SPORTS

By Adam Powell
Correspondent

While fall sports seasons are winding down for local schools, the winter sports season are at hand, and The Local Reporter has the latest sports news for Chapel Hill, East Chapel Hill, and Carrboro High Schools. The Tigers, Wildcats, and Jaguars have all opened their respective varsity wrestling seasons, while Chapel Hill High recently opened its men’s and women’s swimming season.

Get the latest news around the local prep scene in Chapel Hill and Carrboro in this week’s edition of The Local Reporter High School Sports Notebook.

CHAPEL HILL HIGH TIGERS

Swimming: Tigers challenge Riverside in season-opening match

Chapel Hill High opened its 2025-26 winter men’s and women’s swimming season on the evening of November 13, as the Tigers challenged Durham Riverside at the Campus Hills pool in Durham. In the women’s scoring, Chapel Hill defeated the Pirates 103-65, while in the men’s scoring, Chapel Hill again came out ahead, 89-75.

In the women’s individual racing, Tigers took the top three spots in the 200 yard freestyle race, as freshman Annie Schooff came in at 2 minutes, 6.8 seconds for first place, senior Harper Ludwig posted a time of 2 minutes, 14.94 seconds for second place, and junior Helen Gallo recorded a time of 2 minutes, 17.44 seconds for third place. Schooff added another victory for the Tigers in the women’s 100 yard backstroke race (1 minute, 4.45 seconds) in her very first competition at the high school level for the Chapel Hill High varsity.

In the women’s 200 yard medley race, senior Louisa Sanoff placed second for the Tigers (2 minutes, 24.56 seconds), while freshman teammate Rachel Jia placed third (2 minutes, 27.74 seconds). Sophomore Amelie Carneiro won the women’s 50 yard freestyle sprint (27.76 seconds), while senior teammate Alena Volpe placed second (28.45 seconds). Volpe picked up a win for the Tigers in the women’s 100 yard breaststroke race (1 minute, 17.42 seconds), while Ludwig placed second (1 minute, 19.42 seconds).

Sanoff added another second place finish in the 100 yard butterfly competition (1 minute, 6.57 seconds), while junior teammate Helen Gallo placed third (1 minute, 10.70 seconds).

Jia followed up her third place result in the 200 yard medley race by placing first in the women’s 100 yard freestyle event, as she was the only competitor to come in under a minute at 59.82 seconds. Jia’s fellow ninth grade CHHS teammate – Susannah Ghitelman – added another first place finish for the Tigers in the women’s 500 yard freestyle distance swim (5 minutes, 42.54 seconds), while also placing second in the women’s 100 yard backstroke event (1 minute, 8.34 seconds).

In the women’s 200 yard medley team race, Chapel Hill’s quartet of seniors Sanoff and Marion Geraci, along with sophomores Volpe and Carneiro, posted a time of 2 minutes, 8.18 seconds. Riverside won the race with a time of 2 minute, 3 seconds. The Tigers had a better result in the women’s 200 yard freestyle relay, as Schooff, Carneiro, Jia, and Ludwig recorded a time of 1 minute, 50.60 seconds to defeat Riverside by more than five seconds. Chapel Hill also won the women’s 400 yard freestyle relay, as Schooff, Sanoff, Jia, and Ludwig posted a first place time of 4 minutes, 0.16 seconds.

For Chapel Hill’s men’s team, senior Junhao Guan won the 200 yard freestyle race (2 minutes, 4.72 seconds), while freshman teammate Samuel Carroll placed third (2 minutes, 18.05 seconds). Senior Ethan Liang got a victory in the men’s 200 yard individual medley competition (2 minutes, 3.79 seconds), while sophomore teammate Fletcher Wulber won the men’s 50 yard freestyle race (23.56 seconds). Senior teammate Jason Li added a third place result for Chapel Hill in the men’s 50 yard freestyle sprint (25.14 seconds), as well as a second place finish in the men’s 100 yard breaststroke (1 minute, 4.42 seconds).

