s Ryan Jones 4-3.

The Red Wolves’ Colin Davis captured a spot in the state tournament by finishing third at 160. He decisioned Morehead’s Charles White 7-3 in the consolation semifinals. Davis is now 34-11.

At 195, Orange’s Jamar Davis finished 3rd by pinning Gray Creek’s Dylan Porter for the 2nd time in a week. Davis also pinned Porter during last week’s 3-A Eastern Regional Dual Team final at Gray’s Creek. Davis scored four pins in the regional tournament to improve to 46-10.

After coming one takedown short of its sixth state championship last weekend in Monroe, the Orange Wresting team is off to a strong start at the 3-A Mideast Regionals.

On day one of the regionals at Morehead High School in Eden, eleven Orange grapplers qualified for next weekend’s state championships at the Greensboro Coliseum.

In addition, three Cedar Ridge wrestlers all also headed to the state finals.

Cedar Ridge’s Demarcus Smith also punched his ticket to Greensboro after pinning Giovon Poirer of Lee County in 3:24. Smith will face Orange’s Braden Homsey on Saturday morning. Homsey outscored Chris Kelly of Union Pines 12-10 in Friday’s 2nd round. In the first round, he pinned Eastern Guilford’s Dylan Dains in :45.

At 160, Cedar Ridge’s Colin Davis is still in contention for a regional championship. Davis started the day with a pin of Northern Vance’s Josh Florentino in 3:07. He advanced to the semifnals with a 9-5 decision over Chapel Hill’s William Hess.

At 113, Darius McLeod pinned Chapel Hill’s Zin Maung in 4:24. He faces Rockingham County’s Noah Wilson on Saturday. McLeod improved to 20-12 on the season.

After day one, Orange leads the overall team standings with 74 points. Union Pines is 2nd with 61.5. Morehead has 50.5. Chapel Hill is in 5th with 35.5, while Cedar Ridge is tenth with 26.

Orange’s Payton Wilson, ranked #1 in the state at 220, improved to 37-0 by pinning Dan Freeman of Northern Guilford in :52 He faces Big 8 rival Joseph Cannon of Chapel Hill in Saturday’s semifinal.

At heavyweight, Daylan Alston pinned Union Pines’ Jessie McLean in :57. Alston is now 37-6 with 22 pins this season.

Coming off a thrilling 3-2 victory last Saturday over Piedmont’s Mathis Strickland, Josiah Ramirez scored two pins on Friday. For the second time in eight days, he pinned Gray Creek’s Leo Walsh, this time in :27. In th second round, he pinned Eastern Guilford’s Justin Spruill in 4:56. Ramirez takes on Morehead’s Kyler Whicker (36-6) on Saturday morning. Ramirez is now 47-4 with 28 pins, tied with Charlie Fitzpatrick for the team lead.

Speaking of Fitzpatrick, he’s in the semifinals at 152 after pinning Jordan Isenour of Morehead in 4:21.

At 120, sophomore Gavin Wiggins scored an 11-3 major decision over Northern Guilford’s Max Benfield 11-3. Wiggins, now 40-9, faces Union Pines Josh Yeshulas.

A week after scoring his 100th victory, junior Bailey Hawkins shutout Northwood’s Carter Stallings 13-0. Awaiting Hawkins in the semifinals is Chapel Hill’s Wesley Kelley.

Sophomore Levi Anderson is going to his first state tournament at 138 pounds. He opened Friday by pinning Sabeon Campbell of Douglas Byrd in 2:22. Anderson advanced to the semifinals with a 18-9 major decision against Eastern Alamance’s Andrew Dawson.

The fastest pin of the day by a Panther belonged to Avery Jenkins at 145, who finished off Cedar Ridge’s Ruffin Wyrick in :17. Jenkins, a sophomore, moved on to the semifinals with a 10-1 major decision over senior Carson Amy of Northwood.

At 106, Mitchell Askew improved to 39-8 by pinning Steven Gaus of Western Alamance in 1:57. It was Askew’s 20th pin of the season. He faces Garrett Johnson of Western Alamance on Saturday morning.

After a stunning victory last weekend in the state dual championship match, Jamar Davis continued a strong sophomore season with two pins on Friday. He defeated McMichael’s Khalil Ngom in 2:40, then pinned Western Alamance’s Trevon Hart in 3:37. Davis improved to 42-8 with 26 pins.

If Orange holds on to the overall team lead, it will be its fifth victory in a individual tournament this season. They already have captured championships in the Jim King Invitational, Southwest Guilford Invitational, Eastern Alamance Invitational and Roselle Park Tournament in New Jersey.

Thanks in part to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association expanding the state basketball playoffs to 64 teams in each classification, the term “bubble teams” is now coined freely in prep basketball.

HighSchoolOT.com editors now work well into the early morning hours to determine the “last four in” and “first four out,” just as Joe Lunardi does. Only for a much bigger paycheck on a network with far less integrity.

The Cedar Ridge boys squad is a bubble team which helped its cause on Friday night by beating Roxboro Community 51-48 in Person County. In among his final games in a Red Wolves uniform, center Colby Cashaw was the most steady player on the floor.

Cashaw finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds as Cedar Ridge improved to 9-15. Coincidentally, that was also Cashaw’s stat line in Thursday 66-55 loss at Burlington Cummings.

