
By Tim Gardner
Supremacy and dynasty are two words that can aptly be used to describe Avery County High School’s continued reign as the State of North Carolina’s elite wrestling program in the public schools 1-A Classification.
Avery County added yet another feat to that golden legacy with a dominant effort during the 2022 Individual State Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum Saturday, February 19, crowning five state champions to lead the Vikings to their third consecutive North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 1-A state team championship.
The Vikings have won the last five NCHSAA team titles available — winning both the dual-team and the team-tournament title in 2020, winning the team-tournament in 2021 when dual-team was not available and both the dual-team and individual tournament again this year (2022).

In this year’s individual tournament, Avery County compiled 196 points to handily beat second-place Robbinsville, which finished with 134 points. Uwharrie Charter scored 114 points to finish in third place. Swain County had 70 total points for a fourth-place finish, while Alleghany came in fifth after compiling 52.5 points.
Avery County head coach Matthew Dunn commented that he has zenith pride in his team and its accomplishments this season.
“To be in the corner when a kid achieves his lifelong dream is an emotional and special moment, Dunn said. “To have all of those moments come together in something the team can share and bring home to our community is indescribable. We have a truly amazing group of young men. There is an overwhelming sense of pride in these young men coupled with a great feeling of gratitude for all those that made these titles possible.”
Avery County’s Levi Andrews won the 1-A Most Outstanding Wrestler award after winning the state championship in the 285-pound weight (lb.) class (heavyweight). Andrews is one of only ten wrestlers in North Carolina High School history to have won four state titles, making his sterling accomplishments even more impressive. The star grappler won the state crown in the 220-pound weight class in 2019 and 2020 and the 285-pound weight class in 2021 and 2022.
Besides Andrews, Avery County’s other four 2022 individual state champions were: Ben Jordan (113-pound class); Grant Reece (126-pound class); Ethan Shell (138-pound class); and Tristan Adams (152-pound class).
The Vikings also had a state runner-up in Johnathan Cable in the 145-pound weight class as well as five third place finishers-Cooper Foster, 106-pound class; Kenneth Pritz, 120-pound class; Bradley Parker (160-pound class; Seth Blackledge, 170-pouind class; and Grayson Hoilman, 220-pound class).
Complete final team scores were as follows: 1 Avery County 196.0; 2 Robbinsville 134.0; 3 Uwharrie Charter 114.0; 4 Swain County 70.0; 5 Alleghany 52.5; 6 Mount Airy 49.0; 7 Rosewood 46.0; 8 South Davidson 37.5; 9 Cherryville 31.0; 10 Starmount 28.0; 11 South Stanly 24.0; 12 Thomasville 22.0; 13 Rosman 20.0; 14 Union Academy 18.0; 15 North Stokes 17.0; 16 North East Carolina Prep 10.0; 16 Pamlico County 10.0; 18 Bishop McGuinness 8.0; 18 East Wilkes 8.0; 18 Leadership Academy 8.0; 21 Bradford Prep 6.0; 22 Elkin 5.0; 23 Cherokee 3.0; 23 Voyager 3.0; and 25 Mitchell 2.0.
Dunn has coached this season’s Vikings to state championships in different ways. Avery rallied from behind with underclassmen winning matches when they were most needed to claim the dual team title and then maintained a huge lead to win the individual (team) title. This team truly has shown it could do whatever it takes to win. While it’s hard to compare teams from different seasons, Dunn proclaimed this season’s Vikings personified the word “team” as much as any team he’s coached at Avery County.
“In truth, we were not supposed to be the team on top at the end of the year. This team really went all into training and competing for something bigger than themselves. It was a truly special group of wrestlers. They seemed to just find ways to win even if the experts doubted their abilities and they absolutely were the personification of a team as much as any I’ve had at Avery,” Dunn stated.
He added that Avery High Wrestling is not just an in-season program working toward achieving the ultimate goal of winning state championships and he credited the Dogtown Wrestling Club with being extremely instrumental in Avery’s continued success.

