Mallard Creek’s Cameron Stinson remains unbeaten … and still champion.
Stinson won his third consecutive state wrestling championship Saturday evening, capturing the 120-pound weight class title and remaining undefeated in his three-year high school wrestling career.
Stinson took a 17-7 decision over Northwest Guilford’s Eli Pendergrass in the finals at Greensboro Coliseum, capping a 70-0 season. He won 44 matches by pin this season.
Stinson, who also won state championships as a freshman and sophomore, now has a 141-0 record in high school.
He piled up a big early margin in Saturday evening’s finals, scoring eight points on four takedowns in the first period. He added four more takedowns in the second period and carried a 16-5 lead into the final period.
Saturday’s finals marked the only time in the state tournament that Stinson did not win by pin. He won by fall in the second period of his first two matches and in the third period in the semifinals.
Stinson has said several times that his ultimate goal is to leave Mallard Creek as a four-time state champion.
He was the only Mecklenburg County state champion this year.
Laney repeated as the 4A team champion, edging runner-up Northwest Guilford.
Mooresville finished third, with Davis Freeze (152 pounds) and Greg Merriman (170) winning state titles.
In all, five wrestlers from the Greater Metro 4 4A Conference won state titles.
4A meet results
TEAM SCORES
Laney 118.5; Northwest Guilford 101; Mooresville 97; Cardinal Gibbons 72; Lumberton 66; Hickory Ridge 63.5; Hough 49; Corinth Holders 48.5; Cary 48; Pinecrest 47.
12. Cox Mill; 13. Porter Ridge; 16. Piedmont; 18. Lake Norman; 20, Mallard Creek.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
(with other top-six Charlotte-area finishers)
106 pounds
Championship: Grant McCord (Grimsley) pinned Jace Barrier (Mooresville), 5:55.
Sixth: Dru Kerley (South Iredell).
113 pounds
Championship: Trevor Coleman (A.L. Brown) dec. Noah Cauble (Piedmont), 9-1.
Fifth: Tiaj Thao (Lake Norman).
120 pounds
Championship: Cameron Stinson (Mallard Creek) dec. Eli Pendergrass (Northwest Guilford), 17-7.
126 pounds
Championship: Cooper Davis (Cox Mill) dec. Joey Baisley (Charlotte Catholic), 4-1.
Fourth: Jackson Rowling (Hough). Sixth: Carter Bockenstedt (Weddington).
132 pounds
Championship: Ian Fritz (Topsail) pinned Eli Murray (Lake Norman), 5;16.
Third: Brandt Fajerman (Hough).
138 pounds
Championship: Avery Buonocore (Laney) dec. Porter Brice (Chapel Hill), 5-1.
145 pounds
Championship: Tyler Tracy (Cardinal gibbons) pinned Riley Merchant (Pinecrest), 4:55.
Third: Christian Hasty (Porter Ridge). Fifth: Colt Campbell (Hickory Ridge).
152 pounds
Championship: Davis Freeze (Mooresville) dec. Logan Haseley (Corinth Holders), 8-0.
160 pounds
Championship: Drew Pepin (Northwest Guilford) dec. Jayden Dobeck (Pinecrest), 4-1.
Sixth: Daniel Freeman (Marvin Ridge).
170 pounds
Championship: Greg Merriman (Mooresville) dec. Savoy New (Cardinal Gibbons), 11-6.
Fifth: Bennett DiCarlo (Weddington).
182 pounds
Championship: Alex Hopper (Laney) pinned Jackson Buck (Lumberton), 2:37.
Fourth: Johnny Merriman (Mooresville). Fifth: Kyle Perry (Hickory Ridge).
195 pounds
Championship: Tomas Brooker (Hickory Ridge) dec. Trystan Richardson (Laney), 15-5.
Fourth: Alexander Jones (South Mecklenburg). Sixth: Bo Schiano (Hough).
220 pounds
Championship: Caleb Beaty (Corinth Holders) dec. James Bankston (Hillside), 5-2.
Third: Sam Cowher (Cox Mill).
285 pounds
Championship: Nathan Carnes (Porter Ridge) pinned Taevion Cox (New Bern), 3:33.
Foard repeats in 3A
Fred T. Foard repeated as state champion, with its wrestlers capturing four individual championships. The Tigers easily outdistanced second-place West Rowan, 142-5.-92.5.
Three wrestlers repeated as state champions.
Stuart Cramer’s Charlie Sly, who won at 113 pounds last season, took the 132-pound title. Central Cabarrus’ Jackson Baglio added the 120-pound title to the 126-pound championship he won last year.
And Foard’s Dylan Smith, who won at 195 pounds last year, took the 220-pound title.
