UCA’s Rick Riccardella wraps up Union Academy’s Matthew Walsh during last weekend’s match during the second round of the Class 1A dual team state playoffs. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestlers have displayed more dominance and the Eagles hope to take it to a familiar level in Saturday afternoon’s Class 1A dual team state championship.
UCA (38-1) tangles with Mt. Airy at noon at the coliseum fieldhouse in Greensboro, seeking a third consecutive state title.
“We won rings the last two years and we plan to go back and do it again,” 144-pounder Brandon Jordan said.
On Wednesday night at home, UCA upended South Davidson 58-23 in the East Region semifinals without dropping a bout in contested matches and then sticking North East Carolina Prep by 54-24 in the regional final.
Rosewood forfeited the semifinal to North East Carolina Prep.
The Eagles are under the direction of first-year coach Hayden Waddell, who succeeded his father, Chris Waddell.
UCA wrestlers want to maintain their momentum.
“If we treat it as any other match, we’ll be good,” two-time individual state champion Lorenzo Alston said.
Against South Davidson, UCA winners by pins were Andrew White (120), Brennan Worrell (132), Jordan (144), Caden Thorne (150) and Lorenzo Alston (157), while Torin Brigman (138) claimed a decision.
Then vs. North East Carolina Prep, White, Worrell, Jordan, Thorne, Alston, Aiden Foster (165), Caden Bond (175) and Rylan Alvarez (190) notched pins. Those were all first-period falls except for second-period endings for White and Thorne.
The regional final lasted 37 minutes.
In the West Region, Mount Airy defeated Bradford Prep 52-30 and Robbinsville 38-27 on Wednesday to qualify for Saturday’s matchup.
Trinity’s reign ends
Trinity won’t have the chance to repeat as Class 2A state champion.
The Bulldogs fell 36-33 to third-seeded Rutherfordton-Spindale Central in a bid for a second straight West Region championship.
In the regional semifinals, top-seeded Trinity defeated fourth-seeded Eden Morehead 44-25, while R-S Central topped second-seed and regional host Newton-Conover 36-31.
Against Eden Morehead, Trinity won the first six bouts, beginning with a pin from heavyweight Joseph Trahan. Omega Edge (120), Kayden Hess (132) and Zane Schloemer (157) also won by pins, while Aiden Burkholder (106) and Jaden Allred cruised with technical falls, Lawson Coltrane (165) won by major decision and Stephen Cross (113) and Edgar Vasquez (26) prevailed by decisions.
In the regional final, the Bulldogs received first-period pins from Burkholder, Edge and Coltrane and a second-period pin from Allred. Cross, Baron Justice (150) and Trahan won by decisions. All 14 bouts were contested, with five of R-S Central’s seven victories by pins.
