CARY — Five members of the Richmond Senior High School wrestling program competed in the NCHSAA 4A Mideast regional tournament and one advanced to the state championship.
One of 27 schools wrestling for a chance at states at Green Level High School, Richmond was represented by freshman Dylan Nunez (120-pounds), sophomore Hayden Smith (144-pounds), junior Jordan Hamilton (190-pounds), senior K’Mauri Morgan (215-pounds) and sophomore Jeremiah Covington (285-pounds).
Morgan was the lone Raider to finish the tournament in the top-four of his weight class, punching his return ticket to states. Taking third overall in the 215-pound bracket, he was also a state qualifier during his junior season.
Nunez and Hamilton were both just two wins away from making his first respective appearance at the state championship with a fifth-place finish in the 120 and 190-pound divisions.
Covington and Smith all made early-round exits during the regional tournament.
Morgan wrestled six times at the event, starting with a technical fall in the opening round of the championship bracket. One of five wins on the day, Morgan defeated Julian Feger of Fuquay-Varina High School 18-3.
In the quarterfinal match, Morgan faced Davyion Lewis of Northern Durham High School. Morgan was disqualified from the match for an illegal takedown, which sent him to the consolation bracket.
From that point on, Morgan finished the tournament undefeated and solidified his spot on the podium. To get the the third-place match, Morgan defeated Tyrel Morgan-Redmond (Middle Creek High School) LeRon Divers-Childs (Riverside High School) and Cole Harrison (Pinecrest High School) with by pin, technical fall and pin, respectively.
Matching up against Avery McNeil of Lumberton High School, Morgan earned his third pinfall victory of the tournament by pinning McNeil early in the second round.
Nunez and Hamilton both wrestled four matches, going 2-2 on the day. Both made it to the third round of the consolation bracket and two more wins would have sent both wrestlers to the third-place match.
Starting his day with a bye, Nunez lost by major decision to Naylor Higgins (Middle Creek) before rebounding with his second win. He defeated Chaynce Beamon of South View High School via a pin in the second period.
Nunez’s run at regionals came to an end when he was pinned by Abdiel Rodriguez of Pine Forest High School.
Hamilton won his first and third contests of the day, starting with a 15-13 decision in a hard-fought championship bracket opener against Troy Deniz of Chapel Hill High School. That was followed by a pinfall loss to James Ellison (Lumberton) in the quarterfinals.
Facing Adison Uttayaya from Apex High School in the second round of the consolation bracket, Hamilton rolled to a 22-9 major decision to advance. Trying to get into the state-qualifying third-round match, Hamilton came up short via pinfall to Nicholas Paddock (Pine Forest).
Rodriguez took third in the 120-pound bracket and Paddock was fourth in the 190-pound division.
Covington wrestled three times, losing twice by pinfall. His lone victory was in his second match, a pin against Keith Ezzell (Pine Forest).
Smith competed in two matches, losing his first to Ronald Shuford (Southeast Guilford High School; decision) and Leland Burton (South View; pinfall).
Starting Saturday, Morgan will begin his hopeful three-day journey to becoming a state champion wrestler. The state championship meet will be held at the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro.
