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Across the nation in high-school sports (February)

Alabama
Sophomore twins Chase and Kyle Cuthbertson of Scottsboro High pinned their way through the 135- and 145-pound weight classes, respectively, to pace Scottsboro to the Class 5A state title, 125-113 over Arab High Feb. 4. Chase finished 58-1 and scored a 38-second pin in the final. Kyle, who finished 60-0, had a 22-second pin and was voted the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler. Both three-time state champions, the two brothers combined to spend just 7 minutes, 31 seconds on the mat in the tournament. Senior Craig Jenkins (125) also won for Scottsboro. Forrest Millsap (152) of Homewood High won his fourth state title. Hoover High repeated as 6A champion, 154.5-120.5 over Prattville High as Jonathan Pope (103) and three-time champion Tyler Osborn (130) won titles. Eighth-grader Tyler McCarson (112) won his second title as Anniston Walter Wellborn High (121.5 points) prevailed in Class A-4A.

Alaska
With a 1-0 title-match victory over sophomore Aaron Boss of Palmer Colony High, junior Michaela Hutchison (103) of Soldotna Skyview High became the first girl to win a boys state tournament title Feb. 4. Hutchison, the state runnerup last year, scored a technical fall and two pins to reach the finals. Her brother, Eli (135), a senior, won his third Class 4A title. Wasilla High repeated as team champion, 241.5-177.5 over Anchorage South High. Alan Bartelli (112) won his second title for Wasilla, but two-time defending champion Jake Wade (189) was pinned by Anchorage South’s Scott Lucas in the final. Lucas was voted the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler.

Arizona
Tucson Sunnyside High and Mesa High were the champions of the inaugural Class 5A dual-team state tournament Feb. 2. Top-ranked Sunnyside completed an unbeaten season with a Division 1 title-match victory over No. 3 Tempe Marcos de Niza High, 44-19, while second-ranked Mesa beat Mesa Mountain View High 38-23 to claim the Division 2 crown. Sunnyside juniors Mike Moreno (119) and Kyle DeBerry (152) and Phoenix Maryvale High senior Jose Palencia (119, Division 2) won their third state titles. The other team champions: Phoenix Thunderbird High (4A), Safford High (3A) and Camp Verde High (A-2A).

Arkansas
The Cabot High girls basketball team clinched the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Class 5A-East tournament with a 55-54 win over Mountain Home High Feb. 18. The Lady Panthers (11-0 5A-East, 21-3 overall) have now won three consecutive 5A-East titles. Trailing 55-51 following two free throws by Cabot’s Maddie Helms, Mountain Home had a chance to tie the game late. Micaela Cully, who hit two free throws with 21.5 seconds left to narrow Cabot’s lead to 55-53, was fouled again with 1.3 seconds left, but made only one of two free points as the Lady Panthers held on. Jamie Sterrenberg led Cabot with 14 points, Helms added 13 points and Kim Sitzmann 12.Cully led all scorers with 20 points.

California
Los Angeles Westchester High won its 23rd consecutive city playoff game dating to the 1999-2000 season, beating top-seeded and nationally-ranked Los Angeles Fairfax High, 79-63, in a Championship Division semifinal playoff game at Fairfax Feb. 25. Junior guard Dane Suttle scored 32 points, making 14 of 17 shots, to help Westchester (23-6) advance to the city final against Woodland Hills Taft High. Fairfax (24-3) had beaten Westchester twice during the regular season. Suttle scored 18 points in the first half and 6-foot-6 forward Brett Goodwell’s inside play helped Westchester race to a 37-22 halftime lead. Fairfax, which never got closer than 10 points the second half, was led by Jerren Shipp’s 26 points.

Colorado
Henry Cejudo (125) of Colorado Springs Coronado High had four technical falls, becoming the state’s 14th four-time champion Feb. 18. It was Cejudo’s second Class 5A Colorado title after winning a pair of Arizona titles. Junior Ian Heinisch (39-6 at 189) pinned his way to his second title, scoring four falls in a combined 7 minutes, 14 seconds, to lead Parker Ponderosa High to the team title. In Class 4A, Alamosa High (165 points) got titles from brothers Cody (160), a sophomore, and Sonny Yohn (189), a junior, along with senior Josh Hensley (140). Monte Vista High (161.5 points) won the Class 3A title and heavyweight Chris Kennedy’s final-match pin lifted Paonia High past Rocky Ford High, 154-150.5, in Class 2A.

