Leaderboard

Congratulations to Stewart County and Creek Wood on reaching the Region Semifinals. Speaks high volumes about the District this season. Good luck to both as they attempt to reach Sub-State in their next contest.

Yes it is Bona. Just a Junior too so plenty of time for him to polish up. Looks like Foster saw some action on defense with a couple of interceptions. I like that we look to be continuing the trend of having some of our better athletes play on both sides of the ball. Worked out pretty well for us last year, especially in the secondary.

Congrats to Coach Reuter & the Bearettes. We didn’t shoot the ball too well in the Region Championship through the first round of State, but our defense played extremely tough and kept us in games. We shot the ball better yesterday and today. Blair was amazing and deserved Tourney MVP, Walker played like a Region MVP on both ends as well, but It took a team effort. Hughes made an early 3 in the semis & Championship game to give us huge momentum, Roberts played great defense & is deceptively quick. Mayo came off the bench & wore the other team down as well as making some key 3’s in both games. Jamia, Barnes & Amelia also gave quality minutes in all 3 games at State. And of course ‘the Beast’ Hannah Lombard - the 5’7” senior post player played tough while in foul trouble and sank the game winning 3 pointer. Great job girls. 4 seniors graduating, but lots of good ball players waiting in the wings. I will be shocked if they don’t make it back to the glass house next year to go for #7.

My picks for the quarterfinals in bold above. There are quite a few toss-up games in my opinion. The only clear ones to me are Eagleville, Humboldt, Wooddale, Whitehaven, & Memphis East.

This is not Greenville conference .Calm down

I'll check it out. Now a days not only are we fighting a culture that resists God, but we are also trying to connect with kids for whom church, God, even a higher power, is a foreign concept. So how do you do it? Do you preach for 6 weeks then teach blocking schemes? To me you connect first on a human level, then they will see God in you. Then you start letting HIm do the rest. He's in charge of it anyway.

I am an official and the answer is no. Like Big Orange Baller said, you can only run baseline after a made basket

CPA at ECS week 1

That doesn't make sense to me either ... but after getting our 1st look at "Middle" refs last Wednesday night while playing at Webb Bell Buckles gym, I understand how he could have easily got 2 T's. A lot of these officials have the attitude that we actually paid $7 to watch them officiate.

Compiling a top 10 best in this country is nearly as American as mom, the flag and apple pie. From the 10 toughest guys in your neighborhood growing up, to rock-n-roll’s greatest hits of the 60s to the best utube videos. How fiting, on the Eve of the 50th of the state wrestling tournament (Feb. 18-20), to name Tennessee’s best prep wrestlers in the past half century. It’s a given that today’s mat warriors are more skilled than their predecessors from a generation ago and possibly even a decade ago. But in an effort to honor the past wrestlers - upon whose shoulders today’s wrestlers stand – and the present champs, here is not only the top 10, but the 50 best high school wrestlers in Tennessee. The criteria includes one’s high school career complete with at least one state title, success at senior nationals and cadet and junior freestyle and greco-roman nationals at Fargo, N.D., with college achievements a plus. Mid South Conference: The vast majority of wrestlers who competed in the prep school