NCHSAA 3-A Dual Team Wrestling Championship

EDEN MOREHEAD 33
NEWTON FRED T. FOARD 28

EDEN — Morehead downed visiting Fred T. Foard 33-28 to win the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A dual team wrestling championship on Saturday afternoon.

Morehead, under first-year head coach Daniel Bradford, ran its dual team record to 38-1 and avenged a 41-27 loss to Fred T. Foard in last year’s dual team finals. The Panthers won their sixth NCHSAA dual team title in 10 appearances in the finals, but it was the Panthers’ first state crown since 2006.

Senior Payton Mills of Morehead at 182 pounds was named the championship Most Valuable Performer. Since the match started with the 182-pound match, he opened the action with a pin for the Panthers.

Foard battled back to take a 16-6 lead, but then starting at 113 pounds and rolling through 152, the Panthers did not lose a decision. William Pryor at 113 got Morehead started on its run to take command with a pin. There were forfeits in the final two matches with the outcome decided.

Foard suffered only its fourth loss against 36 dual team wins.