WENDELL - Warrior wrestling coach Brian Staples said the Jim King Invitational was a tough tournament that hosted numerous quality teams, but that’s what early season tournaments are all about.

“It gives them a chance to wrestle really good competition and see where they stand and what they need to work on,” he said of the tournament hosted by Orange High Dec. 2-3. “It lets us know where we stack up early in the year.”

Among the 21 teams invited for the weekend on the mats powerhouses 4A Southern Alamance and 2A Trinity — both teams with individual returning state champions in their lineups this year. And of course there was Orange, which won the team 3A state championship last year.

“It was the toughest tournament in the state that weekend, that’s for sure,” Staples said. “For the veteran wrestlers it’s big.”

Staples said East Wake High School has been invited to the Jim King event for at least the last five years. He the Warriors have earned the invitation over the years.

“Just in the last two years we’ve had individual champions in this tournament,” Staples said.

Connor Porter, a 2011 graduate, was dubbed 152-pound Jim King champion in both his junior and senior seasons, and current Warrior senior Cullen Casper finished second in the event last year at 160 pounds.

Casper took fourth at the Jim King event this year, going 3-2 over the two days. The two losses were against pretty stiff competition.

“He wrestled well but lost to two returning state qualifiers,” Staples said. “Daniel Killette wrestled well, picking up two wins at 145. Also, Morgan Wilder had a good tournament. What stood out was fighting for 1:30 while on his back to avoid a pin. He was able to hold on and win 8-7.”

Killette finished 2-2 in the event, while Wilder finished 1-2. Sterling Wilder and Rupert Perez also finished 1-2, while Dade Lamkins and Marcus Mayner went 0-2.