Sommers

This is it... 16 man (girl) brackets or less... Too late for change... While the governor has lifted the restrictions on the general public attending contests, the TSSAA guidelines that were developed in consultation with the governor regarding masks, temperature checks, social distancing and recommended capacities remain in effect. Long before the governor's latest Executive Order we began exploring a number of options for the state wrestling championships. Unfortunately, we were not able to secure a venue that could accommodate the number of competitors (872) and coaches (500+) that would enable all divisions to compete under one roof at the same time. An arena would be the only type of venue that would be big enough for us to make it work with current capacity restrictions, but we were not able to find an arena that was available or willing to host an event of this nature. Farming each division out to schools was not a realistic option as we have found that the most school systems are very hesitant to bring multiple teams into their facilities. Fortunately, we were able to secure the Chattanooga Convention Center for this event. However, in order to accommodate all 4 divisions over the 3 day window we have the facility, each division must complete its tournament in one day. (Division II and Girls will compete on the same day since they only have 8 person brackets). It is not possible to complete a tournament with more than 16 wrestlers in one weight class without having some wrestlers exceed the maximum number of matches (6) a wrestler is permitted to have in one day. As a result, we had to cut the 32 man bracket down to 16. from someone in tssaa admin

Our neighbors to the South including several teams we all know... GHSA Team Duals Wrestling Championship Preview HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BLOG| Jan 28, 2021 By Craig Sager II The Team Dual Wrestling Championships will be held at seven separate host sites this year and the brackets are loaded with the state’s most accomplished programs. This is certainly the case in Georgia’s highest classification where four-time defending dual state champion Camden County will be represented as the No. 1 seed. Last year’s runner-up Collins Hill failed to qualify for the prelims out of a stacked Region 8 that includes region champion Mountain View—which was topped by Camden County in last year’s tournament. West Forsyth was also defeated by the Wildcats last year, but will not be in Camden County’s path until the finals after securing the No. 2 seed after a successful run in the prelims. Defending Class 6A state champion Pope was ousted in the prelims following a thrilling 39-38 Dalton victory. Richmond Hill—which was defeated by Pope in last year’s finals 30-24 earned the No. 2 seed. Alexander avenged last year’s 33-28 loss to Cambridge in the championship tournament by topping the Bears 39-21 last weekend and earning the No. 1 seed in the process. Woodland-Bartow cruised past the competition last year to clinch its second-straight Class 5A dual state title, but will have to defend its crown against a championship field that includes reigning Class 4A champion Woodward Academy—which joined the classification following the latest reclassification cycle. The War Eagles will be the No. 2 seed behind top-seeded Woodland-Bartow—setting up for a potential battle of defending champs in the finals. ON A MISSION Woodward Academy departed from Class 4A, but Jefferson moved in and will be the No. 1 seed this weekend. The Dragons have previously won 18 dual state titles in their history and appear to be in championship form after cruising past Fayette County (84-0) and Pickens (66-13) in convincing fashion in the prelims. The Dragons’ top opposition could be No. 2 seeded Perry, which was topped by Gilmer 36-31 in last year’s championships. Gilmer has since moved down to Class 3A and will be the No. 3 seed behind No. 2 Rockmart and No. 1 seed North Hall. Last year’s runner-up Sonoraville is the No. 5 seed and will take on No. 4 seed Adairsville in the first round. North Hall, which topped Sonoraville 49-18 in last year’s finals to win its second dual title in the last three years, is coming off its massive 70-12 victory over Oconee County in the prelims. Defending Class 2A champion Chattooga failed to qualify for the prelims out of Region 7 and last year’s runner-up Social Circle will now be represented in the Class A field. As a result, six of the eight teams in the Class 2A championship tournament will be looking to win first-ever titles—including No. 1 seed Oglethorpe County, No. 2 seed Dade County and No. 3 seeded Vidalia. In Class A, defending state champion Trion is back as the No. 1 seed. The Bulldogs scored a 46-25 win over Commerce in last year’s finals to capture the program’s first-ever title. Commerce is back as the No. 4 seed, Social Circle is the No. 3 seed and Mt. Pisgah is the No. 2 seed. Mt. Pisgah ran into Trion in last year’s semifinals and was defeated 42-22. Trion made swift work of the competition in the prelims—including an 84-0 win over Athens Christian in its latest triumph.