“He finished his regular season career on a good note,” said Cedar Ridge Coach Clay Jo

With the NCHSAA allowing teams to subtract four nonconference losses because of Hurricane Matthew (which caused teams in eastern North Carolina to push football season one week back, leading to basketball teams playing shorthanded to open the season because the football playoffs ran long), Cedar Ridge has a 9-11 record. Projections by HighSchoolOT.com currently have the Red Wolves as among the last four out of the state playoffs, along with Concord, North Gaston and St. Stephens (all of whom have 9-11 records).

For Cedar Ridge, that makes Monday’s Big 8 Quarterfinal matchup against Northern Vance of paramount importance.

Unfortunately, Red Wolves coach Clay Jones had had to work hard just to put a complete team on the floor. Freshman B.J. Freeman missed Friday’s game because of a disciplinary measure. Freshman Mekai Collins missed Thursday’s game against Cummings, but he made up for it by hitting possibly the biggest shot of the game on Friday.

Moments after Roxboro’s Dylan Jones put the Bulldogs ahead 45-42 with a  three-pointer, Collins tied the game with his own trey with 3:37 remaining. Cashaw drained two free throws to give Cedar Ridge the lead for good 47-45. After Khalil Hill drained a jumper to extend CRHS’ lead to 49-45, Collins sank two free throws with :19 remaining. Roxboro’s last-ditch three-pointer from C.J. Rios was an airball as time expired.

Collins finished with eleven points, seven steals and three assists.

“He’s similar to the give-and-take relationships I’ve had with other players before,” said Jones. “He makes you want to pull your hair out sometimes, but he’s a gamer.”

Dylan Jones was the only Roxboro player in double figures with 14 points.

Coach Clay Jones earned a victory in his return to his hometown. Jones grew up in Roxboro and played basketball at nearby Person High School.

“I had a lot of family, friends and classmates in the house tonight,” said Jones. “I’ve known (Roxboro Community Coach Justin) Bettendorf for a long time. We’re very good friends. He’s done a really good job with those guys.”

The winner of Northern Vance-Cedar Ridge on Monday night advances to face Orange in the Big 8 Conference semifinals on Wednesday night in Hillsborugh.

CEDAR RIDGE 51, ROXBORO COMMUNITY 48

CEDAR RIDGE–Dmonte Kinney 2, Khalil Barnett 7, Terrence Crawford 7, Khalil Hill 4, Colby Cashaw 18, Mekai Collins 11, John Vaughn 2.

ROXBORO COMMUNITY–Tajarrell Wright-Young 8, Te’Shon Clayton 7, Dylan Jones 14, Spencer Blalock 8, J.R. Paylor 4,

Most years, high school basketball nerds sit around on the final night of the regular season trying to figure out tiebreakers, wait for Maxpreps to update scores from around the state, and wonder if coaches will ever return text messages in order to get that darned final score from Oxford that will determine 4th place from 5th in the Big 8 Conference.

This year, the nerds slept easy.

By the end of Tuesday night, the field for the Big 8 Boys and Girls Basketball Tournament had already been set.

In both the boys and girls ranks, Orange captured the regular season championship. Thus, both teams will get a bye into the semifinals.

The respective tournaments begin Monday night. The only change this year is for Championship Friday. The past two tournaments, Chapel Hill High has hosted the boys and girls championship games. This year, the higher seed will host the tournament championship game.

In the boys tournament, second-seeded Southern Durham (10-2) hosts seventh-seeded Northwood (2-10) at 7:30. The winner faces the matchup between #3 Chapel Hill (8-3, with one game against Northern Vance set for Saturday) vs. sixth-seeded J.F. Webb (2-10, earned the tiebreaker by sweeping Northwood) on Wednesday night.

Also on Monday night, fifth-seeded Cedar Ridge (3-9) travels to Northern Vance (5-6) on Monday. The winner goes to Orange on Wednesday night.

In the girls tournament, second-seeded Northwood (10-2) hosts Northern Vance (0-10) on Monday night at 7. The winner of that game will face the winner of the second quarterfinal between third-seeded Southern Durham (7-4) and sixth-seeded Chapel Hill (1-10) at 6 PM.

The other quarterfinal features J.F. Webb (6-6) hosting Cedar Ridge (5-7). The victor travels to Orange for Monday night’s semifinal at 6 PM.

The Chapel Hill-Southern Durham game may be a milestone. There’s been speculation that Chapel Hill coach Sherry Norris, who has led the Tigers girls squad for 40 years, may retire at year’s end. Norris has yet to make an official announcement.

Northern Vance may be fatigued against Cedar Ridge by the time Monday rolls around. The Vikings have a Saturday game at Chapel Hill, which was postponed from last week because of the water main break in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area. That will conclude a stretch of four games in five days. NVHS defeated Northwood 68-55 in Pittsboro on Tuesday, knocked off J.F. Webb 64-55 on Thursday and lost to Southern Durham 82-59 on Friday night.

Cedar Ridge and Northern Vance split the season series. The Red Wolves defeated the Vikings 39-36 on December 13. The Vikings routed CRHS 68-52 on January 20.

The Cedar Ridge girls team defeated J.F. Webb 45-43 on February 3 in Hillsborough behind 22 points from Carrie Davis. Webb captured the first matchup against CRHS 32-23 on January 25.

You can hear Cedar Ridge vs. Northern Vance boys on Monday night here on HillsboroughSports.com.