Polk County sophomore Chase Emory placed second Saturday in the 138-pound class at the 2A West Regional wrestling tournament at West Lincoln High School, qualifying for a trip to next week’s 2A state championship.
Emory decisioned Newton-Conover’s Joseph Lail 3-0 in a semifinal match to reach the final, where he faced Bunker Hill’s Bernie Briley. Briley, the top seed and 39-2 this season, scored a takedown early in the first period and went on to take a 6-0 win over Emory.
Two other Polk County wrestlers fell one match short of also earning a state trip. Senior Anthony Marino reached the championship round semifinals, but dropped a 7-2 decision to East Burke’s Marcus Childress, the top seed. Marino then had a consolation round semifinal match against R-S Central’s Caleb Spears. Up 1-0, Spears recorded a near fall early in the third period and went on to post a 4-0 win.
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Senior Jerry Cox, wrestling at 195 pounds, lost his opening match Friday to Franklin’s Bryant Godsey. Cox then won three straight matches to reach the consolation semifinals, where he faced East Burke’s Brian Smith. Smith built a 5-0 lead early in the third period with a near fall, but Cox escaped Smith’s hold a few seconds later. Cox then scored a takedown with eight seconds left, but couldn’t score again and fell 5-3.
Complete Polk County results
106: Luis De la Riva (West Caldwell) p. Triston Watkins; Holden Barlow (Stuart Cramer) p. Watkins
120: Jeffrey Woodard (Smoky Mountain) p. Kevin Sandoval; Noah Espindola (Lincolnton) d. Sandoval 8-1
126: Robbie Hallman (West Lincoln) p. Dillon Knighton; Tony Phillips (Mountain Heritage) p. Knighton
138: Chase Emory maj. dec. Blake Teague (Bandys) 11-3; Emory d. Hunter Carpenter (West Lincoln) 6-4; Emory d. Joseph Lail (Newton-Conover) 3-0; Bernie Briley (Bunker Hill) d. Emory, 6-0
152: Anthony Marino d. Paul Mashburn (Chase) 9-2; Marino d. Adrian Rojas (Lincolnton) 10-3; Marcus Childress (East Burke) d. Marino 7-2; Caleb Spears (R-S Central) d. Marino 4-0
170: Tristin Hendren (Hunter Huss) p. Braden Miller; Austin Ford (East Lincoln) p. Miller
195: Bryant Godsey (Franklin) p. Jerry Cox; Cox p. Alex Mathis (Stuart Cramer); Cox d. Vada Perkins (West Caldwell) 3-2; Cox d. Edgar Dominguez (Newton-Conover) 5-4, overtime; Brian Smith (East Burke) d. Cox, 5-3.
220: Shykale Steptoe (West Caldwell) p. Devin Panchyshyn; Joshua Strauuser (Bandys) p. Panchyshyn