TEAM SCORES
Fred T. Foard 142.5; West Rowan 92.5; Union Pines 90.5; Stuart Cramer 84; Eastern Guilford 75.5; Central Cabarrus 72.5; North Iredell 70; Enka 61.5; First Flight 59; Cape Fear 48.5.
13. Central Cabarrus; 15. North Gaston; 17. Kings Mountain; 18. Central Academy.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
(with other top-six Charlotte-area finishers)
106 pounds
Championship: Samuel Aponte (Cape Fear) dec. George Coleman (Foard), 10-5.
Third: Mateo Diaz Ruiz (South Rowan).
113 pounds
Championship: Jacob Kresicki (First Flight) dec. Fernando Martinez (Cedar Ridge), 8-3.
Third: Caleb Haynes (North Gaston).
120 pounds
Championship: Bently Sly (Stuart Cramer) dec. Gunner Marshall (East Henderson), 8-2.
126 pounds
Championship: Charleston Baglio (Central Cabarrus) dec. Isaiah Morrison (Enka), 14-7.
Fourth: Will Varner (Kings Mountain). Sixth: Stetson Collins (West Rowan).
132 pounds
Championship: Charlie Sly (Stuart Cramer) dec. Jackson Baglio (Central Cabarrus), 3-1.
Third: Kevin Obrein (West Rowan).
138 pounds
Championship: Bray Trivette (North Iredell) dec. Shayden Edwards (East Rowan), 14-8.
Fourth: Jaelen Culp (Kings Mountain). Fifth: Jacob Perry (West Rowan). Sixth: Kevin Romero (Foard).
145 pounds
Championship: Brock Carey (Foard) dec. Tyriq Freeman (Central Cabarrus), 14-7.
Third: Daniel Tierney (Concord). Fourth: Ross Watts (Hibriten).
152 pounds
Championship:Brayden Mejia (Foard) dec. Xander Hill (Pisgah), 6-4.
Third: Logan Fite (Central Academy).
160 pounds
Championship: Matt Karagias (Stuart Cramer) pinned Brock Sullivan (Union Pines), 5:03.
Third: Sage Tala (Parkwood). Fifth: Matthew Peterson (Ashe County).
170 pounds
Championship: Zane Birtchet (Foard) dec. Dominic Blue (Scotland County), 11-3.
Fourth: Carson Wince (Crest). Sixth: Steven Mairena (North Gaston).
182 pounds
Championship: Nicholas Mascolino (Union Pines) pinned Brixon Burgess (North Iredell), 2:49.
Fourth: Andrew Kehoe (St. Stephens).
195 pounds
Championship: Dylan Smith (Foard) dec. Acoya Isley (Orange), 10-4.
Sixth: Hunter Miller (West Rowan).
220 pounds
Championship: Edison Flores (North Iredell) dec. Landon Sargent (Cape Fear), 6-3.
Sixth: Nicholas Martinez (Hickory).
285 pounds
Championship: Christian Hercules (West Rowan) pinned Jackson Greene (Central Davidson), 1:51.
Fourth: Steven Hamby (Statesville). Fifth: Alex Jukoski (Central Academy). Sixth: Sam Bolch (Foard).
Bandys wins again in 2A
Bandys won its second straight 2A team championship. The Trojans piled up 134 points, with R-S Central and Mount Pleasant taking second and third.
Two wrestlers repeated as champions – Mount Pleasant’s David McEachern (126) and Newton-Conover’s Owen Clark (195).
TEAM SCORE
Bandys 134; R-S Central 99; Mount Pleasant 96.5; Morehead 93; Newton-Conover 86; Surry Central 84; Lincolnton 83; Hendersonville 68; Trinity 66.5; West Lincoln 62.
16. Burns; 18. East Gaston.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
(with other top-six Charlotte-area finishers)
106 pounds
Championship: Elijah Horton (Morehead) dec. Gabe Rogers (Seaforth), 9-1.
Third: Cameron Gue (Mount Pleasant). Fifth: Sam Gosnell (R-S Central).
113 pounds
Championship: Sumter Horton (R-S Central) pinned Josh Miller (Seaforth), 5:59.
Fourth: Fernando Teniente (West Caldwell). Fifth: Seth Almond (Mount Pleasant). Sixth: Kaden Shoup (Burns).
120 pounds
Championship: Jared Thomas (Morehead) dec. Spencer May (Trinity), 7-5.
126 pounds
Championship: Rayshun James (Reidsville) dec. Walker Bell (West Craven), 7-0.
Third: Josh Hammac (Mount Pleasant). Fourth: Trey Story (Bandys).
132 pounds
Championship: David McEachern (Mount Pleasant) pinned Corey Fazekas (Northeastern), 4:43.
Third: Caleb Deaton (Lincolnton). Fifth: Gunner Horton (R-S Central).
