Wrestling team advances in state 4A playoffs

The North Myrtle Beach Chiefs wrestling team took a good first step in the Region 4A team competition last Saturday at the North Myrtle Beach High School gym. As the region’s regular season champion, the Chiefs earned a first round bye and waited for the winner of the first team competition between Midland Valley and Hilton Head High School.

Midland Valley beat Hilton Head by three points but quickly met a tough Chiefs squad. The format for the playoffs remained the same as regular season matches with each player in their weight class meeting each other, and their points added to the overall score. Each match consisted of three two-minute periods and overtime if necessary. A player could earn points in each period to win or pin their opponent to end the match. A forfeit was recorded if the opposing team did not have a wrestler entered in a particular weight class.

The Chiefs won all but two matches to score a 64-12 victory.

Results as follows show the competitor’s weight class in parenthesis.
(126) NMB’s Rodrigo Velazquez won by forfeit. (132) Jaylan Moses of NMB pinned John Wright. MJ Michaud won a hard-fought decision over Jahmiel Jackson by a 13-7 score. (145) Chief Jackie Gore pinned Heather Neely in 46 seconds. (152) Blake Jenkins (NMB) won by forfeit. (160) Andre Giddens of NMB pinned Caleb Richardson in 3:28. (170) Chase Simmons to a major decision from Midland’s Dustin Yazzie by a 12-2 score. (182) Burke Thomas of Midland pinned Javante Stephens. (195) Marcelous Livingston of NMB decisioned Lane Owenby 11-5.

(220) Curtis Wolfe of NMB won by forfeit. (285) Chief Harry Locklear pinned Danny Granade in 1:35. (106) Destin Freeman of Midland Valley won by forfeit. In the 113 and 120 pound weight classes, EJ Vereen and Naszeir Bellamy won by forfeit.

Coach Chris Mazyck stated his team was awfully impressive. “They executed well and it was a good performance. We are ready and I think they would wrestle anywhere right now,” Mazyck said.