APEX - The pair of ringside chairs provided for competing coaches at the Tri-Nine Conference Tournament were rickety and made of hard aluminum.

Cary head coach Taylor Cummings was forced to get comfortable.

With Cary wrestlers in the finals in nine of 14 weight classes, the Imps secured their 30th straight conference tournament victory Saturday at Middle Creek High School.

"It was warming up over there," said Cummings, who was in the coach's chair for seven consecutive matches during the finals as Cary was represented in each one. "It's a nice feeling knowing I can sit there and kind of watch a dual meet with our guys."

Behind six winners, Cary racked up 230 points to defeat Holly Springs (141 points), Panther Creek (134), Middle Creek (124), Apex (111.5), Fuquay-Varina (79), Green Hope (57), Athens Drive (14) and Lee County (14).

"We haven't lost a conference tournament since 1982 so keeping the streak going is really important," said Cary senior Bo Mulligan, who won his second straight conference title and joined his freshman brother, Mark, on the first-place podium. Bo won the 160-pound title while Mark claimed the 145-pound crown.

"There's so much pride and so many medals and trophies that have been won, I just want to continue that and keep it going," said Cary's Adam Kugler, who earned a pin with five seconds left in the match to win the 152-pound championship.

Ryan Foran (126), Adam Kugler (152), Ryan Silverman (170) and Corey Daniels (220) rounded out Cary's winners.

For Kevin Ruiz of Panther Creek, his 138-pound championship win against Cary's John Blackwell was extra special, having lost to a Cary wrestler in the finals last year but capitalizing on his shot at redemption.

"Any time you can beat (Cary) it's a good feeling," Ruiz said. "I'll take what I can get."

Apex's Chance Davis bested Cary's Nick Tarvin at 103 pounds while Javon Johnson of Holly Springs beat Cary's Alex Ynoquio at 132.

Green Hope's Ian Callahan also fell to an Imp in the finals a year ago but yesterday defeated Fuquay-Varina's Zachary Tousignant in the 195-pound contest.

A unique matchup unfolded in the heavyweight finals. Panther Creek's Mike Sutton squared off against Green Hope's Chad Mason just three days after facing each other in a dual meet. Sutton defeated Mason on Wednesday and backed it up with another win Saturday.

"He and I are really good friends so I was happy to wrestle him again," Sutton said.

Host Middle Creek made a strong showing with three winners. Baffour Atakora won at 113 pounds, Seth Hampsey at 182 and Alex Battaglia, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler, took the 120-pound honors for the second straight year.

"Hard work paid out. It means a lot," Battaglia said. "I do whatever I can to keep going further and further. Hopefully I can put this aside and keep going."