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Sometimes if you look hard enough, you can find the exact moment when a high school athlete grows into a man.

Those are the moments that has kept Bobby Shriner coaching the Orange High wrestling team for 27 years. On Thursday night, the latest growing moment was as clear as day.

Heavyweight Daylan Alston trailed Swansboro’s Patrick Peterson 6-4 with :20 remaining. Less than two weeks ago at the Havelock duals, Alston defeated Peterson 7-3 as Orange rolled to a 44-13 victory. At this moment, that was the last thing on Alston’s mind.

Peterson got on Alston’s back trying to ride out the victory, which would have narrowed the Orange lead to 27-21 with two matches remaining. Warming up for Swansboro: Nick Butler, the #1 ranked 106 pounder in the state.

A funny thing happened before Butler could take the mat to potentially put Swansboro in a position to tie…Daylan Alston became a man. Actually, he became THE man.

Peterson rode too high on Alston’s back, leading to an easy switch and reversal. Suddenly, Peterson’s back was on the mat with Alston’s 275-pound frame on top of him bending his right arm back. After a brief struggle, the referee slammed his arm to the mat. Alston had scored the pin with five seconds remaining in the third period.

Orange had gone from potentially having its season end to advancing to the regional final, which would prove to be anticlimactic.

All because of Daylan Alston’s growing moment.

“It was a crazy, crazy match,” said Shriner.

Orange forfeited the final two matches in the regional semifinal to defeat Swansboro 33-30 at Gray’s Creek High School in Hope Mills. Less than an hour later, the Panthers defeated Gray’s Creek 40-24 to earn its ninth regional championship, its fifth in 3-A.

The Panthers will wrestle 3-A Western Regional Champion Piedmont in Monroe on Saturday at 6. Our live radio coverage on HillsboroughSports.com begins at 5:45 with Jeff Hamlin and Larry Smith.

Against the Bears, the Panthers put the match out of reach with four straight pins. Following Caleb Brimmer’s 8-7 victory over the Bears’ Jalen Keith to put Orange ahead 13-6, Josiah Ramirez scored his second pin of the night at 170, easily finishing off Leo Walsh in :39. Braden Homsey followed with another pin at 182. At 195, Jamar Davis pinned Dylan Porter at 1:38. Then Payton Wilson, who received football scholarship offers from Georgia and Michigan State this week, finished off Tony Tyndal in :51, which clinched the championship.

While Orange makes its ninth trip in 27 years to a dual state championship match, Piedmont is making its fourth. The previous three appearances were as a 2A team. Piedmont (also nicknamed the Panthers) claime the 2012 2A state championship over Croatan 41-22, after previously losing in to the Cougars in ’10 and ’11.

Piedmont (29-1) stunned Enka in the Western Regional Finals on Thursday night in Newton. It was the Jets’ first loss of the year.

Among the standout bouts scheduled for Saturday’s championship will be at 152, where Piedmont junior Matt Price faces Orange’s Charlie Fitzpatrick. Price is ranked #1 in the state, while Fitzpatrick is #3.

At 170, Ramirez (#7) faces Piedmont’s Mathis Strickland (#8).

Alston, ranked tenth among heavyweights, is slated to face Piedmont’s Luis Oropesa.

Cedar Ridge has ended its Big 8 regular season slate, and while much of the season has been disappointing, its future was on full display in Oxford on Friday night.

Freshman Mekai Collins scored 14 points while junior Dmonte Kinney added 12 as the Red Wolves ended a three-game losing streak, beating J.F. Webb 65-55.

Another freshman, B.J. Freeman, added 10 points and grabbed crucial rebounds as the Red Wolves pulled away late for its first and only conference win of the season.

Cedar Ridge will finish the regular season next Friday at Roxboro Community School. Then they will venture into the Big 8 Tournament against an opponent to be determined on February 13.

Leading 42-41, Webb (4-16, 2-8) opened the fourth quarter with a 5-0 run. Kendall Baskett three-point play with 7:13 remaining gave Webb a 47-41 lead, their largest of the game.

Battling against the Warriors’ 2-3 zone, Khalil Crawford started the comeback with a three-pointer. After Collins split a pair from the foul line to narrow the Webb lead to 47-45, B.J. Freeman found Khalil Barnett for a lay-up to tie the game.

On the subsequent possession, Collins stole the ball from Warriors center Shemar Coachman and scored on a breakaway with 4:15 remaining.

Collins rebounded an miss by Kenneth Veney and found Barnett on a no-look pass to extend the Red Wolves lead to 49-45.

After a field goal by Webb’s Serba Davis, Cedar Ridge’s B.J. Freeman scored on a lay-in. Freeman rebounded the subsequent missed free-throw, then found Tahjai Hill-Wells for another layup. Freeman then put the game on ice after Barnett found him on an inbounds pass wide open at the other end of the floor, beating the Warriors press.

Cedar Ridge completed a season-sweep of the Warriors. The Red Wolves prevailed 69-52 on January 25.