Mid South Conference (1949-1970 for wrestling) did not compete in the state tournament; thus, are not eligible for this list. But the handful of Mid South wrestlers who were allowed to compete in the 1961 and 1962 state tournaments are eligible and some did make the list as state champs. The national prep champions from the Mid South are listed at the end of the story. No doubt, several can and will argue for wrestlers in their region of the state over others which makes the discussion interesting, stimulating and welcome. No Tonys, Oscars or Emmys are awarded and no checks handed out to the top 10. Just an opinion, yet hopefully an educated one, with solid input from across the state. One wrestling official stated that, "We are not re-writing The Bible ... this is just an opinion!'' Those champions who stand out from the hundreds, yes maybe thousands of teens who have dared to walk alone to center mat in the squared circle before roaring student body’s to test their abilities against another in honorable combat. Warriors who have pushed themselves to the limit and beyond and have stood alone on the top step on many a Saturday afternoon, when in a six-minute span of time, which seemed an eternity, boys become men and legends in our sport. To all who have wrestled and worked hard we salute you and to those who have reached higher we acknowledge those accomplishments as well. With that, here is the best of the best; those with sterling credentials and lofty numbers. Top 10 1. BILL HARLOW ... St. Andrew’s ... ’62 state champ at 171 ... also won Mid South and national prep titles in ’62 … OW in all three tournaments … defeated ’61 national prep OW in ’62 finals … 5x Mid South champ … 80-1 career record … At Oklahoma State was 1966 NCAA champ … 3x All-American (2-2-1) … 3x NCAA finalist … 2x Big 8 champ … career record: 54-5-2 … 3x National AAU champ … 1x OW … World Silver medal … Tblisi Bronze medal … high school coach at Sapulpa High School in Oklahoma ... member of the Oklahoma chapter of the national wrestling hall of fame. 2. JORDAN LEEN … Baylor … 4x state champ ; 2001-04 … ’04 OW … 214 career wins … national high school champ … 4x McCallie Invite champ … At Cornell, 2008 NCAA champion … 3x All-American (8-1-3) … 2x EIWA champ … 2008 EIWA Wrestler of the Year … career record, 118-29. 3. PHILIP SIMPSON ... MBA … 4x state champ (1998-01) … 2x OW … 176 career wins … national high school runner-up … 4x champ, McCallie Invite … At West Point, 3x All-American; 2003-04-05 … 2005 NCAA runner-up … West Point’s only 3x All-American … 3x EIWA champ …134 career wins … currently in the U.S. Army 4. MATT KELLER … Bradley Central … 4x state champ (1999-02) … ’99 OW … 3rd at high school senior nationals … NCAA All-American at Nebraska and UTC … 2x SoCon champ … currently in training for national freestyle tournaments … lives in Cleveland. 5. RANDY BATTEN … Hixson … 2x state champ; 1973-74 … ’74 OW … placed 3rd in 1972 … high school record: 107-2 ... won final 87 matches … medaled in three national AAU tournaments … reached final four twice and placed second in the third … At UTC, 3x NCAA D-II national champ (’75-77) … ’75 OW … ’75 SoCon champ … lives in Birmingham. 6. DAVID VANCE … McCallie … 3x state champ; 1988-91 … ’90 OW … four-time state finalist (2-1-1-1) … 3x McCallie Invite champ ... 135-2 record … 103 wins in a row … wrestled one year at Oklahoma ... lives in Chattanooga. 