CAMERON — Becoming the first Richmond Senior High School winter sports program to compete this season, the Raider Wrestling team traveled to Union Pines High School Saturday.
Participating in the Viking Invitational, the Raiders were one of 17 teams to wrestle in the team and individual event.
What head coach Andre’ Ellerbe called a good tune-up for the team to start the season, Richmond recorded 45 points and finished 14th overall.
Focused more on the individual aspect of the tournament, Richmond wrestled seven different guys. Many of the Raiders’ varsity starters were still not with the team due to football season.
A pair of freshmen led the team Saturday, both going 4-2 and finishing near the top of the consolation bracket.
Dylan Nunez (120-pounds) and NaSean McBride (138-pounds) combined for 26 points. Nunez recorded 10 points and McBride added a team-high 16 points.
In the opening round of the championship bracket, Nunez won his first high school match via pinfall over Jarvis James (Westover High School). After falling to reigning state champion Mac Johnson (Cape Fear High School), Nunez won his next three matches three different ways.
He started the consolation bracket with a pin over Ryken Floyd (Union Pines), and followed that with an 11-6 decision over James Brooks (Union Pines). Nunez’s final win was a 17-7 major decision in a match with Jazten Hall (Seventy-First High School).
McBride lost his opening match and went to the consolation bracket, where he would win four of his next five matches. He received a first-round bye, which led to his first career win.
Facing Adam Tardiff of Western Harnett High School, McBride earned a pinfall victory in the first three-minute period. In his next three matches, McBride added a trio of first-round pins — Lucian Martin (Union Pines), Josiah Campos (Cape Fear) and Kosei McDowell (Union Pines), a redemption win from his earlier loss.
In the fifth-place bout of the 138-pound consolation bracket, McBride was awarded the win when Andrew Alexander (Hickory Ridge High School) exited in the first round due to a forfeit.
Two other Raider wrestlers notched 2-2 records Saturday — sophomore Konner Gardner (157-pounds) and Dominic Santiago (215-pounds).
Gardner, who added eight points, started his season with a pinfall over Anthony Quashie (Seventy-First) in the first round of the championship bracket.
A round two loss sent him to the consolation tournament, where he received a bye and another pin victory, this time against Emmanuel Scott (Westover).
Santiago finished the day with seven points and won two of his four matches. He started with a pinfall win in his opening bout with Rashun McNeill (Westover) and later added a pin over Alex Feaster (South View High School).
Richmond’s remaining four points came freshman Trevor Smith (175-pounds), who had one win. That was a pinfall victory in the third round of the consolation bracket against Cole Pettay (Terry Sanford High School) following a pair of byes.
Sophomore Hayden Smith (144-pounds) and freshman Francisco Canales (285-pounds) each went 0-2 on the day.
Richmond will compete in its first dual meet of the season Thursday at North Moore High School. The Raiders will face the host Mustangs and Central Carolina Academy starting at 6 p.m.
