Cary High School Wrestling

Sat 2/6 - On the strength of 8 in the championship finals and 3 in the consolation finals the varsity 14 hung tough in maintaining a less than comfortable margin over a persistent Panther Creek to win the Tri-9 Conference individual tournament.  Earning conference championships were Justin Leroux (103), Adam Elliman (112), Ben Creed (125), Roger Terry (145), Matt Colvard (160), and Juan Macias (El Grande Hombre).  Jacob Brotzman (119), and Kevin Puente (215) took champion runner-up honors, while C.J. Bean (135), Josh Boozer (171), and Chris Hare (189) brought home third.  Harrison Rosenbaum, in the particularly stacked 130 pound class, Jake Brinkley (140), and David Alecio (152) also contributed wins to the cause.  It turned out to be critical that all weights contributed, as evidenced by the final wrapup of team scores:

1..Cary                               221
2..Panther Creek             203
3..Holly Springs              145
4..Athens Drive               114
5..Green Hope                 88.5
6..Fuquay-Varina            66
7..Apex                              62
8..Lee County                  23.5
9..Middle Creek               4
Here are a couple of links to pics from the tourney, courtesy of yours truly, as well as Panther Creek dad and fine photographer Ted Branoff (Ted took pics of all teams, so you’ll need to sort a bit, but his quality of worth it…)

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/11164358_idKFA#783809876_LVys2

http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Tri-9-Conference-Tourney-2610/11165017_dG5rE#782564261_4RPRu

Next up:  State Duals Rd #1!! Home vs. Green Hope and then whoever shows up across the mat!  Link to tourney bracket: http://www.nchsaa.org/championships.php?mode=viewchampPDF&champID=482

 

A late addition and bonus, wrestling fans…Ted Branoff, dad of former PC wrestler Alex, was kind enough to share the pictures he took at the Imp-PC dual.  He’s a better photographer than me, and he did a great job of staying objective in his shots, getting all wrestlers in whatever situation they were in, good or bad, regardless of whether our guy or their guy was winning.  Plus, his turned out better than mine this time, as usual I might add….thanks for sharing, Ted…Here’s his ink:  http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/11147358_e5aLQ#781221165_3woKZ

Thurs 2/4 - This just in, Imp fans!  The varsity 14 squared off this evening against the Catamounts of Panther Creek in a battle of undefeateds, capturing the Tri-9 Conference title with an emotional 38-21 win on the Panther Creek mat.  Justin Leroux (103) and Adam Elliman (112) started the night off right with a pair of solid decisions, putting the Imps up 6-0.  Panther Creek 119 Ben Elliott put the Catamounts on the board with a major decision, but Cary 125 Ben Creed brought the Imp faithful to their feet with a particularly aggressive pin.  Team score: 12-4.  Imp 130 Harrison Rosenbaum then squared off with Panther Creek ace Joe Morrisson, dropping a major decision, but denying the Catamounts additional bonus points they were counting on.  CJ Bean kept it close at 135, giving up a decision, and Jake Brinkley stepped in at 140, keeping additional bonus points off the board for the Catamounts as he fought the distance in giving up a major rather than a pin.  With 3 wins in a row, and momentum shifting their way, Panther Creek claimed the lead, and promptly relinquished it to Imp Roger Terry’s tech fall at 145.  David Alecio showed up to wrestle, lighting a fire in the Imp faithful with a quick pin at 152.  Matt Colvard did likewise, with another quick pin at 160.  Josh Boozer kept the momentum for the Imps with a solid win at 171, and perennial step-up guy Chris Hare made Panther Creek ace Jamie Drennan work for every point, keeping it close in the loss, and clinching the title in the bargain.  Josh Stewart showed heart and promise for next year, bumping up to 215 in facing the final Panther Creek ace, Sheridan Rucker, who tallied the final points for the Catamounts.  Juan Macias collected the final 6 team points at 285 for Cary with his electrifying forfeit win…

Link to pics from the dual.  They’re a little dark this time: http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Cary-vs-Panther-Creek-for-Tri/11147454_B4VRi#781230293_ax4Tt

Next up:  Tri-9 Conference individual tournament on Saturday, and State Duals next week…

Jan 23rd - The honorees of Senior Day led the way Saturday as our Incredible Imps prevailed in each of their 5 duals on the home mats.  No less than 16 members of the Class of 2010 were honored and recognized for a Cary Wrestling career in which none of them experienced a team loss in their 4 years on the team…

Link to Pics from the Cary Duals and Senior Day, a day of great wins, Cary Pride, and probably too much to eat…: http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Cary-Duals-and-Senior-Day12310/11040286_DCyPw#772404402_xGpYM

