Rosewood matmen claim 17th regular-season league title

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 7, 2013 1:47 PM

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LITTLEFIELD -- Rosewood needed just three points.

It got six instead.

Shyhieem Peterson recorded a third-period pin and Rosewood claimed the 2013 Carolina-Four Rivers 1-A Conference dual-team championship with a stunning 39-36 decision over Ayden-Grifton on Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles won their 17th regular-season league title in 20 tries and secured the C-FR's No. 1 seed for the N.C. High School Athletic Association dual-team playoffs. The Chargers dropped to the No. 2 seed one year after finishing state runners-up.

"I am as proud of this group of young men as I can possibly be," Rosewood head coach Bill Edmundson said. "It was a total group effort. We made some strategic moves with forfeits in case it came down to tie-breaker criteria. We wanted to concentrate on first points scored in the match and avoid unsportsmanlike penalties."

Rosewood surrendered just two pins and three forfeits against Ayden-Grifton. The Chargers gained a 36-33 advantage behind three consecutive wins from Joe Nelson (160 pounds), Jorge Martinez (170) and Diego Martinez (182). Each Martinez pinned his respective opponent.

That set the stage for Peterson.

Edmundson encouraged Peterson to win by points, which would force a tie and give the Eagles a victory based on criteria. Facing a hostile environment and weighing 20-plus pounds less than the Chargers' Curtis Jones, Peterson accepted the challenge.

"OK coach, I've got this," Peterson said before he stepped onto the match.

The grapplers, for four-plus minutes, traded reversals and near pins before Peterson recorded the final reversal in the 195-pound tilt. He worked in a pin combination and Rosewood fans roared their approval when the referee blew his whistle and slapped the mat once Jones' shoulder blades touched the surface.

It was Peterson's 13th win of the season.

"I feel like every wrestler contributed to this unlikely win and wrestled at, in some cases, above their potential this weekend," Edmundson said. "We had some young guys who have been working really hard come through for the team."

Rosewood (21-7 overall) started the day-long meet with a 70-12 triumph over Princeton. The Eagles followed up with back-to-back victories over short-handed Goldsboro (66-16) and Manteo (72-12).

Malique Boyd, Matt Cruz and Nick Quillen each concluded the day 4-0. Quillen extended his school-record win streak to 87 matches and has pinned 22 of his 30 opponents this season.

Peterson, Trevor Thompson and Dylan Melgar posted three wins apiece. Nine Eagles each collected two wins.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Individual and team details from Goldsboro and Princeton were not submitted to the News-Argus.