The North Moore boys’ basketball team pulled out a close 54-51 win over Grace Christian in Sanford Friday to improve its record to 6-1 on the season.

The Mustangs led 42-31 after three, but the Crusaders came roaring back to tie the game in the fourth period. Head coach Grant Smith said the deciding factor in the contest was the fact that his team was able to re-establish its tempo in the third and shot 50 percent from the floor.

“We played hard and smart enough to get the win,” Smith said by e-mail. “Again, what we take from this game is that our team has the heart of a team on a mission. We are playing with both passion and purpose.”

Smith said senior forward Tyler Wallace made big plays all night. He finished with seven points and nine rebounds, and took a charge at an important moment in the game.

Corbin Brock again led all North Moore scorers with 21 points. Trever Farquharson had eight, T.J. Kennedy had five, Sterling Barrett had four, Xavier Scotton had three and Tristan Matthews, Justin Marley and Jonathan Bym each had two.

North Moore was scheduled to make up last Thursday’s postponed conference game against Albemarle on Saturday, but weather postponed the game further.

The Mustangs will participate in Pinecrest’s Holiday in the Pines tournament next week with a first round date with Clayton. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Dec. 28.

Pinecrest Wrestlers Win SEC Opener

On Dec. 15, the Pinecrest wrestling team traveled to Purnell Swett for its first conference match of the season.

With the Rams unable to fill their entire lineup, Pinecrest head coach Travis Flinchum took the opportunity to bump up a few jayvee wrestlers into varsity positions for some valuable experience.

The Patriots started quickly with a 12-point lead when the Rams forfeited both the 103 and 112 weight classes. Then sophomore Cody Fitzgerald scored a pin in the 119-pound match against Tre Lowery, bringing his season record up to 4-5.

Pinecrest then gave Purnell Swett their first six points with a forfeit at 125, bringing the team score to 18-6.

Pinecrest gained from another six-point forfeit in the 130-pound weight class before Cody Goodwin, a sophomore jayvee, was brought in at 135 and pinned Allen Strickland 40 seconds into the second period of his match.

Team captains Garrett Bateman (11-3) and Dustin Roemer (14-0), had decisive first period pins at 140 and 145 against their opponents, Daunte Polle and John Deese, bringing the score to 42-6.

Jayvee grappler Tim Smith was brought in at 152 to wrestle Harley Locklear and won with a 11-5 decision, bringing his season record to 2-0.

Nathan Frederique (9-4) and Hawk George (2-8) won the next 12 points for the Patriots by pinning the Rams’ Shand Strickland and Jasper Jones at 160 and 171. Purnell Swett added another six points to their team score with a pin by Benny Bullard at 189 but Pinecrest won the last two matches with Luke Fetla (9-6) winning a 6-1 decision against Billy Hunt at 215 and jayvee Gabe Hackney pinning heavyweight Kedrick Dail at 5:54 to bring the final team score to Pinecrest 66, Purnell Swett 12.

The Patriots will be traveling to the Ashbrook Tournament on Wednesday and then on to the Tiger Holiday Classic on Dec. 28-29.

Vikes Compete in WRAL

The Union Pines wrestling team competed in the WRAL Invitational over the weekend.

Union Pines placed fifth overall in the 36-team field, which featured four defending state tournament champions.

“Our wrestlers did an awesome job this past weekend,” said head coach Matt Ragsdale. “We went up there with a goal of placing in the top five and we finished fifth.”

Michael Brennan was the only finalist for Union Pines. He took first place in the 160-pound weight division. The Vikings did win the sportsmanship award at the event, which is voted on by the officials.

“This did not surprise me with the group of young men we have,” said Ragsdale.

Parkland (4A NCHSAA 2010 state champion) won the meet with a total of 215.50 points. Jefferson High, the defending 2A state champs from Georgia, tallied 174.50 points to place second, while Jay M. Robinson, the defending 3A NCHSAA state and dual champion, scored 148 points to finish third. Union Pines’ fifth-place tally was 111.50, seven points behind fourth-place 3A Havelock High.

Union Pines is 7-0 in dual competition, and had won two tournament titles this year, prior to placing fifth at the prestigious WRAL Invitational in Raleigh.

The Vikings return to action at the Tiger Holiday Classic on Dec. 28 and 29 in Chapel Hill.