From the time Favio Jaramillo won his 100th career match in the season opening quad meet against Eastern Alamance on November 13, it was a special season for Cedar Ridge wrestling.
The Red Wolves won the Big 7 Conference championship, going 6-0 in the league. They started the Big 7 season by beating Seaforth, ending the Hawks 36-match conference winning streak that extended back to the 2021-2022 season, its first year as a program.
After reaching the state quarterfinals in the 5A State Playoffs, Cedar Ridge’s Scott Metcalf was named the Big 7 Coach of the Year. Metcalf guided the Red Wolves to a 30-6 dual match record. Cedar Ridge defeated Atkins High and Currituck County in the opening two rounds of the 5A State Dual Team Playoffs at Cedar Ridge Gymnasium. It was just the second time ever that the Red Wolves hosted a meet in the state dual team championships.
Cedar Ridge also hosted the state quarterfinals, regional championships and 5A State Title Match.
In addition, Metcalf guided the Cedar Ridge women’s team to an undefeated run to the Big 7 Conference championship. Freshman Ella-Grace Reed became the first female wrestler from a Hillsborough high school to win a regional championship, pinning Maliyah Jackson of South Brunswick to take the 5A East Regional championship at Seaforth High School in Pittsboro on February 14.
It was Metcalf’s second conference championship team, joining his 2024 squad. In 2023, Cedar Ridge won the Central Conference Wrestling Tournament title at Orange High after the Panthers claimed the regular season crown.
In December, Cedar Ridge defeated Cary in a dual match for the first time ever.
In addition, eleven Cedar Ridge wrestlers were named All-Big 7 Conference. Favio Jaramillo, Juan Jaramillo, Alejandro Briones, Caleb Copeland, Colton Poole, David Angel, Landon Kemp, Isaiah Craig, Mikey O’Melia, Jose Rios and Daniel Silva.
Favio Jaramillo ended his career by wrestling for the 5A State Championship in the 113-pound weight class at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. Jaramillo went 42-5 on the season and went undefeated in conference competition. He finished his career 7th in school history with 143 wins and is the ninth competitor in school history with 100 career wins.
Juan Jaramillo opened his sophomore season by winning the Red Wolf Invitational at 106 pounds. He won his first 21 matches of the season. He finished the season 39-6 and has already accumulated 72 wins over his first two years of varsity action.
Angel qualified for the 5A State Championships at 120 pounds as a freshman. He went 42-17 on the year, including a pinfall win over Adam Newman of Currituck County in the second round of the state team playoffs. Angel, who won an Orange Person Athletic Conference championship at Stanback Middle School, also scored a 19-7 major decision over Jake Combs of Person in the state quarterfinals.
Briones finished with a 44-10 record in his junior season. In November, Briones won the Atkins Invitational in Winston-Salem.
O’Melia, the goalkeeper for the Cedar Ridge lacrosse team, qualified for the state championships for the first time ever. He finished the year 37-22.
Craig, an all-conference running back for the Cedar Ridge football team, finished 29-17. He pinned Timothy DuChaine of Currituck in the 2nd round of the state team tournament.
Copeland won 17 matches in his freshman year. He earned two wins against J.F. Webb and Louisburg on December 17, including a pin of Webb’s Andrew McGalliard.
Cedar Ridge had eight female wrestlers make the All-Conference team, more than any other team. In addition to Reed was sophomore Thalia Paterno, sophomore Caroline DonJuan, sophomore Kimberly Rocha, senior Hannah Manoogian, sophomore Olivia Carotenuto, sophomore Leilani Avendano-Olivares and sophomore Eva Dockery.
Paterno and DonJuan each reached the regional finals of their respective weight classes at the East Regional championships.
