After 24 years as a wrestling program, Cedar Ridge was one win away from crowning its first individual state champion.
In a season filled with championships and milestones, senior Favio Jaramillo just missed out on a storybook finish.
At the 5A State Championships at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro on February 21, Jaramill0 became the first Red Wolf wrestler to reach a state final since Fernando Martinez reached the 113 lbs. final at the 2023 State Championships.
In the semifinals of the 113 lbs. tournament, Jaramillo defeated Christopher McDonald of East Rowan 10-2 to reach the championship match.
Jaramillo, the 5A Eastern Regional champion, faced Jacobie Morrison of Enka, the 5A Western Regional champion. Morrison would earn the state championship with a tech fall over Jaramillo 22-2.
Just three days before Morrison’s title, Enka actually wrestled at Cedar Ridge High in the 5A State Dual Team Tournament. The Jets defeated West Henderson 39-32 to reach the Western Regional Championship match, but fell to eventual state champion West Rowan 38-34.
In Greensboro, Enka came away as the 5A state champions in the individual tournament. Morrison and Sheppard Homan each won state championships as Enka compiled 86 points. Enka’s Colton Stroupe finished 2nd at 132 pounds.
Jaramillo ends the season with a 45-5 record. He concludes his Cedar Ridge career with 143 wins, tied for sixth in school history. Jaramillo surpassed Josh Collins for fourth place in school history when he defeated Shevin Beaufort of East Lincoln 9-5 in the opening round of the state championships. This season, he was tied for 2nd on the team with 20 pins.
In the opening quad meet of the season, Jaramillo became the ninth grappler in school history to surpass 100 wins when he defeated Jayden Batten of Eastern Alamance on November 13.
Cedar Ridge, which had five grapplers qualify for the state championship, finished with 34 points.
Junior Alejandro Briones had a career-best 3rd place finish in the 144-pound state tournament. On Friday, Briones defeated 5A Western Regional champion Andrew Taylor of West Rowan 14-10 in the opening round. Briones roared out to a 7-0 lead, but Taylor tied the match in the third period. In the final 20 seconds, Briones scored a reversal and gained near fall points to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time.
Briones got the opening takedown against Dominic Avvisato of Dixon, but in the second period, Avvisato scored two takedowns. Avvisato would go on to win 11-6.
In the consolation semifinals, Briones defeated Alexander Garcia of Jay M. Robinson 4-2, scoring all of his points in the second period. In the third place match, Briones defeated Josh Kellis of Montgomery Central 8-3. Briones didn’t concede a takedown against Kellis to end the year with his 44th win.
In his first state championship appearance, freshman David Angel finished fourth at 120 pounds. After Joseph Little of Jesse Carson defeated Angel in the opening round, Angel won consecutive matches. In the consolation round, Angel scored four takedowns to beat Catoe Byrd of East Rowan 13-8. Angel pinned Lucas Angell of Curritucky County in 2:11 to reach the consolation final.
Angel ends the year 42-17.
Sophomore Juan Jaramillo, who finished 2nd at 106 pounds in the Eastern Regional, defeated Dylan Pfeffer of Dixon 10-4 in the consolation round. Jaramillo ends the year 36-6.
Senior Mikey O’Melia qualified for the state championships for the first time at 150 pounds. O’Melia helped the Red Wolves win the Big 7 Conference Championship as a co-Captain this season.
Orange’s Renn Van Hoose was the only Panther to qualify for the state championships at 132 pounds. Van Hoose, a sophomore, ends the year 38-15.
In the women’s tournament, Cedar Ridge freshman Ella-Grace Reed entered the top seed at 138 pounds after winning the Eastern Regional championship. Madalynn Banks of North Henderson defeated Reed via pinfall in 4:28 in the opening round.
Reed pinned Lorelai Walsh of Currituck County in 1:16 in the consolation round.
At 107 pounds, Cedar Ridge sophomore Thalia Paterno defeated Cheyenne Hunt of Croatan 9-3 in the consolation round.
Caroline DonJuan of Cedar Ridge defeated Orange’s Rose Brady in 4:35 in the consolation round at 235 pounds. DonJuan finished runner-up in the 5A Eastern Regionals.
Eva Dockery of Cedar Ridge also qualified for the state championships.
