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Posted Wednesday, February 14, 2018 9:45 am By PATRICK MacCOON Before embarking on the first wrestling season ever at Polk County High School, volunteer coach Angelo Giansante traveled up to Cumberland College in Kentucky to make a dream possible. The head park ranger at Hiwassee/Ocoee State Park, who is the only state champion wrestler ever from La Vergne High School (1997), was excited to get the program off and rolling. “We found our mats we practice on via a Craigslist add and took out a loan to go buy them,” said Giansante, who is also a military veteran and a 2012 Hall of Fame inductee to Middle Tennessee State University's wrestling program. “Polk’s colors are red, white and blue and when we got there to see the mats for the first time they were red and white with a big P on them. This team was a complete grassroots effort we are extremely proud of.” With only two wrestlers out of the 14 starters to have any experience, the start to the season for the Wildcats was a tough challenge. “Feeding them to the wolves” was how the first couple of months were best described. However, a newly acquainted group continued to battle through the early learning stages and listened to their coaches. “Polk County has been known to take very little and make the most of what they can,” said head coach Robert Combs. “These wrestlers have taken a start-up program and made us competitive in just one year. They have practiced and put so much in to achieving incredible success in just a short time.” Recently at the Region 2 A-AA tournament, the Wildcats provided quite a statement as they finished third out of a total of 12 teams. Hixson and Alcoa were the only two to finish ahead, which are programs vast in history. PCHS finished .5 points ahead of typical powerhouse Chattanooga Central for a top three finish. When the TSSAA Class A-AA State Traditional Championship begins Friday, Polk County will have half of its starting lineup out under the bright lights of the Williamson County Expo Center. Among those first-year wrestlers to advance to the biggest stage are: Josh Emerson (113), Cameron Dwyer (126), captain Zack Hammock (138), Justice Dykes (145), Carson Dillbick (152), captain Nolan Morris (182) and Devin Hollingsworth (195). “This is an inspiring group of young men who have battled and fought to achieve something pretty amazing,” Giansante said. “Imagine any other sport, basketball or baseball, and take kids who have never played it and make them compete at the high school level. Those are overwhelming odds. “These kids have had zero quit in them. I can tell them to do something 100 times and they are going to keep driving and pushing. Me and our other assistant David (Bradford) are both successful college wrestlers, so we’ve been in the ring with them trying to teach them all we can.” With big dreams for the program from the start in an area surrounded by powerful programs such as Cleveland, Bradley Central and Walker Valley (39 combined state championships, over 200 state medalists), emotions have been on full display this postseason. “I cried when these boys advanced to state,” Coach Combs said. “This is the first time for a lot of them to commit to anything bigger than themselves. Seeing them walk around the mats representing the top four wrestlers from our region was special. They went from no experience to having a chance to compete at state.” The community has rallied around the team as well. State Sen. Mike Bell has paid for the hoodies and sweats Polk County’s wrestlers will wear at the state tournament. Donations have flowed in with T-shirts, socks and gear bags. Even the local bank has offered the team money to buy food to take on their trip to Franklin, while a local auto shop has helped support the team as well. For senior captain Nolan Morris, the trip will be one to remember for a lifetime. His coaches consider him the “nucleus” of the lineup. “We all have worked hard for this in our first year,” Morris said. “The coaches have been amazing and the hard work has paid off. I want to live in the moment as much as possible at state. I am very excited for it and want to leave it all in the ring.” The moment will be bigger than any of the wrestlers for the Wildcats have ever seen, as they will be in the mix with the best through the entire state in a crowded, college-like atmosphere. With the chance to represent their school and community for the first time, the group is humbled by the chance and thankful for those who helped make it possible. “We want to thank our school superintendent Dr. (James) Jones and especially our school principal Ronnie German for being there for us all the way,” Combs said. “We also want to thank the people in our community for helping us financially. We hope this is just the start of wrestling in Polk County and hope to get a middle school feeder program going next year.” In a season that will go down as one of the most memorable in Polk County sports history, the Wildcats will get the chance to experience a moment this week that will surely take their breath away. Great job and good luck at the big show this weekend

