The Orange High wrestling team maintained its local dominance with a 51-15 victory over Chapel Hill to clinch the Big 8 Conference Championship. The Panthers, under head coach Bobby Shriner, have now won 12 consecutive conference championships.

Joe Scott (138), Melik Jiminez (152), Alex Coates (160), Peyton Wilson (195), and Mitchell Copeman (126) all recorded pins for Orange. Wilson, a freshman, recorded his 16th pin of the season in just :34 over Tony Hess, which gave Orange (25-1, 7-0 in the Big 8) a 36-3 lead after 8 matches.

Chapel Hill (20-9, 6-1) scored three individual wins. Camden Bergey scored a 7-2 decision over Juan Torres at 182, while George McBurney (220) and Zach Allen both scored pins.

Orange’s Gonzalo Garcia opened with a victory for the Panthers with an 8-3 decision over the Tigers’ I’Money Rushing at 132. Following that, Orange bolted to a 30-0 advantage after the pinfall victories by Scott, Jiminez and Coates, as well as a forfeit victory at 145 by Trent Tanner. Chapel Hill’s regular 145-pounder, Elliott Martin, missed the match.

Orange and Chapel Hill will be in the same quadrant for the beginning of the state dual tournament, which begins on Tuesday. The stacked pod will also include defending 3-A state champion Eden Morehead.