Rossview comes back to defeat Clarksville in D12-AAA Wrestling Championship match ALEX ALLARD sports@mainstreetmediatn.com Jan 26, 2021 Updated Jan 26, 2021 1 of 21 Zachariah Loreant places a chokehold on Niko Gottlick. BLAINE KELLAR West Creek head coach Christopher Carbin meets with his team prior to their District match against Rossview. BLAINE KELLAR Knights’ head coach Tyler Little speaks with freshman Frederick Ellis prior to their match versus Clarksville. BLAINE KELLAR Kenwood’s Damion Garland sizes up senior Malachi Robinson in a match. BLAINE KELLAR Anthony Bracero pins down West Creek’s Mason Fierge during their first match of the evening. BLAINE KELLAR Kenwood’s Noah Taylor sizes up Clarksville’s Deago Buck. BLAINE KELLAR Noah Taylor contests an attempted chokehold from Deago Buck. BLAINE KELLAR Frederick Ellis waits to break free from Kyelar Edwards. BLAINE KELLAR Zachary Duessler attempts to keep West Creek’s Ayden Andalen on the ground. BLAINE KELLAR Jonathan Cook stays in control in a match over Rossview’s Ashton Chavis. BLAINE KELLAR Koen Ploeckelman stands beside Clarksville coach Tommy Badon during a timeout. BLAINE KELLAR Landon Olson is thrown to the mat by Rossview’s Zachariah Loreant. BLAINE KELLAR Clarksville wrestling seniors Malachi Robinson, Matthew Seber, Kyelar Edwards, Dawn Evans and Brielle Bisonette were honored prior to the boys’ dual championship match against Rossview. BLAINE KELLAR Julian Bershear fights off Aidan Brenot in a District 12-AAA Championship match. BLAINE KELLAR Rossview’s Jordan Mussara looks up at the clock in a match against Michael Bisonette. BLAINE KELLAR A bloodied Houston Brown spars with his opponent. BLAINE KELLAR Deago Buck is held on the floor by Rossview’s Ruben Avalos. BLAINE KELLAR Gary Cheeseman attempts to crawl away from Jace Powell. BLAINE KELLAR Ashton Chavis stares down Kyelar Edwards. BLAINE KELLAR Hawks head coach Jeff Price and company celebrate their District 12-AAA championship over Clarksville. BLAINE KELLAR Rossview poses as dual wrestling champions of District 12-AAA. BLAINE KELLAR After cruising past West Creek in the semifinals, the Rossview Hawks knocked off the defending champion Clarksville Wildcats in their own gym to take home the District 12-AAA title on Tuesday night. Both Rossview and Clarksville were able to knock off their opposition fairly handedly in their semifinal matchups. The Hawks defeated the Coyotes 66-15, while CHS took down Kenwood by a score of 75-6. The finals were a final different story, however. CHS held a 14-0 advantage over the Hawks after the first three matches. Three additional matches and one unsportsmanlike misconduct later, RHS took their first lead of the championship round and held a two-point, 15-13 lead over the defending district champions. After having one point deducted due to the unsportsmanlike misconduct, the Wildcats’ Konnor Roach was disqualified later in the match due to a flagrant called on him. This resulted in three additional points being deducted from CHS’ score and gave the Hawks a 28-26 lead with just two matches remaining. In a thrilling final match, RHS’ Jeb Burchett was able to hold off the Wildcats’ Malachi Robinson to claim the Hawks first district championship since 2018. Head coach Jeff Price was excited about victory and his team's overall performance, but says they have expected this result since before the season even began. “We know who we are,” Price said. “This is what we expected from day one of this season. This is what we expected three years ago when we won the district. The past two years we have beaten Clarksville in the regular season and then lost to them in the districts. This year for the first time, we took a step back and said this is the match we are going to