Perhaps looking for a little revenge after just missing out on a fourth NCHSAA state dual-team championship earlier this month, several Orange High School's wrestlers were impressive on the opening day of the NCHSAA 3-A state individual championships. All but one won at least one match to make it into Saturday's last rounds in the Greensboro Coliseum.

(Saturday's championships started too late for today's edition of the Chapel Hill News. See www.newsobserver.com or this weekend's editions of the News & Observer for final results.)

Dustin Champion, at 125 pounds, Chris Johnson (130), Tyrone Mason (145), Taylor Cash (152), Nick Shriner (171) and Chris Intehar (189) all won their opening bouts. So did Max Redfoot of Chapel Hill High at 160 pounds.

Of the four Panthers who lost to their first opponent, three came back to win consolation matches in the "wrestle-backs" -- Luke Mincey (119), James Farthing, (135) and Thomas Harrington (215). Chapel Hill's Peter Dreher (125) also came back in the consolation rounds to advance to Saturday.

Things went much worse in the 2-A and 4-A matches. None of the wrestlers from East Chapel Hill, Cedar Ridge or Northwood won their first-round bout, though Alex Walker of CRHS came back to pin Dalton Lewis of Ashe County and make it into Saturday's consolation rounds.

NCAC churns to wins, more records

As the waves settled on the 2010 Age Group Championships, held last weekend at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary, the North Carolina Aquatic Club of Chapel Hill emerged with a strong fifth-place overall team finish. Koya Osada set new North Carolina and NCAC records en route to victory in the 13-14 200 Backstroke in 1:53.21, topping the mark that had been set previously by NCAC's Jeff James in 2003. Osada again claimed the top spot in the 200 IM (1:57.51).

Friday, Osada raced to wins in the 400 IM (4:09.44) and 200 Freestyle (1:43.78) -- both times as team records.

On Saturday, Osada was crowned the N.C. 13-14 boys state champ in the 200 Buttrerfly (1:56.31) in team-record time. He also won the 500 free (4:44.39) and garnered second-place honors in the 100 Back (53.36).

Sam Strosnider capped his meet with an Ironman session, finishing second in the 100 Free (49.62), fourth in the 200 Back (2:01.27), and fifth in the 1,650 Free (16:56.51).

Adelaide Cairns was victorious in the 10 & Under Girls' 200 Free (2:09.14) and 100 Fly (1:07.84). She also took fourth in the 100 IM (1:11.36).

Anabelle Durham, Kathy Dai, Bijan Zakerin, Mia Morrell, Hannah Kloetzer, Will MacMillan, Madison Homovich, Harrison Esterley, Katharine Esterley, Annabelle Kayye, Claire DeSelm, Joshua Conger and Stephen Young all scored in at least one event.

NCAC's 200 Free Relay of Osada, Esterley, Grant DeSelm and Strosnider took second with a new team record (1:34.23). The 11-12 boy's 200 Free Relay of Zakerin, Josh Conger, Noah Cairns and MacMillan placed sixth in 1:47.28. The 10 & Under girls' 200 Free Relay of Madison Homovich, Hannah Kloetzer, Maddie Creatore, and Adelaide Cairns were seventh in 2:01.51.

Osada, Aidan Marshall, Strosnider and Grant DeSelm set an NCAC record (1:45.47) in taking second in the 13-14 Boys' 200 Medley Relay. The old record was held by James and Jesse Mendes, both of whom currently swim for UNC. Koya, Harrison Esterley, DeSelm and Strosnider set another NCAC record with a second in the 400 Free Relay.

The girls foursome of Homovich, Kloetzer, Adelaide Cairns and Maddie Creatore were fourth in the 10U Girls 200 Medley Relay, while the 11-12 girls 200 Medley Relay of Durham, Elizabeth Jensen, DeSelm and Esterley placed sixth in the state. Durham, DeSelm and Esterly teamed up with Mia Morrell to snag seventh in the 400 Free Relay. Conger, Noah Cairns, MacMillan and Zakerin claimed fifth the 11-12 boys' 400 Free Relay and placed sixth in the 200 Medley Relay.

Duke G. heading to UNCG

Cedar Ridge senior Duke Garner is among the six recruits signed recently by UNC Greensboro, Spartan men's soccer coach Justin Maullin announced Thursday. He joins Eric Carrion, Pete Kurowski, Brian Graham, Aaron Reifschneider and Thomas Johnson in the UNCG class of 2014.

A native of Hillsborough, Garner is the third in his family to play collegiate soccer. His brother Brandon played at Appalachian State and is now a UFC professional fighter, while brother Eli is a member of the squad at North Carolina. He attended the ESP Adidas National Camp in 2009, where he was named an all-star.

Regarded is oneof the top forwards in the state of North Carolina, he plays with Johnson on the Triangle United squad that advanced to the 2009 USYS national finals. He scored nine goals in the 2009 USYS regional and national tournaments. He has earned all-conference and all-region three times while playing at Cedar Ridge.

"Our staff feels Duke is one of the most talented players coming out of the state of North Carolina," Maullin said in a news release. "Duke is a very dynamic player with a high soccer pedigree. He is an extremely versatile player that can help us in many ways. I am very anxious to see how transitions into the college game next year."

Maullin and the Spartans already have started spring practice. Maullin was named the interim head coach in January after the retirement of long-time head coach Michael Parker.

Garner is not the only Spartan signee with connections to Orange County and Chapel Hill.

Johnson, an East Wake High School senior, also plays for UNC head coach Elmar Bolowich's Triangle United squad. A four-time all-conference selection at East Wake, he was a member of the North Carolina ODP Team in 2006 and 2008. Bolowich's TUSA team won the North Carolina state cup and Region III champions in 2008 and 2009 and played in the 2009 USYS national finals.

Briefly ...

No. 4 North Carolina defeated 16th-ranked Navy 11-4 in a men's lacrosse game Thursday night at Annapolis. Playing before a national TV audience on CBS College Sports Television, the Tar Heels (4-0) recorded the program's 400th win. ... Despite their elimination from the NCHSAA 4-A tournament, East Chapel Hill boys basketball team ended up as the Triangle area's best defensive team. The Wildcats gave up just 49.2 points per game, a fraction better than Northwood's 49.5 ppg and Cedar Ridge's 50 ppg. Cedar Ridge also rated among the top 10 in offense, with 68 ppg. ... UNC post player Jessica Breland says her Hodgkin's lymphoma is in "remission," though she has taken a redshirt this season as she recovers. She plans to be on the Tar Heel bench today -- just watching -- as her UNC basketball teammates end their regular season at home against No. 6 Duke. See newsobserver.com for more.