WINSTON-SALEM — Even they doubted themselves, at times, this season. Yep, THE Cary Imps wrestling team had their doubts about another sweep of the state dual team and individual team championships happening again.

Saturday night, the streak that was supposed to end this year — didn’t end.

Cary won its fifth straight 4-A individual state team championship with seniors Gabe Brotzman (at 152 pounds) and Eloheim Palma (heavyweight) accounting for half of the team’s tally of individual champions.

Junior Matt Colvard and sophomore Ben Creed rolled through their respective brackets, 160 and 103, respectively, as well.

The Imps finished with 126.5 team points, well ahead of runner-up Davie County (98) despite bring just seven wrestlers to the state finals.

Brotzman and Palma finished their careers with a hand in seven state team championships: three in dual team and four in the state individuals.

“Last year, you could say we had a more solid lineup. But this year, guys just came through; we just found a way to do it,” Brotzman said. “I don’t know how to explain. It’s just that Cary legacy. It fuels all of us.”

It did, however, take a little longer than normal for the Imps to tap into that fuel reserve this season.

Longtime Imp coach Jerry Winterton was perplexed after the first round of the Jim King Invitational in early December. Seven of his wrestlers lost in the first round of one of the biggest individual tournaments in the state.

“But they came back and pulled out thirds and fourths,” Winterton recalled. “They kept wrestling through it, pulled them out and we won. After that, every week we became more stable and met another challenge.”

For Colvard, it took a little longer to be convinced that this was a Cary team worthy of collecting two team trophies from state championship meets.

“I just saw something in our first dual playoff match,” he said. “We found that push we needed to get over the top. We got three big wins in a row that match and the team just erupted.”

The Imps beat Chapel Hill 61-9 in that match, their first of five wins en route to the dual team crown.

Cordale Risk helped run up Cary’s point total by advancing to the semifinals on the way to a fourth place finish in the state. Kevin Puente tied for 10th, while both of Ronnie Winterton’s losses by just a point.

Palma’s 10-4 victory over East Burke’s Tyler Shatley was a fitting end to another Imps coronation. For the first time this season, the nation’s top heavyweight didn’t end his match early.

“While I’m a little disappointed in myself, I’m extremely proud of our team,” Palma said. “It looked like a pretty tough task for us but the guys came through again.”