Connecticut
Hartford Public High and Windsor High will meet in a rubber match for the Central Connecticut Conference boys basketball tournament championship March 1 at Manchester. Windsor (21-1), ranked No. 3 by the Hartford Courant, got a career high 42 points from senior forward Ryan Litke in a 94-77 semifinal victory over Meriden Francis T. Maloney High Feb. 27. Senior guard Drew Zito scored 16 points, senior forward Phillip Smith added 12 and senior guard Anthony Laurent 10 for Windsor, which has won 13 consecutive games. Windsor has scored at least 90 points nine times this season, including its last three games. Hartford Public (15-7) got a game-high 20 points from Eliseo Nieves and 14 from Leo Ramirez in a 54-38 victory over Storrs E.O. Smith High in the other semifinal.

Delaware
Wilmington Salesianum School’s boys swimming team won its 23rd state title Feb. 25 at Newark. The Sallies didn’t win a single individual event, but had enough balance to outscore defending champion Newark High 335-273.5. Senior Chad Simendinger finished second in the 100 freestyle and Josh Hyman second in the 200 individual medley the Salesianum piled up four second-place finishes, four thirds, three fourths and three sevenths. The title was the 100th in all sports for the all-boys school since Delaware first formally awarded state championships in 1969. The Sallies have won five state titles this year out of six sports, going 3-for-3 in the fall with titles in football, soccer and cross country, and taking the indoor track state title Feb. 18.

Florida
Despite a 7-6 loss by illness-weakened heavyweight Kenny Lester in his bid for a second state wrestling titles, Oviedo High (131 points) took the Class 3A state tournament. Senior David Green (189) won his second title for Oviedo. Brandon High (233.5 points), with David Craig (171) breezing to his fourth state title, won Class 2A. Craig was one of seven Brandon champions, Eric Grajales (103), Alex Araoz (130), Sean Joyce (145) and Tom Timothy (160) all moving up from runnerup finishes a year ago to win titles and James Brown (125) also winning. Jonathan Velazquez scored an 11-1 major decision in the 189-pound final to lift Jupiter Christian School to its first team title, 129.5-127.5 over Live Oak Suwannee High.

Georgia
Lilburn Parkview High (Class 5A), Dublin West Laurens High (Class 2A) and Jefferson High (Class A) swept the dual-team and individual wrestling team crowns Feb. 11. Putting six wrestlers in the finals between 103 and 135, Parkview scored 215.5 points in 5A. Garrison Goins (125) won his fourth state title and Greg Hopkins (140) added his third crown as Ringgold High (194 points) rallied past dual-team champion McDonough Henry County High in Class 4A. Columbus High won the 3A dual-team title and Cartersville Cass High erased an eight-point finals deficit to take the individual team title. Four of Jefferson’s seven state champions, Jed Gurley (103), three-time champion Kyle Baird (130), two-time champion Casey Winkle (135) and Seth Love (275), pinned their way to titles as the Dragons prevailed 249-205 over Bremen High.

Hawaii
Kahuku High School's national letter of intent day, Feb. 1, saw 12 athletes accept scholarship offers from NCAA Division I schools. Eleven of them signed to play college football. Four – Kaulin Krebs, Suaesi Tuimanuei, and twin brothers Devin and Kevin Unga – signed with Oregon State University. Ken Livai and A.J. Victorian signed with Weber State University, B.J. Beatty with the University of Colorado, Joe Fafili with the University of Utah, Malosi Te’o with the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Afa Bridenstine with the University of Hawaii and Micah Wily with San Jose State University. Volleyball player Camilla Ah Hoy also committed to Oregon State.

Idaho
Boise Centennial High (23-3) won its second Class 5A girls basketball title in three years Feb. 25, beating Coeur d’Alene High 58-45 as senior standouts Blake Reynolds and Crissy Kirklin combined for 36 points. Kirklin hot three three-pointers and led all scorers with 19 points, while Reynolds dominated in the post and scored 17. Coeur d'Alene (19-6) had a 30-29 lead with 5:10 left in the third quarter. But Kirklin and Reynolds combined for 10 fourth-quarter points, when Centennial outscored Coeur d’Alene 17-8. The championship was the ninth of Centennial coach Emery Roy’s career, and his fifth with Centennial.

Illinois
Orland Park Carl Sandburg High (Class AA) and Dakota High (Class A) completed unbeaten seasons and breezed to the individual and dual-team state titles Feb. 25. Carl Sandburg set a AA record with five finalists and Dakota matched an A record with six finalists, crowning four champions. Juniors Albert White (145) of Chicago St. Rita High and Mike Benefiel (152) of Lombard Montini High won their third state titles in back-to-back AA final matches. Carl Sandburg (33-0) became the first public school to win back-to-back AA dual-team titles, beating St. Rita 33-19 in the title match. Dakota (24-0) completed the most dominating run ever to the A title, beating four top 10 teams – three in the top five – by an average score of 50-14.

Indiana
After seeing their run of dual-team state titles interrupted for two years by Indianapolis Lawrence North High, Evansville Mater Dei High completed an unbeaten season with an impressive run through the state dual-team tournament Feb. 25. The Wildcats (24-0) edged a pair of unbeaten opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals – Indianapolis Perry Meridian High, 25-23 and Mishawaka High, 31-25 – then broke open a tight match to beat Decatur Bellmont High 39-15 in the title match. Trailing 12-10 after the first six matches of the final, Mater Dei caught fire, winning four straight matches and seven of the final eight. Alex Weinzapfel (119), Jerry Parkinson (125), Drew Lappe (130), Nick Dewig (135-140), Jacob Schneider (189) and Zach Goebel (215-275) – all underclassmen – were 3-0 for Mater Dei. It was Mater Dei’s 11th state title, giving coach Mike Goebel more titles than any other coach in Indiana history.

Iowa
Despite Nate Moore’s 6-4 upset loss to unbeaten James Nicholson of Des Moines Roosevelt High in the 119-pound final, Iowa City West High won the Class 3A individual wrestling team title, 124.5-113 over Council Bluffs Lewis Central High. Jimmy Waters (171) won his second title for Lewis Central. Derek Moyer (135) of Oskaloosa High won his third title and Montell Marion (130) of Des Moines Roosevelt and Matt Ballweg (145) of Waverly-Shell Rock High won for the second time. T.J. Sebolt (130) of Centerville High became the state’s 14th four-time champion, leading his team to a second-place finish behind Emmetsburg/Armstrong-Ringsted High (95.5 points. Eagle Grove High’s Mark Kist (112) won his third Class A title as Gilbertville Don Bosco High (93 points) won the team title.

Kansas
Demetrius Martin came off the bench to score eight first-quarter points, Georgio Phillips hit four three pointers in the second quarter, and sophomore forward Jordan Cyphers helped put the game away with 14 fourth-quarter points as Wichita Southeast High (17-3, 7-1) tied Wichita Kapaun-Mount Carmel High for the Wichita City League lead with a 75-57 victory over Wichita South High Feb. 24. The Buffaloes also earned a No. 1 seed in next week's Class 6A sub-state tournament. After pesky South (3-17, 1-7) took a 47-46 lead early in the fourth quarter, Cyphers’ scoring fueled a 21-4 Southeast run that put the game out of reach.

Kentucky
Versailles Woodford County High scored 230 points to win its 13th wrestling state title and seventh since 1996 Feb. 18. Crestwood South Oldham High (166 points) finished second and Hodgenville LaRue County High, which toppled Woodford County 32-30 in the finals of the state duals Jan. 28, was third with 143. Senior Richard Starks (57-0 at 189) won his third state title for Woodford County and sophomore Coty Lewis (112), freshman Harrison Courtney (145), junior Will Starks (171) and senior Kyle Goodrich (275) gave the Yellow Jackets five champions, their most ever. Three-time state champion Jacob Murton (30-3 at 135) of Louisa Lawrence County High was voted the Outstanding Wrestler after pinning four of his five opponents to win the 135-pound title. South Oldham’s Taylor Scherer (215) also won his third title.

Louisiana
In the fourth meeting between the two schools this season, Destrehan High won for the fourth time and advanced to the Sweet 16 girls basketball state tournament for the third time with an 84-69 victory over Hahnville High Feb. 23. The Lady Wildcats (24-7) last appeared in the Sweet 16 in 2003 and are looking for their first finals appearance. All five starters reached double figures as Destrahan racked up its highest single-game point total this season. Leading the way was freshman guard Tawanna Lee, who scored a career-high 32 points, 20 in the second half. Lee scored 14 points at the free-throw line and hit two three-pointers. Nadia Cox led Hahnville with 18 points.

Maine
Down by 6.5 points with three matches remaining, Rumford Mountain Valley High rallied to end Rockport Camden Hills High’s six-year winning streak in Class B wrestling, 171-169.5 Feb. 11. Mountain Valley’s Tyler Child beat Camden Hills’ Oliver Bradeen 6-5 in the 189-pound final and Brendon Bradley followed with his second 215-pound title to complete Mountain Valley’s comeback. North Berwick Noble High 150.5 points) won its eighth consecutive Class A title, tying the state record set by Sanford High from 1961-68. Lisbon Falls Lisbon High (183 points) dethroned two-time defending champion Dover-Foxcroft Foxcroft Academy in Class C.

Maryland
Baltimore Mount St. Joseph High (35-0), ranked No. 8 in USA Today’s Super 25, became the first Baltimore-area team ever to start the season with 35 victories after beating Calvert Hall College Preparatory High 62-41 victory over Calvert Hall in the Baltimore Catholic League semifinals Feb. 27. The victory broke the 1981-82 Calvert Hall team's record of 34-0 for the most wins in a season and most consecutive wins in a single season. Mount St. Joseph will be trying for its third BCL tournament title in four years. Senior guard Kevin Swecker had a game-high 15 points and Louis Birdsong added for the Gaels. Chase Adams’s defense held Calvert Hall's leading scorer, Russell Frederick, to just one point.

Massachusetts
Charlestown High (18-4), winners of five of the past six Division 2 state championships, easily beat East Boston High, 72-55 in the Boston city final Feb. 24. Junior point guard Paul Becklens, voted the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, just missed a triple-double, picking up 28 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. Charlestown took a 30-19 lead at halftime as Becklens scored 16 points. East Boston got no closer than five points the second half as they committed 23 turnovers. The victory allowed Charlestown to avenge two regular-season losses to East Boston.

Michigan
Orchard Lake St. Mary's High won the Detroit Catholic League Class A-B title Feb .25 by routing Novi Detroit Catholic Central 74-42. Junior Kalin Lucas, committed to Michigan State, scored 24 points, 18 in the first half as St. Mary’s built a 42-21 halftime lead, winning its second Catholic League title in three years and sixth since 1993-94. Senior guard Antyrio Raimer scored 18 points for Detroit Central Catholic. Both teams will play in the Operation Friendship Championship – a matchup between the winners of the Catholic League and Public School League tournaments – March 4. St. Mary's (14-5) will face Detroit Redford High and Catholic Central (14-5) squares off against Detroit Pershing High.

Minnesota
The state’s only unbeaten Class 3A girls basketball team, Minneapolis South High, improved to 27-0 with an 80-72 victory over St. Paul Central High Feb. 28, closing the regular season. All five South starters scored in double figures, led by Taylor Hill’s 29 points. Angel Robinson scored 22 points for St. Paul City Conference champion Central (22-4) in the annual Twin Cities Game, with Kiara Buford adding 19 points and Megan Howard had 17. The Lady Tigers avenged a 53-48 loss to the Minutemaids in last year's Twin Cities Game, South’s last regular-season loss. South received the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Region 6 tournament and could meet second-seeded Bloomington Kennedy High, the defending state champion ranked No. 16 by USA Today, in the final.

Mississippi
Ingomar High (33-4) beat defending champion Durant High 59-47 in a Class A boys state tournament first-round game Feb. 28, the 900th victory of coach Norris Ashley’s career. Lee Allen Keys led Ingomar, ranked No. 2 in the Jackson Clarion-Ledger’s rankings, with 25 points. Ingomar’s defense held Durant (23-7) senior guard Jonathan Boyd to 14 points, less than half his season average. Among Ashley’s distinguished graduates in attendance: Mississippi Valley State University head coach James Green, who was among an estimated 1,200 at the Mississippi Coliseum.

Missouri
After dominating everyone they wrestled during the season, Kansas City Oak Park High shattered records in the Class 4 state tournament Feb. 18. The Northmen, who advanced all 14 individuals to the state meet, scored a record 267.5 points and also set records with nine finalists and 12 placewinners – all in the top three. Zack Bailey (140) won his fourth state title for Oak Park. The Kansas City area extended its dominance to Class 3 as Park Hill High (185 points) won. Senior twins Eric and Brian Graham won their second titles at 140 and 145 pounds, respectively, for Park Hill. Despite two-time defending heavyweight champion Jake Mallonee’s upset in the finals, Platte City Platte County High (147.5 points) won Class 2 to make it three Kansas City-area crowns. Cameron High (135 points) won the Class 1 title.

Montana
Kalispell Flathead High edged defending champion Billings Skyview High 306-274 for the Class AA wrestling title with a state-record 17 placewinners Feb. 11. Butte High's Cole Dallaserra (140) became Montana’s 14th four-time state champion and Billings Senior High’s Trent Sprenkle (119) pinned his way to his third state title. Kalispell’s 17 placewinners bettered the old mark of 16, set by Skyview last year. Sprenkle, who finished the season 43-0, pinned all four of his opponents in 11 minutes, 18 seconds. Helena High junior Ryan Featherston (189) also pinned his way to a title, flattening four opponents in 8:28. Sidney High, which competed in the NHSCA Final Four of High School Wrestling Jan. 21, won a fourth consecutive title, 282-238.5 over Havre High. Conrad High (184.5 points) made it four straight in Class B-C.

Nebraska
After suffering the first loss of his high-school career in January, Matt Vacanti (140) of Papillion-LaVista High rebounded to win his fourth state title Feb. 18. Vacanti’s title came compliments of an 8-1 decision over Malcolm McGruder of Omaha Creighton Preparatory High. McGruder had upset Nate Koenig of Ralston High, who had defeated Vacanti in January, 2-1 in the quarterfinals. Omaha Millard South High (233 points) and Omaha Skutt Catholic High (241.5 points) breezed to the Class A and Class B titles, respectively. Skutt crowned seven champions, while Millard South’s Aaron Denson, one of four champions, needed just 2 minutes, 20 seconds to pin four opponents for his third title. Norfolk Catholic High (115 points) repeated as Class C champion and Amherst High held on for a 144-143 victory over Howells High in Class D.

Nevada
Host Las Vegas Cimarron Memorial High, which suffered heavy graduation losses from its Class 4A state championship team a year ago, got the most from its eight state qualifiers to outscore North Las Vegas Mojave High 108-84, winning for the fourth consecutive year. Randel Aleman (145), who missed the first half of the season with a torn ACL and still faces surgery on the injury, became a four-time state champion for the Spartans. Las Vegas Durango High’s Joey Martin (119), a three-time Connecticut State Open champion, completed his run to a fourth title. Junior Trinity Perkins (140) and seniors Lonnie Anderson (130) and Bryce Saddoris (145) all won their third titles to pace Spring Creek High (163 points) in Class 3A and four-time champion Pat Dominguez (130) paced Battle Mountain High (176.5 points) to its sixth consecutive 2A crown.

New Hampshire
Hopkinton High’s 6-foot-4 junior center, Kelley Flynn, scored 31 points and added 23 rebounds and four blocked shots in her team’s Class M state semifinal game against Newport High Feb. 28. But the Lady Hawks couldn’t survive the second-half loss of junior point guard Brittney Fleury with a severely sprained ankle. With Fleury on the bench, Newport erased a 10-point halftime deficit to stun Hopkinton, 46-44. Megan Beaulieu was only 3-of-17 from three-point range for Newport, but she hit the winning trey when it counted, with 11 seconds remaining. Beaulieu scored 12 points and Brandy Habets' 11 for Newport. Lily Smith added 10 points for Hopkinton.

New Jersey
It's been a week of milestones for the Dumont High girls basketball team. Just five days after Danielle Rohe became the fourth girl in Lady Huskies history to reach the 1,000-point plateau, Emily Aponte became the school's all-time leading girls scorer and coach Dave Cieplicki recorded his 300th win as Dumont edged Elmwood Park, 53-48, in the opening round of the North 1, Group 2 tournament Feb. 27.

Dumont advanced to meet Pompton Plains Pequannock High in the quarterfinals Mar. 1. Aponte, who has scored 1,420 points in her career, was just 2-for-13 from the field, but was a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line in a pivotal fourth quarter, when Elmwood Park cut a 16-point deficit to single digits.