win and not focus on the regular season as much.” Following the loss, Wildcats head coach Tommy Badon spoke to his team in a corner of the William Workman Gymnasium for an extensive period of time. During that time, he told his players that it is how you win or lose that is more important than the win or loss itself. “Losing sucks, but what is more important is how you do it,” Badon said. “I had some guys who did an incredible job in this match but, while this is an individual sport, it is also a team sport and if everyone doesn’t perform and behave exceptionally then everyone is viewed as the least common denominator as a team. Even though we had some wonderful effort in that last match, [Malachi Robinson] gave everything he had and was so upset because he couldn’t do it for his team. He is such a wonderful example of what sports and competition is all about, but that is overlooked because of what two of his teammates did. That is what I was communicating to them [after the loss].” Rossview will advance to the region tournament to play on Jan. 28, while CHS will take on Wilson Central in their next match. SEMIFINAL RESULTS WEST CREEK (12) VS ROSSVIEW (66) 145 CLASS- Julian Bershear (RHS) def Devin Otero (WC) 152 CLASS- Mason Fierge (WC) def Anthony Bracero (RHS) 160 CLASS- Jordan Musarra (RHS) def Joshua Ward (WC) 170 CLASS- Houston Brown (RHS) def Gabriel Vandiver (WC) 132 CLASS- Duston Chavis (RHS) wins off FF 195 CLASS- Zachary Duessler (RHS) def Ayden Andalen (WC) 220 CLASS- Gary Chessman (RHS) def Chris Carbin (WC) 285 CLASS- Jonathan Cook (WC) def Ashton Chavis (RHS) 106 CLASS- Davion Wheeler (RHS) def Jason Scorpio (WC) 113 CLASS- Ben Mayberry (RHS) def Aidan Renken (WC) 120 CLASS- Zachariah Loreant (RHS) def Landon Olson (WC) 126 CLASS- Bryce Woemer (RHS) def Cael Crume (WC) 132 CLASS- Samuel Shires (RHS) def Dylyn Hussey (WC) 138 CLASS- Nathaniel Gonzalez (WC) def Spencer Porter (RHS) SEMIFINAL RESULTS CLARKSVILLE (75) VS KENWOOD (6) 145 CLASS- Malachi Robinson (CHS) def Damion Garland (KHS) 152 CLASS- Aidan Brenot (CHS) def Aden Taylor (KHS) 160 CLASS- Matthew Seeber (CHS) def Rodney Sayis (KHS) 170 CLASS- Michael Bissonett (CHS) def Justin Johnson (KHS) 182 CLASS- Deago Buck (CHS) def Noah Taylor (KHS) 195 CLASS- Tyler Lowell (KHS) def Timothy Freeland (CHS) 220 CLASS- Kylar Edwards (CHS)def Fredrick Ellis (KHS) 285 CLASS- Zyrion Elliott (CHS) def Dagoberto Rodriguez (KHS) 106 CLASS- Koen Ploeckelman (CHS) def Jimmy Fendley (KHS) 113 CLASS- Devin Lozdoski (CHS) def Nathan Spuill (KHS) 120 CLASS- Niko Gottlick (CHS) def Ja’Kobi Moore (KHS) 126 CLASS- Konnor Roach (CHS) def Emmanuel Millan (KHS) 132 CLASS- Camden Stahley (CHS) def Justin Johnson (KHS) 138 CLASS- Aiden Johnson (CHS) wins off FF DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP CLARKSVILLE (26) ROSSVIEW (34) 152 CLASS- Aidan Brenot (CHS) def Julian Bershear (RHS) 160 CLASS- Michael Bissonett (CHS) def Jordan Musarra (RHS) 170 CLASS- Matthew Seeber (CHS) def Houston Brown (RHS) 182 CLASS- Zachary Duessler (RHS) def Memphis Smith (CHS) 195 CLASS- Ruben Avalos (RHS) def Deago Buck (CHS) 220 CLASS- Gary Cheesman (RHS) def Jace Powell (CHS) 285 CLASS- Kylar Edwards (CHS) def Ashton Chavis (RHS) 106 CLASS- Koen Ploeckelman (CHS) def Davion Wheeler (RHS) 113 CLASS- Devin Lozdoski (CHS) def Ben Mayberry (RHS) 120 CLASS- Zachariah Loreant (RHS) def Niko Gottlick (CHS) 126 CLASS- Jacob Miller (RHS) def Konnor Roach (DQ) (CHS) 132 CLASS- Bryce Woemer (RHS) def Camden Stahley (CHS) 138 CLASS- Samuel Shires (RHS) def Aiden Johnson (CHS) 145 CLASS- Jeb Burchett (RHS) def Malachi Robinson (CHS) Main Street Preps, PO Box 8156 Gallatin, TN | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Powered by BLOX Content Management System from TownNews.com.

