December 15, 2008

From HighSchoolOT.com

37th annual WRAL Invitational hits mats Friday

Thirty six teams from four states will compete in the 37th annual WRAL Invitational wrestling tournament to be held at Athens Drive High Dec. 19-20.

The tournament is sanctioned by the N.C. High School Athletic Association. All participants must be certified by NCHSAA. National Federation & NCHSAA 2008-09 rules apply.

For pairings, coaches are to submit team roster by 6 p.m. Dec. 16 (using the login ID and password sent by e-mail from Jim Trenner, jandhtrenner@msn.com ) with seeding criteria listed beside each wrestler (top 4 finish in state, region and WRAL, current record- 8 match min. for seeding). Changes can be sent in until 5 p.m. Dec 17. Pre-tournament seeding and pairing will be completed Wednesday night with entry information received by fax (this is necessary to allow time for computer entry and printing of brackets, bout sheets, etc. for an organized, on-time tournament.) A scratch meeting for coaches will be held at 2:45 p.m. Friday to finalize brackets (scratches only; no additions or changes after 5 p.m. Wednesday or at weigh-in). Only one coach/representative should attend the meeting in Room1034 outside the rear of the locker room. Pigtail losers eliminated; no points earned.

Medals will be given for the top four place-winners. Trophies will be presented for team champion, team runner-up and most falls in the least amount of time (championship).

There is no team entry fee. Each team is to provide its own towels and locks for security. Spectator admission is $6 Friday and $10 Saturday ($6 for finals only).

For additional information, contact tournament director Jerry Barker (W: 919-513-3285, Fax 513-1994, H-847-4379, jerry_barker@ncsu.edu) or site coordinator Mike Wood (919-233-4050, Fax 919-233-4082, mwood2@wcpss.net).

Participating teams

Alexander Central (10th place, 2008 NCHSAA 4-A state tournament)
Apex
Athens Drive
Bandys
Broughton
Cape Fear
Cardinal Gibbons (Eighth place, 2008 NCHSAA 1-A/2-A state tournament)
Croatan
Davie County (2007 WRAL Invitational runner-up; 2008 NCHSAA 4-A dual team runner-up; third place, 2008 NCHSAA state tournament)
Douglas Byrd
East Burke
East Wake
Enka (third place, 2007 WRAL Invitational; seventh place, 2008 NCHSAA 3-A tournament)
Hanover (Va.)
Havelock (13th place, 2008 NCHSAA 3-A tournament)
Jack Britt
Jupiter (Fla.)
Laney (11th place, 2008, NCHSAA 4-A tournament)
Leesville
Mallard Creek
New Bern (ninth place, 2008 NCHSAA 4-A tournament)
Newton-Conover (runner-up, 2008 NCHSAA 3-A dual team and individual tournament)
Northwest Cabarrus (eighth place, 2008 NCHSAA 3-A state tournament)
Parkland (Champion, 2007 WRAL Invitational; Champion, 2008 NCHSAA 3-A dual team and individual state tournament)
Panther Creek
Pine Forest
Riverside (fifth place, 2008 NCHSAA 4-A tournament)
Salem (Va.)
Sanderson (13th place, 2008 NCHSAA 4-A tournament)
Seventy-First
Wakefield
Wake Forest-Rolesville
West Carteret
West Johnston
Whitewater (Ga.)

Schedule

Friday, Dec. 19
1:45 p.m.: Weigh-ins
3:30 p.m.: First round (seven mats)
6 p.m.: Second round, consolation first round
8:30 p.m.: consolation second round

Saturday, Dec. 20
7 a.m.: Weigh-ins
8 a.m.: Quarterfinals and consolation third round
11 a.m.: Semifinals, consolation fourth round
1:30 p.m.: Consolation quarterfinals, semifinals
5 p.m.: Championship finals, third-place, fifth-place matches