West Lincoln High won another state 2A dual-team championship on Saturday, beating Croatan in Greensboro./NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION PHOTO.
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GREENSBORO – With eight victories by pin – including four in the first four matches – West Lincoln High rolled to a state 2A dual-team wrestling championship on Saturday at the Greensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse.
Keaton Norman of West Lincoln won MVP honors on Saturday at the state 2A dual-team wrestling championships. He had a pin in 1:39 in the 138-pound match to get the Rebels started at the Greensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse./NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION PHOTO
In the first neutral site championship in the dual-team format’s 29-year history, the Rebels outpointed Croatan 54-16 to win their third state 2A dual-team title.
West Lincoln also won in 2000, beating Southern Vance and again in 2015 by winning at Croatan.
Keaton Norman of West Lincoln was named Saturday’s MVP after pinning Colton Sullivan in one minute, 39 seconds at 138 pounds as the Rebels, coached by David Avery, finished 26-4.
Norman’s pin opened an early lead for West Lincoln and the Rebels were ahead 6-4 after Justin Jolin of Croatan defeated Josh Duran 11-3 at 145 pounds.
After three pins (all in under 50 seconds) by Nathan Hull (152), Canon Brides (160) and Hayden Thomas (170), the Rebels led 24-4.
West Lincoln’s title gives the Greater Hickory area the state 2A champ for the sixth straight season, though one of those titles was vacated (2017) by Newton-Conover after it discovered it had used an ineligible wrestler.
Newton-Conover was state 2A champ in 2013 and 2014, West Lincoln won in 2015 – beating the Red Devils to win the West crown — Newton-Conover won in 2016 and Newton-Conover won last season but there was officially no state 2A champion after the Red Devils’ forfeit.
Of the 17 state 2A championships won since 2002, six of them are from the Greater Hickory region, as Bandys won back-to-back in 2005 and 2006.
West Lincoln’s path to this year’s state championship came after it edged Newton-Conover for the South Fork 2A regular-season title.
The Rebels downed Bunker Hill, the Northwestern Foothills 2A runner-up, 34-33 in the first round this week and advanced with a 48-22 win over R-S Central.
On Thursday night, wrestling at Fred T. Foard, the Rebels beat Canton Pisgah 40-33 to gain a battle with unbeaten Foard and won 35-28 to continue on to Greensboro.
WEST LINCOLN 54, CROATAN 16
138: Keaton Norman (WL) p. Colton Sullivan 1:39
145: Justin Jolan (C) d. Josh Duran 11-3
152: Nathan Hull (WL) p. Zack Simmonette 44.7
160: Canon Bridges (WL) p. Sean O’Connell 47.3
170: Hayden Thomas (WL) p. Craig Sanford 07.7
182: Walker Gladwell (C) d. Luke Scronce 17-10
195: Kyle Kort (C) d. Alex Hall 8-2
220: Tyger Hall (C) d. Harley Scronce 11-4
285: Nathan Waltrip (C) d. Brock Steele 4-2, 2 OTs
106: Langston Hoffman (WL) p. Max Buglisli 7:33
113: Luke Stewart (WL) p. Luke Walker 4:18
120: Ricky Reynolds (WL) p. Erich Belkrich, second period
126: Chance Norman (WL) p. Zach Barker 52.5
132: Xander Pendergrass (WL) p. Anthony Marello 10.7