Union Pines wrestler Trey Weliver earned his best finish in three 3/A state championship appearances, but it wasn't the one he hoped for.

Weliver, ranked second in 130-pound classification, defeated Aaron Smith of Lake Norman High School, 2-1 in overtime, to finish third at the tournament held at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Colesium in Winston-Salem. A year ago, Weliver finished fourth while wrestling at 125 pounds.

Parkland High School swept the individual team title in 3/A by amassing 148 points. Parkland, which won the dual team championship earlier this month defeated second-place Hickory St. Stephens by 49 points. Union Pines finished with 25 points.

Five Parkland wrestlers advanced to the final match with three winning state titles.

Brandon Hodges of Ragsdale, the 130-pound classification champion, was the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Weliver advanced to Saturday's championship semifinal by posting two wins on the opening day of the tournament. He was bidding to be the first Union Pines grappler to win a state title, and just the fourth from Moore County.

Luke Dutch of Northwest Cabarrus defeated Weliver, 2-1 in the championship semifinal round, sending him to the consolation bracket.

In the consolation bracket, Weliver pinned East Rowan's Aaron Plyler in 4:33 to earn a match for third place. Weliver also beat Plyler in the opening round of the tournament.

Four other area wrestlers faced win-or-else scenarios Saturday.

At 125, Union Pines' Randy Stevens pinned Chad Mullins of Marvin Ridge in 2:39 to advance to the consolation bracket's third round. In that round, Joseph Anders of Trinity defeated Stevens, 3-1.

Three other area wrestlers lost in the second round of the consolation bracket on Saturday.

At 119, Garrett Grevenstuck of Eastern Randolph defeated Union Pines' Brandon Berry, 7-5.

At 215, Joe Young of Northern Nash pinned Kaleb Rierson of Union Pines in 4:22.

In 4/A action, Pinecrest's Dustin Roemer lost a 9-3 decision to Kamal Leak of South View in the second round of the consolation bracket.

Four-time defending individual team titlest, Cary High School, made it a five-peat, easily outdistancing second-place Davie County 126.5 to 98 to take the 4/A individual team title. Four Cary wrestlers captured state titles.

Contact Tom Embrey at 693-2477 or by e-mail at tembrey@thepilot.com.