44 teams from four states will participate in the Tiger Holiday Wrestling Classic, which starts today at Chapel Hill High School. Orange High, which has already claimed the team championships at the Jim King/Orange Invitational and Eastern Alamance Eagle Invitational, is one of four teams from Orange County participating. The host, Chapel Hill, joins East Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
Orange will have representatives in all 14 weight classes.
Because Chapel Hill High has classes in session today, the action won’t start until 4 o’clock this afternoon.
The brackets for today’s opening round have been released. Four grapplers who have earned individual championships in Orange’s previous tournaments will all be in action today.
Payton Wilson, who claimed championships at the JKO and Eastern Alamance, puts his undefeated record on the line against Carrboro’s Jesean Barkley.
At 120, Gavin Wiggins, who won an individual championship in Mebane last weekend, takes on Dominic Maurizzio of North Pitt.
Josiah Ramirez (21-1), coming off his first loss of the season last weekend after winning the 170 pound championship at the JKO, takes on Bryan Osorio Suare of East Chapel Hill.
Charlie Fitzpatrick will wrestle at 152 after winning the Eagle Invitational. He opposed hasn’t been announced.
The only Orange wrestler to receive a bye into the 2nd round is Jamar Davis at 195. He awaits the winner of Jalen Spooner of Northern Nash (5-2) vs. Providence Grove’s John Young (15-9)
Heavyweight Daylen Alston (13-2) is opposed by John-Rob Brown of Greensboro Smith.
At 106, Orange’s Mitchell Askew (19-3) faces Carrboro’s Gavin Leone.
At 113, Noah Davis (9-9) faces Chapel Hill’s Zin Muang (16-7).
Orange’s Bailey Hawkins (15-2), who finished as a runner-up at Eastern Alamance, goes against North Pitt’s Andrew Mizell (15-11).
At 138, Levi Anderson (15-5) will wrestle senior Sam Russ (15-8) of Hough High.
At 145, Orange sophomore Avery Jenkins (17-4) takes on Riley Chambers of James Brynes High (S.C.).
In the 182 weight class, Braden Homsey (15-6) faces Hough’s Collin Paradis.
Follow along on Twitter at @Hboroughsports for match-by-match results.