If competition against the Chapel Hill Tigers can be used as an indication of the progress made by the Person wrestling team this winter, then the 2007-08 duals season would have to be deemed a success — or, at worst, a serious step in the right direction.

The Rockets lost a tight 37-33 meet to the Tigers in the first round of the Division 4A duals playoffs on Tuesday at Chapel Hill, and, as a result, performed 25 points better than they did in a 51-22 loss to CH early in the regular season.

Person, which was awarded a wild card spot in the postseason tourney, finished the season 23-7 overall and 4-3 in the Piedmont Athletic Conference, and head coach Mark Litchfield doesn’t believe his wrestlers could have given more than they did.

“Everyone gave 150 percent and you can’t ask for more than that,” he said. “[The playoff against Chapel Hill] was a close match all the way through. We came up just one match short. It says a lot about how hard we’ve worked this season.”

Four of Person’s losses on Tuesday were by way of decision, two by pin, and one by technical fall.

Michael Reardon (171 pounds) lost by a 14-7 count, while Shaun Oakley (189) was out-dueled 15-7. John Newton (152) lost for just the fourth time this year, and heavyweight Collin Campbell was outscored 8-1.

Nick King was pinned in the 125-pound bout, and Andrew McCord suffered a takedown in the 135-pound match. James Montoya lost his 112-pound contest by technical fall.

Aside from Newton, who has compiled a 37-4 record so far, Person’s top wrestlers all fared well on Tuesday.

Blake Wheeler (140), who’s been defeated only once this year, scored a pin, as did Patrick Stewart (145), C.J. Younger (160), and Kenzie Sherow (103).

The other Rocket wins were Gerald Pollard’s forfeit win at 119 pounds and Will Hutson’s 7-0 decision in the 130-pound match.

The Rockets had to forfeit the 189-pound match.

Litchfield expects his top competitors to make some noise in the upcoming individual regional and state competition.

“This has truly been a great year for this program. Every team we’ve wrestled has had to wrestle their best to beat us,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the next two weeks. We should a lot of wrestlers to the state tournament.”

The Rockets commence individual competition at the 4A regional meet at Chapel Hill High School next Friday and Saturday.

Six Person wrestlers have recorded 30 wins or better so far this year. They are Newton, Sherow (36-5 record), Stewart (35-7), Wheeler (33-1), Pollard (30-11), and Younger (30-11). Rockets with 20 or more victories are: Montoya (25-15), McCord (21-16), and Reardon (24-19).

The rest of the team’s win totals are: King (14 wins), Hutson (seven), Oakley (14) and Campbell (17).