“We run a year-round wrestling club that participates in training events and camps all over the country. The success of the wrestling program hinges around the Dogtown Wrestling Club and youth participation. The Dogtown Wrestling Club is what built the current program and hopefully the club will continue to send us wrestlers willing to work hard to become champs. I believe there should be a commitment to excellence in everything that you do. We focus on doing the daily grind to the best of our abilities,” the coach noted.
Results of the Individual Tournament Championship Finals were:
106 Lb. -Alexis Panama (Robbinsville, 26-6, So.) over Hunter Fulp (North Stokes, 49-3, Sr.) by decision (Dec 10-3)
113 Lb. – Ben Jordan (Avery County, 48-2, So.) over Marcos Sagahon (Alleghany, 36-11, So.) by decision (Dec 6-0)
120 Lb. – Tristan Hale (South Davidson, 49-0, Sr.) over Brandon Ropp (Rosman, 43-9, Sr.) by decision (Dec 5-0)
126 Lb. – Grant Reece (Avery County, 44-10, So.) over Jayden Nowell (Robbinsville, 38-5, Sr.) by decision (Dec 8-4)
132 Lb. – Aldo Hernandez (Uwharrie Charter, 49-3, Jr.) over Bryson Church (Alleghany, 39-13, Sr.) by tech fall (TF-1.5 2:22 (15-0))
138 Lb. – Ethan Shell (Avery County, 50-2, Fr.) over Byan Lackey (Uwharrie Charter, 38-8, Sr.) by fall (Fall 0:49)
145 Lb. – Ranfere Garcia (South Stanly, 27-9, Jr.) over Johnathan Cable (Avery County, 28-4, Sr.) (Fall 3:25)
152 Lb. – Tristan Adams (Avery County, 24-4, Jr.) over Chase Miller (Cherryville, 45-8, Jr.) by decision (Dec 5-3)
160 Lb. – Grayson Roberts (Uwharrie Charter, 48-4, Jr.) over Isaac Williams (Union Academy, 32-8, Sr.) by decision (Dec 7-5)
170 Lb. – Connor Medvar (Mount Airy, 31-1, Sr.) over Doug Bowles (Uwharrie Charter, 47-5, Sr.) by decision (Dec 10-3)
182 Lb. – Kyle Fink (Robbinsville, 46-4, Sr.) over Joseph Akers (South Davidson, 47-2, Sr.) by fall (Fall 4:46)
195 Lb. – Kage Williams (Robbinsville, 35-1, So.) over Edwin Agabo (Mount Airy, 20-6, Jr.) by fall (Fall 0:58)
220 Lb. – Ben Wachacha (Robbinsville, 40-6, Sr.) over Carson Taylor (Swain County, 30-10, Sr.) by decision (Dec 7-3)
285 Lb. – Levi Andrews (Avery County, 51-1, Sr.) over Carlos Wesley (Robbinsville, 26-9, Sr.) by decision (Dec 3-0)
Final Placements
106 Lb.
1st Place – Alexis Panama of Robbinsville
2nd Place – Hunter Fulp of North Stokes
3rd Place – Cooper Foster of Avery County
4th Place – Ethan Hines of Uwharrie Charter
113 Lb.
1st Place – Ben Jordan of Avery County
2nd Place – Marcos Sagahon of Alleghany
3rd Place – Brandon Jordan of Uwharrie Charter
4th Place – Cooper Wingate of Leadership Academy
120 Lb.
1st Place – Tristan Hale of South Davidson
2nd Place – Brandon Ropp of Rosman
3rd Place – Kenneth Pritz of Avery County
4th Place – Ryan Mann of North East Carolina Prep
126 Lb.
1st Place – Grant Reece of Avery County
2nd Place – Jayden Nowell of Robbinsville
3rd Place – Logan Tortual of Rosewood
4th Place – Carlos Vasquez of Thomasville
132 Lb.
1st Place – Aldo Hernandez of Uwharrie Charter
2nd Place – Bryson Church of Alleghany
3rd Place – Cole Nixon of Starmount
4th Place – Michael Linko of Rosewood
138 Lb.
1st Place – Ethan Shell of Avery County
2nd Place – Byan Lackey of Uwharrie Charter
3rd Place – Adam Cotterman of Swain County
4th Place – Gavin Davis of Rosewood
145 Lb.
1st Place – Ranfere Garcia of South Stanly
2nd Place – Johnathan Cable of Avery County
3rd Place – Koda Blythe of Alleghany
4th Place – Jaret Panama of Robbinsville
152 Lb.
1st Place – Tristan Adams of Avery County
2nd Place – Chase Miller of Cherryville
3rd Place – Nicholas (Franklin) Bennett of Mount Airy
4th Place – Jacob Regitz of Bishop McGuinness
160 Lb.
1st Place – Grayson Roberts of Uwharrie Charter
2nd Place – Isaac Williams of Union Academy
3rd Place – Bradley Parker of Avery County
4th Place – Isaac Stoker of Alleghany
170 Lb.
1st Place – Connor Medvar of Mount Airy
2nd Place – Doug Bowles of Uwharrie Charter
3rd Place – Seth Blackledge of Avery County
4th Place – Gabriel Lillard of Swain County
182 Lb.
1st Place – Kyle Fink of Robbinsville
2nd Place – Joseph Akers of South Davidson
3rd Place – Mason Grindstaff of Cherryville
4th Place – Jaden Maness of Uwharrie Charter
195 Lb.
1st Place – Kage Williams of Robbinsville
2nd Place – Edwin Agabo of Mount Airy
3rd Place – Blake Sain of Swain County
4th Place – Tyler Parrish of Rosewood
220 Lb.
1st Place – Ben Wachacha of Robbinsville
2nd Place – Carson Taylor of Swain County
3rd Place – Grayson Hoilman of Avery County
4th Place – Steven Sullivan of Starmount
285 Lb.
1st Place – Levi Andrews of Avery County
2nd Place – Carlos Wesley of Robbinsville
3rd Place – Kohlton Neadeau of Swain County
4th Place – Deshawn Holman of Thomasville
Results of the Championship Consolation Finals and Consolation Semifinals involving Avery County wrestlers were:
Consolation Finals-
106 Lb.
3rd Place Match – Cooper Foster (Avery County, 53-6) won by fall over Ethan Hines (Uwharrie Charter, 41-7) (Fall 4:23)
120 Lb.
3rd Place Match – Kenneth Pritz (Avery County, 37-5) won by decision over Ryan Mann (North East Carolina Prep, 36-4) (Dec 4-2)
160 Lb.
3rd Place Match – Bradley Parker (Avery County, 31-4) won by decision over Isaac Stoker (Alleghany, 40-12) (Dec 11-5)
170 Lb.
3rd Place Match – Seth Blackledge (Avery County, 48-6) won by fall over Gabriel Lillard (Swain County, 33-10) (Fall 1:47)
220 Lb.
3rd Place Match – Grayson Hoilman (Avery County, 18-7) won by major decision over Steven Sullivan (Starmount, 16-6) (MD 12-1)
Consolation Semifinals-
106 Lb.
Cooper Foster (Avery County, 53-6) won by major decision over Jason Kennedy (Rosewood, 43-4) (MD 11-0)
120 lb.
Kenneth Pritz (Avery County, 37-5) won by fall over Logan Hyde (Robbinsville, 23-11) (Fall 4:00)
160 Lb.
Bradley Parker (Avery County, 31-4) won by fall over Kam Bolin (Cherryville, 39-13) (Fall 1:30)
170 Lb.
Seth Blackledge (Avery County, 48-6) won by fall over Jordan Ruedi (Voyager, 25-6) (Fall 0:31)
220 Lb.
Grayson Hoilman (Avery County, 18-7) won by fall over Tyler Stevens (Pamlico County, 21-15) (Fall 2:55)
(Complete results and related details courtesy of the North Carolina High School Athletics Association).
These are the men who made this state championship possible:











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