Five middle schoolers capture gold medals
Advance – Against elite performers from around the state, Robbinsville showed why its wrestling program has a feared reputation.
Emerging from the 42nd Annual Junior High State Championships with top billing were five middle school Lady Knights: Alyssa Bohn, Tashay Carpenter, Shayla Dominguez, Latesha Orr and Myah Winfrey. Between the five, six titles were brought back from the RISE Indoor Sports Complex in Advance.
Collectively, Robbinsville won the team race for a title as well – its second consecutive time achieving the feat.
“They really have earned it,” said coach Sarah Orr. “This middle school team has put in the work since the beginning of the season and non-stop to the end.
“They all deserved to hold the title.”
Bohn won her 159-pound championship by twice pinning a teammate, Elizabeth Lambert. Carpenter picked up a pair of titles in both the 192- and 217-pound divisions. She twice pinned Mitchell Wrestling’s Kylie Geouge at 192 – in a combined 1:07 – while achieving the same feat against Mooresville Middle’s Avaree Rinehardt to stand atop the 217 podium. Her total time on the mat with Rinehardt was 1:30.
Dominguez had to face Cherokee’s Hailey Winchester three times to capture the 167-pound crown. Winchester triumphed 3-0 in overtime during their first bout; ensuring a different outcome thereafter, Dominguez pinned Winchester in the following two clashes at 2:59 and 3:25. Orr picked up her second state championship by pinning Cezara Ciubucciu and Hominy Valley’s Solstice Park to conquer the 100-pound division.
Rounding out the pack, Winfrey pinned three different adversaries at 134 pounds to win her bracket: Mitchell Wrestling’s Jocelyn Moody, Swansboro Middle School’s Aydelynn Collins and Cramerton Middle School’s Eason Hobbs.
Elsewhere in the field, Isabella Jones (92 pounds) finished second; Alexis Miller (115) placed third; and both Jayden Chekeleelee (128) and Briley Powers (100) took fourth.
Also competing for Robbinsville was Kristen Allen (115), Madison Felton and Cheyanne Geyer (both at 140), Milexa Jenkins and Julia Vazquez (both at 108), and Natalee Myers (128).
Black Knights
Robbinsville also had several middle school boys on-hand for Saturday’s invitational.
The highest placers were Benjamin Koeller and Brayden Lane, who both finished second in their respective 7th grade, 152- and 9th grade, 159-pound fields.
Zander Lucksavage (7th grade, 115) claimed third, while Devin Burchfield (7th grade, 100) placed fourth.
Other Black Knights competing were Jayce Turner (7th grade, 100), Ethan Chekeleelee (7th grade, 115), Cyrus Crowe (7th grade, 134), Ayden Conley (8th grade, 115); and Manny Romero Conde (8th grade, 134).
Both programs competed as a club team, under the “Peak Wrestling” banner.