Wrestling - Generic Graphic
Feb 15, 2009
KNIGHTDALE — Knightdale High was the first time host of the NCHSAA 4-A East Regional wrestling championships Saturday, but wrestlers from Holly Springs and Southeast Raleigh stole the show.
Holly Spring’s Alex Lee won the 125-pound regional championship, and Southeast Raleigh’s Elijah Adams took first at 171.
Wrestling against Kamal Leak from Hope Mill South View at 125, Lee showed his speed and aggression early with a takedown. But Leak later escaped, they wrestled evenly into the third, with Lee having the slight edge, 2-1.
At the 1:17 mark of the third period, Lee, from the neutral stance, quickly shot in low on Leak, spun to his back and took him down for two points. But with about thirty seconds left, Lee was turned around on his back. But Lee kept his head and his lead by putting Leak back on the mat for a 4-2 win and the 125 championship.
“I felt like I needed to be aggressive and I didn’t want the match to go into any type of overtime,” Lee said. “My coach always says if you are the aggressor, then it will pay off.”
Adams’ road to his title featured similar excitement, but more scoring and an extra stanza. Battling Scotland County’s Kyle Bland evenly through most of regulation, the two were knotted at 8-8 after each tallied a point in the last 14 seconds. With overtime just a minute long, time expired quickly and it was with 23 seconds left that Adams got lined up with Bland, swept a foot under his, and bear hugged him up and then down into the mat for the takedown and accompanying victory.
“I came in a third seed and I expected to be third, but I won it all so I’m just happy for myself and proud,” Adams said. “That’s my favorite takedown, the double or bear hug.”
Both Lee and Adams will represent the their teams as a No. 1 seed in the next weekend’s individual state tournament in Winston-Salem.h
Also wrestling for regional championships were East Wake’s Greg Martin (130) and Juan Rodriguez (189), and Clayton’s Luke Ludke (112).
Martin lost 4-2 to Zachary Barkett of South View, while Rodriguez lost by pin in the third period to eventual Most Outstanding Wrestler Kevin Radford from Fayetteville Pine Forest. Ludke was pinned with 58 seconds remaining in the third by Kyle Narburgh from Fayetteville Jack Britt.
Also qualifying by placing fourth in the tournament was Jordan Miller (119) from East Wake, Kyle Patrick (130) from Smithfield-Selma, Collins Creech (135) from Smithfield-Selma, Antoine McLean (140) from Knightdale, Jake Filip (152) from Holly Springs and Alex Dolan (171) from Holly Springs.
The team champion was Fayetteville Seventy-First with 157 points. South View was second with 135, and Jack Britt at third with 109. The highest Greater Neuse finisher was East Wake in ninth place with 67 points. Holly Springs was just a half point behind in 10th.
Knightdale coach Alex von Hoene was the gracious host of the large tournament for the first time and was happy to have the chance to do so for everyone involved.
“The biggest thing that I enjoyed about being able to host the 4A East Regional here at Knightdale High School was to provide a good opportunity for our student athletes and the student athletes in our area to compete in this fantastic sport,” he said.
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