PrepsNow top 25 area rankings: wrestling

After being ranked second all year, Cary ends the dual-team wrestling season atop the PrepsNow area top 25 rankings.

The Imps won the 4A state title in dramatic fashion on Saturday, which allowed Cary to leapfrog Orange and finish atop the final rankings for the first time since 2013.

The No. 2 Panthers, the 3A runner-up, had been No. 1 since Jan. 21, 2016. Neither Orange or Cary has finished below fourth in the final PrepsNow rankings since they began in the 2011-12 season.

Rosewood, which won the 1A title, ends the year third, while one-loss Western Harnett is fourth – its best-ever final PrepsNow ranking in any sport.

Fike, which compiled a number of big wins in the regular season but was ousted by No. 10 Cleveland in the first round of the 3A playoffs, finishes fifth.

Middle Creek, which reached the third round of the 4A playoffs with wins over No. 7 Wake Forest and No. 17 Millbrook, was sixth.

Corinth Holders is No. 8 after edging No. 9 Leesville Road in the first round of the 4A playoffs on tiebreaking criteria.

Ravenscroft, at No. 11, is the highest-ranked NCISAA team in the history of PrepsNow final wrestling rankings.

No. 18 North Pitt, No. 21 Apex Friendship and No. 25 Franklinton finished in the top 25 for the first time.

PrepsNow Wrestling Top 25 Rankings

1. Cary (Record: 21-0, Last week: 1)

Notable: 4A champs, Triangle 6 Conference champs.

2. Orange (Record: 22-1, Last week: 1)

Notable: 3A runner-up for second straight season, Big Eight Conference champs.

3. Rosewood (Record: 52-3, Last week: 7)

Notable: 1A champs, Carolina/Coastal Plains Conference champs.

4. Western Harnett (Record: 21-1, Last week: 3)

Notable: Lost in second round of 3A playoffs to Cape Fear, Tri-County 6 Conference champs.

5. Fike (Record: 27-4, Last week: 4)

Notable: Lost in first round of 3A playoffs to Cleveland, Big East Conference champs.

6. Middle Creek (Record: 17-8, Last week: 10)

Notable: Lost in third round of 4A playoffs to Cary, South Wake Athletic Conference champs.

7. Wake Forest (Record: 19-3, Last week: 6)

Notable: Lost in second round of 4A playoffs to Middle Creek, Northern Athletic Conference champs.

8. Corinth Holders (Record: 19-5, Last week: 8)

Notable: Lost in second round of 4A playoffs to Cary, second in the Northern Athletic to Wake Forest.

9. Leesville Road (Record: 30-4, Last week: 5)

Notable: Lost in first round of 4A playoffs to Corinth Holders, Cap-7 Conference champs.

10. Cleveland (Record: 28-11, Last week: 11)

Notable: Lost in second round of 3A playoffs to West Brunswick, Greater Neuse River Conference champs.

11. Ravenscroft (Record: 16-5, Last week: 12)

Notable: TISAC champs.

12. Cardinal Gibbons (Record: 10-3, Last week: 14)

Notable: Lost in first round of 4A playoffs to Purnell Swett, finished second in the Cap-7 to Leesville Road.

13. Union Pines (Record: 26-16, Last week: 17)

Notable: Lost in third round of 3A playoffs to West Brunswick, finished second in the Tri-County 6 to Western Harnett.

14. Pinecrest (Record: 19-11, Last week: 18)

Notable: Did not make playoffs, finished third in Sandhills Athletic Conference behind Purnell Swett and Jack Britt.

15. Green Hope (Record: 14-5, Last week: 9)

Notable: Lost in first round of 4A playoffs to Wake Forest, finished second in Triangle 6 to Cary.

16. Holly Springs (Record: 12-3, Last week: 15)

Notable: Lost in first round of 4A playoffs to Laney, finished third in South Wake behind Middle Creek and Apex Friendship.

17. Millbrook (Record: 16-6, Last week: 16)

Notable: Lost in first round of 4A playoffs to Middle Creek, finished third in Cap-7 behind Leesville Road and Cardinal Gibbons.

18. North Pitt (Record: 23-6, Last week: 21)

Notable: Lost in third round of 2A playoffs to Croatan, Eastern Plains Conference champs.

19. Athens Drive (Record: 17-7, Last week: 19)

Notable: Lost in first round of 4A playoffs to South View, finished third in Triangle 6 behind Cary and Green Hope.

20. Northern Durham (Record: 12-6, Last week: 13)

Notable: Lost in first round of 3A playoffs to Western Harnett, finished second in Big Eight to Orange.

21. Apex Friendship (Record: 17-7, Last week: 19)

Notable: Lost in first round of 4A playoffs to Cary, finished second in South Wake Athletic to Middle Creek.

22. Heritage (Record: 17-7, Last week: 22)

Notable: Did not make the playoffs, finished third in Northern Athletic behind Wake Forest and Corinth Holders.

23. Person (Record: 17-7, Last week: 23)

Notable: Did not make the playoffs, finished third in Mid-State 3A Conference behind Morehead and Northern Guilford.

24. Chapel Hill (Record: 17-7, Last week: 25)

Notable: Did not make the playoffs, finished third in the Big Eight behind Orange and Northern Durham.

25. Franklinton (Record: 25-9, Last week: 24)

Notable: Lost in first round of the 3A playoffs to Morehead, finished secoind in the Big East to Fike.

This story was originally published February 5, 2018 at 5:34 PM with the headline "PrepsNow top 25 area rankings: wrestling."