New Mexico
Santa Fe High (16-10), which hasn’t advanced to the boys basketball state tournament in nine years, assured itself the District 2-5A regular-season title with a 77-75 overtime win over Albuquerque La Cueva High Feb. 27. Forward Dominique Batten scored 21 points to lead Santa Fe, which blew a 16-point lead but made up a six-point deficit in the final 17 seconds to force overtime. Forward Adam Padilla, a transfer from LaCueva, scored six points in overtime. Guard J.P. Barela led La Cueva (20-7) with 20 points.

New York
Josh Rowland, a 6-foot-7 senior center, had 21 points and 18 rebounds – including the go-ahead basket – in Corinth High's 55-49 double overtime victory over Schenectady Christian in the Section 2, Class CC semifinals Feb. 28. The victory advanced the Tomahawks (20-2) to the CC final against Stillwater High (21-1) Mar. 4. A pair of Rowland free throws gave Corinth the lead for good at 46-44 with 3:06 left in the second overtime. The Tomahawks also hit 10 of 11 free throws in the second overtime, including seven of eight down the stretch. During a 14-minute span beginning in the fourth quarter and ending in the second overtime, Rowland scored 14 of 18 Corinth points, all in the post. Eric Chase added 13 points for Corinth.

North Carolina
Host Mocksville Davie County High scored a surprisingly easy 41-23 victory over previously-unbeaten and defending wrestling dual-team champion Cary High in the North Carolina Class 4A championship match Feb. 11. Davie County (42-1), which had won its quarterfinal and semifinal matches by a combined six points, got off to a 16-0 lead and built it to 26-3 heading into the strength of Cary’s lineup. Cary (39-1) closed within 29-23 before Timmy Allen’s pin at 189 clinched Davie County’s title. Eden John M. Morehead High (40-3) won the 3A title, with Catawba Bandys High (39-2) repeating in Class 2A and Sparta Allegheny High (25-5) winning the Class A crown.

North Dakota
After losing to eventual champion Bismarck High in the quarterfinals of the Class A dual-team wrestling state tournament, West Fargo turned the tables in the individual state tournament, crowning three champions and outscoring Bismarck 154.5-146 to earn a split Feb. 18. Bismarck went on to beat Fargo North High 30-27 in the semifinals and Grand Forks Red River High 44-20 in the title match, giving them all six titles since the dual-team format was added in 2000. Scott Glasser (160) won his fifth state title for Bismarck and was voted Class A’s Mr. Wrestler. Napoleon High swept the Class B dual-team and individual titles for the fifth consecutive year. Two-time state champion John Koistinen (135) of Rolla-Rock Lake-St. Johns was voted Class B’s Mr. Wrestler.

Ohio
The legend of Akron native LeBron James is growing. The ``King James Shooting Stars Classic'' basketball tournament will be held April 28-30 in the Akron area. The event will feature more than 200 boys teams made up of players ages 10-17. Teams from across the United States will play in the round-robin tournament at various sites in the Akron area, and teams are guaranteed a minimum of three games. The tournament has been approved by the NCAA and the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Junior O.J. Mayo of Cincinnati North College Hill High is among the players committed. The 6-foot-5 Mayo was Ohio’s Mr. Basketball award winner last year, averaging nearly 30 points, six rebounds and seven assists per game. More than 200 Division I college coaches are expected to attend.

Oklahoma
Catoosa High ended powerful El Reno High's Class 4A wrestling dual-team title streak at 10 straight, beating the Indians 39-27 in the title match Feb. 11. Bryce Dicus (103), Shawn Thomas (119), Justin Suskey (130), Marcus Bailey (135) and Brett Gray (140) were three-match winners for Catoosa, which beat Chickasha High 46-15 in the quarterfinals and Lawton MacArthur High 41-21 in the semifinals. Midwest City High turned back three-time defending champion Ponca City High 34-21 to win Class 5A. The other champions: Marlow High (3A) and Perry High (2A)

Oregon
Central Point Crater High (196 points), with its upper-weight hammers, Cody Clark (215) and Charlie Alexander (275) easily winning titles, won the Class 4A state wrestling title for the third consecutive year. Junior Austin Enoch (135) of Redmond High pinned all five opponents in just 11 minutes, 14 seconds to win his second state title. The other two team champions also repeated. Zach Giesen (171) of Grants Pass North Valley High won his fourth Class 3A state title and brothers Cy (103) and Tyler Swartzlender (135) won titles to lead Burns High (192.5 points) to the 3A title. Bobby DeLeon (215) won his third state title and fellow senior Braden Bair (189) added his second crown to pace Nyssa High (198.5 points in Class 2A.

