Dooley finishes second at state tournament
Concord – It was a long day, but the end result made it worth the wait.
Robbinsville Middle School’s Kage Williams and Koleson Dooley competed in the 38th annual Junior High State Championship Tournament, which was held Saturday at Carolina Courts.
When the evening finally concluded, Williams had emerged with his second state title – clearing the way in the 197-pound weight class – while Dooley finished second in the 222-pound division. Both eighth-graders shined in their final middle school state tournament and will inject a wealth of talent into the high school Black Knights when they move up next season.
“Both of them have been working hard,” Robbinsville Middle head coach Wren Millsaps said. “Every kid that we have had place at (the) middle school state (tournament) – and have continued their career in high school – have gone on to the high school state tournament.”
Williams’ journey to the crown started with a 22-5 technical fall over Garrett Jackson (unattached) in the first round. Oakley Wrestling’s Brandon Guest was Williams’ next victim – a 65-second pin in the quarterfinals – before Team Blackhawk’s Kenyon Peek was picked apart in another technical fall for Williams, 20-3.
In the state finals, Williams made short work of Brevard’s Raymond Laney, capturing the gold with a pin 43 seconds into the first period.
Meanwhile, Dooley enjoyed a first-round bye, before pinning Polk County’s Conner Davis in the quarterfinals. Mason Armentrout of Ashe County suffered a 20-second loss to Dooley in the semifinals, but Newton-Conover prevailed in the 222-pound title bout with a first-round pin over Dooley.
“We are super proud of the two of them,” Millsaps added. “We expect them both to be huge contributors over the next four years with our high school program.”