Jan 16 - The Varsity 14 continued their winning ways at the Firebird Duals, winning each of the 5 duals of the day.  included in the victories was a solid team win over 3A power Havelock high School…

Pics from the Firebird at the following link: http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Firebird-Duals11610/11032280_8QePS#771690740_mEDix

Please note that some of these pictures are of kids from the other teams, who the photographer knows.  These pictures were taken as a favor to the kids and their parents, who I know and like, and do not reflect any lack of allegiance to dear old Cary High…

 

Sat, Jan 9th - The Imp varsity 14, still hampered by injuries in a couple of spots, took to the mats of Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville Friday against a particularly strong field of 18 teams in the Jack Britt Boneyard Bash.  With the team lead moving back and forth between Cary and a particularly strong Havelock team, our Imps found themselves down by 3 points going into the semi-finals.  Havelock kept up the pressure by putting 5 of 8wrestlers into the finals, while our guys advanced 4 of 6.  Our 6 guys in the wrestle-backs came up big with 5 of 6 advancing to the consolation finals just as all 3 Havelock wrestlers faltered and lost on the consolation side.  Going into the championship finals, Cary had the team lead for good, even stretching it a bit as all Havelock finalists lost and the Imps’ Ben Creed at 125 and Matt Colvard at 160 both wrestled their way to championships over ranked 4A opponents.  Justin Leroux at 103 and Kevin Puente at 215 earned 2nd place honors, while Adam Elliman (112), Cordale Risk (135), Roger Terry (145), Josh Boozer (171), and Juan Macias (285) all stood up to tough brackets and finished 3rd.  Chris Hare at 189 won his placing match as well, and contributed a 5th place finish.  The Imps tallied 219.5 team points, widening the gap at the end over runner-up Havelock with 168.5.

Imp JVs made their mark in the JV tourney as well, winning with a team score of 214.0 over host Jack Britt HS at 190.  

Link to pictures of all varsity and some JV (sorry i couldn’t get more…) in action at the Boneyard:   http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Boneyard-Bash/10910528_VC47V#761850374_Jj2bU

 

Dec 13 - A still-starter-depleted Imp squad tallied another conference win on the Green Hope mats last Wednesday, prevailing 53-9.  Box score at the following NWCA link: http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcaonline/results/Scorebook/CompetitionResult.aspx?SchoolYear=2010&ID=581647&ID2=78503&ResultID=-1

Link to Green Hope pics:  http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Cary-vs-Gren-Hope-12909/10612302_GnTwQ#738046560_rNYyD

The ailing Imps then traveled to Western Harnett HS Saturday.  Considering their battered state, the team faced a couple of formidable challenges, notably first with the defending South Carolina State Champion Chesterfield team.  Facing Chesterfield short 5 starters, the Imps hung tough through a series of bump-up wins, keep-it-close bump-up losses, and come-back heroics to prevail 36-22.  Following additional wins against conference foe Lee County (72-6), Triton (80-0), and host Western Harnett (74-6), the Imps squared off in the championship finale against up-and-coming 3A program Union Pines, just off a decisive win over Chesterfield themselves. Particularly tough at full strength and with a bone in their teeth to knock off Cary, UP had people predicting upsets.  The Imps again pulled through, starting with a bloody win by CJ Bean at 135 and not clinched until Ben Creed took the mat in the next to last match at 125 to major a tough Danny Deardorff of Union Pines.  Matt Colvard received the higher weight Most Outstanding Wrestler award for his series of techs and pins on the day.  Ben Creed recieved the Most Outstanding Wrestler award for the lower weights for a gritty, come-from-behind bump-up win against a rather large Chesterfield 130 pounder and for his decisive and controlled clincher against Union Pines

Link to Western Harnett pics here: http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Western-Hartnett-Duals-121109/10628091_RkxtC#739267952_zcWbR

 

12/5 - Still at less than 100%, with several starters out, our favorite wrestling team hung tough to prevail over a determined and capable home crowd Orange team at the Jim King Orange Invitational last weekend.  Orange led early, and kept it close until the fourth round of consolation, when the Imps took the team lead for good and pulled away going into the championship semis.  The Imps placed 6 in the finals, with Adam Elliman (112) and Chris Villari (119) earning championships.  Ben Creed (125), Matt Colvard (160), Chris Hare (189), and Kevin Puente (215) made their way to the championship finals as well, only to each fall short in close finals matches.  Creed, Colvard, and Puente each took their matches into overtime, as the gym quivered and rocked with excitement and controversy.  Placing third were Justin Leroux (103), Harrison Rosenbaum (130), CJ Bean (135), and Roger Terry (145).  Jake Brinkley (140) placed fourth, as did Juan Macias (285).  Sam Finn (152) and Ben Beazlie (171) stepped into the lineup and each contributed a pair of key pins to the team cause as well.

