If the Orange Wrestling team wins its 16th consecutive conference championship, it will come under unique circumstances.
Since joining the Big 8 Conference, the Panthers’ two toughest competitors have been Northwood and Chapel Hill. Orange was supposed to face the Chargers last week, but the winter weather forced a delay to Tuesday night—-24 hours before the Chapel Hill match.
Orange climbed the first hurdle with relative ease on Tuesday night, beating Northwood 58-18 in Pittsboro after racking up six pinfalls and two technical falls. Trey Jones ensured another Orange win by pinning Northwood’s William Lane in :35, the second of four consecutive Panther pins that sewed up victory.
Kissel Summers opened the night with a major decision at 106 over Carson Richard 11-0. At 113, Mitchell Askew scored the first technical fall over Adam Wasmuth 16-0. That was followed by another major decision, where Justin Hutchins defeated Jamison Davis 9-1 at 120. Gavin Wiggins scored the first pin of the night at 126, putting Anthony Brinitzor’s shoulders to the mat in 1:22.
Senior Bailey Hawkins earned a technical fall over Grant Ray 15-0. At 145, Levi Anderson got a win with a major decision over Carter Stallings 13-1.
After Northwood’s Hunter Guinean and Jony Mazurek scored pins to narrow Orange’s lead to 28-12, Orange scored four consecutive pins to put the hay in the barn. Avery Jenkins pinned Montgomery Allgood in :57. After Jones’ victory, Josiah Ramirez ran his undefeated record to 29-0 with a pin of Hsemay Day in 1:03. Braden Homsey also remained undefeated by pinning Hunter Kingel in 1:58.
At heavyweight, Daylan Alston scored another pinfall victory, defeating Ben McGaughnea in 2:42.
Orange is now 15-0 and will host Chapel Hill tonight at 6.