Tennessee HS Wrestling Coaches Poll for week of Jan. 18 STAFF REPORTS sports@mainstreetmediatn.com Jan 19, 2021 Hunter Borders (right) and the Wilson Central Wildcats are ranked No. 3 in the latest Tennessee High School Wrestling Coaches Poll. FILE The top five teams remain unchanged in this week’s Tennessee High School Wrestling Coaches Poll. No. 1 Baylor, No. 2 Cleveland, No. 3 Wilson Central, No. 4 Christian Brothers and No. 5 Bradley Central are the clear-cut best teams according to the power rankings. Other ranked Nashville-area teams include No. 6 Father Ryan, No. 7 Blackman, No. 10 Summit and No. 12 Oakland. The poll is primarily a measure of dual meet strength with some consideration to individual tournament strength. Votes are cast by a statewide panel of high school wrestling coaches and are based on a maximum power ranking of 144 points. Below is the full list. Each school’s power ranking is followed by last week’s ranking in parentheses. 1. Baylor 141 (1) 2. Cleveland 133 (2) 3. Wilson Central 117 (3) 4. Christian Brothers 112 (4) 5. Bradley Central 96 (5) 6. Father Ryan 61 (12) 7. Blackman 59 (6) 8. McCallie 50 (7) 9. Pigeon Forge 46 (10) 10. Summit 42 (8) 11. Dobyns-Bennett 38 (9) 12. Oakland 13 (NR) Also receiving votes: Beech, Centennial, Clarksville, Heritage, MBA. From Wilson Post

High School Wrestling Wrestling: Fairview takes 3rd at GP West Invitational at Brentwood Wilson Central takes team title in Williamson County for second weekend in a row Herald Sports Jan 17, 2021 Updated Jan 17 Buy Now Patrick Styblo of Centennial wrestles Donovan Rich of Beech in the third round of the 195-pound division at the GP West Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 at Brentwood High School. See IMAGES for full photo gallery from the tournament. Photo by Charles Pulliam BRENTWOOD – The Fairview High School wrestling team continued to impress with another strong showing Saturday at the GP West Invitational at Brentwood High. The Yellow Jackets, who hosted and battled some of the state’s best last week in the first Yellow Jacket Invitational at home, collected a third-place showing in Saturday’s 10-team tournament. Wilson Central claimed five individual titles and won the team crown with 297.5 points, while Blackman (203) was second and Fairview third (178) to beat out Beech (149) and Arlington (133.5) among others. Wilson Central also won the team title at Fairview last week in another trip to the county. Wrestling Photo Gallery – GP West Invitational at Brentwood Brentwood High School hosted the 2021 GP West Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 featuring 10 teams, including Williamson County foes Fairview and Centennial. 1 of 26 Buy Now Dean Klueppelberg Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Blake Mitchell Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Arash Yazdani Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Patrick Styblo of Centennial wrestles Donovan Rich of Beech in the third round of the 195-pound division at the GP West Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 at Brentwood High School. See IMAGES for full photo gallery from the tournament. Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Damon Smith Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Dylan Rogers Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Aiden Scruggs Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Sam Frank Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Elijah Benfield Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now James Derrick Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Keegan Seaver of Fairview vs. Cole Moss of Brentwood Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Elijah Weston Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Elijah Weston Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Mathew Blaylock Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Kendrick Curtis Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Jake Beightol of Brentwood vs. Jashua Chew of Blackman Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Philip Pelkey Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Hunter