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Prep wrestling: UCA duo, Southwestern Randolph’s Flores secure state titles

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GREENSBORO – Senior wrestler Aldo Hernandez became a three-time state champion, including two seasons in a row for Uwharrie Charter Academy, and two underclassmen from Randolph County schools also won state championships.

Hernandez captured the Class 1-A title at 138 pounds with a dominating performance across two days at the Greensboro Coliseum. Freshman teammate Lorenzo Alston won at 145 pounds.

In Class 2-A, it was a three-day meet, capped for Southwestern Randolph 220-pound sophomore Jose Flores with Saturday night’s championship.

UCA had three runners-up, and finished third in the Class 1-A team standings.

Hernandez, who nabbed a state title in 2021 for Montgomery Central, finished his final prep season with a 52-2 record. In the state tournament, he had a pin, a 10-3 decision and then dominated Alleghany’s Cameron Worrick for a second-period technical fall in the final.

Alston’s first season resulted in a 54-2 record. He was efficient in the tournament with a pin and two major decisions, the latter coming by 11-3 against Robbinsville’s Willie Riddle in the championship match.

UCA junior Ethan Hines (106), senior Grayson Roberts (170) and junior Jaden Maness (195) were runners-up.

Hines dropped a 1-0 decision to Avery County’s Cooper Foster in the title bout.

Roberts, the 2022 champion at 160, lost a 1-0 decision to Avery County freshman Cael Dunn after recording a pair of pins in the tournament. Roberts ended his last season with a 50-5 record.

In the 195 final, Avery County’s Seth Blackledge pinned Maness in 1:33.

Third place for the Eagles went to Carson Robinson (160), while teammate Alec Millikan (152) was fourth. Eastern Randolph’s Adrian Lopez (126) placed third.

Class 2-A

Flores capped a 30-2 season by defeating Mt. Pleasant’s Colt Kluttz 3-0. He won three earlier matches by decision, including a 12-11 outcome against Walkertown J’Lynn Sheff in the semifinals.

Trinity’s Spencer May was the runner-up at 120, dropping 7-5 sudden-victory decision in the final to Eden Morehead’s Jared Thomas. May had three pins to reach the final, with two of those coming in first periods.

Providence Grove senior Colton Wood was a repeat place winner, taking third at 285 pounds. His only loss was a one-point loss that went to overtime to Maiden’s DJ Spring, the eventual champion. He was sixth last year.

Trinity had a solid showing with Brayden Hall (113), Joey Smith (220) in fourth place and Levi Dennis (126) in fifth place.

Wheatmore had Trey Swaney (132) and Dominic Hittepole (160) both in fourth place.

Luke White (138) of Southwestern Randolph finished sixth.

Class 3-A

Asheboro senior Diego Gutierrez was the only one of the four Blue Comets entrants to win a bout in the tournament. He placed third at 120 with a 4-1 record to complete the season with a 41-2.

His only loss in the tournament came in a 4-3 decision to East Henderson’s Gunner Marshall in the semifinals. Marshall was the eventual runner-up.

UCA wrestling team photo after winning 2023 state duals

UCA wrestlers pin down state duals title

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Here’s the Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestling team after winning the Class 1-A dual team state championship by defeating Avery County on Saturday in Greensboro. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

GREENSBORO – All the pieces came together for Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team in another tight battle with Avery County.

So this time, the Eagles won the Class 1-A dual team state championship.

“Anytime you do something like this, it’s pretty special,” UCA coach Chris Waddell said. “It takes plenty – so moving parts to make it happen. It takes a collective effort.”

Both teams won seven matches, but UCA racked up crucial points with pins and a technical fall to secure their second title in four seasons by prevailing 39-36 on Saturday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum’s fieldhouse.

UCA avenged a loss to Avery County in last February’s state final.

Jaden Maness, the 195-pounder for UCA, clinched the team outcome with a pin of Brandon Cabrera in 3:20.

“It was a big deal, sealed the dual,” Maness said. “Get the team the state title, it was a really big moment.”

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Jaden Maness is in control of Avery County’s Brandon Cabrera in the title-clinching bout at 195 pounds in the Class 1-A dual team state final. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

The pin was important because it gave the Eagles enough points with one match left on the docket.

“Getting this pin for this team,” Maness said. “I love this team. It means a lot to me to get this pin and sealing the dual and getting the state title.”

There was plenty to celebrate for the Eagles (36-0). Waddell gained his 700th coaching victory.

He said the Eagles have been a committed and determined group.

“They train 11 months out of the year,” he said. “They do everything together. Hang out together.”

Avery County topped the Eagles 39-30 last year, when UCA entered the meet with a 35-0 record.

This year’s final began at 285 pounds, with UCA sophomore Caden Bond moving up a division to take the team’s spot in that match. He delivered with an 8-0 decision against Connor Brewer.

“I thought Caden did exceptionally well,” Waddell said. “For Caden to be able to do that, he’s only a sophomore and as hard-nosed as they come.”

Avery County (27-8) won three of the next four bouts for an 18-9 lead. Only Ethan Hines, with a technical fall by shutout at 113, prevented a four-match sweep.

Then the Eagles put it into gear.

Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy works toward a first-period pin of Avery County’s Garrett Potter at 152 pounds in the Class 1-A dual team state final. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

In a clash of 2022 state champions, UCA’s Aldo Hernandez pinned Grant Reece in 1:08 of 132. That earned Hernandez the selection as the Most Valuable Wrestler of the meet. He won the 132 states last February, while Reece won at 126.

UCA 138-pounder Jack McArthur won with a second-period pin. Avery County pulled even in team scoring by winning at 145 before Lorenzo Alston produced a 17-second pin in the 152 bout.

Another decision for Avery County came before Grayson Roberts, also a 2022 state champion for UCA, received a forfeit at 170.

Cael Dunn, son of Avery County coach Matthew Dunn, notched a pin for the Vikings at 182 before Maness removed all doubt about the team outcome. UCA forfeited the 220-pound match to account for the final scoring.

Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestling team members celebrate coach Chris Waddell’s 700th career victory after winning the Class 1-A dual team state championship Saturday in Greensboro. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

UCA won the 2019 title before Avery County topped the Eagles for the 2020 crown. There wasn’t a tournament in 2021 due to the pandemic.

UCA and Northwest Guilford, which toppled Wilmington Laney 52-24 for the Class 4-A title, are the state’s only undefeated teams.

Next for the Eagles and other qualifying wrestlers will be individual regionals Friday and next Saturday following the next week by the state tournament. UCA is the host school for the Class 1-A East Regional.