7. MARKESE NELSON … Kirby … 2x state champ; 1994-95 … lost one match his last three years … 3x champ at McCallie (OW) and Father Ryan tourneys … 4th at high school senior nationals … Cadet All-American at Fargo … 2x JUCO All-American at Fresno City College … wrestled at Fresno State … UniversityNationals All-American … Armed Forces national champ 8. ADRIAN NORFLEET … Whites Creek … 3x state champ; 1986-88 … lives in Texas 9. SCOTT WELLS … Brentwood Academy … 2x state champ; 1998-99 … ’98 OW … 4x cadet national champion at Fargo; 2x in Greco/Roman and 2x in Freestyle … undefeated two seasons in Tenn. 10. CHARLES McTORRY … Overton …Tenn. record for wins (216) … 2x state champ; 1994, 1996 … 2x OW … 3x finalist (1-2-1) … high school national champion … wrestled at Nebraska … head coach at Ensworth. 11-20 11. NICK MARABLE … Christian Brothers … 2x state champ; 2004-05 … 4x medalist (3-2-1-1) … Cadet national champion at Fargo … at Missouri, 2x All-American … placed 3rd (2008) and 7th (2009) … 2x Big 12 champ … currently ranked No. 6 at 165. 12. KEVIN WARD … Soddy Daisy/Red Bank … 3x state champ; 1999-00-01 ... 4x finalist (2-1-1-1) … 4th at high school nationals … Big 8 champ at 157 on 2005 undefeated NCAA champions at Oklahoma State … Big 8 runner-up in 2004 … 4-2 at NCAAs. 13. JOHNNY LENNON … Cleveland … 2x state champ; 1980-81 … ’81 OW … 102-2 in high school .. 78 in a row to close out career … Southeastern Junior National Freestyle Champion, summer of 1980 … beat two state champs on the way to the title … wrestled at Tenn. 14. HEATH ESLINGER … Bradley Central … 2x state champ; 1994-95 … ’95 OW … at UTC, Southern Conference OW … 3x SoCon champ … 3x NCAA Qualifier … 120-18 … UTC head coach. 15. J.T. HAGEN … McCallie … 3x state champ; 1998-99-00 … OW at Bethlehem (Pa.) tournament … as a senior, beat defending state champs Eric Collins, Claytor Thompson and Charlie Ritchie … wrestled at Cornell. 16. RANDY FAIRES … Red Bank … 2x state champ; 1965-66 … at Chattanooga, 3x Southern champion … was 100-1 in high school and college … also wrestled at Oklahoma State. 17. PAUL TESSMANN … McCallie … Tennessee’s first 2x state champ; 1961-62 … 3rd at prep nationals in ’62 … ’62 Mid South and City Prep champ … At Sewanee, 4x Southern champ … at the time was the second wrestler to win 4x … never taken down in college … only losses were at small college nationals. 18. RUSTY BLACKMON … Bradley Central … 2x state champ, 2000-01 … ’01 OW …4x medalist (4-2-1-1) … 4th at high school nationals … wrestled at Oklahoma State. 19. CODY CLEVELAND … Tullahoma/McCallie … 2x state champ; 2004-05 … 4x state medalist … at UTC, 2008 NCAA All-American … 2x SoCon champ. 20. KYLE JAMES … Soddy Daisy … 3x state champ; 2002-03-04 … beat two-time defending champ Shawn Cordell (Red Bank/Bradley Central) in 2003 finals … 3rd at junior nationals as a Freestyle All-American at Fargo, N.D. 21-30 21. MARC LYLE … Baylor … 3x state champ; 1978-79-80 … 2x OW; ’79-80 … 85-3. 22. HOWARD LANGFORD … Cleveland … ’86 state champ and OW … At UTC, 1992 NCAA D-I All-American … 2x SoCon champ, 1989, 92 23. JOHNNY BRADFORD … Chattanooga Central … 2x state champ; 1976-77 … high school All-American … at UT, ’82 SEC champ … 1x NCAA qualifier. 24. KENNY WHITWORTH … East Ridge … 3x state champ; 1965-67 … OW in ’65 and ’66 at 98 lbs. … state’s first 2x OW … 51-2. 25. MARTIN FRANCIS … Notre Dame … first 4x state champ; 1969-72 … beat defending national prep champ Brian Card in ’72 finals … beat defending state champ Danny Brown in ’70 finals. 26. RAYMOND DUNNING … Father Ryan … 3x state champ … 4x finalist (2-1-1-1) … 4x McCallie champ … NCAA D-II All-American at Adams State. 27. PAT MURPHY … Hixson … 2x state champ … 3x finalist … High School All-American ... 64-3-4 … at UTC, 4x SoCon champ …. 4x NCAA qualifier … 2x SEIWA champ. 