NCSSM Updates - 12/10/12

Durham, N.C. - The NCSSM winter athletic teams were in full swing this week as basketball, swimming, cheerleading and wrestling all saw action. The teams will have a full schedule this week and the last team competitions of 2012 will complete on December 17. Below are the recaps from last week:

Basketball: The Unicorns hosted their men's and women's home opener on Friday night against Trinity Academy (Durham). The women had the opening game that saw them cut a big half time deficit to five at the end of the third quarter at 24-19. Trinity proved too much down the stretch and took the 42-24 win. The men played in the nightcap and saw the UNIs come out hot as they took the early 10-3 lead, but Trinity cut into the lead and NCSSM held the 20-16 halftime lead. Trinity scored in the last 30 seconds to squeak out the 44-42 win. Basketball hosts Cedar Ridge on Tuesday and travel to Franklin Academy on Friday and DSA on Monday the 17th.

Cheerleading: The competitive squad competed in their only competition on the season, the NCHSAA Invitational Championships at the Raleigh Convention Center. The team finished 10th in the Varsity Non Tumble Division. The basketball cheerleading team opened their season at the home basketball opener on Friday.

Swimming: In the first home meet of the year held at the Campus Hills poll, the UNIs took wins over Roanoke Rapids and Northern. The women's team defeated Northern 106-52 and Roanoke Rapids 101-56. The men took big wins over Northern 117-31 and Roanoke Rapids 113-46. In the second meet of the week, NCSSM took their conference opener as the men and women both won. The women squeaked out a close one with 109 points as DSA had 106 and Northwood 80. The men had a more comfortable lead as they won with 158 points while DSA had 99 and Northwood 16. The men's team broke their fourth school record of the year as the 200 Freestyle Relay team of Daniel Birmingham, Josh Ewy, Jacob Vosburgh, Matt Weaver finished with a time of 1:34.28. The swim teams have their last meet of December as they travel to the Triangle Sportsplex on Thursday.

Wrestling: In their first Carolina 12 Conference match of the young season the UNIs battled to a close 42-31 defeat against Northwood hosted by Graham High School. In the second dual of the night the UNIs again came out strong building a 36-15 lead through 9 matches but in the end came up a little short as a result of needing to forfeit 4 weight classes on the night. The team competed at the Wolverine Invitational Individual Tournament on Saturday. Wrestling hosts their first home meet on the season as Franklinton comes to the PEC on Wednesday.