Meade of Brentwood vs. Craig Sanford of Centennial Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Josh Helm Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Sam Hammon Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Ceron Campbell Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Aiden Thompson of Brentwood vs. Dylan Cockman of Arlington Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Noah Dixon Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Buy Now Patrick Styblo Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam Ken Curtis and Jacob Clevenger both won tournament titles to lead the Yellow Jackets. The 182-pound sophomore Curtis improved to 29-1 overall and pinned Matthew Hills of Wilson Central in the second round of the final. Clevenger, a 220-pound junior, avenged his only loss suffered last week against Wilson Central’s Noah Todd by pinning Todd early in the second round of his final. Fairview senior Riley Bennett fell by a 12-4 major decision against Wilson Central’s Riley Fort in a battle of returning state medalists in the 138-pound final. Both Marco Pukl (170) and Sam Hammon (285) captured third-place finishes for the Yellow Jackets as well. Other top finishers from the county included Centennial’s Ceron Campbell (145) and Patrick Styblo (195), who both closed third along with Brentwood’s Andrew Donelson at 132. The Bruins' Zach Ordonez settled for fourth after a narrow 5-4 decision against Blake Palmer of Beech in the third-place match at 113. Dean Klueppelberg also grabbed a fourth-place finish for Brentwood at 152. Wrestling: Fairview tips hat to Johnny Drennan Memorial, hosts high-caliber 8-team tourney 2021 GP West Invitational at Brentwood High School Jan. 16, 2021 Team Scores 1, Wilson Central 297.5 points; 2, Blackman 203; 3, Fairview 178; 4, Beech 149; 5, Arlington 133.5; 6, Clarksville 120; 7, Brentwood 106; 8, Centennial 75.5; 9, Lebanon 73.5; 10, Riverdale 27. Individual Results 106 1st Place – Aslan Nadeau, Blackman, maj. dec. Paul Johnson, Wilson Central. 9-1; 3rd Place – Koen Ploeckelman, Clarksville, pinned Sam Frank, Fairview, 1:49; 5th Place – Elijah Benfield, Centennial, pinned Aiden Scruggs, Brentwood, 0:08; 7th Place – Cohen Oswald, Beech, pinned Vincent Kennivong, Riverdale, 0:24. 113 1st Place – Justin Bradford, Blackman, pinned Nick Mercante Wilson Central, 1:31; 3rd Place – Blake Palmer, Beech, dec. Zach Ordonez, Brentwood, 5-4; 5th Place –Kaleb Reaume, Arlington, pinned Judah Lind, Centennial, 1:15; 7th Place –Josh Helm, Fairview, won by forfeit. 120 1st Place – Hunter Border, Wilson Central, pinned Grant Myers, Blackman, 4:47; 3rd Place – Hunter Heflin, Arlington, won by forfeit over Keegan Seaver, Fairview; 5th Place – Cole Moss, Brentwood, pinned Eiljah Weston, Centennial, 3:55; 7th Place – Coen Myers, Beech, dec. Niko Gottlick, Clarksville, 6-0. 126 1st Place - Trey Bates of Beech; 2nd Place - Mason Sells of Blackman; 3rd Place - Connor Warnock of Wilson Central; 4th Place - Javier Montero of Arlington; 5th Place - Arash Yazdani of Brentwood; 6th Place - Jeffery Anderson of Fairview. 132 1st Place – Avery Warnock, Wilson Central, dec. Adin Heathcott, 6-2; 3rd Place – Andrew Donelson, Brentwood, maj. dec. Cameron Cain, Beech, 14-4; 5th Place – Mathew Blaylock, Fairview, pinned Connor Coop, Clarksville, 0:29; 7th Place – Bryce Thomas, Lebanon, bye. 138 1st Place – Riley Fort, Wilson Central, maj. dec. Riley Bennett, Fairview, 12-4; 3rd Place – Aidan Johnson, Clarksville, dec. Jacob Roaten, Arlington, 7-6; 5th Place – Clark Vaughn, Brentwood, dec. William Griggs, Beech, 8-7; 7th Place – Josiah Pajarillo, Blackman, won by injury time over Nathan Alcoch, Centennial, 0:00. 145 1st Place – Cole Fort, Wilson Central, pinned Alex Rose, Blackman, 1:51); 3rd Place – Ceron Campbell, Centennial, pinned Nolan Sandefer, Lebanon, 2:11; 5th Place – Aiden Nettleton, Arlington, pinned Mathew Cox, Fairview, 1:36; 7th Place – Benjamin Ferguson, Riverdale, dec. Malachi Robinson, Clarksville, 2-1. 152 1st Place – Eli Clemmons, Lebanon, dec. Aidan Brenot, Clarksville, 4-3; 3rd Place – Steven Fisak, Wilson Central, pinned Dean Klueppelberg, Brentwood, 1:12; 5th Place – Blake Mitchell, Fairview, pinned William Clingan, Centennial, 2:48; 7th Place – Brayden James, Blackman, won by forfeit over Devyn Dates, Riverdale. 