Ryan Mann presented the Lee Carroll Award for 2023

       State Finalist  of Northeast Carolina Prep High School named the 25th Lee Carroll Award winner for excellence in athletics, academics and sportsmanship in northeastern North Carolina last season.  The TakeDown Report Editor, Martin Fleming and Lee Carroll will present the award at a time and location to be determined.

            In his first two years of high school, Ryan has won the East Regional this year after placing 2^nd in his freshman year.  He went on to place in the state championships both years.  In 2022 he became his school’s first state medalist in wrestling with a 4^th place finish with a (40-4) record.

            In the 2022-23 season, Ryan won individual tournament titles at the several tournaments such as the Pierce-Davis Memorial at North Pitt, the USAF Eagle Invitational at Rosewood, the Falcon Invitational at C.B. Aycock, and the Paul T Mills Memorial where he was named the M.O.W. (most outstanding wrestler) of the tournament.  Ryan was undefeated leading into the state finals and led in the match until the final 5 seconds   He finished the season with a (56-1) record and his career record is (96-5). 

               Ryan’s goal for his Junior year at NECP this fall is fairly straight forward; to be the 1A State Champion.  In conversations over the past months, Ryan has also expressed an interest at competing at the college level. 

            Lee Carroll started wrestling his sophomore year when Tarboro High School re-started the sport in 1992 with Butch Sadler as his coach.  Lee won 112 matches in just 3 years with the Vikings.  Lee was state runner-up his junior year before becoming a record setting undefeated state champion in 1995 with a (50-0) record.  Lee went on to start four years at North Carolina State qualifying for the Nationals 3 times.  Lee has taught engineering graphics at N.C. State as an adjunct professor and has his own interactive design agency, Forged Media, in Raleigh.  He has been recognized and inducted in the Tarboro High Athletic Hall of Fame.

            Last year Caleb Beatty of Corinth-Holders won this award.  Other previous award winners include Logan Tortual of Rosewood (2021), Javon Armstrong of Pamlico County (2020), Aaron Bancroft of Fike (2019), Christian and Timothy Decatur of Rosewood in 2018,  Jaqwuez Norman of Farmville Central (2017), Kaleb Taylor of Rosewood (2016), Wilson Smith of Rocky Mount (2015 & 2014), Angel Najar of North Pitt (2013), Alexander Knight and Jacineto Williamson of Rocky Mount in 2012, Chris Fess of Beddingfield and Tamaris Lane of Nash Central in 2011, Chandler Phillips of Rocky Mount (2010), Landon Lucas of SW Edgecombe (2009), Corey Smith (2008) and Eric Sutton (2007) of Tarboro, Zach Shearin and Paul Horner (2006) and Pat Anstead (2004) of Southern Nash, Jimmy McNamara (2005) of Wilson Hunt and Sammi Hadi (2003) of SW Edgecombe.

            The TakeDown Report has promoted amateur wrestling for over 20 years in eastern North Carolina reporting wrestling results and encouraging media coverage of the sport.  Fleming noted, “We desire to encourage wrestlers and teams in this area to realize the hard work, determination and discipline it takes to be a top notch wrestler,” he added.   The TakeDown Report sponsors the Award. Contact the TDR at martinkfleming@gmail.com  or call (252) 883-3311.   Fans are invited to check our blog at https://takedownreport.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/The-TakeDown-Report-235098404048/ or on Twitter Martin Fleming‏ @MFlemdog.

April 18, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment