Carson Caster Wins State Championship in Wrestling

By Presley Harrison, Shield Editor-in-Chief 

On Feb. 14, 2026, North Raleigh Christian Academy senior Carson Caster walked off the mats of the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association State Wrestling Tournament as the 2026 NCISAA champion of the 113-pound weight class. 

Before the championship round, Caster was optimistic about his chances. “Going into my final match, I was a little nervous but fairly confident,” said Caster. “I wrestled Trey Paige from Charlotte Latin, who had gone undefeated this season.” 

Caster wrestled four matches throughout the tournament, totaling two minutes and 12 seconds of wrestling time. In every match, he pinned his opponent in the first round, and in his final match, in only 22 seconds. 

“Looking back at my wrestling career, I’m very happy with how it went. My first year wrestling in eighth grade, I wrestled varsity all year and didn't win a single match. With a lot of hard work, I was able to change that to going 36-2 my senior year,” said Caster.  

Other notable performances at the state wrestling tournament included freshman Luke Savage placing 3rd at 132 pounds, senior Preston Perry finishing 5th at 138 pounds, and junior Roger Manus taking 4th at 150 pounds.