160 1st Place – Dylan Cockman, Arlington, dec. Matthew Seeber, Clarksville, 3-0; 3rd Place – Samuel Griggs, Wilson Central, won by injury time over Justin Brown, Blackman, 0:00; 5th Place – Jackson Light, Beech, pinned Alec Lewis, Riverdale, 2:00; 7th Place – Max Munson, Centennial, pinned Aiden Thompson, Brentwood, 2:39. 170 1st Place – Mason Smith, Beech, pinned Luke Krepela, Arlington, 3:38; 3rd Place – Marco Pukl, Fairview, pinned Jashua Chew, Blackman, 3:35; 5th Place – Brady Jarvis, Wilson Central, maj. dec. Jake Beightol, Brentwood, 13-0; 7th Place – Gipson Frost, Riverdale, bye. 182 1st Place – Ken Curtis, Fairview, pinned Matthew Hills, Wilson Central, 3:26; 3rd Place – Chase Rozell, Arlington, dec. Deago Buck, Clarksville, (SV-1) 5-3; 5th Place – Preston Clark, Beech, dec. Hunter Meade, Brentwood, 10-5; 7th Place – David Wilkinson, Blackman, pinned Craig Sanford, Centennial, 1:10. New venues secured for TSSAA State Wrestling Championships 195 1st Place - Donovan Rich of Beech; 2nd Place - Miles Workman of Blackman; 3rd Place - Patrick Styblo of Centennial; 4th Place - Connor Staggs of Wilson Central; 5th Place - Arie Donaldson of Fairview; 6th Place - Dylan Rogers of Brentwood. 220 1st Place – Jacob Clevenger, Fairview, pinned Noah Todd, Wilson Central, 2:35; 3rd Place – Eli Nelms, Lebanon, pinned Kyelar Edwards, Clarksville, 4:21; 5th Place – Noah Dixon, Brentwood, pinned Tytus Kirby-Reach, Blackman, 2:48; 7th Place – Jaylen Weist, Riverdale, pinned William Kalamen, Beech, 4:38. 285 1st Place – Jesse Richardson, Wilson Central, pinned Kaden White, Beech, 0:33; 3rd Place – Sam Hammon, Fairview, pinned Jayden Hemphill, Blackman, 3:21; 5th Place – Zyrion Elliott, Clarksville, pinned Marhius Watkins, Riverdale, 1:13; 7th Place – Jeremiah Logan, Arlington, bye. williamsonherald.com 1117 Columbia Ave. Franklin, TN 37064 Phone: 615-790-6465 Email: web@williamsonherald.com ---------------- Union Co. KY https://www.thegleaner.com/story/sports/2021/01/18/union-county-splits-matches-bryce-sheffer-memorial-duals/4202441001/

High School Wrestling Wrestling: Brentwood, Page win WillCo showdowns: BGA splits at Wilson Central Herald Sports Jan 13, 2021 Updated Jan 13, 2021 Buy Now Thomas Brown of Page Photo by Charles Pulliam @cspulliam The Brentwood High School and Page High wrestling teams collected dual wins in a pair of all-Williamson County battles Tuesday. The Bruins took down Franklin 42-33, while the Patriots edged Nolensville 35-33. Cole Moss, the Bruins’ 120-pounder, Andrew Donelson (126) and Brock Wittman (132) opened the dual with pins to lead Brentwood. Similarly, Page opened with three wins against Nolensville, including a Seth Wright third-round pin at 160. Mason Hitt (113) and Thomas Brown (120) picked up key victories late in the dual as well. Brentwood def. Franklin, 42-33 120 – Cole Moss, BHS, pinned Caleb Jay, 2:44; 126 – Andrew Donelson, BHS, pinned Stephen Peck, 1:42; 132 – Brock Wittman, FHS, pinned Arash Yazdani, 0:52; 138 – Clark Vaughn, BHS, pinned JD Saulters, 0:51; 145 – Xander Smartt, BHS, pinned Audrey Fletcher, 3:41; 152 – Dean Klueppelberg, BHS, dec. Josh Samford, 11-6; 160 – Wyatt Gibbs, BHS, dec. Gabriel Green, 9-7; 170 – Sawyer Robinson, FHS, pinned Jake Beightol, 1:14; 182 – Daniel Helton, FHS, pinned Hunter Meade, 1:23; 195 – Dominic Green, FHS, pinned Dylan Rogers, 4:31; 220 – Noah Dixon, BHS, pinned Max Ponce, 3:01; 285 – Fisher Anderson, FHS, won by forfeit; 106 – Aiden Scruggs, BHS, won by forfeit; 113 – Owen Gobel, FHS, dec. Zach Ordonez, 13-6. Page def. Nolensville, 35-33 152 – Josh Ward, PHS, maj. dec. Tate Crowell, 16-4; 160 – Seth Wright, PHS, pinned Joshua Bryant, 4:52; 170 – Will Parcel, PHS, dec. Hayden Sinner, 13-11; 182 – Gavin Rich, NHS, dec. Sergio Benavides, 7-1; 195 – Nathan Montpool, NHS, pinned Will Nixon, 1:16; 220 – Mitchell Lambert, PHS, pinned Bailey Black, 2:53; 285 – Parker Short, NHS, won by forfeit; 106 – Payton Bures, NHS, maj. dec. Cosmo O’Neal, 12-4; 113 – Mason Hitt, PHS, maj. dec. Jack