A Wrestler's Mom My son has joined a wrestling team. I don't know what to say. I fear that he will stink like sweat after practice every day. I wish my son would play a game, or shoot a bouncing ball. Instead he joins the wrestling team, which has no class at all. My son is watching all he eats. He eats the foods he hates. He knows what foods are good for him. He has to cut some weight. He works to learn reversals and take downs that are planned. Hand control, when to shoot, and how to pin his man. His uniform's a singlet and the thing he calls “head gear”. That's all there is - no pads, no fuss, or fancy stuff to wear. He talks about his wrestle off, and how to take men down. He shoots, he pins, he's ready for any kid in town. The day has finally come. I dread what I must see. My son’s a grubby wrestler. Oh what a fate for me! A whistle starts the match. I want to holler stop. You mustn't horse around like that, but wait, my son's on top. Before I have a chance to cheer, they twist and turn so fast. My son is eating rubber with his face upon the mat. The buzzer sounds and I'm relieved to see it's at an end. But no, he hasn't finished yet. He takes the stance again. They shouldn't make him do it. I think he's had enough. Why does he grovel on his knees to prove that he is tough? The referee is watching each and every move he makes. My son must know the rules or learn from his mistakes. He cannot cheat or hurt his man or dare to throw a fit. The ref will give away a point without discussing it. With every muscle straining, he tries his best to win. Perseverance is the key if he wants to make the pin. Adversity can't keep him down, they roll and bridge and turn. My son has found persistence, a lesson he must learn. His companion is endurance, as he strives until the end. And if he has the guts, determination is his friend. It takes a lot of courage and a certain kind of grit. Self - reliance, spunk, and pluck, are all a part of it. Each wrestler must give his all, no matter what the cost. His gain will be tenacity, even if he has lost. And when the match is over, the wrestlers will shake hands. Good sportsmanship is expected from every wrestling man. My son has joined the wrestling team, I'm proud to tell you why. He's learned the things that make a man and that make a mother cry. (Unknown author)

I think NFHS charges a yearly fee of $40. So, if you chose to use them last year, try to sign on first before renewing. Your subscription may still be in affect from last year.

WILL THERE BE ANY LIVE COVERAGE OF THE DUALS OR ONLY ON TRACK

I have personally seen him do 11 pullups. Everyone of those was from an extended arm -- an extended arm. Not a wussy half arm. We would do pullups while the boys were running sprints after practice -- Love the good ole days -- miss them good ole days. The 4 horse men. Shout out to Mr. BullDog -- Good luck guy

Well said Mr. West

"head-to-head results is vital seed criteria". Great point! Some of these issues can be solved via in-state tourneys in December or whenever. ie Fandetti, Bradley, Soddy, etc

how does this affect the private schools?

why not just go ahead and move walker valley, cleveland, bradley, and soddy, to the chattanooga tourneys - lets call that the state tournament for the next 4 years and usn's on this side of the state won't support what has turned out to be a great venue at the state tourney. is this about $$. i don't see how. so, if a kid in region 3 ranks 3rd or 4th in state, he doesn't go to indy states. same for the team duals?? congratulations to the other regions - gotta feel good bout that. TSSAA ???? WAYThinkin?? Maybe these TSSAA guys need to be elected - or are they??

Hey, that's a great idea. Keep the youth wrestlers seperated from the middle school and high school wrestlers on forums like this. Seperation is exactly what TN wrestling needs FCOL. Better than half of the youth wrestlers in AAU have older brothers and sisters that currently wrestle, or they look up to an older youth that wrestles. I like seeing results/info from all of TN wrestling on one forum like this and I'm sure that the AAU, middle school, and high school coaches and families do, also

Any chance Oliver will gain a weight class or two? Great 2014 state finals match = Robinson vs Oliver

32 or 16 man bracket or 8 or 4

Congratulations to Howard Hustling Tigers with 3 state qualifiers. 106 Renardo Bussey 285 Antonio Woodall 195 Ladarius Griffith. Good luck at the state.

Connell 4 to 2 OT

UHHHH 3. Walker Valley takes 4th place this year if they were there.