Viking of the Match
Beach Brawl
Ben Schiffer (aka Thor)
Ben, a German foreign exchange student with no prior wrestling experience, joined the Viking Wrestling team at the start of the season. In his first ever JV Tournament Ben went 2-2. He won his first ever match by a 5-1 Decision and later in the day he collected his first even win by Fall ("pin").
Head Coach Peers sat in the corner for Ben's first match. He commented that Ben was so excited and raring to go that he asked, "Do I have time for a quick 20-20-20 Coach?" (a 20-20-20 refers to a series of 20 sit-ups, 20 push-ups, 20 squats that our team does often throughout practices) Coach had to say no though and point out to Ben that he was already past due on the mat for his match. "He had a big smile on his face and was so proud and happy to be a Viking and part of the team. It was a great coaching moment for me!" - Coach Peers
Patriot Turkey Clash
Corban "Utah" Barton
Corban delivered an outstanding performance at the Turkey Clash winning the 113# weight class. This was his first ever weight class win at an Individual Tournament. He went 3-0 all wins by Fall. Corban fought through a couple tough matches and showed a great fighting spirit.
North Brunswick
Varsity
Kyle Buck
Kyle wrestled a smart match. He showed good technique, an array of moves, stayed composed, and didn't rush things. He wrestled the full six minutes and delivered a victory at a time when the team absolutely needed it. Job well done!!
JV
Zack Thompson
Zack is a very quiet young man. He comes to practice and works hard day in and day out with no fanfare. When he hit the mat Wednesday, G.I. Zack with the kung-fu action grip appeared! Full-tilt. No quarter. Great to see!! The win by Fall was just a nice bonus for all of us.
Mason Wagner Duels
Rory Gallagher
Rory moved fantastically on the mat, chain wrestled, circled with constant movement, and executed his moves all around. Coach Mondragon commented how proud he was of Rory for the heart he showed, especially coming back big to get his pin over the Union Pines wrestler.
West Brunswick
Finn Winegar
Finn came in first in his grouping and continues to show tremendous potential on the mat. Finn is clearly not afraid of being The Man in the Arena. His effort, attacking style, constant movement, and moves attempted proves it.
Cougar/Crusader Duels
Robert Pacilli
Without a true Heavyweight available for the tournament Robert was asked to step up a weight class. Wrestling at a flat 200 pounds, he was outweighed by as much as 63 pounds in one match. Not only did he step-up for the team, he won his first Varsity match, and ultimately delivered in a big way by going 4-1 on the day! Job well done!!
Ashley HS
Kilby Boone
Great job of wrestling a full match (plus a little extra time). Kilby kept a calm head, wrestled smart, and outlasted his opponent. He came from behind to tie the score at near full time and then followed with a takedown in overtime!
Battle at the Beach
Varsity
Hunter George
In his first year of wrestling Hunter has come a long way. He works hard at practice, seeks feedback on how to improve, and has shown a willingness to do what is needed for the sake of the team. Hunter went 3-2 at Battle of the Beach.
JV
Thomas Ponce
Thomas went 4-1 in the JV tournament. The coaches could see a marked improvement in his wresting at this tournament compared to prior events. Thomas was more settled on the mat and implemented several good wrestling moves throughout the day.
Blood Duels
Asef Ismail
Asef went 8-0 over the holiday break. This included a conference win at Laney HS followed by 7-0 at the Blood Pernu Memorial Duals. At the Duals, Asef defeated two state ranked wrestlers. Asef, the nose guard on Hoggard’s football team, is just starting to round into wrestling form after having started the wrestling season very late following Hoggard football’s run to the state championship game.
Topsail HS
Varsity
Kilby Boone
This was a hard choice to finalize... so many good matches against Topsail. Ultimately, Kilby came out on top! What a fantastic match! Wrestled the full six minutes and delivered a Win against a state ranked opponent. Have to mention Kilby ran a sweet Stack at the end too! This move was recently focused on in practice. Always great for the Coaching Staff to see implementation of the hard work in practice.
JV
Rex Hendrix
To be honest, there was some debate here too. Hoggard JV showed a step change in effort and skill at Topsail compared to prior outings. Excited for the future! Rex has come a long way since stepping onto the mat the first time. He works hard at practice and wants to learn. Coach Zoller said that when setting up the JV matches Topsails Coach commented, "I have a first year kid, he's working hard, has improved, but not sure what he'll do on the mat." Coach Zoller responded, "I have a similar wrestler." Rex delivered! He hit a Duck-under that brought his opponent to the mat, Rex got on top, immediately went for a Half, grabbed a leg to help roll the kid, and won by Fall. Awesome!
Carolina Duels
Mack Carson
Mack went 3-1 on the day with wins by Decision, Major Decision, and Fall. His loss was a hard fought close Decision. The highlight of the day coming when he upset a 2022-23 State Qualifier. Well done! Mack has made outstanding progress as only a second year wrestler. Coach Peers, "This kid doesn't complain, studies the game, and is always looking for opportunities to improve." Couldn't ask for more!