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Parkland claims third straight wrestling crown
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Published: February 8, 2009
GREENSBORO
Parkland fell behind early, but responded quickly to take another state wrestling championship against Greensboro Dudley with a convincing 46-18 win last night.
Dudley won the first match of the night when Andre Nie posted a 5-2 win against Parkland's Malcolm Ray to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead, but nine matches later the Mustangs had seized control.
Parkland (43-0) rattled off nine straight wins from there to take a 40-6 edge and rolled to its third straight Class 3-A dual-team championship. The Mustangs also extended their dual-team win streak to 133 matches. The state record belongs to old Appalachian High in Boone, which won 140 straight dual matches between 1952 and 1965. That mark was set before the NCHSAA offered a dual tournament.
Dudley finished the season 20-6.
Three other teams also won state championships last night. In Class 1-A, Hampstead Topsail defeated West Wilkes 44-28, Hillsborough Orange won its second straight 2-A title with a 33-27 win against Newton-Conover and Cary took the 4-A crown with a 43-18 win against Butler.
Luis Ramos was named the most valuable wrestler for his efforts in a 6-0 decision against Tyler Sigmon, who was third in the state at 145 pounds last year. Ramos, who normally wrestles in the 140-pound weight class, moved up a weight to take on Sigmon. Ramos led 3-0 after the first period and cruised to victory.
Ramos, a state runner-up last season at 135 pounds, was in tears after learning he was named MVP.
"I was really emotional," said the Princeton-bound senior. "I wasn't sure I'd get it and all the guys on our team work so hard. I'm very, very happy. I wouldn't have gotten it without my team. I was just glad I could help lead my team to a state championship for the third straight year in a row.
"I bumped up to wrestle (Sigmon) and I knew it would be tough because he's a good wrestler, but I knew that I wanted it more."
Ramos was one of 10 Mustangs to get victories in the championship.
Parkland jumped out to an 18-3 margin after Andre Davis (112) and Jovontae Coleman (125) sandwiched pins around a forfeit by the Panthers at 119 pounds.
Coach Maurice Atwood of Parkland said Coleman's pin against Robert Isley ignited the other Mustang wrestlers.
"He had a pretty good opponent," Atwood said. "He went out there and got the pin and it really got us going. It just started a chain reaction."
The lead continued to grow even when matches were closely contested. Parkland's Chris Rivas won a 5-3 decision against Sam Ross in overtime at 130 pounds, extending the lead to 21-3. DeSean Grimes-Hines picked up a 6-3 win against Dudley's Eli Southern at 152 pounds.
Marcus Cain (135), Brian Thompson (140), DeSean Grimes-Hines (152), Marciano Ali (160) and Raquan Edwards (285) were Parkland's other winners.
Parkland's run of titles started with a 34-24 win against Eden Morehead in the 2007 championship during a 46-0 season. Last season, the Mustangs hammered the Panthers 59-6 to win their second straight title and finished 44-0.
Atwood said his wrestlers have bought into the team-first mindset in each of the past three seasons.
"It's a complete team effort with our guys," Atwood said. "They are taught from the time they start wrestling in our program that there is no ‘I' in team and they stay behind each other the whole time."
Class 3-A Championship
Parkland 46, Greensboro Dudley 18
103 - Andre Nie (D) d. Malcolm Ray 5-2; 112 - Andre Davis (P) p. Isnardo Aburto 1:32; 119 - Adonis Wright (P) by forfeit; 125 Jovontae Coleman (P) p. Robert Isley 2:16; 130 Chris Rivas (P) d. Sam Ross 5-3 OT; 135 Marcus Cain (P) p. Jeron Roberts 5:11; 140 Brian Thompson (P) m.d. Quinn Woodberry 12-3; 145 Luis Ramos (P) d. Tyler Sigmon 6-0; 152 DeSean Grimes-Hines (P) d. Eli Southern 6-3; 160 Marciano Ali (P) d. Alex Sellers 9-3; 171 Guillermo Magallon (D) d. Isaiah Lewis 9-3; 189 Elias Bracamontes (D) by forfeit; 215 Jose Garnica (D) by forfeit; 285 Raquan Edwards (P) by forfeit.
Records: Parkland 43-0, Dudley 20-6.
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