Tennessean All-Midstate boys, girls wrestling teams

The top high school athletes from Middle Tennessee will converge at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on June 6 for The Tennessean’s second annual Sports Awards presented by Farm Bureau Health Plans.

Tickets are on sale for the event, which will feature Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota as the guest speaker.

Tickets can be purchased for $35 at sportsawards.tennessean.com.

BOYS FIRST TEAM

Finalists for Wrestler of the Year

Gabriel Elkin,MBA, Sr.

Wt.: 120.

Record: 42-0

Elkin capped an undefeated season with a 5-0 win over McCallie’s Zachary Ward for his first Division II state title.

Raymond Eason,Father Ryan, Sr.

Wt.: 126.

Record: 39-4

Eason defeated MBA’s Michael Elkin 6-5 to clinch his third consecutive Division II state title.

Eli King,Father Ryan, Sr.

Wt.: 145.

Record: 32-0

King defeated MBA’s Bryce Wittman 6-0 in the Division II championship to become the first Father Ryan wrestler to win four straight state titles.

Matthew Sells, Blackman, Sr.

Wt.: 160.

Record: 49-0

The two-time state champion defeated Bradley Central’s Caleb Adkins 4-3 in the Class AAA final.

Nick Boykin,Riverdale, Sr.

Wt.: 285.

Record: 50-0

Boykin defeated Wilson Central’s Michael Kramer in the Class AAA final to end his career with 140 consecutive wins and three straight state titles.

Remainder of first team

Noah Horst,Beech, Fr. Wt: 106. Record: 49-1

Horst won the Class AAA state title with a 3-2 decision over Tennessee High’s Trent Nelson.

Brayden Palmer, Beech, So. Wt.: 113. Record: 47-1

Palmer was the Class AAA runner-up for the second straight season, falling to Bradley Central’s T.J. Hicks 3-0.

John Michael Glover, MBA, Sr. Wt.: 132. Record: 29-15

Glover finished runner-up in Division II, falling 8-0 to McCallie’s Brock Herring.

Zack Wilkins, Mt. Juliet, Sr. Wt.: 138. Record: 35-3

Wilkins defeated Tennessee High’s Dewey Pendley 9-7 for his first Class AAA title.

Landon Fowler, Blackman, So. Wt.: 152. Record: 46-4

Fowler finished Class AAA runner-up, falling to Bradley Central’s Austin Mathews 6-3.

Sawyer Knott,Summit, Jr. Wt.: 170. Record: 48-8

Knott finished fourth in Class AAA, falling to William Blount’s Dawson Satterfield 6-5 in the third-place match.

Christian Salter, Siegel, Jr. Wt.: 182. Record: 46-3

Salter finished Class AAA runner-up, falling to Gibbs’ Hunter Fortner 7-0 in the final.

Andrew Wesnofske, Father Ryan, Sr. Wt.: 195. Record: 36-4

Wesnofske won the Division II state title, beating Christian Brothers’ Tommy Brackett 2-1 in the final.

George Hooker, Father Ryan, Sr. Wt.: 220. Record: 31-1

Hooker won the Division II state title, beating Christian Brothers’ Grayson Walthall 5-1 to avenge his lone loss of the season.

BOYS SECOND TEAM

106: Paul Killian, Father Ryan, Fr.

113: Christian Simpson, Father Ryan, Sr.

120: Sean Sesnan, Wilson Central, Sr.

126: Jack Schrader, Franklin, Sr.

132: Daniel Bradford, Blackman, Jr.

138: Joseph Vogelpohl, Father Ryan, Jr.

145: Bryce Wittman, MBA, Jr.

152: Perry Matthews, MBA, Sr.

160: Daelyn Rose, Harpeth, So.

170: Anthony Hagey, Father Ryan, Sr.

182: Houston Tywater, Page, Sr.

195: Nathan Walling, Mt. Juliet, Jr.

220: Isaiah Demello, Independence, Sr.

285: Michael Kramer, Wilson Central, So.

BOYS COACH OF THE YEAR: Pat Simpson, Father Ryan

Simpson led the Irish to the Division II state duals title and DII traditional state title this season. He was the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year. Simpson has won 21 state titles (12 traditional, nine duals) since he began coaching at Father Ryan in 1979.

Comment: “We had to replace nine starters this season. After losing several matches in December, we thought we were not good enough to win state. We kept getting better. This is the most surprising championship we have won. It is a credit to the best coaching staff in the state — Davis Dempsey, Bo Yager, Raymond Dunning, Vince Gioiella and Trevor Humes.”

GIRLS FIRST TEAM

Finalists for Girls Wrestler of the Year

MelisaGarcia,Cookeville, So.

Wt: 125.

Garcia won the state championship by a 9-6 decision in the final and went 3-0 in the tournament.

Robin Yunis,Rossview, Fr.

Wt: 130.

Yunis won the state championship by a 3-2 decision in the final and went 3-0 in the tournament.

Jessica Elery,Northwest, Sr.

Wt: 138.

Elery won the state championship by pin in 1:34 for her third straight state title.

Caitlyn Gilmore,Sycamore, So.

Wt.: 155.

Gilmore won the state championship by an 8-3 decision, marking the second straight year she’s placed in the top four.

Zanaya Shropshire,Independence, Jr.

Wt.: 185.

Shropshire won the state championship by disqualification and went 3-0 in the tournament.

Remainder of first team

Cathlin Green, Northwest, Jr. Wt: 105.

Green finished runner-up in the state championships for the second straight season.

Samantha Fletcher, Independence, Sr. Wt.: 112.

Fletcher placed fifth in state, winning her fifth-place match by pin in 1:36.

Kaitlyn Lee, Mt. Juliet, So. Wt.: 120.

Lee finished runner-up in the state championships a year after finishing third.

Lindsey Morrison, Northwest, Jr. Wt: 148.

Morrison finished runner-up in the state championships for the second straight year.

Gabrielle Neal, Cane Ridge, Jr.  Wt.: 165.

Neal finished runner-up in the state championships.

GIRLS COACH OF THE YEAR: Kayla Estep, Northwest

Northwest won the girls wrestling state championship with 100 points, 46 more than second-place Bearden. The Lady Vikings had four wrestlers reach the state finals.

Quote: “They are a very deserving (state champion) with all of the work they did. That is what made them such decisive state champions. They are also champions in the classroom. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”