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Ok now that we know Cleveland is the best and some just can’t seem to except it let’s get back to arguing which freshman truly has a shot. And these are opinions not facts so don’t get all butt hurt. AA 106 - Walker will major or better the WC kid and should win but let’s be honest it’s not a really tough bracket but it would be if you had Walker(AA)/Bond(D2)/Uhorchuk and Dupill(A). That would be a good one. 132 - Sturgill can definitely push Desselle for the title 160 - Szymborski has a shot and this would be the biggest in my opinion because he’s wrestling mostly all Jr’s and Seniors. D2 106 - Bond has a shot if he can beat Calvin(Ryan) 120 - Helton can win it just not sure who all will end up at 120. 126 - Roark has a legitimate shot if Roller stays at 132. Just would have to beat Bond 132 - Askew can win it if Roller drops to 26 A 106 - Definitely between Uhorchuk and Dupill 113 - Uhorchuk walks away with it. Now let’s hear what everyone else thinks.

Makes you wonder how Signal Mountain 106 in his shallow pool beat a Greeneville kid who spent all year in the deep end. Cool pool analogy thanks for using it.

Fulton head coach Rob Black resigned as the Falcon head coach today. Black cited burnout among other reasons. He'll stay on as a teacher at Fulton. Always enjoyed dealing with Coach Black. One of the really good coaches in this area, and a class act to boot. He'll be missed on the sidelines Friday nights. According to the guys I have talked with, including a couple on his staff, this came out of left field. There are several likely candidates with Fulton ties, and it's been Fulton's history to hire somebody within the program. Be interesting to see how this works out. For those of you with a 5 Star Preps account, here's Jesse's story: Rob Black resigns as head football coach at Fulton High School - Five Star Preps (5starpreps.com)

UT Martin

If you never look at it then how did you know DB was ranked behind Nolensville in the Pin TN Rankings? I am Sure if Hamm was paid like Rank Wrestler then maybe he could allocate more time to improve the "Accuracy and reliability " that you seek. I am Fairly certain Rank Wrestler is a $9 or $10 per month subscription isn't it? I personally enjoying seeing Rankings from both Sources . Rank Wrestler is strictly Data Driven from Trackwrestling Results if not mistaken, its nice sometimes to get some subjective Rankings which is what PinTN provides.

If you want more chances to win a state medal.....move down here to Georgia.....pick one of the 7 classifications. I'd rather have like the old days with 1 classification.....heck even California only has 1.

It was interesting that the photo of him in the new field house had no coaches in it. Just a bunch of his buddies patting themselves on the back for having one of their friends build an over budget, undersized, poorly planned facility years after it should have been done.

Here we go the idea of every body should get a trophy just because they walk out on the mat. That’s why they have beginner tournaments and JV state to have opportunities for kids that maybe aren’t normally gonna place at State or a Top 100. But the State tournament is to find out which kids are the top kids in the state. This whole excuse of wrestling is not growing because of competition is bs. Wrestling is a tough sport that doesn’t bring in a lot money and that’s why it suffers in numbers and growth. It’s absolutely what’s wrong with this world now that people think it’s not fair to other kids to find out exactly who is the best period. Quit with every body needs a trophy bs for a sport to grow.

It sure would look bad on somebody if this guy goes out to Heritage and turns that mess around and WB continues to go 1-9 the next 2 or 3 seasons. I sure hope not on the 1-9 record but you can bet everyone will be watching to see how that plays out the next few years.

I never said I wasn’t for combining. I’ve been traveling with my son for over a decade. Cali, New York, ND, Pa, Va Beach, Michigan, Ohio so we don’t shy away from competition. I simply stated he could have found better sports for his argument.

I think they do like each other, but leaders of big programs do tend to have big personalities. You’re correct about why they didn’t play last year. Two different classifications and a Martin Lions Tourney and a trip out West. WV hasn’t “ducked” anybody but in years past (& still today), if it’s not a girls tourney then you have to account for the boys as well. What I’ve noticed over the years, fans want specific matchups of the teams without considering the other game….even when their own coach didn’t want the matchup. WV will always play the Lions Tournament because it’s the longest running tourney in the State at Christmas. Since everyone is in the district, Coach Wilkins will get his “wish” for the next few years. This rivalry I see is starting to heat back up. It’s good for NW Tennessee basketball. For the out of district teams that want to play, hopefully they’ll reach out and jump into the Lions Tournament. If anyone is reading this and is in your coach’s ear, encourage them to play in this tourney. The food is great and the atmosphere is great. It’s more for the fans, but everyone loves good basketball.

I don’t know if this is true or not. But I have heard that there is no love lost between Wilkins and Haskins. And I’ve heard there has been multiple situations kinda like this that has taken place between the two with Haskins having his share of them as well. Just gamesmanship from both imo. There’s a reason GC/Westview didn’t play last year and it wasn’t because Wilkins didn’t want too…. I don’t think any of it has to be taken as negative towards either one. Coaches don’t always have to be buddies.

Playing devils advocate, but it doesn’t have as much to do with the size of school you are in but how much work you are willing to do. My son and his teammates go to a small school and we have 3 Nationally ranked wrestlers and another that’s been in and out of the rankings. Just work more, get up before school and lift, go to school practice, then drive an hour each way to do a club practice. Get home every night at 9pm then do the same thing the next day. That’s how you get better not just simply going to a bigger school. oh yea, you should also train year around. Can’t get good at anything only doing it 4 months a year. I personally don’t think the state champs in any division has an advantage over the other. Big school is definitely deeper, but not necessarily better. I personally would love to see a dual between small school state champs, large school and private champs. I think that would be super fun and extremely competitive. not blasting you just haven’t understood anyone that doesn’t want to compete against the best.

District 4 has been hard to predict when it comes to the wins and losses. Polk can beat any team except for CSAS; CSAS loses 2 one-point games to Brainerd; Brainerd is up and down with 2 blow-out losses to Tyner; and Tyner is strong but 3 or 4 losses on the season should have been wins! Hope all the teams can stay healthy and if they do, it will be exciting!

I remember they used to be swapped especially in football all the time. Don’t know how they do it now. Do think when you play big games like this that things get said during games from coaches to each other when emotions run high that both coaches probably deflect.

There’s no doubt that Cleveland’s success is because of HCWC and Cleveland middle. But also wrestling the tougher competition makes you better individually and as a team. With that being said, I do believe that’s why Wilson Central always seems to run into trouble at state. Does this mean one kid that doesn’t wrestle as tough of a schedule doesn’t have a chance against one that does? No……but it certainly doesn’t help.

Classic!!

Congratulations to Alcoa football and coach Brian Nix!!

At this point we're talking about Cleveland as a whole. Their schedule isn't what makes them the best team in the state. Again, its their youth and middle school programs. I agree Wilson Central wrestles a lighter schedule than Cleveland. However, Jill's comment was Hicks is not able to ever get better or beat Walker because Cleveland's schedule is tougher. Then went on to say that its because of their schedule they win titles. Which is absolutely asinine.

I believe Green Hill played a full varsity schedule....think they got Republic's games if I'm not mistaken. Not agreeing or disagreeing....but they are looking good now.

And 2 make things worst for AAA we are doing this without arguably the best player in AAA! Sharnecce Currie-Jelks is a force! Missed 2 years & still signed D1! Not making excuses but if we had her, the sky is the limit! I would put my coach against any of the top in the state! Coach Brent McNeal is 2nd to none! How many coaches can lose their best player & go 37-4 in 2 years? Not many if any.

Absolutely, not making excuses. Not sure what hole he pulled that rabbit from.

Cleveland is better every year than the rest of the state because they have the best youth program in the state, every year. They didn't do anything crazy, didnt go to Beast of the East, Poweraide, nothing outside the norm except a dual tourney in NC where in the finals they beat...wait for it...Baylor, a TN school. They wrestled the same schedule, for the most part, that the rest of the top in the state did. Everybody knows that successful high school programs start with successful youth programs. Come on now.

There’s been rumor of the McEwen transfer ever since even last year. I’m curious to see if that QB for Dickson is one you’re talking abt it. I’ve seen him play and I believe I would rather have Griffin running the offense

Those are the worst 3 examples you could have used to defend your case. A swimmer doesn’t need another swimmer to make them faster. A bowler doesn’t need another bowler to make him get strikes. A wrestler needs another wrestler to help them become better.

I doubt Cumberland wins one game vs White honestly.

I have never understood why anyone would be against having one state champion for individual sports unless they are selfish. If you are the best swimmer at 50m, wrestler at 285lb, bowler, sprinter at 100m, etc… you are the best. We have done nothing more than raise two generations of soft individuals by telling them they are not good enough to compete against people with more advantages. The fact is that when these young athletes become adults they will have to compete against those same individuals for jobs. Place everyone back together for one true individual state champion and don’t keep team scores.

