This week Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior wrestler Darius McLeod.
Competing at 132 pounds, McLeod is 6-1 with five pins through the first two weeks of the season. He started the year with a tri-match at Leesville Road in Raleigh on November 14. McLeod pinned Natah Henshall of Leesville Road in 2:30. Later that night, Cedar Ridge earned its first dual match victory of the season with a 42-29 win over Triton. Against the Hawks, McLeod defeated Talon Keeler by pinfall. In the Red Wolves Invitational on November 17, McLeod finished 2nd in the 132-pound tournament. He started by pinning East Wake’s Hunter Barabasz in 3:53. In the semifinals, McLeod scored another pin against Nathan Henshall in 1:55 to advance to the finals. Last week, McLeod scored two more victories in a tri-match at Union Pines High School in Cameron. In Cedar Ridge’s 54-30 victory over North Moore, McLeod pinned Josue Peralta. Later in the night, McLeod scored Cedar Ridge’s only individual win in the dual match against Union Pines. McLeod pinned Aaron Faison in 5:32. In addition to wrestling at Cedar Ridge, McLeod sings in a chorus that performs at retirement homes across the Triangle. This is McLeod fourth season as a varsity wrestler and while he loves choral music, he also doesn’t mind the heavy metal sound of Killswitch Engage to get the blood pumping before matches.