More individual wins came from freshman William Xing, who won the men’s 100 yard freestyle race (51.99) in his first high school competition. Junior teammate William Benson placed second (54.35 seconds). Junior John Glass-Steel added a third place finish for CHHS in the men’s 500 yard distance swim (7 minutes, 12.09 seconds).

Chapel Hill swept the top three spots in the men’s 100 yard backstroke, as Liang placed first (55.01 seconds), Xing placed second (59.72 seconds), and Guan placed third (1 minute, 3.87 seconds).

In the men’s relay racing, Chapel Hill’s 200 yard medley quartet of seniors Li and Liang, along with sophomore Wulber and freshman Xing, finished with a time of 1 minute, 44.26 seconds to defeat Riverside’s time of 1 minute, 49.78 seconds. The Tigers also prevailed over Riverside in the 200 yard freestyle relay, as Wulber, Ethan and Jason Li, along with senior Jason Tao, recorded a time of 1 minute, 36.94 seconds to best Riverside by nearly three seconds. In the 400 yard freestyle event, Chapel Hill’s quartet of Xing, Liang, Guan, and Tao posted a time of 3 minutes, 33.85 seconds to beat Riverside by over six seconds.

Wrestling – Tigers open season on winning note

Chapel Hill’s wrestling team got off on the right track to start the 2025-26 winter season, as the Tigers defeated Raleigh’s Enloe High on November 10 at home. CHHS picked up a 51-24 victory over Enloe, with seven Tigers wrestlers picking up individual victories.

For Chapel Hill, Elgia Helmstetter pinned Emmanuel Anderson of Enloe in just 53 seconds at 126 pounds, Jack Palmisciano pinned Adrian Rivas at the 1:26 mark of the first round at 132 pounds, Flynn Campbell pinned Aaron Gim at the 1:29 mark of the first period at 138 pounds, Jacob Rabinowitz earned an 18-3 technical fall win at 144 pounds, Samuel Monroe pinned August Hough at the 2:45 mark in the second period at 175 pounds, Troy Deniz earned a 13-0 major decision win over Ronith Susa at 190 pounds, and Benjamin Green pinned Mohammad Jaji at the 3:48 mark of the second period at 215 pounds. CHHS also earned two forfeits on their way to the first dual team victory of the season.

On the weekend of November 14 and 15, the Tigers appeared at their first individual tournament of the season – the Wolverine Challenge at Raleigh’s Millbrook High School.

At 126 pounds, Helmstetter earned first place at the tournament, defeating Gavin Hickey of Cardinal Gibbons by a 7-1 decision in the championship match. Helmstetter, who earned a berth in the NCHSAA State Championships tournament last season at 113 pounds, is looking to challenge for a state title at 126 pounds this season for Chapel Hill.

Another Tiger earning a top-two finish at the Wolverine Challenge was Owen Reams, who won three matches to reach the final before falling in a first round pin to Joseph Trahan of Trinity in the championship final. Reams, a junior who played along the offensive line for the CHHS football team this fall, is another Tiger grappler looking to qualify for states this coming February.

Along with Helmstetter and Reams, two other Tigers – Palmisciano at 132 pounds and Benjamin Green at 215 pounds – finished in third place at the tournament. Palmisciano won a thrilling, high-scoring 20-16 decision over Alexei Hidalgo of Durham Jordan in his 126 pound third place match, while Green earned a hard-fought 6-5 decision over Wakefield’s William Laster in the third pound match at 215 pounds.

Two other Tigers forged top five finishes in their respective weight classes at the Wolverine Challenge, as Christian Garcia Mendez finished in fourth place at 157 pounds, and Campbell placed fifth at 138 pounds. Garcia Mendez won a series of five matches over the weekend – including one forfeit – to reach the third place match, where he was pinned late in the first round by Khaliil McDowell of Wakefield. Campbell earned a first round pin (1:34) over Alexander Harrell of South Granville in the fifth place match at 138 pounds.

On Wednesday night, the Tigers appeared at a quad match at Panther Creek, where they challenged Green Level, Millbrook, and host Panther Creek. Chapel Hill earned a 54-30 team win over Green Level and a 55-16 triumph over Panther Creek, while suffering a 56-24 loss to Millbrook.

