The North Wilkes wrestling team followed up on its first regular-season crown in 23 years by edging Surry Central for the Foothills 2A Conference tournament title Saturday in Pilot Mountain.
The Vikings finished with 188 team points at East Surry High School, bettering Surry Central’s 183. West Wilkes finished fourth at 122 and Wilkes Central took sixth with 72.
Surry Central was the FH2A’s inaugural regular season and tourney champs in 2021-22. North improved upon its fourth-place showing last season. West was second in last year’s tourney.
The Vikings had three individual champions, led by repeat division winners Alex Ball, a senior at 145 pounds, and Chase Eller, a junior at 132.
Ball took an 18-9 major decision in the finals over North Surry’s Alex Cazares. Eller emerged with a 9-4 decision over North Surry’s William France in the finals.
North junior Simitrio Hernandez took the 126-pound crown after pinning Surry Central’s Xavier Salazar in the first period of their finals.
Viking senior Mason Dancy finished second at 195, getting edged by East Surry’s Daniel Villasenor in the finals, 9-6.
North sophomore Slevin Urick took runner-up at 220, falling via first-period pin to East Surry’s Braden Snow.
Viking senior Blaine Shell placed second at 285, losing via first-period pin to North Surry’s Ty Gwyn.
West senior Carter Minton improved upon his second-place showing last year by winning at 120 pounds, scoring a 10-0 major decision over North Surry’s Will Brickle.
West freshman Zack Sheets won by 19-5 major decision in the 138 finals over North junior Ben South, who won league last year at 120.
Central sophomore Connor Ridgell took first at 152 pounds, taking a 12-1 major decision over West senior Taner Estes in the finals.
Elijah Hendren, another Eagle sophomore, finished runner-up at 170 pounds, losing by technical fall to Surry Central’s Jacob Price.
West junior Holt Hanchey took second at 182, falling by first-period pin to East Surry’s Eli Becker in the finals.
NW1A tourney
In the Northwest 1A Conference tourney Saturday at in Ronda, Mount Airy won its 10th straight title, dating back to the league’s prior alignment.
The Granite Bears compiled 183.5 team points, well ahead of Alleghany’s 138.5. Host East Wilkes was fifth with 73 points, a year after taking third in the tourney.
Mount Airy’s Alex Cox was named the tourney’s most outstanding wrestler, after taking top honors at 138 pounds. Mount Airy’s Cody Atkins was named the league’s top coach.
The lone Cardinal champion was Raul Lopez, who fashioned a 7-6 decision over Starmount’s Caden Abernethy in the 182-pound finals.
East junior Tristan Alkire placed second at 195 pounds, losing via third-period pin to Mount Airy’s Edwin Agabo in the finals. Alkire was runner-up last year at 170.
East’s Alan Lopez was runner-up at 113, falling via third-period pin to Elkin’s Manuel Salas in the finals.
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