HobbsDailyReport.com
NEWTON-CONOVER (37-4) at FRED T. FOARD (31-0), first-round 2A dual-team wrestling tournament, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
Eight high school wrestling teams from the Greater Hickory area have qualified for state dual-team tournaments that begin Tuesday night, highlighted by Newton-Conover facing unbeaten Fred T. Foard in the opening round of the West 2A bracket.
On Monday, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) released brackets for four classification championship tournaments.
The pairings were predetermined – indicating seeds by specific conferences – and the tournaments will follow the same format they have since dual-team wrestling championships were added in 1990.
The tournaments open with four teams at one site, with the opening round winners then wrestling a second round match.
The winners at each location advance to another four-team pool, at a site to be determined, to wrestle the third round and state semifinals on Thursday night. Those winners advance to Saturday’s state championships at sites to be determined.
Newton-Conover (37-4), after finishing second to West Lincoln in the South Fork 2A, will face Fred T. Foard (31-0), the Northwestern Foothills 2A champion, on Tuesday at 6 p.m. with an admission cost of $6. The other first-round match at Foard pits Surry Central (14-17) against Mount Pleasant (30-6).
The Red Devils and Tigers have long been state powers: Newton-Conover won four state titles in five seasons, but had to vacate (forfeit) the 2017 2A title after it discovered having used an ineligible wrestler. Foard won an individual tournament state title in 2011 and dual-team 3A titles in 2013 and 2015 and was second in the 2014 3A tournament.
West Lincoln (22-4) is also playing host to Tuesday action at 6 p.m., facing Northwestern Foothills 2A No. 2 Bunker Hill (26-10), and Smoky Mountain (20-4) faces R-S Central (20-2) in a first-round match.
STATE DUAL-TEAM WRESTLING TOURNAMENTS
Tuesday’s first and second round pairings with winners at each site in the first round then wrestling in the second round. The third and fourth rounds are Thursday at sites to be determined and the state championships are Saturday at sites to be determined.
For complete pairings, including Western N.C. 1A and all Eastern N.C. brackets, visit nchssa.org:
WEST 2A
At W. Wilkes: PATTON (22-11) vs. W. Wilkes (27-2); Central Academy (19-7) vs. N. Surry (29-6).
At Fred T. Foard, 6 p.m.: Surry Central (14-17) vs. Mount Pleasant (30-6); NEWTON-CONOVER (37-4) vs. FRED T. FOARD (31-0).
At West Lincoln, 6 p.m.: BUNKER HILL (26-10) vs. W. LINCOLN (22-4); Smoky Mountain (20-4) vs. R-S Central (20-2).
At Brevard: Chase (21-4) vs. Canton Pisgah (17-9); Brevard (13-6) vs. Madison (16-10).
WEST 3A
At Southeast Guilford: Marvin Ridge (15-5) vs. SE Guilford (18-1); Mount Tabor (19-5) vs. NW Cabarrus (19-10).
At Asheboro: Concord (7-6) vs. SW Guilford (19-1); Asheboro (22-2) vs. Piedmont (32-1).
At North Iredell, 6 p.m.: Kings Mountain (35-6) vs. N. Iredell (24-5); Enka (19-5) vs. ST. STEPHENS (37-4).
At Crest, 6 p.m.: W. Rowan (16-) vs. Crest (28-10); ALEXANDER CENTRAL (17-8) vs. N. Henderson (21-0).
WEST 4A
At Jamestown Ragsdale: W. Forsyth (21-9) vs. Jamestown Ragsdale (41-0); E. Forsyth (9-7) vs. Hickory Ridge (17-6).
At Davie County: Myers Park (9-8) vs. Davie County (34-3); Hough (17-4) vs. Ardrey Kell (17-18).
At Providence: NW Guilford (27-2) vs. Providence (16-9); Winston-Salem Glenn (24-3) vs. Mooresville (22-2).
At Mallard Creek: Porter Ridge (26-6) vs. Mallard Creek (15-7); Lake Norman (16-4) vs. McDOWELL (27-7).