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The Laney Buccaneers win the 2021 Jim Key Invitational Team Championship.

Writer's picture: Ryan HayesRyan Hayes


Durham N.C.— For the second week in a row Laney’s wrestling team has scored 200 plus team points in an individual tournament. The Buccaneers dominated the Jim Key Invitational scoring 271 points in route to a team title. They were 144.5 points ahead of the second place team Union Pines who scored 126.5 points. Last weekend Laney won the Homer Spring Bulldog Invitational scoring 206 points

The Buccaneers today had ten finalists and nine individual champions. Lucas Cotto won a by fall over Justin Vaysse of Franklinton in the 120lbs weight class to start the team off. He would be followed by two-time defending state champion Marky Samuel who would get a second period fall over Southern Durham’s Shyne Wharry at 126lbs.


Samuel knows that he can three pete but it won’t be easy. When asked if he could be pushed this season this is what he said “I think some people can push me, Marcus Jackson, Luke Kunath, Noah Luna, and Matt Rowland” As far as the team, Samuel says Lake Norman is the only team that can possibly stop them. “I believe our biggest competition dual team wise will be Lake Norman because they have a very solid lineup” Samuel said. He attributed the team’s success to more wrestlers buying in by participating in the off-season and club programs.

Jayden Harrison who placed 1st 138lbs won by injury default. His opponent, William Worley of Union Pines was injured after Harrison attempted a mat return. Harrison also believes that he’s prepared himself to finish strong in the state tournament this season. “I have been practicing very hard and I have been reviewing a lot more film and I also have a new mindset so I can finish on top of the podium” Harrison said. Noah Thomas won by fall at 145lbs over Riverside’s Isaac Ramirez late in the third period. Tristen Cotto added a 13-3 major decision over Damien Beaver of Eastern Alamance at 152lbs.


Owen Harshbarger who is coming off a tournament championship win from last weekend would drop his match at 160lbs losing to Maxwell Kiel of Jordan 9-2. Kiel, who was a sophomore state runner up and placed third last season in the state tournament has emerged as the front runner and he believes he can win it all this year.

When asked about why it’s been so hard for him to win a state title the past two years this is what Kiel said “I don’t think it was my time but now it is“ In his finals match today he knew he would win but thought he could do better “yeah, I expected to win but he’s someone I could tech“ Kiel said. I asked if anyone could compete with him and he said “absolutely not“


Alex Hopper who is a transfer from New Bern high school would get an early second period fall over Elliott Hollis of Enloe at 170lbs. Devon Bell, up two weight classes from the season before pinned Jonathan Hance of Central Davidson at 195lbs. “I didn’t feel challenged at all today but that’s a common theme throughout the regular season their are a few exceptions like the Holy Angels that’s why me and my dad travel so much during the off-season“ Bell said.


Bell is a State Runner up from last season. He lost in the finals to Davie County‘s Jack Jarvis. “I had a large mental hiccup in the finals and have been fine tuning my mental game and know that I’m one of the best kids in the nation when I wrestle without emotions. And that’s how I’m going to roll throughout the season mentally breaking everyone that steps in front of me” Bell said.



Full Results From Trackwrestling


1Laney 271.0

2Union Pines 126.5

3Corinth Holders 111.5

4Enloe 91.5

5Webb 78.0

6Cape Fear 76.5

7Riverside 73.0

8Eastern Alamance 61.0

9Franklinton 58.0

10Southern Durham 54.0

11Hillside 42.0

12Jordan 33.5

13Orange 26.0

14Central Davidson 25.0

15NC School of Science and Math 12.0

16Southeast Raleigh 5.0


106

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Brayden Daker of Corinth Holders

  • 2nd Place - Keaton Crawford of Union Pines

  • 3rd Place - Samuel Aponte of Cape Fear

  • 4th Place - Bryson Gresham of Webb

1st Place Match

  • Brayden Daker (Corinth Holders) 7-1, Fr. over Keaton Crawford (Union Pines) 9-3, Fr. (MD 13-4)

3rd Place Match

  • Samuel Aponte (Cape Fear) 23-2, So. over Bryson Gresham (Webb) 21-4, So. (TF-1.5 3:00 (16-0))


113

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Damarian Garner of Southern Durham

  • 2nd Place - Daniel Dickerson of Riverside

  • 3rd Place - Jayden Crawford of Union Pines

  • 4th Place - Kale Womble of Orange

1st Place Match

  • Damarian Garner (Southern Durham) 15-7, So. over Daniel Dickerson (Riverside) 16-7, So. (Dec 8-4)

3rd Place Match

  • Jayden Crawford (Union Pines) 6-4, Jr. over Kale Womble (Orange) 2-2, Fr. (Fall 2:25)


120

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Lucas Cotto, Jr of Laney

  • 2nd Place - Justin Vaysse of Franklinton

  • 3rd Place - JT Erle of Union Pines

  • 4th Place - Willfen Lopez of Eastern Alamance

1st Place Match

  • Lucas Cotto, Jr (Laney) 38-7, Sr. over Justin Vaysse (Franklinton) 10-10, Jr. (Fall 1:00)

3rd Place Match

  • JT Erle (Union Pines) 5-5, So. over Willfen Lopez (Eastern Alamance) 2-2, Jr. (Fall 4:42)


126

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Mark Samuel of Laney

  • 2nd Place - Shyne Wharry of Southern Durham

  • 3rd Place - Blake Hines of Corinth Holders

  • 4th Place - Mason Tanner of Eastern Alamance

1st Place Match

  • Mark Samuel (Laney) 29-0, Sr. over Shyne Wharry (Southern Durham) 15-6, Sr. (Fall 3:34)

3rd Place Match

  • Blake Hines (Corinth Holders) 18-4, Sr. over Mason Tanner (Eastern Alamance) 10-17, So. (Fall 1:19)


132

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Luke Fogleman of Riverside

  • 2nd Place - Finnius McCafferty of Union Pines

  • 3rd Place - George Kittrell of Webb

  • 4th Place - Grant Bradshaw of Laney

1st Place Match

  • Luke Fogleman (Riverside) 24-1, Sr. over Finnius McCafferty (Union Pines) 8-5, Fr. (Fall 2:37)

3rd Place Match

  • George Kittrell (Webb) 23-2, Sr. over Grant Bradshaw (Laney) 2-2, Jr. (Fall 0:23)


138

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Jayden Harrison of Laney

  • 2nd Place - William Worley of Union Pines

  • 3rd Place - Ivan Benitez of Eastern Alamance

  • 4th Place - Triston Younkin of Webb

1st Place Match

  • Jayden Harrison (Laney) 28-1, Sr. over William Worley (Union Pines) 26-7, Sr. (Inj. 2:44)

3rd Place Match

  • Ivan Benitez (Eastern Alamance) 25-6, Sr. over Triston Younkin (Webb) 20-5, Jr. (Fall 0:38)


145

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Noah Thomas of Laney

  • 2nd Place - Issac Ramirez of Riverside

  • 3rd Place - Carson Boisvert of Cape Fear

  • 4th Place - Jaheim Hartsfield of Webb

1st Place Match

  • Noah Thomas (Laney) 28-4, Jr. over Issac Ramirez (Riverside) 20-4, Sr. (Fall 5:34)

3rd Place Match

  • Carson Boisvert (Cape Fear) 17-4, Sr. over Jaheim Hartsfield (Webb) 16-4, Sr. (Dec 9-5)


152

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Tristan Cotto of Laney

  • 2nd Place - Damien Beaver of Eastern Alamance

  • 3rd Place - Houston Leeah of Union Pines

  • 4th Place - Carter Felix of Corinth Holders

1st Place Match

  • Tristan Cotto (Laney) 15-3, So. over Damien Beaver (Eastern Alamance) 19-9, Sr. (MD 13-3)

3rd Place Match

  • Houston Leeah (Union Pines) 3-1, So. over Carter Felix (Corinth Holders) 15-8, Jr. (Dec 9-7)


160

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Maxwell Kiel of Jordan

  • 2nd Place - Owen Harshbarger of Laney

  • 3rd Place - Forfeit Forfeit of Unattached

  • 4th Place - Logan Haseley of Corinth Holders

  • 4th Place - Brock Sullivan of Union Pines

1st Place Match

  • Maxwell Kiel (Jordan) 24-1, Sr. over Owen Harshbarger (Laney) 2-1, Sr. (Dec 9-2)

3rd Place Match

  • Logan Haseley (Corinth Holders) 21-2, Jr. over Brock Sullivan (Union Pines) 11-2, Fr. (DFF)


170

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Alex Hopper of Laney

  • 2nd Place - Elliot Hollis of Enloe

  • 3rd Place - William Bell of Franklinton

  • 4th Place - Samuel Leguizamo of Corinth Holders

1st Place Match

  • Alex Hopper (Laney) 21-4, Jr. over Elliot Hollis (Enloe) 16-8, Jr. (Fall 2:09)

3rd Place Match

  • William Bell (Franklinton) 15-10, Jr. over Samuel Leguizamo (Corinth Holders) 14-3, Jr. (Dec 5-2)


182

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Caleb Joines of Jordan

  • 2nd Place - Gatlan Thompson of Cape Fear

  • 3rd Place - Nicholas Harris of Webb

  • 4th Place - Wesley Shepard of Riverside

1st Place Match

  • Caleb Joines (Jordan) 19-2, Sr. over Gatlan Thompson (Cape Fear) 16-4, Jr. (Fall 4:51)

3rd Place Match

  • Nicholas Harris (Webb) 18-8, Jr. over Wesley Shepard (Riverside) 14-8, Jr. (Dec 3-2)


195

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Devon Bell of Laney

  • 2nd Place - Jonathan Hance of Central Davidson

  • 3rd Place - Bradley Muse of Enloe

  • 4th Place - Xavier Jones of Hillside

1st Place Match

  • Devon Bell (Laney) 29-2, Sr. over Jonathan Hance (Central Davidson) 14-4, Sr. (Fall 0:54)

3rd Place Match

  • Bradley Muse (Enloe) 10-8, Jr. over Xavier Jones (Hillside) 3-2, Jr. (Fall 2:30)


220

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Trystan Richardson of Laney

  • 2nd Place - James Bankston of Hillside

  • 3rd Place - Aaron Hollis of Enloe

  • 4th Place - Danny Gomez of Corinth Holders

1st Place Match

  • Trystan Richardson (Laney) 8-2, Jr. over James Bankston (Hillside) 17-5, Jr. (MD 12-3)

3rd Place Match

  • Aaron Hollis (Enloe) 19-4, So. over Danny Gomez (Corinth Holders) 2-2, Jr. (Fall 0:32)


285

Guaranteed Places

  • 1st Place - Corey Pollock of Laney

  • 2nd Place - Christian Shepherd of Enloe

  • 3rd Place - Forfeit Forfeit of Unattached

  • 4th Place - Landon Michael of Franklinton

  • 4th Place - Ben Hicks of Southern Durham

1st Place Match

  • Corey Pollock (Laney) 3-0, Sr. over Christian Shepherd (Enloe) 20-15, Sr. (Fall 2:57)

3rd Place Match

  • Ben Hicks (Southern Durham) 2-1, Jr. over Landon Michael (Franklinton) 13-10, So. (DFF)

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