North Carolina Scout Report

(1) Chris Bullins - Sr. McMichael (160lbs) - 2A (75-1) career finishes (1,1,1,1)
Bullins remains the top recruit on the North Carolina Scouting Report's Top Prospect list. He started the season with the North Carolina record for consecutive wins (159) in high school competition and had not lost a high school match while winning three state championships. Last spring he went 8-2 at the East Coast Duals defeating 2X Cadet National Champion Luke Rebertus (Carvel Acadamy, Del) in freestyle. At Fargo Bullins became a double All-American by placing 6th in greco and 7th in freestyle. In the nation's most prestigious tournament for high school wrestlers Bullins defeated some very good competition. The most prominent of these were two senior All-Americans now wrestling in college. He defeated Luke Manuel (Nevada Union, Ca./Purdue) in greco and Jake Kerr (Oskaloosa, Ia/ Iowa) in freestyle. No other North Carolina wrestler this year has come close to the accomplishments Bullins has achieved. He will most likely wrestle 165/174lbs in college. Currently, Intermat ranks Bullins as their 51st top recruit in the nation. Chris Bullins is coached by his father Jon Bullins who was a North Carolina state champion in the mid-1980's. Both father and son share another distinction! They have both been MOWs at the North Carolina state championship tournament. Bullins consecutive wins record came to an end on January 27th when he bumped up to 189lbs and was pinned by Robby Blount of Forest Hills HS. Bullins had been wrestling at 160lbs for most of this season. Last season Bullins had pinned Blount in the 171lb state tournament semi-finals. At the state tournament Bullins won his 4th state championship where he pinned every opponent. He finished his high school career with a 235-1 record. Chris Bullins has committed to UNC Greensboro.

(2) Austin Trotman - Sr. Mt Tabor (171lbs) - 4A (46-0) career finishes (6,1,1)
Troutman is a very quick and skilled wrestler. On any given day Troutman can beat anyone. In 2005 he defeated Florida's two-time greco national champion Jesse Robins. Last spring he became only the third North Carolina wrestler ever to beat Chris Bullins in an off-season tournament when he squeaked out a win at the NCUSA freestyle state tournament. Troutman is a two-time NHSCA National Open All-American. Last summer Troutman had a couple of very bad draws in Fargo. He lost in both greco and freestyle to double national champion Kirk Smith of Idaho. Never the less he had a decent debut in Fargo going 3-2 in greco and 2-2 in freestyle. This fall he won the NHSCA Pre-Season Nationals. Troutman won his first state championship last season finishing the season with a (50-3) record. His sophomore season he placed 6th. Troutman will most likely wrestle at 184lbs in college. Twin City Rumble Champion and WRAL Champion. Tiger Holiday Classic Champion. At the state tournament Trotman won his second state championship scoring a (19-7) mdec. over Anthony Rodgers of Knightdale. Austin Trotman has committed to Appalachian State.

(3) Brandon Davis - Sr. Greensboro Page (125lbs) - 4A (40-1) career finishes (1,SQ,2,1)
Davis is a very tenacious wrestlers that keeps attacking his opponent throughout a match. Davis has been hampered by attending a school that wrestles less than half of the matches during a season that most North Carolina high school do. His team also does not attend any of the top tournament during the season. Davis makes up for this short coming by wrestling a lot in the off season. He has the FILA Cadet champion in 2005. Last spring he was a runner-up at two USA Jr Regional tournaments (The Central Regional and the Western Regional). Last May Davis defeated some very good wrestlers and going undefeated at the East Coast Duals. At Fargo last summer Davis only wrestled freestyle and he was one match from becoming an All-American. Davis was a high school state champion as a freshman. Last year he lost a close decision to Travis Coffey in the state finals. Davis finished the season with a 29-1 record. He should easily make the 125lb weight class in college for at least the next couple of years. Tiger Holiday Classic Champion defeating Travis Coffey. At the state tournament Davis defeated Coffey (8-7) winning his second state championship. Brandon Davis has committed to Ashland University.

(4) Justin Sparrow - Sr. East Gaston (160lbs) - 4A (66-0) career finishes (1,1,1,1)
Sparrow (like Bullins) could become a four-time state champion this season. Sparrow is a three-time state champion winning it at 119lbs as a freshman, 140lbs as a sophomore and 152lbs last season. Sparrow finished the season last year with a (62-2) record. He is tall and still seems to be growing so he is forecast as a 165lb or 174lb wrestler for college. Last spring Sparrow placed 3rd in greco and 2nd in freestyle at the USA Jr. Southeast Regional. He also was the USA Jr. Central Regional runner-up in freestyle and he placed 4th in greco. Last month Sparrow was the runner-up at 157lbs while competing against college wrestlers in the Citadel Open. Tiger Holiday Classic Champion. At the state tournament Sparrow won his fourth state championship defeating Mikal McKee by a (1-0) dec. Justin Sparrow has committed to the Citadel.

