Ashbrook wrestler wins state title

GREENSBORO — When Ashbrook wrestling coach Jake Eccles watched the Green Wave’s Josh Smith and Anson’s Garland Willoughby duke it out earlier this season, he had a feeling they might wind up wrestling for a state title.

His hunch proved correct.

The rematch Saturday played out much like the first, with Smith winning a close one, 15-12, for the 3A state championship at 103 pounds.

“It’s a really big deal to me,” Smith said. “I wanted to win so bad. I was willing to prove it.”

Smith, a junior, went 4-0 over the two-day tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum, finishing 50-1 for the season. He became Ashbrook’s all-time career win leader along the way, notching 126 career wins to beat the previous record by two.

Smith spent the entire season ranked No. 1 in his weight class for 3A schools by RetroRankings.com but felt no pressure to meet expectations.

“The pressure was all off when I reached the state,” he said.

Smith placed sixth at the 4A state championships last year in the same weight class. As a freshman, he placed fifth at the regional but did not advance to the state championships.

“It feels really good,” Smith said. “I had to work really hard and put my dedication to it.”

Other 3A top area finishers

South Point’s Hunter Dunn placed fourth at 103 pounds, losing to Robinson’s Hamilton Jones in the consolation finals.

Ashbrook’s Chase Warren took fifth after defeating South Rowan’s Thomas Lowe by fall in the consolations.

2A championships

North Lincoln’s Jake Nelson won the state title at 130, beating Trinity’s Joseph Anders 3-0 in the finals.

Lincolnton’s Gene Goodson (160) and West Lincoln’s Glen Self (171) had reached the finals in their respective weight classes, but their final match results weren’t available at press time.

North Lincoln’s Nate Smith placed third at 119, beating Northside’s Phoenix Kamp 6-4 in the consolation finals.

West Lincoln’s Chad Stamey finished fourth at 103 after a 7-2 loss to Trinity’s Anthony Chanthalacksa in the consolation finals.

