Twenty area wrestlers will be competing for individual state titles this weekend at the NCHSAA Individual Tournament Championships after placing in the top four at their respective regional competitions.

The seven area Tri-Eight teams went to Chapel Hill High for the Mideast Regional, while Holly Springs — in its final year as a member of the Greater Neuse Conference — traveled to Knightdale High for the East Regional.

Cary sent the most wrestlers to state competition out of any team in the Mideast Regional with seven — three fewer than last year, when the Imps won the state individual tournament championship.

This year Cary, which already claimed the 4-A state team dual-team championship, will be trying for its fifth straight individual tournament title.

The Imps had four regional champs in that group, including Ben Creed at 103 pounds, Gabe Brotzman (152), Matt Colvard (160) and Eloheim Palma (285).

Palma and Creed are each defending an individual championship from last year, and Palma will be going for his third straight title.

Cary is also sending Cordale Risk (130), Ronnie Winterton (135) and Kevin Puente (215) to the state competition.

Green Hope had the next highest number of wrestlers that placed, including Joey Baird (140), Kenny Buchanan (125), John Sparks (103) and Nate Reynolds (189).

Baird was a regional champ at 140-pounds after he defeated Athens Drive's Cliff Griffin in the mideastern championship match. Panther Creek's Alex Branoff came in fourth in the weight class to give the area three wrestlers competing for a state title.

Panther Creek sophomore Joe Morrison defeated Cary's Cordale Risk at 130-pounds to win the mideastern title at that weight division.

The final match that featured two wrestlers from our area came at 189-pounds, where Panther Creek's Sheridan Rucker won over Fuquay-Varina's Soren Ferrell.

In the East Regional, Holly Springs placed three wrestlers, including 125-pound champion Alex Lee. The Golden Hawks will also send Jake Filip (152) and Alex Dolan (171) to state competition.

Athens' Bryan Houston (215) rounds out the rest of the state qualifiers from the area. You can also view all state qualifiers by clicking here.