Henson, 12-1; 120 – Thomas Brown, PHS, pinned Alexander Hardain, 1:23; 126 – Dakota Pattee, NHS, pinned O’Neal Sebastian, 1:46; 132 – Riley Lippincott, NHS, maj. dec. Grant Hawkinson, 8-0; 138 – Gabe Miroquesada, PHS, won by disqualification; 145 – Cole Smith, NHS, maj. dec. Collins Fiscus, 11-3. BGA splits at Wilson Central The Wildcats dropped a dual against host Wilson Central Tuesday, but bounced back for a 54-24 win over Mt. Juliet. Carter Baumgartner, a 145-pounder, Max Sale (182), Iman Lohrasbi (195) and Jeremiah Rhames (220) all picked up pins to lead BGA against Mt. Juliet. Miller Barnett claimed a big win against Wilson Central’s Matthew Hills for a narrow one-point decision victory in “the match of the night,” according to Wildcats coach Robert Jemison. Submit scores and results to charles@williamsonherald.com. williamsonherald.com 1117 Columbia Ave. Franklin, TN 37064 Phone: 615-790-6465 Email: web@williamsonherald.com _____________________ Memphis updates, who to watch... https://www.commercialappeal.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commercialappeal.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fhigh-school%2F2021%2F01%2F14%2Fhigh-school-sports-21-memphis-area-athletes-watch-2021-dallan-hayden%2F4126260001%2F __________ Times Free Press coverage of North Georgia. Great to see Heritage's Mike Craft still at it... Sports: Preps Northwest Georgia wrestling teams among favorites as altered postseason begins January 14th, 2021 | by Lindsey Young As with nearly every sport during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Georgia High School Association wrestling postseason will have a decidedly different look this winter. In an effort to limit the amount of people at competitions, the GHSA will hold all its tournaments at school sites. The postseason begins this week with area duals (for the bottom three classifications) and region duals (for the top four classifications) and will continue next week with the newly added state preliminaries round. Those four-team qualifying tournaments — seeded based on area finish — will be held Jan. 22-23 at each area or region champion's school. One team will advance from the qualifying round, and each of the eight qualifiers in each classification will compete for state championships at predetermined host sites. The GHSA, in an effort to even out the number of teams in each area, has created new areas in the lower three classifications. For instance, Region 6-AAA, which has nine schools, has its wrestling teams scattered across three areas. Coahulla Creek, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Ringgold and Sonoraville will wrestle at LaFayette in the Area 6 tournament, while Murray County and North Murray will be at the Area 5 event at Region 7 member Gilmer and Rockmart is hosting the Area 4 tournament, where the competition will include fellow Region 6 member Adairsville. With the exception of the event at LaFayette, which will take place Friday, all of the area/region tournaments involving local schools are this Saturday. The thinning of the tournaments has taken some of the intrigue out of the opening round for postseason duals. For example, only one team will be eliminated at LaFayette, though winning the tournament will have its advantages. "The winner of the area will host the quad tournament next week, so that's big," said Sonoraville coach Randy Steward, whose team is seeking its first state duals championship after winning three consecutive state traditional tournament titles in Class AAA. "We've got experienced guys back," Stewart added, "and those guys have to get bonus points at every weight possible for us to win this." Leading the charge for the Phoenix are Eli Knight (132 pounds), David O'Neal (145), Colt Weaver (160), Gavin Harper (182), Jebb Knight (195), Joseph Bryan (220) and Jaxx Knight (285). Heritage is hosting the 7-AAAA tournament, and the Generals figure to be in a three-way fight for the title with Northwest Whitfield and Central-Carrollton. The Generals will field a young squad that has underclassmen filling eight of the 14 weight classes, though sophomore Tate Thomas (106) is a