28. KEVIN JOHNSON … Chattanooga Central … 3x state champ; 1990-91-92 29. BUBBA MILLER … Brentwood Academy … 2x state champ; 1990-91 30. JAKE YOST … Soddy Daisy … 2x state champ; 2001-02 … OW in ’02 … 4x medalist (5-5-1-1) … 4th at high school nationals … Greco-Roman All-American at Fargo … At UTC, SoCon champ … NCAA qualifier 31-40 31. CARLOS THOMPSON … Cleveland … 2x state champ, 1993, ’95 … 3x finalist (1-2-1) 32. PEZ WHATLEY … Notre Dame … 2x state champ; 1967, ’69 … 3x finalist (1-2-1) … first heavyweight to win OW … wrestled at UTC and in the pros. 33. RICKY JOHNSON … Chattanooga Central … 2x state champ; 1989, 91 … ’91 OW 34. JAKE YOUNG … Ooltewah … 2x state champ; 2007, 09 … 3x medalist (3-1-1) …wrestles for UTC 35. DARREN McKNIGHT … Red Bank … 3x state champ;1999-00-01 … wrestled at Michigan State … co-captain … Big 10 medalist … 3x NCAA Qualifier. 36. PATRICK SIMPSON … MBA … 3x state champ; 2000-02 … 2x OW ... four-time state finalist (2-1-1-1) … 3x winner at McCallie and Father Ryan tourney … At West Point, was 2x EIWA medalist … 2x NCAA qualifier. 37. CHRIS MEADOWS … Red Bank … 3x state champ; 1965-66-67 38. MOE TRAIL … Baylor … in ’62, he won state, Mid South, city prep and national prep … also won Mid South and city prep in ’61 … At Purdue, was 2nd in Big 10 as a junior. 39. JACK BAKER … Red Bank … state’s first 3x state champ; 1963-64-65 … 2x Southern champ at Sewanee … NCAA PostGraduate Scholar 40. GEORGE LEWIS … McCallie … 3x state champ; 1991-93 … ’92 OW … wrestled at West Virginia 41-50 41. WHIT DUNNING … Father Ryan … 3x state champ; 2003-04-05 … 4x medalist (6-1-1-1) … wrestled for West Point 42. MATT McCARTY … Clarksville … 2x state champ; 1999-00 … ’00 OW … 4x state medalist (6-4-1-1) … 4th at high school nationals … wrestled at Michigan State. 43. WAYLON LOWE … Jefferson County ... 1x state champ; ’98 … ’97 runner-up … 3x medalist (4-1-2) … NAIA national champion ... 2x NCAA D-II national champion 44. JEFF HOWARD … Cleveland … 1976 state champ and OW ... 3x finalist … (2-1-2) 45. CHARLEY MOORE … Baylor … in ’62, undefeated in winning state, Mid South, city prep and national prep … also won Mid South and city prep in ’61 and second at national preps … 46. SHAZZON BRADLEY … McMinn County … 2x state champ; 1987-88 … 47. DAVID KENT … McCallie … 2x state champ; 1975-76 … 4x finalist (2-2-1-1) … 79-8 career ... five losses were to Randy Batten … high school All-American 48. RONNIE STEVENSON … MacGavock … 2x state champ; 1988-89 … ’89 OW 49. JOHN FARR … Red Bank … 3x state champ; 1963-65 … 2x city prep champ … two losses in three years … at Chattanooga, 2x Southern Champion 50. QUINN GIBSON … Bradley Central … 3x state champ; 2002-03-04 … 2x OW; 2003-04 Another 37 To Consider ... ** Hill won one title in Tenn., but a combined 4x’er in two states … ** KENNY HILL … LFO/East Ridge 4x state champ … 3x in Ga. … wrestled at Kentucky … 1x champ in Tenn. … head coach at Heritage HS in Ringgold BRANDON WRIGHT ... Houston ... 2x champ; 2006-07 ... 3x medalist (3-1-1) ... 4th at senior nationals ... wrestles at UTC. TRAVIS CREAGAN ... Bradley Central ... 2x champ; 2005-06 ... 3x finalist ... 4x medalist (3-1-1-2) ... Bears all-time leader in wins ... medaled at junior nationals ... started as a freshman at Columbia SEAN SMITH … Tyner … ’92 state champ … RYAN SCOTT … McCallie … 4x state champ …5x medalist (3-1-1-1-1) … 8th at high school nationals … 176 wins … wrestled at Appalachian State. ERNIE ROSE ... Kirkman Tech ... 3x state champ at 189; 1965-67 ... '67 OW .. 