CEDAR RIDGE: Dmonte Kinney 12, Khalil Barnett 8, Terrence Crawford 5, Tahjai Hill-Wells 4, Mekai Collins 14, Khalil Hill 8, Colby Cashaw 4, B.J. Freeman 10.

J.F. WEBB: Unique Heggie 4, Shurone Harris 9, Kendell Baskett 16, Serba Davis 7, Kenneth Veney 6, Shaddarius Wilkerson 13.

Alston may have saved Orange’s season with a stunning pin over Swansboro’s Patrick Peterson with five seconds remaining to clinch the dual match vs. the Pirates. Wilson scored two pins on Thursday vs. Swansboro and Gray’s Creek.

Daylan Alston, Payton Wilson Talk Orange Wrestling’s 9th Regional Championship.

Alston may have saved Orange’s season with a stunning pin over Swansboro’s Patrick Peterson with five seconds remaining to clinch the dual match vs. the Pirates. Wilson scored two pins on Thursday vs. Swansboro and Gray’s Creek.

For the first time since it won the 2012 3A State Championship, the Orange wrestling team is headed to the state quarterfinals.

The Panthers (29-0) will square off against Swansboro on Thursday night at 6 at Gray’s Creek High School in Hope Mills in a regional semifinal. On the opposite mat, West Brunswick will face Gray’s Creek in the other semifinal. The two winners will meet in the 3-A Eastern Regional final immediately afterwards.

Orange has won eight regional championships in three different classifications since the North Carolina High School Athletic Association started dual team playoffs in 1990.

Orange will have a mental advantage against Swansboro, having defeated the Pirates 44-19 during the Havelock Duals on January 14. It was another match where the Panthers’ depth proved too much. After six matches, Orange led 12-10 before Charlie Fitzpatrick (152), Josiah Ramirez (170), Jamar Davis (195) and Payton Wilson all scored pins to put the match out of reach. Daylan Alston added a 7-3 decision win over Swansboro’s Patrick Peterson.

However, Swansboro (37-4) will go into Thursday match after ending a dynasty. The Pirates defeated Eden Morehead 40-27 in Pittsboro on Tuesday, ending the Panthers’ run of four consecutive 3-A regional championships, winning it all in 2014 over Fred T. Foard.

Morehead ended the season 23-3.

Searching for its sixth state championship, Orange punched its ticket to the state quarterfinals after convincing wins over Corinth-Holders (43-27) in the first round and Wilson Fike (45-36) in the nightcap.

Josiah Ramirez started the night with a technical fall victory over the Pirates’ Mike Darden 19-4, the first of four consecutive wins for Orange. At 182, Braden Homesey got a 9-3 decision over Seamuis Brennan. At 195, Jamar Davis got a 12-2 major decision over Alvin Montanez. In possibly his toughest match of the year, Wilson grinded out a 3-1 win over Larry Williams to remain undefeated on the season.

Orange dominated the lighter weight classes as Mitchell Askew (106), freshman Noah Davis (113), Mitchell Lopeman (126), and Bailey Hawkins (132) all scored pins. Plus, Gavin Wiggins scored a major decision over Brian Hines 14-4.

Against the Golden Demons, Orange scored pins in six of the first seven matches. After Homsey received a forfeit victory to open the dual match, Davis pinned Jamonta Isler in 1:39. Wilson pinned Levi Nigoche in :25 at 220. Daylen Alston put the shoulders of Saulo Rodriguez on the mat in 1:46. At 106, Mitchell Askew scored his 2nd pin of the night against Blake Edwards in 2:44. Noah Davis also notched his 2nd pin when he finished off Jahmez Settles in 2:57. At 120, Gavin Wiggins defeated Taylor Gay in 1:05 to put the Panthers ahead 42-0.

Mitchell Lopeman got a 6-3 decision over Daniel Martinez.

Gray’s Creek, which opened in 2003, went 6-0 in the Cape Fear Valley Conference, earning its first regular season league championship. In the conference tournament, that lost to Union Pines last Saturday. The Bears are coached by Matthew Anglin, who is in his first season. He’s the program’s third coach in as many years.

West Brunswick in the top seed from the 4-A/3-A Mideastern Conference. The Trojans finished runner-up to Wilmington Laney in the league. It was Laney’s 20th conference championship in 27 years.

There will be a live radio broadcast of today’s meet on the HillsboroughSpoets.com website starting at 5:50.

On Tuesday night in the opening rounds of the 3A State Dual Wrestling Tournament, Orange defeated Corinth Holders 43-27 in the first round. In the second round, Orange scored pins in six of the first seven matches to roll past Wilson Fike 45-36. Orange will face Swansboro at a location to be determined on Thursday night. Coach Bobby Shriner discussed career victories number 603 and 604.

Orange Wrestling Coach Bobby Shriner Discusses Playoff Wins over Fike, Corinth Holders

On Tuesday night, Orange Coach Bobby Shriner earned career victories 603 and 604 as the Panthers reached the 3A Eastern Regional Semifinals, where they will face Swansboro on Thursday night.