Regional swim and dual-team wrestling state championship results lead top performers
The 2023-24 high school winter sports season is coming to a close in the Wilmington area, which means the postseason is right around the corner.
In wrestling, Laney competed for the NCHSAA 4A Dual-Team state title Saturday against Davie. Individual wrestling regionals begin Feb. 9.
The swim regionals also took place Friday and Saturday, with Wilmington-area athletes from both the 4A and 3A classifications earning state championship spots.
As we near the end of the regular season in basketball, the New Hanover boys and Hoggard girls looked primed to claim a third straight Mideastern Conference title. Most teams have five games left in the regular season. Playoff bracketing will be released on Feb. 24.
While the playoffs give us plenty to look forward to, check out these performances from Wilmington-area athletes who are off to a hot start this week.
OLYMPIC TRIALS Wilmington marathon runner competing in Olympic Trials ready to shine
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Laney's Joshua Helms, Ashley's Mackenzie Morton lead StarNews Athlete of the Week
Saturday
NCHSAA 4A Dual-Team state championship: Davie 31, Laney 25
The Buccaneers came up just short for the second year in a row in the 4A dual-team state championship. Here is each Laney wrestler that secured a win in the match.
106 – Ayden Arrington (Laney) over Stephen Jacobs (Davie) Fall 3:52
145 – Isaiah Wysong (Laney) over Brett Foster (Davie) Fall 4:29
152 – Tristan Cotto (Laney) over Elliot Gould (Davie) Major Decision 12-4
160 – Marquise Kelly (Laney) over Jerred Alexander (Davie) Decision 10-4
170 – Mac Kopelman (Laney) over Maddox Creason (Davie) Decision 8-2
220 – Mason Blue (Laney) over Brysen Godbey (Davie) Decision 5-0
NCHSAA 3A East Swim Regionals
Cade Needham, Sr., South Brunswick: Needham placed first in the boys 500-yard freestyle and second in the 200-yard freestyle in the NCHSAA 3A East Swim Regionals in Carry on Saturday.
Evan Sevast, Soph., South Brunswick: Sevast earned a spot in the state championship in the 200-yard individual medley, placing second at regionals.
AJ Jackson, Soph., South Brunswick: The sophomore placed second in the girls 100-yard freestyle, earning a spot in the state championship for the second straight year.
Aley Williams, Jr., West Brunswick: Williams finished first in the girls 100-yard breaststroke.
Riley Davis, Sr., West Brunswick: Davis qualified for the state championship in the girls 100-yard freestyle (Third place) and the 100-yard backstroke (Second place).
Friday
NCHSAA 4A East Swim Regionals
Cole Witmer, Sr., Hoggard: Witmer qualified for the state championships thanks to two first-place finishes (100-yard backstroke and 200-yard individual medley) at the NCHSAA 4A East Swim Regionals in Cary Friday.
Kelsey Stuck, Jr., Hoggard: Stuck secured a spot in the NCHSAA 4A state championship with her first-place 100-yard backstroke finish and second-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle.
Sean Setzer, Sr., Ashley: Setzer continued his dominance in the 50-yard freestyle, beating the second-place finisher by a full second. The senior also snagged first place in the 100 freestyle.
Madi Joy, Sr., Laney: Joy finished third in both the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly.
Boys basketball
Jazir Wright-McGhee, Fr., New Hanover: The freshman scored 16 points as the Wildcats cruised past South Brunswick 68-32.
Quin'sier Waddle, Soph., Laney: Waddle scored 16 points as Laney defeated Ashley 76-46.
Joshua Helms, Sr., Laney: Helms scored 15 points in the win.
Jayzion Davis, Jr., Hoggard: Davis scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Vikings snuck past West Brunswick 56-55.
Myron McKoy, Sr., Trask: McKoy scored 16 points as the Titans cruised past East Duplin 90-57.
Sherrod Henderson, Jr., Trask: Henderson also scored 16 points in the win.
Girls basketball
Brianna Stanley, Soph., New Hanover: Stanley posted a season-best 26 points as New Hanover pulled away from South Brunswick 57-47.
Tristan Shivers, Soph., Hoggard: The sophomore scored 23 points while dealing five assists and grabbing five rebounds as the Vikings cruised past West Brunswick 49-8.
Emmy Clark, Jr., Topsail: Clark scored a Pirates-best 14 points as Topsail defeated North Brunswick 47-41.
Charley Moore, Soph., Topsail: Moore scored 12 points in the win.
Ayanna Meyers, Jr., North Brunswick: Meyers scored 15 points in the loss.
Bella Cook, Jr., Ashley: Cook led the Screaming Eagles with 10 points as Ashley defeated Laney 30-28.
Wednesday
Wrestling
Laney: The Laney wrestling team is heading to the dual-team state championship for the third consecutive season. The Bucs overcame Cardinal Gibbons (36-18) and Lumberton (41-31) Wednesday night to advance to the state championship against Davie on Feb. 2.
Kingston Neal, Samuel McQueen, Eli Thomas, Tyler Buonocore, Sam Kopelman Isaiah Wysong, Tristan Cotto, and Mason Blue all secured victories against Lumberton to advance Laney to the NCHSAA 4A championship round.
Tuesday
Boys basketball
Caleb Bernard, Sr., North Brunswick: Bernard led the Scorpions with 20 points as the team came from behind to defeat Hoggard 78-67 in overtime.
Malakhi Daniels, Sr., North Brunswick: Daniels shot 64% from the field while scoring 19 points in the win.
Terry Hood, Sr., North Brunswick: Hood scored 15 points in the win.
Sherrod Henderson, Sr., Trask: Henderson led the Titans with 25 points as Trask defeated Whiteville 73-64
Myron McKoy, Sr., Trask: McKoy drilled three 3-pointers en route to 19 points in the win.
Girls basketball
Avery Fitzgerald, Soph., Hoggard: The sophomore scored 14 points as the Vikings cruised past North Brunswick 51-15.
Tristan Shivers, Soph., Hoggard: Shivers was good for 14 points in the win.
MacKenzie Morton, Sr., Ashley: Morton scored 13 points as the Screaming Eagles defeated South Brunswick 48-37.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington-area high school sports top performers Jan. 29-Feb. 3
