Eleven grapplers advance to state tournament

Three local girls wrestlers punched their tickets for this coming weekend’s North Carolina High School Athletic Association wrestling championships on Feb. 3.

The trio of Elkin’s Denise Hernandez and East Wilkes’ Jayden Hutchison and Abbi Stout will be joined by 11 boy’s wrestlers after their showings in this past weekend’s regional championships.

Three Forbush wrestlers will continue their seasons after state qualifying performances during the 2A Midwest Regionals, which concluded on Saturday at Mount Pleasant High School.

All three grapplers will represent the three lightest weight classes in the 2A state championships, which begin on Thursday inside the Greensboro Coliseum.

The pair of Alan Benitez and Drake Parker had undefeated records going into their championship finals matches at 106 pounds and 120 pounds, respectively.

But both wrestlers’ bids for regional championships came up short as Benitez was pinned in the third period by Mount Pleasant’s Cameron Gue and Parker was pinned by Spencer May, of Trinity.

Jose Pina-Velasquez added the Falcons’ third qualifier with a fourth place finish at 113 pounds.

Sawyer Rees (132 pounds), Jovanny Zarate-Arellens (157 pounds) and Jonathan Zarate (190 pounds) all reached the third round of consolations, each losing by decision or major decision.

James Banks reached the second round of consolations at 138 pounds while Skylar Kimber and Malach White lost in the first round of consolations at 215 and 285 pounds, respectively.

The Falcons finished seventh out of the 21 teams with 68 points. The Trinity Bulldogs won the regional with 248.5 points.

East Wilkes, Elkin and Starmount wrestlers all took part in the loaded field of the 1A West Regional at Robbinsville High School.

Each program will send at least two wrestlers to the 1A state championships, which will begin on Friday in Greensboro.

Tristan Alkire headlined the trio of Cardinals to qualify for state with a second-place finish at 215 pounds. The senior collected a trio of pins in his first three matches but was pinned in the first period of the championship final by Polk County’s Jadyn Virgil.

Jonathan Argueta, of Starmount, joined Alkire in the championship finals thanks to a trio of wins by pin in the 285-pound class. The senior claimed second place despite a loss by pin to Avery County’s Grayson Hoilman in the finals.

Elkin’s Alejandro Lopez made it a trio of championship finalists as he took runner-up at 150 pounds, behind Avery County’s Mason Bentley.

Lopez secured his state-qualifying spot in exciting fashion as he picked up a 6-4 sudden victory against Robbinsville’s Bobby Moore to advance.

East Wilkes’ Raul Lopez and Wesley Willey reached the consolation finals to qualify for state.

Lopez claimed third place at 175 pounds while Willey, who won three-straight elimination matches to reach the consolation finals, finished fourth after he was bested by Alleghany’s Alexis Nuevo early in the third period.

The Rams’ Ian Jones will join Argueta at state with his fourth-place finish at 120 pounds.

In addition Alejandro Lopez, the Buckin’ Elks will also be represented by two other state-qualifying wrestlers — James Steele and Alejandro Diaz.

Steele reached the championship semifinals at 165 pounds but lost to Mount Airy’s Andrew Meadows.

The junior battled back with a 4-0 decision against Mitchell’s Jayden Burleson in the consolation semis and a third-period pin over Hayesville’s Caden Gordon in the consolation finals.

Diaz’s road started off rocky as he dropped a first round match, but the sophomore received a bye in the first consolation. Diaz proceeded to win three-straight matches to reach the consolation finals, before a pin in the first period by Robbinsville’s Skylar Anderson.

The number of 1A state qualifiers could’ve easily been more as East Wilkes’ Colten Vestal (113 pounds) and Collin White (144 pounds), Elkin’s Enrique Lopez (126 pounds) and Adrian Rodriguez (190 pounds) all reached the consolation semifinals, also known as the “blood round.”

Notes: East Wilkes claimed the highest finish among the local teams with 85 points — good enough for an eight place finish. Elkin (74 points) and Starmount (47 points) finished 10th and 11th, respectively. Avery County won the regional standings with 218.5 points while fellow Northwest 1A Conference members Mount Airy (153 points) and Alleghany (137.5 points) took third and fourth, respectively.

Other local 1A West Results (non-qualifiers who did not reach the consolation semis)

106: Skylor Dickens (EW) — second consolation; Guage Neal (ST) — third consolation

120: Adonis Cortes (EW) — second consolation

126: Samuel Fontana (ST) — second consolation

132: Christopher Settle (EW) — third consolation; Jake Wright (ELK) — third consolation

138: Chris Pometto (ELK) — second consolation; Jacob Palsrock (ST) — first consolation

144: Yovanni Martinez (ELK) — second consolation; Brodie Wright (ST) — third consolation

215: Jayden Martin (ELK) — second consolation; Aiden Dimmette (ST) — first consolation

285: Jonathan Hanlin (EW) — first consolation; William Santos (ELK) — third consolation