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GREENSBORO -- With 10 seconds left in the 171-pound state championship bout, Northeast Guilford's Ridge White was down by a point to the only wrestler that had beaten him all season. But he had a strategy.

"Once I got a that double leg, I knew I was going to win," White said. "That's my best takedown."

And that is exactly what he did with seven seconds left to win a 4-3 decision over Joseph Centrella of Matthews Weddington in the Class 3-A final. Centrella had pinned White a week earlier in a regional final.

With Saturday's match tied at 2 entering the final period, White had given up the top position, giving his opponent a point and the lead. But he said he was better from the standing position.

"I knew he was probably going to get a point anyway (from an escape)," White said. "I knew my takedown skills are good, and I just knew I could get him. He tried to use the same move he used in regionals, but I was watching that."

It has been a long journey back to the state wrestling championships for White. In 2010, five weeks before the state championships he had a snowboarding accident that required 30 staples in one of his legs. After getting the leg out of a cast, he still finished seventh in the state.

"He goes the extra mile," said Northeast Guilford coach Mike Pennington. "He worked hard all year round. This is pretty much all he does."

White's father, Billy, is also an assistant coach and said Ridge is a part of the Arrichion Wrestling Club team that travels up and down the East Coast. He said that has made him stronger and more experienced this season.

Other area wrestlers who won state titles Saturday included three athletes from Bishop McGuinness. Alexander Preudhomme, who lives in Burlington, got the Villains off to a good start with a 16-4 decision to win the 103-pound title in Class 1-A.

"I was just going to wrestle my match, regardless of the opponent," Preudhomme said. "That's what my coaches have always told me."

Bishop's Nick Sgroi, from High Point, won a 9-8 decision at 145 when he got a takedown in the third period after being down 6-4 early in the match.

Sgroi was a two-time champ in the 135-pound class and had moved up this season.

Collin Eichhorn from Bishop McGuinness won at 152 with a 7-5 decision.

McMichael's Brach Walker, who was ousted after two rounds in 2010, won an 8-7 decision at 189 in Class 3-A.

In the Class 3-A 215-pound final, Morehead's Ian Kirkman used an escape in the third overtime period to claim the title.

Dudley's Andre Nie was the runner-up at 119 pounds in Class 4-A, losing a 7-0 decision to Parkland's Antwan Davis.

Southeast Guilford's Jack Meador finished third at 171 in Class 4-A, coming from the consolation bracket to beat Parkland's Rahsheem Boston, who had beaten him in the first round.