Patton wrestlers enjoy big day at Big Cat

The Patton wrestling team boasted three weight class champions, highlighted by the upper weights’ most outstanding wrestler, Burke Wilson, at its host Big Cat Invitational individual tournament on Saturday, Dec. 14.

Wilson won the 175-pound title with two pins in 44 total seconds, and the tournament title was his second in as many weekends.

The Panthers’ Luke Parker (144) and Nicholas Parlier (165) also won titles, with Parker winning by pinfall twice and Parlier taking a 9-0 major decision and a pin. PHS’ Cayden Marshall (132) was runner-up, earning one win via pin.

Freedom was also on hand for the event and had one weight champ, Alan Vicente Perez (190), who collected three straight pins. The Patriots’ Zachary Carson (165) placed third thanks to three wins by pin, while teammates Kaleb Pearson (138) and James Gonzalez Vasquez (285) also finished in third, winning twice by pin. FHS’ Brayden Tallent (126) was fourth.

The same day, Draughn wrestled in the Turner Memorial individual tournament at East Forsyth, and East Burke was in Newton for the Foard Tough individual tournament.

The Wildcats’ effort was led by third-place finishes from Connor Brinkley (215; three pins, decision) and Wade Garrison (120; decision), while Gaston Garrison (132), Carson Murdock (138), and Isaac Kirk (144) each placed fourth and won twice on pins.

The Cavaliers’ lone podium finisher at Foard was Joshua Hess (285), who gained three pinfall triumphs to place runner-up.

Draughn (5-6, 1-0 Western Highlands 1A/2A Conf.) was also in a pair of recent mid-week matches, including winning its league opener over Mitchell on Thursday in Valdese, 45-36.

(The Wildcats were also slated to wrestle Owen as part of a WHC tri, but those results were not available.)

Draughn’s winners were Jayson Yang (113; pin), Paxton Brown (120; pin), Gaston Garrison (132; pin), Kirk (144; pin), Andres Garcia Lopez (150; pin), Bryson Seagle (157; pin), Landon Clark (175; pin), and Brinkley (215; decision).

The Wildcats also defeated host East Rutherford, 42-36, in a Dec. 12 quad, but fell that night to Chase, 41-36, and Crest, 42-36.

Yang (113; three forfeits) and Murdock (138; pin, two forfeits) won three times apiece, and Kirk (144; two pins), Seagle (157; pin, forfeit), and Clark (175; pin, forfeit) all went 2-1.

And Freedom wrestled in a quad hosted by Alexander Central on Tuesday, falling three times. The Patriots (7-13) lost 40-37 to the Cougars in what was considered a nonconference match and lost 53-21 to Avery County and 43-36 versus North Wilkes.

FHS’ Pearson (138; two pins, decision) and Kayden Bowman (157; pin, two forfeits) won all three of their matches, while Vicente Perez (190; pin, forfeit) and Christian Lawhon (126; two pins) won twice each.

All five Burke County squads, also including North Carolina School for the Deaf, entered Friday’s annual Burke Brawl county bragging rights tournament at Patton. The event was not completed in time for this edition; visit thepaper.media/sports or see next week’s edition for coverage.

The host Panthers entered the event with a 3-14 record, while the Cavaliers were 3-5 overall and the Bears 0-8.

SWIMMING

Wildcat boys win 10-team mountain meet

Draughn’s boys scored 63 points to win a 10-team meet hosted by Owen on Dec. 13, propelling the Wildcats to the overall title as well with 102 total points.

NCSSM-Morganton (58) placed fourth overall, aided by a third-place girls finish, and led by the fourth-place boys squad, EB (29) finished in sixth at the meet.

The Wildcats earned wins in both the 200 medley relay (1:57.30) and 400 free relay from the same quartet of William Abernathy, Tate Jensen, Abdiel Gonzalez, and Griffin Stephens. The four hit automatic regional-qualifying times in both relays, though they had already qualified in the 200 medley.

Jensen won the 50 freestyle (24.48) and 100 breaststroke (1:11.85), and DHS’ Lilah Johnson won the girls 100 breast (1:18.08), also qualifying for regionals in the 500 free to go with her previous 100 free and 100 breast qualifying marks.

Also hitting regional standards were Draughn’s Saylor Watson (girls 100 free) and Abernathy (boys 200 free), who had already qualified in the boys 200 IM. Four Wildcats’ swimmers saw time improvements of over 5 seconds in their events, led by Johnson’s 21-second drop in the 500 free.