Link to pictures from the JKO at the following link:

http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Jim-King-Orange-12409/10571575_2DkUJ#734555959_Sc9aB

Dec 3 - An Imp varsity short 4 starters pulled together for a 66-6 Tri-9 conference win over Holly Springs on the home mat last night.  Cary dropped only one match, at 171, in posting the win.  Box score at the following link:

http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcaonline/results/Scorebook/CompetitionResult.aspx?SchoolYear=2010&ID=559224&ID2=78503&ResultID=-1

Link to pics of both varsity and JV in action at the following link:

http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Cary-vs-Holly-Springs-12209/10525560_NQqyq#731011250_G63s4

Next stop:  The Jim King Orange Invitational tomorrow night!!

 

Nov 24 - A battered and short handed Imp squad pulled together through bump-ups and step-ups to win four at the Chatham Central Duals last night.  Some great moments along the way: Back-up heavyweight Jose’s monstrous and probably debilitating pin of a smothered Millbrook opponent.  And a bit of Cary Wrestling history: Andi Abode, in her first varsity match, dominating from the whistle and scoring the first pin by a wrestler of the feminine persuasion in the history of the team, greatly pleasing everyone in the gym except her vanquished opponent (see the picture above…)

Some good words from Coach Winterton:

 ”Great job last night.  For those of you not there, we won all four matches.  The biggest being a 49-15 defeating of Trinity HS who had some folks predicting a upset.   Our guys came to wrestle and did a great job.    Leroux fought hard, Andi picked up a pin!. Elliman was Elliman, Villari was tough on his feet as always, Brotzman looks to be domiant this year, Creed was put against the best guys and welcomed the challenge and won both, Blackwell is a scrapper and won, Rosenbaum is now 9-1 and looking good, Jacob Brinkley hustled and pulled out a tough win, Cordale Risk wrestled injuried and was very tough, wanted to wrestle the best guys, Roger didn’t bat an eye when I asked him to move up and wrestle, Finn pulled out a huge win in the Trinity match, Colvard took on a couple of tough 171’s and pinned them, Beazlie hustled well, Boozer wrestled up at 189 with a aching ankle and continued undefeated as is Creed, Terry, Colvard and Elliman, Travis Smith gets a win in his first varsity match, Josh Stewart looked like he’d wrestled for four years and caught his opponents attempted roll through for a pin, Kevin went 4-0 pulling out a close one in his last match at heavyweight, and the big story, just off the presses, are you ready for this?   Jose, don’t mess with Jose, big pin in the Millbrook match.  From Andi to Jose, great job to all.”

Links to pictures from the Duals can be found here: http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/Chatham-Central-Duals-112409/10433635_4TfHX#723472957_5noAV

 

Nov 23 - Down a wrestler at 189 due to injury, our Amazing Imps took up the slack by placing 7 in the finals of the Bear Invitational at Bunker Hill High School yesterday.  When the smoke cleared and the lights came back on, Cary had taken the first tournament of 09-10 with 5 individual champs, two champion runner-ups, a pair of thirds and three fifth place finishes.  All 13 Imps added team points to the cause, with Justin Leroux and Harrison Rosenbaum taking fifth at 103 and 130, respectively.  CJ Bean at 135, Kevin Puente at 215, and Juan Macias at 285 took third, with Chris Villari at 119 and David Alecio at 152 working to 2nd place finishes.  A semi-healthy Adam Elliman led off the championship parade with a great win at 112.  A bit bigger Ben Creed, on his way to earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler honor, took Cary’s second championship with a strong 11-0 win over Newton-Conover at 125. The next Imp to take to the championship was newcomer senior Roger Terry at 145, already with a win over a tough #1 seed under his belt.  Roger solidified his Impness with his first win in the white singlet.  Senior Matt Colvard, who recently announced a commitment to wrestle for Loch Haven University next fall, proved aggresive as always in pinning his way through his bracket to the championship at 160.  Senior Josh Boozer provided a great punch at 171, thoroughly enjoying his dominant run in pinning his way through the bracket , following Colvard with back-to-back first period pins in the finals, and earning his first tournament championship in his 4 year Cary career.  Detail to follow as available…

Link to pictures of the guys in action at the Bear here:

http://creed777.smugmug.com/Wrestling/Cary-09-10/CaryBear-Invitational-112309/10398592_d4QB5#720255557_6nhuH