Eagle grapplers secure Carolina/Four Rivers dual championship

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on January 11, 2010 11:07 AM

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AYDEN -- Focus on improving.

Use personnel in the best positions.

Rosewood adopted those two philosophies after a disappointing second-place, regular-season finish to North Johnston in the 2009 Carolina 1-A Conference dual championship meet.

One year later, the work paid off.

The Eagles seized their 14th regular-season crown in program history Saturday afternoon with four resounding victories in the 2010 Carolina/Four Rivers 1-A dual meet contested at Ayden-Grifton. Rosewood emerged victorious against Ayden-Grifton (58-24), Manteo (57-15), Princeton (48-33) and county rival Spring Creek (60-15).

"Our guys have been working hard and putting in extra hours to take things to the next level," said Rosewood coach Bill Edmundson. "Coach Chris Gambino and coach Hal Kilpatrick have been working new techniques and drilling with our wrestlers, and it's beginning to pay off.

"After losing to North Johnston last year, we became much more focused on improving and using the personnel we have to get the job done."

Rosewood (19-5 overall) secured the league's No. 1 seed for the N.C. High School Athletic Association dual-team playoffs. Ayden-Grifton grabbed the No. 2 seed.

Eagle grapplers Nick Quillen, Scott Pate and Cameron Lane each logged 4-0 worksheets during the day-long event. Zach Behrend finished 3-1, falling to Spring Creek 125-pounder Daniel Richter 5-3. A returning state placer, Behrend asked Edmundson if he could bump up a weight class and avoid a forfeit at 119 pounds.

"You've got to admire that mentality," said Edmundson, who has 330-plus career wins the most of any county wrestling coach. "We don't shy away from tough matches, and in the end, wrestling those tough matches will pay off."

Rosewood, ranked No. 5 among the state's 1-A dual teams, returns to action Saturday in the annual Thomas Cowles Firebird Duals at Southern Nash. First-round matches begin at 9 a.m.