Lorenzo Alston - Randolph Record

27 Feb

Photo gallery of Randolph County’s nine wrestling champions

Randolph RecordSportsAiden Burkholder, Ayden Sumners, Braxton Walker, David Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, Maddox Carson, Michael Shropshire, nchsaa, prep wrestling

Trinity fans gathered at the state finals at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, where five wrestlers from the school reached individual state finals. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — There were nine individual wrestling state champions from schools in Randolph County schools during the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s state tournament, which ended Monday at First Horizon Coliseum. Those titlists represented five different schools — Eastern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy in Class 1A and Randleman, Trinity and Wheatmore in Class 2A. Here’s a look at some of the scenes from the championship round:

24 Feb

Class 1-A state tournament: Eastern Randolph joins UCA with wrestling titles

Bob SuttonSportsDavid Lambright, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Greensboro Coliseum, Lorenzo Alston, Maddox Carson, Michael Shropshire, prep wrestling, state tournament, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Michael Shropshire reacts during his 215-pound championship match in Class 1A on Monday. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO – The third consecutive individual state championship for Uwharrie Charter Academy junior Lorenzo Alston was an expected highlight. Then look at what Eastern Randolph did in Class 1A during the state tournament at First Horizon Coliseum. The Wildcats produced a state champion for the first time in 22 years – and they had two of them Monday at First Horizon Coliseum. Junior David Lambright (126 pounds) and sophomore Maddox Carson (285) claimed the championships. Michael Shropshire, a junior…

24 Feb

Dozen Randolph County wrestlers reach state finals

Bob SuttonSportsAiden Burkholder, Ayden Sumners, Bliss Joyce, Braxton Walker, Briana Joyce, David Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum, Jaden Allred, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, Maddox Carson, Michael Shropshire, nchsaa, prep wrestling, state tournament

Randleman’s Braxton Walker has his hand raised after winning a 215-pound quarterfinal bout against Holmes’ Gavin Pierce on Sunday at First Horizon Coliseum. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO – Randolph County wrestling teams will be well-represented in the finals of the high school state tournament. Five Trinity wrestlers (three boys, two girls), two from Wheatmore and Randleman’s Braxton Walker are all in the Class 2A finals, while in Class 1A there are two finalists from both Uwharrie Charter Academy and Eastern Randolph. The finals are slated to begin after the Parade of Champions at 4 p.m. Monday at First…

16 Feb

Prep wrestling: UCA to send 13 to Class 1A states

Bob SuttonSportsAiden Foster, Asheboro Blue Comets, Ayven Virasone Chitavong, Bliss Joyce, Brandon Jordan, Brennan Worrell, Caden Bond, class 1-A, Class 3-A, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Lorenzo Alston, Michael Shropshire, prep wrestling, state tournament, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy will send 13 wrestlers to the state tournament after an impressive run through the Class 1A East Regional on Saturday at Rosewood in Goldsboro. UCA’s regional champions were Ayven Virasone Chitavong (106 pounds), Brandon Jordan (144), Lorenzo Alston (157), Aiden Foster (165) and Michael Shropshire (215). The Eagles won another regional team crown. Alston, a junior who had two earlier technical falls and received a forfeit, is undefeated and will be aiming for this third state championship. Paxton Kearns (113), Andrew White (126), Rick Riccardella (138) and Caden Bond (175) were UCA’s runners-up. Also going to the…

08 Feb

UCA Eagles wrestlers pounce on Mount Airy for dual team state title

Bob SuttonSportsBrennan Worrell, Caden Bond, class 1-A, Dual team state finals, Hayden Waddell, Lorenzo Alston, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Here's the Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestling team after winning the Class 1A dual team state championship Saturday in Greensboro. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) It’s not so much pressure on Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team to keep the trend going as it’s the pressure applied by the Eagles that keeps them atop the state in Class 1A. The Eagles showed that again in securing their third consecutive dual team state championship Saturday afternoon, defeating Mt. Airy 48-15. “I think the pressure just motivates everyone to keep going,” junior Brennan Worrell said. The Eagles grabbed an early lead and then finished…

07 Feb

UCA wrestlers aim for team title repeat; Reign ends for Trinity

Bob SuttonSportsBrandon Jordan, Brennan Worrell, Caden Bond, Dual team state finals, Hayden Waddell, Jaden Allred, Joseph Trahan, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

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…

03 Feb

Reigning champs UCA, Trinity start strong in state duals

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, class 1-A, Class 2-A, David Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jaden Allred, Joseph Trahan, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Brennan Worrell prepares to pin Union Academy’s Nehemiah Parker during a Class 1A second-round meet Saturday. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy and Trinity wrestling teams began their quests to repeat as dual team state champions with two home victories apiece Saturday. UCA, the top seed in Class 1A East Region and the Piedmont Athletic Conference champion, and Trinity, the No. 1 seed for Class 2-A in the West Region, cruised in the opening rounds. If they win regional semifinals and finals Wednesday night, they’ll be headed to state finals Saturday at the coliseum fieldhouse…

12 Jan

UCA wrestlers buff up with more success

Bob SuttonSportsCaden Bond, Chris Waddell, Dominic Hittepole, Lorenzo Alston, piedmont athletic conference, prep wrestling, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Caden Bond TRINITY — Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team is on target for a league championship and another bid for a dual team state title. Per usual, the Eagles have been doing so by rolling past most opponents. “We’re trying to dominate,” senior Aiden Foster said. “We’re trying to be better every day.” UCA has a new coach in Hayden Waddell, who moved into the position that his father, Chris Waddell, previously held. The elder Waddell remains involved and on the bench with the Eagles. “We’re trying to stay consistent with what we do,” said Hayden Waddell, who was the…

06 Jan

Prep wrestling: Wheatmore’s Hittepole pins way to title; Trinity grapplers excel; UCA racks up duals wins

Randolph RecordSportsBliss Joyce, Dominic Hittepole, Jaden Allred, Joseph Trahan, Lorenzo Alston, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore’s Dominic Hittepole, top, works against an opponent during last year’s state tournament. (Randolph Record file photo) GREENSBORO – Dominic Hittepole of Wheatmore added another individual championship in the wrestling season by capturing first place in the Crosby Invitational on Saturday at Greensboro Dudley. Hittepole pinned Eden Morehead’s Brock Blizzard in 3:45 of the 175-pound title bout. It was his fourth pin of the day after topping Central Davidson’s Ethan Mumford in 31 seconds, Greensboro Page’s Ian Harris in 3:14 and Greensboro Grimsley’s Hayden Rogers in 32 seconds. A week earlier, Hittepole won 6-3 against Blizzard in a consolation-round match…

18 Oct

Area wrestlers compete in Super 32 Challenge

Randolph RecordSportsDavid Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum complex, Joseph Trahan, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, prep wrestling, Super 32 Challenge, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

GREENSBORO – Two-time state wrestling champion Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy posted a 2-2 record in the Super 32 Challenge last weekend at the coliseum complex in Greensboro. Alston, who has rolled to a pair of Class 1A state titles, is a junior. Several Randolph County wrestlers entered the Super 32 Challenge, which is one of the premier events for wrestlers of high school age and attracted participants from around the country, including those with international age-group championships. Alston lost by a 12-10 decision to Noah Bull of Layton, Utah, in the round of 32 in the 150-pound division.…