WRESTLING: Edmundson's Eagles enter weekend set to defend individual crown

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 17, 2017 10:02 AM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

GREENSBORO -- Despite the disappointment experienced by Rosewood's wrestling team two weeks ago, one goal still remains in sight -- a second consecutive N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A individual team state championship.

The Eagles can anticipate some stern competition.

First, there's Robbinsville. The Smoky Mountain Conference champ upended Rosewood, 36-31, to win the dual-team state crown.

Next comes Voyager Academy, which proved it has dangerous grapplers during the east 1-A regional contested last weekend at Princeton.

And you can't forget about Uwharrie Charter Academy, a team Rosewood defeated in dual-team play. But Uwharrie exacted a little revenge on the regional scene.

Eagles head coach Bill Edmundson and assistants Hal Kilpatrick and Hardy Sullivan think a few rematches may be on the horizon when the 1-A portion of the state meet begins today. Nine RHS grapplers head to the Triad area in hopes of returning home as a state champ.

Edmundson's squad sparred with state qualifiers from Charles B. Aycock, Neuse Charter and Southern Wayne during the early part of the week. He stressed the technical aspect during each practice.

"These guys you see at states, you're going to have a hard time pinning them," he said. "You need to work to score as many points as you can."

Sophomore Tim Decatur (55-1 overall) looks to successfully defend his state crown at 113 pounds. Should he emerge victorious, he'll become the third two-time state champion in RHS program history. Nick Quillen, now in the Marines, and Kaleb Taylor each have a pair of state championships.

Quillen also worked out with the team this past week, mostly with the Decaturs -- Tim and brother Christian, a freshman 106-pounder.

The lone No. 1 East seeds for the Eagles are Jordan Todd (132 pounds) and senior multi-sport athlete Cameron Helt (182).

Louis Tortual (138) and Jayden Thomas (145) are No. 2 seeds.

Tim Decatur is a No. 3 seed.

Christian Decatur, Chris Hill (113), Reid Amodeo (126) and Seth Finney (152) are seeded fourth from the East. Each will face a regional champ in the opening round. Amodeo encountered back spasms during the regional and was diagnosed with a herniated disc.

Edmundson said the team began to show its "level of physicality and athleticism" it needed to do well to succeed in the postseason during the Carolina/Two Rivers/Coastal 10 tourney

"The entire team has bought in to the goals that we have set and (have) put in the work to get it done," said Edmundson, whose team filed a 42-4 record during dual-team action this season.