Cougar grapplers fall to North Iredell on Senior Night

By D.N. PENNELL, Jr.
The Alexander Central Wrestling Team closed the 2017 North Piedmont regular season with a disappointing Senior Night loss to the North Iredell Raiders on Tuesday night, January 24, in Taylorsville.
The Raiders picked up consecutive wins 182, 195, 220, and 285 pounds to seal the match and claimed a 41-36 victory over the Cougars.
The loss dropped ACHS to 5-2 in league matches. Despite the loss in the regular season finale, ACHS finished the regular season with a runner-up showing.
ACHS forfeited the first match of the evening on Tuesday, giving away six points at the 120-pound class. A pinfall win by Chase Warren at 126 pounds allowed the Cougars to tie the bout at 6-6.
The Cougars dropped three straight matches and fell behind 19-6 before Ethan Lewis won by forfeit at 152 pounds to pull Alexander within seven points at 19-12.
Alexander grabbed back-to-back pins at 160 and 170 pounds to take its first lead of the night at 24-19. Christian Romero won his bout at 160 pounds, while Calen Lombardy followed with a pin at 170 pounds for the five-point Cougar team.
However, the lead was short lived as North rolled off four straight wins to seize control with just two matches remaining. The 22-point run gave the visitors from Olin a 41-24 lead following the 285-pound match.
Alexander’s Charlie Lee (106) and Chase Treadway (113) won their respective matches by forfeit to make the final tally 41-36.
The Cougars will now participate in the NPC Individual Championship on Sat., January, 28, at North Lincoln High School in Pumpkin Center.