Daily Roundup: January 28, 2023

January 29, 2023, 3:11 am | by Tim Hower

Cover photo of Tyler Buonocore courtesy of Steve Hopper

***The rankings by each area team come from the Coastal Preps Power Rankings***

WRESTLING

No. 2 Laney 67, No. 15 Millbrook 12

First round NCHSAA 4A Dual Team Playoffs

The Buccaneers opened the postseason with a dominant victory thanks to eight first period pins.

N.C. State signee Alex Hopper had the fastest fall in 30 seconds at 182 pounds.

Trystan Richardson got things started with a 59 second pin at 220. After Millbrook earned a pin at 285, Laney reeled off 11 straight victories.

Sam Kopelman (1:03 at 120), Robert Tann (0:54 at 126), Tyler Buonocore (1:50 at 132), Avery Buonocore (1:18 at 138), Noah Thomas (3:41 at 145), Tristan Cotto (1:14 at 160) and Marquise Kelly (0:55 at 170) also earned six team points.

Jacob Rosen had an 18-1 tech fall at 152, while Ayden Arrington (20-6 at 106) and Kingston Neal (12-2 at 113) both won by major decision.

No. 2 Laney 47, No. 7 Pine Forest 23

Second round NCHSAA 4A Dual Team Playoffs

Tyler Buonocore’s 12-3 major decision at 132 pounds sparked a 26-0 run that gave the Buccaneers a lead for good.

The defending state champions trailed 18-3 after five bouts.

Avery Buonocore (pin in 1:01 at 138), Noah Thomas (pin in 5:11 at 145), Jacob Rosen (pin in 3:29 at 152) and Tristan Cotto (14-6 major decision) had the other victories during the run.

Kaeden Smith (182), Alex Hopper (195) and Trystan Richardson (220) received forfeits once the match was clinched.

Laney first three points came via a 15-11 decision at 106 from Ayden Arrington.

Next up for the Buccaneers is a third-round matchup against No. 6 Lumberton on Wednesday at a site and time to be determined.

No. 1 New Bern will wrestled No. 12 Cardinal Gibbons on a second mat simultaneously. At the conclusion of both matches, the winners will meet in the East final.

No. 11 West Craven 39, No. 6 Trask 33

First round NCHSAA 2A Dual Team Playoffs

The Titans built a 27-24 lead with four bouts remaining, but managed to win only one of them.

Levi Jaramillo (120 pounds), Brendon Meeks (160), Dayton East (170) and Asher Eason (195) all recorded pins.

Trask also got decisions from Christian Still (2-1 at 132), Nicholas Johnson (8-2 at 152) and Devon Grainger (6-4 at 220).

Other scores

3A first round: No. 5 West Brunswick defeated No. 12 West Carteret (no score provided)

3A second round: No. 4 First Flight defeated No. 5 West Brunswick (no score provided)

1A first round: No. 1 Uwharrie Charter 66, No. 16 Pender 18

BOYS BASKETBALL

No. 1 New Hanover 44, Kinston 42

Point guard Rodmik Allen found fellow sophomore Zeus Batts underneath the basket for the game-winning basket with less than five second remaining to lift the Wildcats to a thrilling nonconference win.

New Hanover (16-2) trailed 8-0 before going on a 15-3 run. They held a slim 19-18 halftime advantage.

An 11-3 run from Kinston (16-4) put them in front 38-30 early in the fourth quarter, but the lead didn’t last.

No individual stats were provided.

The Wildcats host Laney at 8 p.m. Tuesday.