In the match with Green Level, Helmstetter earned a first round pin (1:20) over Kashyap Gevariya at 126 pounds, Nicholas Kelly pinned Dylan Croft at the end of the first round (1:51) at 150 pounds, and Garcia Mendez earned a first round pin (1:26) over Jonathan Webb at 157 pounds.

Helmstetter earned another victory for the Tigers in the Millbrook dual team match, as he pinned Liam Foley in the first round (1:42). Two others earned wins for Chapel Hill over Millbrook in head-to-head matchups, as Reams needed only 24 seconds to pin Donald Bright at 285 pounds, John Vece pinned Sam Driver midway through the second round (2:54) at 106 pounds, and Campbell pinned Haydn Driver in the first round (1:34) at 138 pounds.

Against host Panther Creek, Helmstetter completed a clean sweep of three wins, as he dominated Joey Johnson 16-0 in a technical fall. Campbell pinned Maximus Cohen in the final seconds (5:57) of the third round in his 138 pound match, while Jacob Rabinovitz earned a 16-1 technical fall win over Kenzo Kinoshita at 144 pounds. Three others earned first round pins for the Tigers against Panther Creek, as Garcia Mendez pinned Yugo Hibi at the 1:41 mark at 157 pounds, Nicolaus Simms pinned Gabriel dropped Gabriel Shourie at at the 1:11 mark at 165 pounds, and Troy Deniz dropped Timofei Bryvkim in just 43 seconds at 190 pounds.

The Tigers will get more early-season experience with a series of team matches on Friday, November 21 and Saturday, November 22 leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. 

CARRBORO JAGUARS

Wrestling: Jaguars get off to strong start on mat

Carrboro opened its 2025-26 varsity wrestling season on the evening of November 12, as the Jaguars traveled to Pittsboro to challenge Northwood and Louisburg Magnet. CHS defeated Louisburg Magnet 48-21, while falling 47-27 to Northwood.

In the victory over Louisburg Magnet, 120-pound Johnny Torchaisuwan earned a 16-9 decision over Corey Anstead, Nishad Herr earned a 42-second pin over Andrew Wayman at 138 pounds, Jackson Brooks earned a 3-0 decision over Kenedy Sanchez at 144 pounds, Emil Shaji pinned Matthew Ausley in 38 seconds at 150 pounds, and 285-pound Noah Matamoros pinned Tunene Jackson in the second round (2:47).

Against Northwood, Torchaisuwan pinned Parker Karstaedt in the first round (1:27), Theo Childs pinned Antonio Carreno Gordiano in just 56 seconds in the 157-pound weight class, Efrem Notch pinned Tyler Ray in only 45 seconds at 175 pounds, and Matamoros needed just 14 seconds to pin Jaxon Green at 285 pounds.

On Saturday, November 15, the Jaguars appeared at the Catamount Duals, a series of dual team matches held at Cary’s Panther Creek High School. Carrboro earned a pair of wins at the event, defeating Roanoke Rapids (54-30), and South Garner (54-23). CHS fell in dual team matches to Apex (61-18), Wilmington Laney (60-10), Southern Alamance (41-31), and Washington (53-12).

Despite the lopsided loss to Apex, there were bright spots for the Jaguars, as Torchaisuwan pinned Rhys Packham late in the first round (1:48), 190-pound Max Devereux pinned Mateo Conversano in just 45 seconds, and Matamoros pinned Erick Winston in just 27 seconds.

Matamoros went on to go 5-1 over the weekend, as he also earned a 13-4 major decision over Dylan Millar-Sarvis of Wilmington Laney – one of just two head-to-head wins the Jaguars had over the Buccaneers.  He earned a forfeit win over Southern Alamance, a first round pin (1:13) over Bryce Terry of Roanoke Rapids, and a first round pin in just 37 seconds over Caleb Brownson of South Garner. Matamoros has made the jump from the 215-pound weight class to  the 285-pound weight class this season, primed to make a run at the State Championships.

