CHARLOTTE — The Scotland men’s and women’s wrestling teams competed in the 2023 Elizabeth Barry Memorial Clash held at Mallard Creek High School on Thursday and Friday.
Scotland’s men finished the event tied for 22nd out of 38 teams with 24 team points; the women placed 10th out of 32 teams with 31 points.
Three men took the mat for Scotland, with Josh Smith the only one to place as he took fifth in the 106-pound weight class. Smith received a bye in the first round of the championship bracket and won by pinfall and a 10-2 major decision in his next two bouts but lost in the semifinals and consolation semifinals by 6-2 and 9-5 decisions. In the fifth-place match, Smith won by a 14-6 major decision over Bandys’ Chayce Jones.
Scotland’s Anthony Pate also received a bye in the championship first round and pinned A.L. Brown’s Noah Bumgarner in the second round before losing by a 10-3 decision in the quarterfinals; Pate pinned Marvin Ridge’s Alexander Phillips in the consolation fourth round but lost via pinfall in the next round.
At 215, Scotland’s Vinny Butera fell to the consolation bracket and received a bye after being pinned in his first bout; Butera was pinned again in the consolation second round.
Minnie Locklear was the only Scotland women’s wrestler to place on Thursday, coming in third at 114; Locklear received a bye in the championship first round, pinned Parkwood’s Raegan Richar in the quarterfinals, was pinned in the semifinals, and pinned her final two opponents.
Scotland’s Noah Anderson was pinned in both of her bouts at 120.
At 126, Scotland’s Caydence Deese earned a victory via pinfall over Avery County’s Marissa Lolies in the championship first round but was pinned in the quarterfinals; Deese pinned North Henderson’s Morgan Flynn in the consolation second round before losing by pinfall in the next round.
After a bye to start, Scotland’s Carmin Moore earned a pinfall win over Concord’s Ani Shuman in the quarterfinals but was pinned in the following two rounds.
Scotland wrestles in the West Stanly Duals in Oakboro on Dec. 30.