138 pounds
Championship: Will Nix (Bandys) dec. Caleb Cox (R-S Central), 9-1.
Third: Connor Shumate (Newton-Conover). Fourth: Ethan Smith (Lincolnton). Fifth: Austin Price (East Gaston).
145 pounds
Championship: John David Curtis (Burns) dec. Walker Mains (Hendersonville), 12-5.
Third: Josh White (Lincolnton). Fourth: Rakeem Smith (West Caldwell). Fifth: Trey Ballew (Bandys).
152 pounds
Championship: Jeremiah Price (Surry Central) pinned Dennis Waters (Hendersonville), 3:14.
Fourth: Luke Burkett (Bandys). Fifth: Jason Brawley (Newton-Conover).
160 pounds
Championship: Jacob Price (Surry Central) dec. Jeremiah Jones (Southwest Onslow), 12-7.
Third: Ian Moore (Bandys).
170 pounds
Championship: Jaxon Turner (Brevard) dec. Jordan Henze (Newton-Conover), 6-5.
Third: Richard Post (R-S Central). Fourth: Elias Martinez (Jay M. Robinson). Fifth: Patrick Goins (West Lincoln).
182 pounds
Championship: Mason Avery (West Lincoln) dec. Nicholas Harris (Oxford Webb), 12-5.
Fifth: Camden Mongene (Bandys).
195 pounds
Championship: Owen Clark (Newton-Conover) dec. Ray Laney (Brevard), 5-3.
Third: Zack Evans (Bandys).
220 pounds
Championship: Jose Flores (Southwestern Randolph) dec. Colt Kluttz (Mount Pleasant), 3-0.
Sixth: Matthew Cranfill (Bandys).
285 pounds
Championship: D.J. Spring (Maiden) dec. Dyllin Ellis (Bunn), 3-2.
Fourth: Camden Sain (West Lincoln). Sixth: Nick McClellan (East Gaston).
1A state meet
Avery County wrestlers went 6-0 in the championship round, and the Vikings rallied to win their fourth consecutive 1A team title.
Robbinsville finished a close second, with Uwharrie Charter – the last team other than Avery to win in 1A – was third.
TEAM SCORES
Avery County 134.5; Robbinsville 127.5; Uwharrie Charter 112; Swain County 56; Thomasville 55.5; Cherryville 45.5; Pamlico County 45; Rosewood 42; Alleghany 36; Starmount 34.5.
11. Bradford Prep; 14. South Stanly; 18. Bessemer City; 19. Thomas Jefferson Academy; 20. Albemarle.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
(with other top-six Charlotte-area finishers)
106 pounds
Championship: Cooper Foster (Avery) dec. Ethan Hines (Uwharrie Charter), 1-0.
113 pounds
Championship: Alexis Panama (Robbinsville) pinned Josue Gmez (Thomasville), 2:44
Third: Christian Harris (Albemarle).
120 pounds
Championship: Benjamin Jordan (Avery) dec. Daniel Rojas (Elkin), 7-4.
126 pounds
Championship: Carlos Vasquez (Thomasville) dec. Eli Thomas (Alleghany) 17-2.
132 pounds
Championship: Grant Reece (Avery County) dec. Ryan Mann (North East Carolina Prep), 4-3.
Third: Gavin Marin (Bradford Prep).
138 pounds
Championship: Aido Hernandez (Uwharrie Charter) pinned Cameron Worrick (Alleghany), 4:39.
145 pounds
Championship: Lorenzo Alston (Uwharrie Charter) dec. Willie Riddle (Robbinsville), 11-3.
Third: Ranfere Garcia (South Stanly)
152 pounds
Championship: Tristan Adams (Avery County) dec. Chase Miller (Cherryville), 8-4.
160 pounds
Championship: Suhaib Hatamleh (Bradford Prep) dec. Turner Jackson (Robbinsville), 3-1.
170 pounds
Championship: Cael Dunn (Avery County) dec. Grayson Roberts (Uwharrie Charter), 1-0.
Third: Kam Bolin (Cherryville)
182 pounds
Championship: Kage Williams (Robbinsville) pinned Darius Saunooke (Swain), 3:23.
Fourth: Nikolas Ellis (Bessemer City)
195 pounds
Championship: Seth Blackledge (Avery) pinned Jadon Maness (Uwharrie), 1:33
Third: David Hargro (Thomas Jefferson Academy)
220 pounds
Championship: Koleson Dooley (Robbinsville) dec. Tyler Stevens (Pamlico), 5-2.
285 pounds
Championship: Kohlton Neadeau (Swain) dec. Johnatan Argueta (Starmount), 11-6.
Third: Caleb Hovis (Cherryville).
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle