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The Union Pines Viking wrestling team finished in fifth place at the NCHSAA state 3-A individual wrestling championships that concluded Saturday evening in Greensboro.

Entering the event as the two-time reigning state runner-up Union Pines sent six wrestlers to the state finals this season including Paul Ambrose, Dylan Barber, Sam Bartram Ian Burch, Mike Fedowitz and Ryan Hull.

All six Vikes won their first match of the event to make it to the quarterfinals — marking the first time Union Pines had every one of its state qualifiers to score points at the state tournament.

Through the completion of opening day action the Vikes trailed first place and defending tournament champion Orange High School by half a point at 18.5 to 18.

With 10 wrestlers in the event Orange ended up winning the state title for a second straight season Saturday at the Greensboro Coliseum with a point total of 106.5. Robinson High placed second with a tally of 98, followed by North Gaston (86.5), St. Stephens (78.0) and Union Pines with 65 points.

Union Pines had four wrestlers make it to the semifinals in their individual weight-class brackets by Friday afternoon. The four 2012-2013 semifinalist for the Vikes were Barber at 106 pounds, Ambrose (120), Bartram (126) and Hull at 132.

Although Union Pines went 0-for-4 in their semifinal matches, the Vikes performed well in the consolation brackets to secure a pair of third–place finishes, as well as two fourth-place spots on the podium.

Barber became Union Pines’ first freshman state-placer when he got a 3-1 overtime decision win in the consolation semis to earn a berth in the third-place match. He would fall 11-0 in that bout but still placed fourth in the state in the 106-pound division and went 3-2 at the event.

Vikings co-captain and junior Paul Ambrose also earned a fourth-place finish at the event via an overtime win in the consolation semifinals of the 120-pound division and finished with a record of 3-2 in the tournament.

The event marked sophomore Bartram’s second time as a state qualifier. Eventually he would lose in the semifinals to two-time state champions Tyler Ross from Jacksonville High. However, Bartram won his final two matches of the championship to post a tournament record of 4-1 and finish in third-place in the 126-pound division with a 10-4 decision win.

The third-place finish by Bartram tied a school record for the highest ever finish at the state meet by a Union Pines sophomore.

Hull, a senior and team co-captain, narrowly missed a spot in the championship round as he lost a 4-3 overtime decision in the semifinals. From there the Viking veteran picked up his second pin of the event to land in the third-place match, which he won with a 5-1 decision. Hull was the highest scoring Union Pines wrestler at the tournament and closed with a record of 4-1 at the event.

Union Pines head coach Chris Vondruska was happy with the effort he received from all six of his wrestlers at the 3-A state tournament that featured 83 schools represented in competition.

“We are absolutely excited about how our guys wrestled through adversity,” said Vondruska. “The effort has been there all year for our team and it was not lacking at the states, so I am pleased by that. For our program I think it is great that (next season) we will have three returning state-place winners.

“I don’t think we have ever had three returning state placers (Ambrose, Barber and Bartram) so that is something really special and nice to look forward to as we turn our attention immediately to next season.”

Contact F.W. Manning II at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

From thepilot.com

The Union Pines wrestling program held a tri-school nonconference dual meet with South View and Southern Alamance Saturday in Cameron at Bob Ward Gymnasium.

In the high point of the evening, Union Pines celebrated senior night prior to its dual with Southern Alamance. Senior wrestlers Ian Burch, Dylan Duncan, Ryan Hull and Zach Yates were honored, along with senior team manager Laura Burns in a ceremony at center mat.

While the Vikes wrestled two non-league duals, losing 40-31 to 4-A South View (17-4) in its first meet and winning its second 42-31 versus 4-A Southern Alamance (19-10), the event was more about a celebration of the four Viking seniors.

“I would not trade this for anything,” said Dylan Duncan, who wrestles at 152 pounds for Union Pines. “Winning my last match, at home, under the mat lamp, as a senior — words can’t describe that. It is the best feeling in the world.”

Duncan got a quick second-period pin in the sixth match of the dual that gave the Vikings an 18-13 lead.

“This was a really big moment for me,” said Duncan. “I put pretty much all I have had into this program to win and that is what I did tonight. It is heartbreaking that I only have about a month left because it is what I love — this sport and this team.

“To me these guys are pretty much family and to know it will be ending soon makes me want to work that much harder for them. I know they will be working that much harder for me as well.”

For Yates, who is a second-year starter and wrestles this year in the 170-pound spot, emotions were stirring well before he arrived at Union Pines for his last regular season appearance at home wrestling as a Vike.

“Under the mat light here at home is amazing,” said Yates. “The feeling you get when you are out there in front of a large crowd of supporters and everyone is cheering you on means a lot to me. It gives me a super adrenaline rush and is something I will truly miss but always remember.

“In a way, this being my last night taking to that mat (in the regular season) is depressing in a way, because we have such a brotherhood among us with this team. We depended on each other day-in day-out to give 110 percent and have one another’s back at all times.”

Burch, who directly precedes Yates in the weight class at 160 pounds, is also a second-year starter for the Vikings.

“Our coaches have trained us well to be able to put all the hard work we do to good use on the mat,” said Burch. “Our main goal is to go out there every time and wrestle like Vikings and do our best. So it feels great to be part of all this and do what they teach me every day.

“With tonight being senior night, the main thing going through my head was I needed to go out there and win my matches for my team, the reason being I really love the team. We always go out there and fight for each other: ‘It is for the man next to you.’ That is what coach (Marty) Bartram always says.”

Union Pines (13-8 overall) looks to collect its fourth consecutive undefeated 3-A Cape Fear Valley Conference regular season championship tonight in its final league dual meet against Western Harnett.

Saturday Union Pines hosts the 2013 CFVC Championship at Bob Ward Gym, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30 a.m. and wrestling starting at 9:30 a.m.

South View 40 Union Pines 31

113 pounds: Mike Fedowitz (UP) pinned Marcus Barrington 1:01. 120: Paul Ambrose (UP) dec. Tristan Strother 5-2. 126: Jonathan Iannone (SV) pinned Christian Talbert 1:32. 132: Ryan Hull (UP) maj. dec. Harley Silver 12-4. 138: James Mauldin (SV) maj. dec. Tim Squires 10-2. 145: Connor Van Cleave (UP) pinned Carson Keeny 0:55. 152: Jacob Gillich (SV) pinned Dylan Duncan. 160: Paris Artis (SV) pinned Ethan Coker. 170: Ian Burch, (UP) dec. James Witte 10-4. 182: Levi Reid (SV) pinned Zach Yates 1:17. 195: Luqman Green (SV) pinned Justin Windle 3:16. 220: Troy Cain (SV) pinned Garrett Jefferson 0:21. 285: Caleb Edwards (UP) dec. ultimate tiebreaker Dakota Currie 7-6. 106: Dylan Barber (UP) forfeit.

Union Pines 42 Southern Alamance 31

120: Paul Ambrose (UP) pinned Nathan Rogers 2:17. 126: Christian Stutts (SA) pinned Christian Talbert 1:07. 132: Jake DeAngelo (SA) dec. Ryan Hull 8-5. 138: Tim Squires (UP) pinned Jose Ambrocio 0:46. 145: Tyler Ceparano (SA) maj. dec. Connor Van Cleave 10-1. 152: Dylan Duncan (UP) pinned David Johnson 2:26. 160: Ian Burch (UP) forfeit. 170: Austin Greeson (SA) dec. Zach Yates 3-2. 182: Tyler Leonard (SA) pinned Grant Jefferson 0:35. 195: Christian Long (SA) pinned Justin Windle 1:19. 220: Garrett Jefferson, (UP) forfeit. 285: Caleb Edwards (UP) pinned Cameron Duck 3:28. 106: Caison Scott (SA) dec. Dylan Barber 8-2. 113: Mike Fedowitz (UP) pinned Tyler Moon 2:52.