The referee checks the mat to see if Southern Wayne freshman Omar Soler Sanchez (red headgear) has pinned South Brunswick’s Zack Mitchell during their consolation-round match at 106 pounds in the 2022 Falcon Invitational in Pikeville. Sanchez pinned Mitchell in 3 minutes, 34 seconds. Sanchez finished fourth overall. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne heavyweight Eli Hulet, back, works to get leverage on Southwest Onslow’s Peter Hoult during consolation-round action. Hulet pinned Hoult in less than two minutes and eventually claimed a bronze medal. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Dary Perez Lucas, left, hooks the leg of Gray’s Creek’s Jacob Rodriguez in their consolation-round match at 160 pounds in the 2022 Falcon Invitational. Rodriguez eliminated Lucas with a second-period pin. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Antonio Solice tries to keep his balance as South Lenoir’s Jed Day attempts to take him to the mat during their consolation-round bout in the 170-pound weight class. Day ousted Solice. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Omar Soler Sanchez and Bunn’s Alex Monks nearly battled for six minutes during their semifinal-round match at 103 pounds. Monks pinned Sanchez with 27 seconds remaining in the third period. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southwest Onslow’s Aiden Larkins, the No. 3 seed at 103 pounds, avenged an opening-round loss to Southern Wayne’s Omar Soler Sanchez (left). (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
PIKEVILLE — The foundation is slowly growing block by block.It’s a pace third-year Southern Wayne head wrestling coach Tori King isn’t too enamored with these days.
His patience is getting tested.
For the third time this season, King took a short-handed squad to an individual tournament. The team’s appearance in the 2022 Falcon Invitational didn’t sit too well for the SW alum, who had to fill weight classes with inexperienced wrestlers.
King left three weight classes empty.
“Tough day,” King said after a 12th-place performance. “A bunch of learning experiences and opportunities for some young kids to get mat time.”
The bright spots?
Junior heavyweight Eli Hulet secured third (bronze medal). Freshman Omar Soler Sanchez endured a heart-breaking, consolation-round defeat and ended up fourth at 106 pounds.
After an opening-round bye, Hulet pinned South Central’s J’Quell Carr-Williams in 37 seconds. The soft-spoken grappler fell in the semifinals to Bunn’s Dyllin Ellis, but pinned Peter Hoult (SW Onslow) to remain alive in consolation-round action.
Hulet pinned Jeremiah Bramble (Fuquay-Varina) in the third-place match.
“Eli looked very good at heavyweight and I’m very pleased with his progression this year so far,” King said.
Like Hulet, Sanchez stumbled in the semifinals.
He bounced back to pin South Brunswick’s Zack Mitchell, which set up a bronze-medal clash with SWO’s Aiden Larkins. The two grapplers staged a back-and-forth affair before Larkins recorded a two-point move in the final six seconds to win 10-9.
Hulet and Sanchez combined for 31 of the Saints’ 46 team points.
Joseph Evans (182 pounds) and Josiah Bell (120) combined for three wins. Teammates Mia Glaspie-Leach (113), Oswaldo Quiroz (132), Amari Thomas (138), Matt Whitley (152), Dary Perez Lucas (160), Antonio Police (170) and Sophia Marshall (220) also competed.
Southern Wayne (6-12 overall) launches the new year Jan. 4 with a home tri-dual against Quad County 3A foe Charles B. Aycock and Eastern Plains 2A member North Lenoir.
Team title comes home
C.B. Aycock had seven grapplers reach the medal podium and claimed the Falcon Invitational crown for the first time 2008.
The Golden Falcons knocked off talented North East Carolina Prep, 194-150, in team competition. SWO (130 points), Bunn (127) and South Johnston (118.5) rounded out the top five.
“They’ve really grown a lot,” CBA head coach Terry Wallace said. “We had 10 fresh faces that saw limited mat time last year. They’re definitely sponging it up, picking up the basics and we want to make sure they’re peaking at the right time.
“We’re enjoying investing in the kids and watching them reap the rewards. They did a super job.”
Aycock won seven consecutive invitationals from 2000-2008 and finished runner-up in 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021. The individual tournament was not wrestled in 2020 due to COVID.
“It’s a big deal,” Wallace said.
Samad Wooten (160), Travis Burton (182) and Dallas Bailey (220) each earned a gold medal. The Golden Falcons had three silver medalists (second place) and one bronze.
CBA logged a combined 26 tech falls and pins as a team.
NECP also had three individual champs and seven medalists overall.
Notes
Six No. 1 seeds won their respective weight class. … NECP’s trio of Colton Lewis, Ryan Mann and Landon Browning combined for 78 team points. Each won his respective weight class. … Bunn’s Alex Monks recorded the tournament’s fastest fall at 19 seconds. … Wrestlers from 14 different schools combined for 173 pins.
2022 Falcon Invitational
Team Scores
C.B. Aycock (CBA) 194, Northeast Carolina Prep (NECP) 150, Southwest Onslow (SWO) 130, Bunn (B) 127, South Johnston (SJ) 118.5, Wilson Fike (F) 96.5, South Brunswick (SB) 89.5, Fuquay-Varina (FV) 88, Gray’s Creek (GC) 81, Southern Lee (SLee) 64, South Lenoir (SL) 59, Southern Wayne (SW) 46, South Central (SC) 24, Goldsboro (G) 8.
Individual Champions
106 – Colton Lewis (NECP), 113 – Carter Duhon (SWO), 120 – Israel Guerra (SJ), 126 – Zane Ray (GC), 132 – Barrett Klutey (F), 138 – Ryan Mann (NECP), 145 – Landon Browning (NECP), 152 – Samad Wooten (CBA), 160 – Jeremiah Jones (SWO), 170 – Damarion Watkins (B), 182 – Travis Burton (CBA), 195 – Austin Roberts (FV), 220 – Dallas Bailey (CBA), Hwt – Dyllin Ellis (B).
