Smith, Gardner, Remick, Krajewski and Van Cura to compete in Individual Wrestling State Championship

 

The 2A Eastern Plains Conference Coach of the Year, Washington’s Daniel Riggs, is sending five wrestlers to Greensboro on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to compete in the 2014 Individual Wrestling State Championship after an excellent showing at regionals last weekend.

Three of the Pam Pack’s five wrestlers heading to states finished higher than their initial seed. Jacob Smith, the sixth seed wrestling in the 106-pound weight class, snuck into fourth place with a pin over the 11 seed, an upset decision over the three seed and a good showing in the consolation bracket, losing the third place match to Currituck County’s Noah Bryant in an 8-4 decision.

Jason Gardner, the fifth seed in the 126-pound weight class, also had a showing that exceeded his seed. Gardner defeated North Pitt’s Gabe Jackson in a competitive 3-2 decision and Northside’s (Jacksonville) Douglas Bulla in a decisive 12-5 decision before losing to Southwest Onslow’s Deonte Whitfield in the finals, 6-5. Gardner would finish in second place.

Kyle Krajewski, the three seed in the 220-pound weight class, has been on fire as of late and carried that momentum into regionals. Krajewski pinned the 11 seed in just 22 seconds in the first round, defeated the sixth seed in a 10-3 decision and pinned the seventh seed before being pinned in just over five minutes by Holmes undefeated wrestler Tywon Bond. With the performance, Krajewski became the second Pam Pack wrestler to lock up a second place finish.

Thomas Remick, the three seed in the 160-pound weight class, finished in third place with pins over the 14 seed and sixth seed before being ousted to the consolation bracket on a combative 6-5 match to the second seed, Southwest Onslow’s Zach Winegardner. Despite the close competition, Remick is headed to states after taking the consolation bracket with a 11-2 win over Pasquotank County’s Ryan Hall.

The story of the weekend for the Pam Pack has to be Devon Van Cura, the undisputed one seed in the 170-pound weight class, who entered Saturday with a perfect 30-0 record. The Pam Pack senior leader would deliver. After pinning both the 16 seed and eight seed in less than two minutes respectively, Van Cura battled a tough opponent in First Flight’s Connor Hughes (34-7). Van Cura came out on top, 7-2, and continued his dominance in the finals, defeating North Brunswick’s Tyrone Watson, 9-3.

Registration for the state tournament begins in the Greensboro Coliseum Thursday, Feb. 20. At 2:30 p.m. The first round for Class 2A is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. The championship finals are Saturday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m.