SPORTS

15 Nashville-area wrestlers to watch at state championships

Tom Kreager
USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

The TSSAA individual state wrestling championships kick off at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center in Franklin.

The three-day event concludes with the finals scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday. Here are 15 wrestlers to track during the weekend.

Riverdale's Nick Boykin

Nick Boykin, Riverdale, Sr.: Boykin, a two-time defending Class AAA state champion at 285 pounds, was The Tennessean's Male Wrestler of the Year in 2016.

Independence's Isaiah Demello

Isaiah Demello, Independence, Sr.: Demello finished fourth at 220 pounds in the Class AAA state meet and enters this year as the Region 6-AAA champion in the same class.

Father Ryan's Raymond Eason

Raymond Eason, Father Ryan, Sr.: Eason, who is a two-time Division II state champion, won this year's DII-East/Middle Region 126-pound title.

Clarksville Northwest's Jessica Elery.

Jessica Elery, Northwest, Sr.: Elery is a two-time defending state champion at 138 pounds and was The Tennessean's 2016 Female Wrestler of the Year.

Gabriel Elkin, MBA, Sr.: Elkin, who finished second at 120 pounds in Division II a year ago, was the East/Middle Region champion in the same weight.

Zaferah Fortune, St. Andrew's-Sewanee, Sr.: Last year's defending girls state champion at 185 pounds opens the state tournament against Cumberland County's Kaleigh Johnson, who was the 2016 runner-up.

Independence's Brady Ingram

Brady Ingram, Independence, Sr.: Ingram won the Region 6-AAA title at 138 pounds. He was fourth at 132 pounds in last year's Class AAA state tournament.

Father Ryan's Eli KIng

Eli King, Father Ryan, Sr.: King, who won the Division II-West Region title at 145 pounds, is seeking his fourth straight state title.

Wilson Central’s Michael Kramer

Michael Kramer, Wilson Central, So.: Kramer was fourth at 285 pounds in the Class AAA state meet as a freshman. He won the Region 7-AAA title this year and should be Boykin's biggest challenge.

Beech's Brayden Palmer

Brayden Palmer, Beech, So.: Palmer won the Region 7-AAA title at 113 pounds. He was the Class AAA state runner-up at 106 pounds a year ago.

Dylan Pendley, Forrest, Jr.: Pendley was the Region 3-A/AA champion at 120 pounds. He was second a year ago in the Class A/AA state meet at 113 pounds.

Beech’s Trevor Rippy

Trevor Rippy, Beech, Jr.: Rippy, who won the Class AAA title at 145 pounds a year ago, won this year's Region 7-AAA title at 152 pounds.

Blackman's Matthew Sells

Matthew Sells, Blackman, Sr.: Sells is the Class AAA defending state champion at 160 pounds as well as the current Region 5-AAA champion.

Father Ryan's Christian Simpson

Christian Simpson, Father Ryan, Sr.: Simpson, who is a two-time Division II state champion, won the Division II-West Region title this season at 113 pounds.

Houston Tywater, Page, Sr.: Tywater won the Region 3-A/AA title at 182 pounds. He was third a year ago in Class A/AA in the same weight class.

Reach Tom Kreager at tkreager@tennessean.com or 615-259-8089 and follow him @Kreager.

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