4x medalist (4-1-1-1) CHRIS MULLIN ... Notre Dame … 2x state champ and 2x OW; 1984-85 … 114-7-1 … 64wins in a row. CHRIS VANDERGRIFF … Knox. Halls … 2x state champ; 1976-77 … first state champ from Knoxville … at UT, 3rd in SEC. CASEY BREWSTER … Overton … 2x state champ … 3x finalist … 4x medalist (5-1-1-2) … 199 wins … NAIA All-American at Edinboro … head coach at Sacred Heart STEVE AGNEW … Brainerd … 3x state champ; 1968-70 … ’70 OW … beat 2x defending state champ Joe Roberts in ’70 finals. RANDY THOMPSON … Tenn. School For the Blind … ’63 state champ and OW … current assistant coach at TSB … DAVID GRAHAM … Bradley Central … 3x state champ; 2007-08-09 JAMES JABALEY … Notre Dame … 3x state champ, all at 105 lbs.; 1976-78 SHANNON SAYNE … Knox Halls … 2x state champ; 1996, ‘98 … 3x finalist (1-2-1) DANNY COLEMAN … Cleveland … 2x champ; 2003, 05 … 4x finalist (2-1-2-1) SHANE FORD … Germantown … 1x champ; 1997 … 6th in ‘96 MICHAEL MURRAY … Whites Creek … ’87 state champ and OW JUSTIN SPAIN … Bradley Central … 1x state champ; 2007 … 3x medalist (2-2-1) … wrestles for Princeton DEE PARKER ... Red Bank … ’96 state champ … 2x state medalist … LANCE SCHAEFFER … Chattanooga City … ’61 state champ and city prep champ … ’60 city prep champ … wrestled at Virginia. PATRICK MARCHETTI … Father Ryan … 2x state champ … 4x medalist (3-3-1-1) … wrestles for West Point DANIEL WADDELL … Baylor … 2x state champ; 2006-07 … 4x finalist (2-2-1-1) … 8th at senior nationals … wrestles at UTC KELLY FELIX … Franklin … 3x state champ; 2005-07 … 2x OW …4x finalist (2-1-1-1) … wrestles at UTC DANNY COLEMAN … Cleveland … 2x state champ; 2003, 05 … ’05 OW … 4x finalist (2-1-2-1) ZAC DAILEY … Mt. Juliet … 2x state champ … ’98 OW … 3x finalist (2-1-1) … beat defending state champ Eric Collins in ’98 finals. JIM ELDRIDGE … Chattanooga City … ’61 state and city prep champ … ’60 city prep champ … wrestled at Univ. of Chattanooga DAVID LEVITT … McCallie … 2x state champ; 1992, ’94 … 3x finalist (1-2-1) … NCAA qualifier at Boise State DANIEL CROSBY … Greeneville … 2x state champ; 2002-03 … 3x medalist (3-1-1) … 3x McCallie champ … 193 wins SHAWN CORDELL … Red Bank/Bradley Central … 3x state champ … 4x finalist (1-1-2-1) COREY MANSON … Baylor … 2x state champ; 2005-06 … 4x finalist (2-2-1-1) … wrestles at Cornell ERIC COLLINS … Red Bank … 2x state champ; 1997, ’99 … 4x finalist; (2-1-2-1) MATT SWEETON … Tullahoma … 3x state champ; 1998-00-01… 4x medalist (1-4-1-1) RALPH BREWER … Tenn. School for the Blind … ’62 state champ … 3rd in ’61 … wrestled at Auburn as a freshman … coached at TSB ... … has received the Courage Award for Tennessee from the national wrestling hall of fame. TIM VOILES … Lookout Valley … 2x state champ; 1995-96 … 5x qualifier … 202 wins … wrestled at Carson-Newman JOE ROBERTS … Donelson … 2x state champ; 1968-69 … ’68 OW … ’70 runner-up … 5x state qualifier. MICHAEL SPENCER … Kirby … ’93 state champ and OW … 127-11-1 .. SoCon freshman of the year at UTC. JEFF LOYD ... Clarksville NW … 1x champ; 1990 … ’89 finalist … 4th at senior nationals in 1991 .. 6th at NAIA nationals … has received the Courage Award for Tennessee from the national wrestling hall of fame. JIMMY HILLER … Father Ryan … 2x champ, 2003-04 … 3x finalist … 4x medalist (5-2-1-1) Honorable Mention: Brentwood (Sean Kim; 1999 state champ … 2x finalist) Baylor (Bailey Whitaker, 4x state champ; 2005-08 … wrestles for U.S Naval Academy) Brainerd (Gordon Connell, state champ, 1966 … Masters World Champion, 60+ … member of the Tenn. Chapter of the national wrestling hall of fame) Brighton (Bucky Johnson, 2x state champ; 2006-07 … SoCon champ at UTC) Cleveland (Bill Emendorfer, ’68 state champ … 3x finalist (2-1-2) … 2nd in SEC at UT; Nathan Jones, 2x state champ; 2001, 03 … 3x finalist (1-2-1) … D-II All-American at Carson-Newman) East Ridge (Lynn Goss, 2x state champ; 1966-67 … 3x finalist (2-1-1) … wrestled at UTC; Charlie Goss, ’64 state champ … member of the Tenn. Chaper, national wrestling hall of fame; Roger Kendrick, 2x champ, 1983-84 ; Charlie Ritchie, 2x state champ; 1998-99) Lookout Valley (Dusty Griffith, 1990 state champ) Notre Dame (Yogi Anderson; '68 state champ ... 