Sounds like the opening of Liberty Creek is going to be a chapter in the book " How to screw up the opening of a school in 3 easy steps. 1.Making them play a varsity schedule in the first year with only young kids AND playing top tier schools. 2. Trying to pay a coach more than VERY established successful coaches in the county. 3. Hiring an administration that would even consider doing 1 and 2. Recipe for failure.

Haha. Secret? It was wildly known as you’ve said many times in multiple threads. You should seek therapy over this. I do think it’s funny you went from saying I had no clue what I was taking about to now saying I “blabbed a secret.” Maybe someday you’ll overcome this ailment? My wife and I did enjoy having lunch with CGR and his wife. Super nice folks and we wish them all the best on their new adventure.

I was told last night if district 3 girls weep district 4 the first round, that the semifinals and championship game would come back to Meigs. After I saw what Meigs girls did to Polk last night that’s likely to happen.

Glad to see you turn that page Beagle I think we will finish second in the region and make it to the 2nd round. I know one thing them boys will play their butt off. I think Elliot will have a really good season this year. Griffin will have a decent year but will have some growing pains stepping into that starting QB position. All those kids mentioned by Howdy are ballers for sure. Can’t wait to see what the Tigers are able to bring to the table.

2020 there was no spring practice. In 2021, T$$AA limited and restricted what bball and baseball were allowed to do, so they did the same for football and did not allow a spring scrimmage. 2022, we are allowed one spring scrimmage against another team.

Beware. Rant ahead. A few things. The board of control. Most of the members have no skin in the game for wrestling. While several of them are from schools that technically have wrestling programs, Bradley and Warren County are really the only schools who are invested in wrestling year in and year out. (no offense to Hamblen or CR or those who are trying) Morristown-Hamblen High School West Memphis Central High School Evangelical Christian School Donelson Christian Academy Webb School of Knoxville Cane Ridge High School Milan High School Bradley Central High School Warren Co. Schools (Director) Loretto High School Trinity Christian Academy Fulton High School Who are the "wrestling schools" in that list? So when Mark Reeves or anyone else makes a suggestion regarding wrestling, they are almost always going to go a long with what his proposals are. They dont know any better. "A sixteen man bracket over three days? Sure, sounds good to us." Obviously, the board of control does not understand the sport of wrestling. The 16 man bracket for AA is a load of crap too. It does not hurt to have a 32 man bracket for the large schools. For you purists out there who cry about only the best making it to state, the best kids are going to be there regardless. Why shut out a bunch of kids who are on the fringe of being the best? It doesnt hurt the tournament for them to be there and get put out on the first day. Now, a lot of schools will no longer have a state qualifier. "Oh tell them to work harder." No. That doesn't cut it. If you really care about wrestling, you would want to give every kid the chance to learn and appreciate what wrestling offers... regardless if they have a mediocre coach, or are in a small town, or have administration that isnt supportive. More kids need to "make it to state". A couple of years ago, at the state tournament, there were a lot of schools who only had one kid, Teams like Kingsbury, South Doyle, Karns, Hillsboro. When is the next time you are gonna see one of those kids at state? Its gonna be a cold day in heck..... I'm sure that will be good for recruiting wrestlers at those schools. "Our last state qualifier was 5 years ago." "Yeah Coach, no thanks." And from another angle, there are a lot more kids in AA schools than A schools, but the same number make it to state? According to the TSSAA website, AA has 126,773 students. Single A has only 60,735. Double the numbers, but the same size bracket for the state tournament? Was someone worried that the A schools were going to be mad? Girls - - I want the girls, but I have been told that the boy's bracket might have been cut to stay in line with what is offered for girls. I would think that if the girls had the numbers that the boys had, it would make sense to have a 32 man bracket for them as well. Sub-State - No reason for it. I have yet to hear what was broken about our old system. Bottom line, as I have said many times, the more kids wrestling in the championship event, the better off wrestling will be in Tennessee. We need to see more schools sending their teams to the state tournament with police escorts. We need to see more billboards congratulating wrestlers making it to state. We need to see more kids going back home and telling their friends about how they finally made it to state. We need more mons and dads posting their kids picture on Facebook. We dont need less of any of those things.

Yes we can have Spring scrimmages but the last couple of years with Covid, they elected not to do one. I don't know if one is planned for this spring yet,

Yes. He was the DC at South Doyle for several years and the DC at William Blount this past season. Former head coach in Idaho, as well. Really good addition.

Josh is a great coach, and a "players coach" Josh has always had the players to be successful. Not sure about Bearden's roster, but I am sure they don't have the studs that Powell has had and has. It may take him sometime to get that place rolling. But make no mistake about it....Josh can coach some ball!