(5) Thomas Ferguson - Sr. Cary (152lbs) - 4A (62-1) career finishes (4,1,1)
Ferguson had an impressive year in 2006, winning his first state championship. He was a state 4th placer as a sophomore. Ferguson defeated Patrick McIntosh in over-time in the WRAL finals last December and Colton Palmer by default in the regional in February. His 2006 record was (69-1). Ferguson has won the NHSCA Pre-Season National tournament the last two years. He defeated Florida's Sean Joyce in over time for his most recent NHSCA Pre-Season National championship. Freguson has won several early season tournaments so far this season and appears on track to win his second North Carolina state championship. He will most likely compete at 157lbs or 165lbs in college. Tri-Valley New York Tournament Champion and MOW. Tiger Holiday Classic - 3rd Place. At the state tournament Ferguson won his second state championship by pinning Mt. Tabor's Tim Paige in the finals. Ferguson scored two tech falls and two pins in the state tournament. Thomas Ferguson has committed to UNC-Chapel Hill.

(6) Travis Coffey - Watauga (119lbs) - 4A (35-5) career finishes (4,1,1,2)
Coffey was also an All-American at Fargo placing 4th in freestyle. He did not wrestle in greco. Coffey was also the USA Jr. Central Regional Champion last spring. In high school Coffey placed 4th as a freshman and has been a state champion the last two seasons. Last year he finished with a 46-1 record. This fall Coffey placed 2nd at the NHSCA pre-Season nationals. There he lost a close 5-2 decision to Florida state champion Eric Grajales in the finals. Coffey is a tall and lean 119lb wrestler and should easily fit well as a 125lb wrestler in college. He is very skilled in all three positions: top, bottom and neutral. Travis Coffey's comes from a wrestling family. His brother Sheldon was a North Carolina state champion in 2002. Placed 4th at the Ohio Ironman Tournament. Tiger Holiday Classic Runner-up. In mid-January Coffey bumped up to 130lbs and lost by major decision to highly regarded junior Chris Townsend of South Caldwell. Coffey rebounded from this by winning the Northwestern 4A conference Championship on 1/27/07. Coffey finished his career with two state championships and two runner-up finishes. He lost a (7-8) dec. to Brandon Davis in the state tournament finals.

(7) Colton Palmer - Sr. Riverside (145lbs) - 4A (91-0) career finishes (3,1,SQ,1)
Last season Palmer lost his only match (not counting two forfeits at the state tournament) during the high school competition when he had to injury default to Ferguson at the regional tournament. He was unable to wrestle the next week at the state tournament. Palmer was a state champion as a sophomore and a state third placer as a freshman. In March, he was one match from placing at the NHSCA Junior Nationals where he lost the tiebreaker to Patrick McIntosh by ride-out. This fall he has been impressive. Palmer placed 5th at the Super-32 where lost two close decisions to higher placing wrestlers from other states. So far this year Palmer has been dominating his competition in early season tournaments. Palmer will most likely compete at 149lbs or 157lbs in college. WRAL Champion and MOW. Palmer won his second state championship with a (7-2) dec. over Ethan Creek of Jack Britt. Colton Palmer has committed to NC State.

(8) Cameron Drye - Sr. Albermarle (130/135lbs) - 2A (40-3) career finishes (3,4,1,1)
Drye was undefeated at the East Coast Duals last spring in both greco and freestyle. At fargo he was one match from placing in greco finishing 5-2 in greco and 3-2 in freestyle, He was a greco All-American in 2005 finishing 6th. Greco-Roman is his favorite style of wrestling, but he is also an accomplished folkstyle wrestler. He placed 3rd in the state tournament as a freshman and 4th as a sophomore. Last season Drye won his first state championship wrestling at 125lbs. He finished the season last year with a (56-2) record. The last word on Drye was he wanted to be accepted into the USA Greco program at Northern Michigan. Drye won his second state championship with a 3-0 dec. over Chris Watson of Southern Vance. Drye scored three pins and one decision in the state tournament enroute to his championship.

(9) Phillip Goodwin - Sr. South Point (130lbs) - 3A (49-1) career finishes (6,3,1,1)
Goodwin placed 6th in the state tournament as a freshman and he placed 4th as a sophomore. Last year Goodwin won his first state championship and finished the season with a (56-1) record. He is an accomplished wrestler in both greco and freestyle. Last spring he he was the freestyle champion in both the USA Jr Southeast and Central Regionals. In greco he placed 3rd in Southeast and 2nd in the Central Regional. Currently, Goodwin appears to be the favorite at 130lbs to win another state championship. In college Goodwin may wrestle 133lbs but more than likely he will grow into a 141lber. Goodwin continues to show improvement by pinning Travis Coffey in an exhibition at West Lincoln Duals. Goodwin won his second state championship with a (6-5) dec. over Willis Blue of TW Andrews. Phillip Goodwin has committed to Gardner-Webb Univeristy.
 
(10) Colt Howell - Sr. Bandys (152lbs) - 2A (63-2) career finishes (SQ,1,3,1)
Howell was a state qualifier as a freshman and a state champion as a sophomore. Last season Howell placed 3rd finishing the year with a (56-4) record. Last summer he was one match from placing at the NHSCA National Open. At this tournament Howell defeated Hawaii state runner-up and NHSCA All-American Clinton Manley. Howell should be competing in the 152lbs weight class this season. In college he could wrestle at 157lbs. WRAL Champion. Howell won his second state championship by tech falling Jesse Upchurch of Northwood. In the state tournament Howell scored two tech falls, a major decision and one decision. That was in the semi-finals where he defeated Keenan Tate 4-0. This was a rematch of the 2005 state championship finals that Howell had won.