Lorenzo Alston

UCA’s Alston places second in wrestling nationals; Others post winning records

UCA’s Alston places second in wrestling nationals; Others post winning records

Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy came close to winning a national tournament. (Randolph Record) Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy finished as a runner-up in the National High School Coaches Association’s national tournament during the weekend at Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Va. The three-time state champion had the highest finish of any North Carolina entrant in all of the boys’ high school divisions. Alston, a North Carolina State commit, competed in the 145-pound division for juniors. Alston mostly breezed through the bracket until falling by 6-4 to Pennsylvania’s Michael Turi in the championship bout. Turi is…
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Prep wrestling notes: Southwestern Randolph’s Flores takes pride in career; Wheatmore senior finds spot on board

Prep wrestling notes: Southwestern Randolph’s Flores takes pride in career; Wheatmore senior finds spot on board

Southwestern Randolph’s Jose Flores matches up with Holmes’ Steven Ferebee in the first round of the state tournament. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — Southwestern Randolph wrestler Jose Flores found perspective as his high school wrestling career came to close in eerily quiet fashion. He leaves as a one-time state champion, though he couldn’t repeat that in his last two seasons. “Overall, I’m disappointed I couldn’t get first,” Flores after last week’s tournament ended. “I did do better than I did last year. As I looked at it, I placed three seasons.” Flores placed third in Class 2A at…
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Photo gallery of Randolph County’s nine wrestling champions

Photo gallery of Randolph County’s nine wrestling champions

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

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

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 21 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…
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Dozen Randolph County wrestlers reach state finals

Dozen Randolph County wrestlers reach state finals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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…
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Reigning champs UCA, Trinity start strong in state duals

Reigning champs UCA, Trinity start strong in state duals

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…
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UCA wrestlers buff up with more success

UCA wrestlers buff up with more success

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…
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