Wrestling season closes for Gryphon Duo

The Rock and Roll Express, Janicento Williamson and Chandler Phillips, pulled back into Rocky Mount for the last time late Saturday night. The long season ended in disappointment for the two Gryphon wrestlers this weekend at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Philllips dropped his first two matches on Friday night and was eliminated much earlier than he anticipated. In his first match, he was defeated by Lucas Dutch from Northwest Cabarrus, who came into the Championships with a 49-2 record. Dutch went on to place second.

On a controversial call by one referee with less than a minute in his second match, Philllips was slapped with a technical violation that gave James Farthing of Orange a single point victory. Phillips was called for pulling a finger as he tried to remove Farthing's hand from his throat. The ref could see the single finger, but must not have seen the choke hold of the remaining hand. Phillips could not score the takedown he needed in the final seconds and lost 8-7.

Williamson also fell in his first match on Friday, to Ryan Daining (35-3) of West Iredell. In order to survive to wrestle Saturday, he needed to win his second match.

Wrestling against Adam Purgason(22-8) of Rockingham County, Williamson won his first ever match at the state level. Easily handling Purgason with a decision victory, Williamson advanced to wrestle Saturday morning.

Williamson dropped his third match to eventual fourth place finisher Nick Shriner (48-9) of Orange.

Orange placed second in the NCHSAA 3-A Team State Tournament, and also knocked out the two Gryphons in the Individual.

The Rock and Roll Express has now been officially put to rest, as both wrestlers' seasons are over. Just as the Gryphon Six from last year went in separate directions at season's end, so will Phillips and Williamson.

Phillips looks to be attending either Appalachian State or UNC-Pembroke to take up studies in Criminology, where he says he may wrestle at either school. Williamson will return next year as a Gryphon wrestler for his junior year.

Williamson finishes the season with a 30-12 record, while Phillips rests at 33-6.

At a combined 63-18, the duo Coach Thomas dubbed The Rock-N-Roll Express rolled hard, fast and long this year for the Gryphons.