This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior 195-pound wrestler Acoya Isley. On December 4, competing in his first major varsity tournament, Isley won the 195-pound championship at the Jim King/Orange Invitational at Orange High School. In the championship math, Isley defeated pinned Bartlett-Yancey’s Dylan Wall, the top seed, in 4:36. Isley pinned Walter Williams Chandler Baysdon in the quarterfinals. At the end of December, Isley finished runner-up in the Tiger Holiday Classic at Chapel Hill High School at 195-pounds. In a 32-team event, Isley scored three pins leading up to the championship match. He pinned Dantrell Williams of Union Pines in the opening round in 5:15. In the quarterfinals, Isley finished off Joseph Poole of Granville Central in 1:16. In the semifinals, Isley pinned Maynor Ramos of South View in 1:50. In the championship match, Isley narrowly lost 2-1 to West Carteret’s Joshua Krepe, the top-seed. Isley won the Quentin Crosby Invitational at Dudley High School earlier this month. On Tuesday night, Isley will join his teammates in going for its 18th conference championship in 19 years as Orange faces Eastern Alamance at Orange High. It will be Senior Night for Orange’s Brendon Worsham, Nate Hecht, Avery Clark and Jaylyn Roberson. Isley’s goal for this year is to qualify for the 3A State Championships at the Greensboro Coliseum.

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