The Cherokee Middle School Wrestling team traveled to Wake Forest University in Winston Salem to participate in the North Carolina USA Wrestling Championships on Friday, Feb. 7. The teams were divided into two divisions, the 7th grade and 8th grade. Julian Rubio led the 7th grade team with a second place finish in the 252lbs weight class with Josh Driver finishing third. Will Davis picked up four pin fall victories in the 8th grade 252lbs weight class to finish third while William Paul also picked up two victories to finish fourth in the 172lbs weight class. Other notable wrestlers included Seth Sneed, Kevin Jackson, and Scarlett Guy. In the 5th/6th grade 152lb division, Garrett Dee McCoy, an EBCI tribal member from Swain Middle, won the state title.
8th Grade
108 – Seth Sneed (Cherokee) defeated Eric Vang (Excalibur Wrestling) by decision
108 – Seth Sneed (Cherokee) defeated Adam Lowry (River Bend) by decision
108 – Tanner Hooser (Team Atlas) defeated Seth Sneed (Cherokee) by technical fall
108 – Jordan Palmer (Piedmont) defeated Seth Sneed (Cherokee) by major decision
115 – Chris Hollingshead (Thunderhawks) pinned Kevin Jackson (Cherokee)
115 – Brodie Bowman (Swain) pinned Kevin Jackson (Cherokee)
122 – Jordan Mohica (McDowell Titan) pinned Scarlett Guy (Cherokee)
122 – Scarlett Guy (Cherokee) defeated Colby Tooley (Alleghany) by decision
122 – Channing Watson (McDowell Titan) defeated Scarlett Guy (Cherokee) by Inj default
170 – William Paul (Cherokee) defeated Garrett Buchanan (Mitchell) by major decision
170 – Tristen Villarruel (Alleghany) defeated William Paul (Cherokee) by decision
170 – William Paul (Cherokee) defeated Tyler Lowe (Havelock) by decision
170 – LaCalvin Sessoms (Southern Nash) defeated William Paul (Cherokee) by decision
252 – Eli Ramirez (Alleghany) defeated Will Davis (Cherokee) by decision
252 – Will Davis (Cherokee) pinned Frank Dockery (Team Atlas)
252 – Will Davis (Cherokee) pinned Russell Sherrod (Spot-Backyard)
252 – Will Davis (Cherokee) pinned Jared Smith (Piedmont)
252 – Will Davis (Cherokee) pinned Brason Pyne (Madison)
7th Grade
252 – Julian Rubio (Cherokee) pinned Josh Driver (Cherokee)
252 – Kobe Byers (Hard Knocks) pinned Julian Rubio (Cherokee)
252 – Kobe Byers (Hard Knocks) pinned Josh Driver (Cherokee)
– One Feather staff report