2x conference champ at Sewanee ... former coach and official ... Ken Mara ... '68 state champ ... wrestled at UTC .. longtime official . worked numerous NCAA championship finals matches ... member of state chapter of national wrestling hall of fame ... David Weeks; '73 state champ ... NCAA D-II national champ at UTC) Father Ryan ( David Thoni, ’83 state champ and OW … 3x finalist and 4x medalist) Franklin (Rycine Ellison, 1989 state champ) Glencliff (Mike Green, 2x state champ ; 1970-71) Hixson (Mike Blosser, ’82 state champ and OW … 26-0-1 in ’82 and pinned nine of 10 opponents in district, region and state; Tom Popp, ’76 state champ and OW) Hunters Lane (Mike Newman, 1988 state champ) Knox Catholic ( Junior Hernandez, ’95 state champ) McCallie (Spencer Manley, 2x champ; 2003, 04 … 4x medalist (3-1-1-2) … wrestled for U.S. Naval Prep Academy and U.S. Naval Academy; John McCall, school's first state champ in '61 ... Mid South champ ... national prep runner-up in '61; Jon Bennett, '72 state champ and OW, Jason Finnell, 3x champ; 1999-00-01) Morristown West (Allen Koors, 2x state champ; 1979-80) North Stratford (Tony Kennedy, ’77 state champ and OW) Overton (Eric Jordan, 2x state champ; 1996-97 … Derrick Jordan, ’97 state champ … ’96 runner-up) Red Bank (George Farr, ’61 state and city prep champ … 2x Sourthern champ at Univ. of Chattanooga; Jim Beatty, 2x state champ; 1963, ’65; Kevin Jones, ’96 state champ ) Tenn. School for the Blind (Mitchell Cole, ’61 state champ & OW; Mickey Bailey … 2x champ; 63-64 … ’64 OW; Jody Chamberlain, 2x state champ; 1963-65 … youngest state champ as a 6th grader in ’63; Chester Lewis, ’62 state champ) ------------------------------- Mid South Conference … The prep school conference held wrestling tournaments from 1949-1970, usually the third weekend in February … A strong conference in wrestling and other sports, Baylor won 14 of the 22 wrestling titles, followed by McCallie (7) and Castle Heights (1). The Mid South schools were allowed to compete in the state tournament in 1961 and 1962 and again after the conference closed its doors in the spring of 1970. The main schools competing in a variety of sports were Baylor, Castle Heights Military Academy, Columbia Military Academy, Darlington, McCallie, Sewanee Military Academy, St. Andrew’s, Tennessee Military Academy. Notre Dame also competed in wrestling he first couple of years Baylor produced 11 national prep champions; Charley Moore (1962), Moe Trail (1962), Chip Healy (1964, ’65), Lane Headrick (1965), Alex Roberts (1967), John Hannah (1967), Rob Healy (1968, ’69), Randy Weinberg (1969) and Albert Wilson (1970). McCallie national champions were Pat Smartt (1959), Lou Hudson (1966), Jim Glasser (1966, 1967), Luther Killian (1968), Steve Gross (1969), Brian Card (1971). Several of the national champions had success in college wrestling, plus college football and the NFL (Chip Healy) ... McCallie’s Hudson won a Big 10 title in 1969 and was second at the Midlands ... The most decorated prep wrestler in Tennessee history is Bill Harlow of St. Andrew’s (1958-1962) who won an 1966 NCAA D-I title, three national AAU titles and a World silver medal. Contact B.B. Branton at [email protected]