Dragons’ swimmers won three events each in regional qualifying marks. The victories came via Paul Gamiel (boys 100 free, 56.40), Ava Gruber (girls 100 butterfly, 1:10.48), and the girls 200 medley relay of Gruber, Willa Briggs, Ainsley Vorhis, and Tate Wilson (2:10.22).

Other NCSSM-M regional qualifiers at the meet were Briggs (100 breast, 200 IM) as well as Gruber and Vorhis, both in the 100 backstroke, plus the girls 400 free relay.

And EB’s lone win in the meet came from Taylor Lennex (boys 100 fly, 1:06.09).

Draughn was then back in the pool Wednesday in a four-team meet hosted by Watauga. (Team scores were not available.)

Jensen (1:11.18) again won the 100 breast, and Watson (5:49.80) won the 500 free in a new school-record time in Boone, with Abernathy in the 500 free, Ally Auton in the girls 100 free, and the girls 400 free relay of Watson, Auton, Macy Auton, and Ava Aldridge placing second. Abernathy and the 400 relay’s times both eclipsed regional marks.

Also Wednesday, East Burke swam in a four-team meet hosted by Hibriten. (Team scores were not available.)

Lennex again won the 100 fly (1:17.87), and the Cavaliers collected six second-place marks. They came from the boys 200 medley relay of Lennex, Noah Ramsey, Haiden Dale, and Gage Allen, Dale (boys 400 free, 100 breast), Allen (50 free), and Ramsey (100 back) individually, and the boys 400 free relay of Jackson Marco, Joseph Acuna, Levi Peacock, and Angolo Grippi.

And Freedom participated in a meet with Alexander Central and host Hibriten on Dec. 10, claiming eight events. (Team scores were not available.)

The Patriots boys 200 medley relay (1:58.80) and 200 free relay (1:44.72), both composed of Sean Causby, Nathaniel Carswell, Nicholas Chiota, and Brayden Cullen, were victorious in regional-qualifying marks.

Individually, Chiota (200 free, 2:09.87; 100 fly, 1:06.31) and Carswell (100 free, 56.02; 100 back, 1:04.57) won twice apiece, with Chiota earning a regional berth in the 200 free. Cullen won the boys 100 breast (1:17.37), and Gracie Farris provided FHS’ lone girls win in the 100 back (1:21.54).

All five county squads are now done with meets until after the new year.

INDOOR TRACK

Cavs claim 5 events at Bunker Hill polar bear

East Burke, Draughn, and Patton participated in Monday’s Bunker Hill polar bear meet, with the Cavaliers stealing the show locally thanks to five event wins, five second-place marks, and four third-place finishes.

EB winners included Kolby Byrd (boys shot put; 55’1”), Kendale Cook (boys 55 meter hurdles; 8.55), Grant Mauldin (boys 500 meters; 1:16.70), Emmonie Haith (girls 55 meters; 8.03), and the boys 4x200 relay (1:39.48).

Haith (300 meters), Cadence Willis (girls 500 meters), Jesiah Rees (boys 55 meters), Nathan Rees (boys 300 meters), and Ossie Burkeen (boys long jump) each placed second, and Burkeen (55 hurdles), Cook (long jump), Calvin Bishop (boys 500 meters), and the girls 4x800 relay took third-place showings.

Patton’s Layla McGuire won the girls 1000 meters (3:29.34), and Elise Sawdy won the girls 1600 meters (5:47.59), ahead of runner-up Nora Wykle, her teammate.

Sawdy was also the 3200 runner-up (12:21.21), and Gabe Wykle was second in the boys 1600 meters (4:53.81), one spot ahead of teammate Will Evans, who also placed third in the 3200.

And PHS’ boys 4x400 relay also placed third.

Draughn was paced by Anna Bordeleau’s second-place finish in the girls high jump (4’4”), while Maria Medrano (girls long jump), Tray Powell (boys 1000 meters), and Isaiah Mueller (boys triple jump) each placed third.

EB’s Willis was in action two days prior as she took 14th in the girls 3200 meters and 36th in the 1600 meters at Liberty University’s Christmas High School Invitational in Lynchburg, Va.

And Freedom took part in Polk County High’s Reindeer Games meet that same day, Dec. 14. Brooks Snipes’ fourth-place finish in the boys 300 meters (38.37) was the team’s top mark on the day, and Snipes also placed 13th in the 55 meters.

The Patriot boys 4x800 relay finished fifth, Leah Kirksey was eighth in the girls 300 meters, and Chloe Spencer was 10th in the girls 1000 meters.