Seaforth boys wrestle to third straight individual conference tournament title

Armstrong and Kuball reach 150 career wins.

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*The print version  of this story  is outdated.  The online version  reflects events from the  most recent conference tournament. We apologize for the mistake.

SILER CITY — Seaforth’s boys wrestling team won its third straight Mid-Carolina 1A/2A individual conference tournament title at Jordan-Matthews Saturday with a team score of 243.

The Hawks had 10 first-place finishers in their respective weight classes, including sophomore Luke Ayers (106 pounds), junior Jordan Miller (113), junior Gabe Rogers (120), senior Layne Armstrong (132), senior Maddock Cody (138), senior Benjamin Johnson (144), junior Carter Kearney (157), senior Judge Lloyd (175), junior Harrison Compton (190) and senior Ethan Kuball (215).

“I think it’s a pretty big accomplishment,” Kuball said. “I came here just last year, and being able to be part of this team is just really special.”

Armstrong, who recently committed to wrestle at Mount Union, and Kuball both achieved their 150th career win in their respective semifinal rounds, becoming the first Seaforth wrestlers to do so.

“I think it’s cool and everything,” Armstrong said. “I know my progress from freshman year to now has come a long way. I’m just so grateful for 150 wins and all my coaches.”

Northwood senior Elijah Farrow dominated on his way to a conference title in the boys 165-pound bracket. Farrow won by technical fall over Bartlett Yancey senior Angel Berlanga, who sent Seaforth senior Alex Hinchman into the consolation bracket with an impressive pin in the semifinal.

Southeast Alamance won the girls’ individual conference tournament with a score of 109. The Stallions had four individual conference champions, including sophomore Rutha Say (107), freshman Layorah Jamison (126), freshman Katie Lloyd (138) and sophomore Janiyah Quidachay (165).

Jordan-Matthews freshman Alexandria Zumano earned herself a conference title in her first year of wrestling after pinning Chatham Central senior Amani Carter just 29 seconds into the girls’ 120-pound final. Zumano pinned all of her conference opponents this season.

“It feels really great,” Zumano said. “When I came into it, I didn’t think I’d be good at this sport, but I have great coaches and good teammates that taught me everything I needed to know.”

Chatham Central senior Caleigh Warf also won a conference title for the 114-pound weight class in her first wrestling season. After receiving a bye in the first round, Warf pinned Cummings freshman Isabella Martinez in 54 seconds.

Outside of the first place matches, some marquee matchups between Chatham County wrestlers took place in the semifinal rounds. For a trip to the boys’ 190-pound final, Chatham Central senior Stephen Silhan III (30-7 record this season) won over Jordan-Matthews junior Jakari Blue (25-4) by a 10-3 decision. Silhan held just a 3-2 lead at the end of the second period, but he took full control in the final two minutes and racked up necessary points. The two wrestlers have met twice this season before Saturday, and Silhan now leads the season series 2-1.

In the boys’ 120-pound semifinal, Jordan-Matthews sophomore Nermiah Page (30-11) pinned Chatham Central junior Gavin Vanderford (19-14) after a three-minute bout. Page went on to get pinned by Seaforth’s Rogers in 1:29 in the championship round.

Seaforth senior Caden Brewer (second place, 150) and Hinchman (third, 165) completed the Hawks’ list of boys who were top three finishers. Sophomore Sarah Tanner finished second in the girls 126-pound division after losing to Jamison in a one-match bracket.

Page joined his teammates Blue (third), freshman Joel Garner (third, 106 pounds), freshman Jhonatan Saldana (third, 113), freshman Alex Sampayo Cedillo (fourth, 165) and senior Kaleb Moffitt (second, 285) as the only Jordan-Matthews boys wrestlers to place in their respective weight classes. Jordan-Matthews freshman Ruth Interiano finished second in the girls 165-pound division after getting pinned by Quidachay in another one-match bracket. Freshman Edith Vargas claimed first for the 152-pound weight class due to not having anyone to compete against.

Chatham Central junior Gavin Vanderford (fourth, 120), junior Aiden Hernandez (second, 126), junior Carson Williams (third, 150) and Silhan (second, 190) were the only boys to place for the Bears. Senior Aspen Phillips (second, 107) joined her teammate Carter (second, 120) as the only Chatham Central girls outside of Warf to finish in the top three.

Northwood had freshman Zack Staggs (second, 106), freshman Alexander Woodie-Prochazka (fourth, 113), sophomore Aldo Peluso (second, 132), sophomore Titus Moore (fourth, 126), senior Cole Shambley (third, 138) and sophomore Aiden Cisneros (second, 144) also place from its boys team. From its girls team, senior Marelyn Martinez placed second in the 132-pound division.

Seaforth's boys also finished as the conference dual team champions for the fourth time.  The first and second rounds of the NCHSAA dual team state playoffs will begin Saturday. 

The NCHSAA individual regionals will take place Feb. 7-8 for the girls and Feb. 14-15 for the boys. Chatham County’s girls will compete in the regionals at Panther Creek High School. Chatham Central’s boys will compete in the 1A East regional at Rosewood while Seaforth, Northwood and Jordan-Matthews will compete in the 2A Mideast regional at Morehead High School.

Here’s the rest of the team scores and results from the conference tournament:

Boys: 2. Southeast Alamance (135 points); 3. Bartlett Yancey (105); 4. Northwood (95.5); 5. Jordan-Matthews (81); 6. North Moore (67.5); 7. Chatham Central (62); 8. Cummings (23)

Girls: 2. Cummings (57); T3. Chatham Central (42); T3. Jordan-Matthews (42); 5. Bartlett Yancey (33); 6. Seaforth (24); T7. North Moore (14); T7. Northwood (14); 9. Graham