Pennsylvania
Greensburg Central Catholic High (26-1) beat Pittsburgh Shady Side Academy, 67-46 in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) Class AA semifinals Feb. 28. Junior forward Ashley Henderson scored a game-high 24 points to lead four Lady Centurion players in double figures, adding 10 rebounds. In a flash, however, Greensburg Central Catholic found its game, and Shady Side Academy started missing shots. A 14-0 first-half run led to a 32-23 halftime lead. Maggie Gibson scored 11 points and Lauren Donahoe and Kayla Marghella each scored 10 as Greensburg Central Catholic advanced to the WPIAL Class AA championship game against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Mar. 4.

Rhode Island
North Kingstown High opened Division 1 boys basketball playoff play with a 67-61 victory over Smithfield High Feb. 28. Averaging only 55 points per game, North Kingstown forced numerous first-half turnovers that resulted in a 45-30 halftime cushion. Smithfield, meanwhile, had allowed just 55 points per game entering the contest. Senior Kevin Hanrahan led North Kingstown with 21 points and seven rebounds, and Ryan Hareld added 13 points. A furious second-half rally helped Smithfield cut the lead to 60-57 with just over a minute left, but they got no closer. Marc Testa scored 21 points for Smithfield, Michael Marra adding 17 points and Daniel Marran 11.

South Carolina
Unbeaten Iva Crescent High dethroned three-time defending Class A-2A wrestling dual-team champion Chesterfield High 32-27 to finish the season 28-0 Jan. 11. Crescent’s David Wellwood upset two-time state champion Danny Curtis 5-2 at 119 to provide the margin of victory. Summerville High (4A) and Taylors Eastside High (3A) each extended their winning streaks to four. Summerville (25-2) built a 31-12 lead over Lexington High, then forfeited the final three matches to win 31-30. Matt Leach, who will go for his fourth state title shortly, clinched Eastside’s 41-19 victory over Little River North Myrtle Beach High for its third consecutive 3A title and fifth in seven years.

South Dakota
Unbeaten Dell Rapids High (23-0) advanced to the Class A girls basketball state tournament with a 53-37 victory over Colton Tri-Valley High in the Region 3 final Feb. 28. The Lady Quarriers are the only undefeated girls team in the state and one of only three total. Whitney Lickteig, one of eight Dell Rapids seniors, led all scorers with 15 points. Ashley Mailey scored 12 points and Michelle Amundson scored nine of her 10 points in a 20-4 second-quarter run which enabled Dell Rapids to take control. Allison Hoffman led Tri-Valley with 11 points and Taryn Kautz added 10 off the bench.

Tennessee
Outstanding Wrestler award winner Corey Manson (135) won his second state title, leading six champions for Chattanooga Baylor School as they outscored city rival McCallie School 277.5-231.5 to win the Division 2 team title Feb. 18. McCallie had beaten Baylor 32-25 in the dual-team state final two weeks earlier. Sophomore Bailey Whitaker (112)and junior Ben Johnson (125) also won their second titles for Baylor. Soddy Daisy High also scored a dual-team reversal in Division 1, outscoring Cleveland Bradley Central High 187.5-170 to win its first title in four years and avenging a dual semifinal loss. Bradley Central had six finalists to just three for Soddy Daisy, but the Trojans added three third-place finishes. Franklin High junior Kelly Felix (145) pinned four of his five opponents en route to his second state title and the Outstanding Wrestler award.

Texas
Mesquite High (24-7) advanced to the Class 5A Region II tournament after outlasting North Garland High 73-70 in a regional quarterfinal Feb. 28. Mesquite's first trip to the regional tournament since 1999, wasn't certain until it withstood a gutsy comeback attempt from North Garland that went to the final buzzer. Ricky Burney, a 5-foot-10 guard, piled up 37 points to lead Mesquite, which built a nine-point lead late in the third quarter before North Garland, which had a 16-game winning streak snapped, rallied. A pair of three-pointers by Solomon Humphrey and another by Donte Evans helped North Garland tie the score midway through the fourth quarter before four Burney points helped Mesquite regain control.