Over the weekend, the Jaguars will join East Chapel Hill and many others at the Red Wolf Invitational at Hillsborough’s Cedar Ridge High School.

EAST CHAPEL HILL WILDCATS

Wrestling: Wildcats open wrestling season with team victories

East Chapel Hill’s varsity wrestling team opened its 2025-26 wrestling season on the evening of November 12, as the Wildcats faced off against Green Level. Although ECHHS suffered a 51-30 defeat, four Wildcat grappler earned individual victories in the match. The list included Roland Owen, who pinned Dominick Ciesla of Green Level at 113 pounds, Noah Finken, who pinned Michael Xu at 132 pounds, Henry Parnell, who pinned Justin Zheng at 138 pounds, and Ben Nabedrik, who pinned Jonathan Webb at 157 pounds. In addition, Shane Shuster earned a forfeit victory for East Chapel Hill in the 150-pound weight class.

On Saturday, November 15, East Chapel Hill traveled to Raleigh’s Broughton High School for a tournament. Three Wildcats – Owen at 113 pounds, Shuster at 138 pounds, and Nabedrik at 157 pounds – earned first place medals at the tournament. Owen pinned Zaylen Clark of Eastern Guilford in the third round (4:35) in the 113-pound first place match, Shuster pinned Brayden Gibson of Southern Nash in the second round (3:32) in the first place match at 138 pounds, and Nabedrik defeated Andrew Bullard of D.H. Conley in a convincing 11-4 decision at 157 pounds.

Along with the achievements of Owen, Shuster, and Nabedrik, two other Wildcats – Ezekiel Neff at 157 pounds and Omar Al Mosawa at 132 pounds – earned fourth place recognition. Al Mosawa earned a second round pin (3:36) over James Ferebee of Enloe in the consolation semifinal match to reach the third place bout, while Neff had to take on his teammate Nabedrik in the 157-pound weight class, suffering a 13-3 major decision loss to his fellow Wildcat. Regrouping from that defeat, Neff pinned Issa Shibli of Clayton in just 57 seconds to reach the third place match. In that showdown, Neff suffered a disappointing 10-8 loss to Zavier Pollard of Eastern Guilford.

On Wednesday night, the Wildcats traveled to Raleigh for a quad match at Broughton High School, where they earned a 36-29 win over Holly Springs, and suffered a 65-14 loss to Fayetteville’s South View High.

In the win over Holly Springs, Samuel Rossi got a big win for the Wildcats in the 126 pound weight class, as he pinned Beau Loughridge. Neff then dropped Ilgar Mammadov in the 157 pound match, which shifted the momentum towards ECHHS. The Wildcats won the next two head-to-head matches as well, as Hogan Martin pinned Marshall Vinesett at 165 pounds, and Kaine Matak pinned Seth Popow at 175 pounds. The Wildcats also earned two forfeits on the way to a team victory.

Against South View, Matthew Son earned a win for East Chapel Hill in the 120 pound weight class, as he pinned Terrence Adams in the second round (3:11). Omar Al Mosawa added a win for ECHSS in the 132 pound weight class, as he earned an 18-1 technical fall victory over Chaynce Beamon.

On November 21 and 22, the Wildcats will make an appearance alongside local rival Carrboro at the Red Wolf Invitational on the campus of Cedar Ridge High School in Hillsborough.

Adam Powell has been a correspondent for The Local Reporter since 2023. A 2001 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Powell has served as managing editor of multiple local publications, including the News of Orange County, the Mebane Enterprise, the Caswell Messenger, and the ACC Sports Journal. Powell has won more than 20 North Carolina Press Association Awards throughout his journalism career for Excellence in Education Reporting, Excellence in Sports Columns and Features, and Excellence in Video Production. He has also been recognized by the North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) for Excellence in Education Writing and for his newsletters representing Rockingham County Schools and the North Carolina Cyber Academy. The author of four books. Adam currently resides in Mebane with his wife Julie and children Colt and Jenna. This reporter can be reached at:Information@TheLocal Reporter.press