CLASS 3A

First round

103 — Josh Smith, Ashbrook FALL Ross Olinger, Cardinal Gibbons F 1:23

103 — Hunter Dunn, South Point FALL Ryan Hull, Union Pines F :50

119 — Brandon Berry, Union Pines MAJOR Brandon Cagle, South Point 14-2

125 — Dustin Champion, Orange DEC Darius Stocks, Hunter Huss 3-2 OT

125 — Matthew Williams, Cardinal Gibbons FALL Ash Davis, South Point F 1:54

135 — Joshua Neal, Eastern Guilford DEC Ali Charles, Ashbrook OT 3-2

160 — John Kunkel, Cardinal Gibbons FALL Cody Hendren, Hunter Huss F :57

189 — Chase Warren, Ashbrook DEC Brach Walker, McMichael 7-5

189 — Chris Intehar, Orange FALL Inigo Hughes, North Gaston F 3:08

215 — Thurman Green, Havelock FALL Mikey Dotterer, Ashbrook F 5:46

First round consolations

119 — Brandon Cagle, South Point FOR Elliott Thompson, East Rowan FORFEIT

125 — Darius Stocks, Hunter Huss FALL Buddy Tom, Southern Nash F 3:20

125 — Ash Davis, South Point DEC Nigel Archer, Havelock 5-4

135 — Michael Newby, Havelock FALL Ali Charles, Ashbrook F 4:50

160 — Cody Hendren, Hunter Huss DEC John Messer, Fike 5-1

189 — Inigo Hughes, North Gaston FALL Jonathon Rudolph, Aycock F :56

215 — Micah Honeycutt, Carson DEC Mikey Dotterer, Ashbrook 6-2

Championship quarterfinals

103 — Josh Smith, Ashbrook TF Blake Millaway, Northeast Guilford TF 21-5 6:00

103 — Hunter Dunn, South Point FALL Hamilton Jones, Robinson - Jay M. F 5:47

189 — Chase Warren, Ashbrook DEC Matt Allison, North Iredell 9-6

Second-round consolations

119 — James Lilly, Byrd - Douglas FOR Brandon Cagle, South Point FORFEIT

125 — Darius Stocks, Hunter Huss FALL Kory Shaffer, East Rowan F 3:57

125 — Jeremy Roundtree, South Brunswick MAJOR Ash Davis, South Point 11-2

160 — Cody Hendren, Hunter Huss DEC Cody Mesar, Northeast Guilford OT 6-4

189 — Matt Allison, North Iredell TF Inigo Hughes, North Gaston TF 17-1 3:06

Championship semifinals

103 — Josh Smith, Ashbrook DEC Bradley Bader, St. Stephens 14-9

103 — Garland Willoughby, Anson MAJOR Hunter Dunn, South Point 9-1

189 — Seth Brinkley, Currituck Cnty MAJOR Chase Warren, Ashbrook 13-2

Third-round consolations

125 — Jay Similton, Robinson - Jay M. DEC Darius Stocks, Hunter Huss 5-2

160 — Steven Ikalowych, South Brunswick DEC Cody Hendren, Hunter Huss 2-1

Consolation semifinals

103 — Hunter Dunn, South Point DEC Jacob Tutterrow, North Iredell 3-1

189 — Mason Webb, Freedom FALL Chase Warren, Ashbrook F 1:40

Consolation fifth place

189 — Chase Warren, Ashbrook FALL Thomas Lowe, South Rowan F 2:58

Consolation finals

103 — Hamilton Jones, Robinson - Jay M. DEC Hunter Dunn, South Point 7-4

Hunter Dunn, SP, places fourth

Championship finals

103 — Josh Smith, Ashbrook DEC Garland Willoughby, Anson 15-12

Josh Smith, Ash, wins state title

CLASS 4A

First round

119 — Terrence Dugay, Seventy First DEC John Grigg, East Gaston 3-0

135 — Jesse Grigg, East Gaston MAJOR Jeffery Dion, Athens Drive 12-3

145 — William McGhee, Laney TF Drake Fortner, East Gaston TF 18-3

First round consolations

119 — John Grigg, East Gaston FALL Daquan Green, Riverside FALL 4:20

145 — Drake Fortner, East Gaston FALL Sam Porterfield, RJ Reynolds Fall 2:11

Championship quarterfinals

135 — Dustin Roemer, Pinecrest MAJOR Jesse Grigg, East Gaston 15-6

Second round consolations

119 — Ben Elliott, Panther Creek DEC John Grigg, East Gaston 3-2

135 — Joe DiDonato, North Mecklenburg FOR Jesse Grigg, East Gaston Forfeit

145 — Drake Fortner, East Gaston DEC Jeremy Overton, Apex 9-2

Third round consolations

145 — Eric Tozzi, Parkland FALL Drake Fortner, East Gaston Fall 2:12

CLASS 2A

First round

103 — Chad Stamey, West Lincoln DEC Cameron Green, South Lenoir 10-3

112 — Andrew Molina, Randleman DEC Ty Conant, West Lincoln 6-2

119 — Nate Smith, North Lincoln FALL Danny Nichols, Beddingfield F 3:44

125 — David Sailors, West Lincoln DEC Adam Welborn, Wheatmore 5-4

130 — James Napier, North Johnston DEC Emory Greer, Lincolnton 7-3

130 — Jake Nelson, North Lincoln FALL Austin Mackey, Croatan F 0:52

140 — Jordan Handy, East Lincoln FALL Matthew Peek, Wheatmore F 0:51

145 — Taylor Barber, West Lincoln FALL Kyle Smith, Northside F 3:27

160 — Gene Goodson, Lincolnton FALL John Snow, Graham F 1:39

171 — Glen Self, West Lincoln TF Josh Dubois, Northwood TF 15-0

189 — Mikaeel Middleton, North Pitt DEC John Navey, West Lincoln 13-7

First round consolations

112 — Ty Conant, West Lincoln FALL Cody McMillian, North Surry F 0:58

130 — Chris Garcia, Central Davidson FALL Emory Greer, Lincolnton F 2:06

189 — John Navey, West Lincoln MAJOR Aaron West, Eastern Randolph 15-6

Championship quarterfinals

103 — Colby Bowman, North Surry DEC Chad Stamey, West Lincoln 7-2

119 — Nate Smith, North Lincoln FALL Clint Callahan, West Davidson F 1:11

125 — Brandon Boles, West Stokes DEC David Sailors, West Lincoln 2-0

130 — Jake Nelson, North Lincoln FALL Chris Alexander, Lexington F 3:48

140 — Dustin Lassett, West Stokes FALL Jordan Handy, East Lincoln F 2:15

145 — Tre Jackson, Salisbury DEC Taylor Barber, West Lincoln 7-2

160 — Gene Goodson, Lincolnton DEC Austin Sloan, Starmount 2-0

171 — Glen Self, West Lincoln FALL Kabron Horton, Lexington F 1:06

Second round consolations

103 — Chad Stamey, West Lincoln DEC Ian Canrobert, Newton Conover 1-0

112 — German Ramirez, North Henderson FALL Ty Conant, West Lincoln F 4:22

125 — David Sailors, West Lincoln DEC Aaron Griswell, Pasquotank 9-2

140 — Kaleb Nash, North Stanly DEC Jordan Handy, East Lincoln 8-2

145 — Taylor Barber, West Lincoln DEC Drew Beadle, North Stanly 7-1

189 — John Navey, West Lincoln DEC Gant Sheddan, Trinity 4-3

Third round consolations

103 — Chad Stamey, West Lincoln DEC Juan Vera, North Henderson 6-2

125 — Thomas Lunsford, Bandys DEC David Sailors, West Lincoln 6-0

145 — Felix Soto, Shelby DEC Taylor Barber, West Lincoln 9-5

189 — Cody Wesson, Bandys DEC John Navey, West Lincoln 6-2

Championship semifinals

119 — Ryan Blackwell, Croatan MAJOR Nate Smith, North Lincoln 12-1

130 — Jake Nelson, North Lincoln FALL James Napier, North Johnston F 3:18

160 — Gene Goodson, Lincolnton DEC Chris Grimes, North Pitt 14-10

171 — Glen Self, West Lincoln DEC Cameron King, Trinity 8-7

Consolation semifinals

103 — Chad Stamey, West Lincoln FALL Tyler Davis, Lexington F 5:17

119 — Nate Smith, North Lincoln FALL JJ Davis, Madison F 4:37

Consolation finals

103 — Anthony Chanthalacksa, Trinity DEC Chad Stamey, West Lincoln 7-2

Chad Stamey, WL, places fourth

119 — Nate Smith, North Lincoln DEC Phoenix Kamp, Northside 6-4

Nate Smith, NL, places third

Championship finals

130 — Jake Nelson, North Lincoln DEC Joseph Anders, Trinity 3-0

Jake Nelson, NL, wins state title