Utah
Junior Shayne Bonner (130), sophomore Jake Salazar (140) and seniors Tyrel Sweat (152) and Carson Brown (171) won titles to pace Heber City Wasatch High to another title in the state’s toughest wrestling meet, Class 3A. Sweat had four first-period pins, in a combined 4 minutes, 29 seconds. Mount Pleasant North Sanpete High’s Jake Swensen (135) became a four-time state champion and Levi Mele (125) of Uintah won his third title. Bountiful Viewmont High (173 points) repeated in Class 5A, Hyrum Mountain Crest High (306 points) prevailed in Class 4A, Mark Pentz (130) became a four-time state champion to pace Fillmore Millard High (279 points) in Class 2A and Bicknell Wayne High (173 points) won Class A.

Vermont
Essex Junction High kept itself in position to capture its first Division 1 girls basketball state title since 1998 with a 50-33 victory over Rice Memorial High Feb. 28. Alissa Sheftic scored a game-high 22 points for Essex Junction, shooting 12-of-14 from the foul line. Sheftic, a 6-foot-2 center who is committed to the University of Vermont next winter, also had nine rebounds and five assists, both game highs. Evan Librizzi added 12 points for the Hornets (19-4), who outscored Rice 18-7 in the fourth quarter to secure its 13th consecutive victory and third this season over Rice Memorial. The victory advanced Essex Junction to the title game against BFA-St. Albans High Mar. 3.

Virginia
Richmond Meadowbrook High (24-5) defeated Highland Springs High 63-54 Feb. 28 for its first Central Region boys basketball title since 1994. Meadowbrook held Highland Springs scoreless for almost six minutes as Devin Johnson (game-high 18 points), Shawn Outen (12) and Brandon Macklin (11) started to take control inside. The Springers (24-4) controlled tempo, with Brandon Rozzell going off for 13 of his team-high 17 points in the first quarter on an array of 3-pointers and difficult drives into Meadowbrook's big, physical front line. Andrew Maples led Highland Springs with 16 points.

Washington
Senior Anthony Hayes pinned his way to the 119-pound title to lead Battle Ground High (110 points) to the Class 4A state title Feb. 18. Sophomore Eric Starks (135) and junior Trevor Hall (145) also won titles for Battle Ground. In Class 3A, Sedro Woolley High (197.5 points) won for the sixth consecutive year behind three-time state champion Patrick O’Neil (135) and two-time champions Derek Crouter (112) and Michael Lomsdalen (145). Kelso High’s Brandon Sitch became a four-time state champion. The other team champions: Nine Mile Falls Lakeside High (151.5 points) in Class AA and Royal City Royal High (180 points) in Class A-B.

West Virginia
Charleston George Washington High (16-8) advanced to the girls basketball state tournament for the first time since 1999, defeating Nitro High, 57-42, in the Region 7-3A final Feb. 28. Senior guard Brittarry Holestine, who is committed to Ohio University, scored 18 points and reserves Lara Legg (7 of 15 shooting) and Jess Kortz added 14 and 10 points, respectively. Kendra Wallace hit 9 of 12 shots, including five three-pointers, and finished with a game-high 27 points for Nitro, Andrea Smith adding 10 points. George Washington shot 55 per cent from the floor, holding Nitro to 39 percent shooting, and also held a 28-15 rebounding advantage.

Wisconsin
Kimberly High (14-7) turned back Appleton North High 55-49 in a Division 1 regional opener Feb. 28. The Papermakers improved their playoff record to 10-2 overall dating back to 2004 and will look to take another step at earning its third consecutive state tournament berth when it hosts Appleton West High Mar. 4. Senior guard Dan Feidt scored a game-high 18 points as Kimberly torched Appleton North's 1-2-2 zone defense and went on to outscore the Lightning 33-13 in the second and third quarters to build a 16-point lead. Appleton North scored only four baskets and committed 14 turnovers during those two quarters.

Wyoming
Gillette Campbell County High scored the first eight points of the game and never looked back in a 58-44 win at Casper Natroina County High Feb. 25. The victory allowed the Camels (20-3, 9-1 Class 4A North) were led by senior Cameron Smith’s 14 points. Junior Kirk Blaine and senior Travis Schmidt added 11 points apiece for Campbell County, which clinched a first-round bye at this week's regional tournament and an automatic berth in the state tournament. Natrona Countywas led by senior Nick Landess, who scored 14 points.