returning state qualifier. "I think we have a shot at winning the area if everything goes our way," said Heritage coach Mike Craft, who also has returning state qualifiers in Mike Stokes (152) and Zach Brown (220). Craft also said COVID-19 could cause teams to have to alter their lineups — or worse. "There may already be a team that may have to drop out due to COVID," he said. "We don't know anything for sure yet." One of most competitive tournaments this week is expected to the Area 7-AA event at Model High School in Rome, where the host is the favorite. Dade County had a strong postseason a year ago, though, and coach Jeff Poston believes his Wolverines will likely battle Pepperell for second place. "I think Model has the most complete team in our area this year, and Pepperell has three or four really good kids," said Poston, whose team is led by state traditional medalists Cayden Cooper, Jake Gatlin and Cody Williams. "We have a chance, but we don't have a full lineup right now, so I don't have any moves to make and matchups will be key." One 7-AA team likely not in contention is Chattooga, which swept the dual and traditional state titles in 2020. Coach Brian Beasley said the Indians, on top of "big losses due to graduation," are without several returning wrestlers for reasons ranging from personal matters to COVID-19. "It's been a rough year," Beasley said. Trion is hosting the Area 7-A tournament and will be a strong favorite after winning a state duals title a year ago. The Bulldogs are 10-0 this season and have won championships at the Carrollton Duals, John Smith Invitational, Rockmart Invitational and the Dick Clem Invitational. Calhoun is competing in the 7-AAAAA tournament at Cartersville, while Dalton is part of the 5-AAAAAA event at Carrollton. Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.

Press coverage from the Boro's Post... Tennessee HS Wrestling Coaches Poll for week of Jan. 11 STAFF REPORTS sports@mainstreetmediatn.com Jan 12, 2021 Mt. Juliet's Anthony Pyron (left) tangles with Wilson Central's Matthew Hills on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020 at WCHS. FILE/BOB TAMBOL Baylor, Cleveland, Wilson Central, Christian Brothers and Bradley Central held steady as the top five teams in this week’s Tennessee High School Wrestling Coaches Poll. Nashville-area teams in the rest of the rankings include No. 6 Blackman, No. 8 Summit, No. 11 Beech and No. 12 Father Ryan. The poll is primarily a measure of dual meet strength with some consideration to individual tournament strength. Votes are cast by a statewide panel of high school wrestling coaches and are based on a maximum power ranking of 144 points. Below is the full list. Each school’s power ranking is followed by last week’s ranking in parentheses. 1. Baylor 141 (1) 2. Cleveland 125 (2) 3. Wilson Central 123 (3) 4. Christian Brothers 113 (4) 5. Bradley Central 97 (5) 6. Blackman 57 (8) 7. McCallie 56 (6) 8. Summit 51 (9) 9. Dobyns-Bennett 45 (7) 10. Pigeon Forge 33 (11) 11. Beech 28 (10) 12. Father Ryan 23 (NR) Also receiving votes: Centennial, Clarksville, Fairview, Heritage, MBA, Nolensville, Oakland, Rossview, Science Hill, Signal Mountain, Walker Valley

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS New wrestling facility, other improvements planned for Arlington High By Michael Waddell, Special to the Daily MemphianPublished: January 03, 2021 4:00 AM CT A rendering of the new wrestling facility at Arlington High School. Construction of the 14,500 square-foot facility will begin in early 2021. (Renaissance Group Architects) Following success in recent years on the state, regional and local levels, Arlington High’s wrestling squads will be rewarded next fall with a new home facility. Construction will begin on the $3.9 million building early next year. “I really think it’s going to turn a lot of heads when it gets built,” Jonathan Simpson, Arlington’s head wrestling coach, said. “For the school, it’s going to be on par with the exceptional facilities that they’ve been building, and I personally believe it’s going to be the top-of-the-line facility in West Tennessee.” His Arlington squads have only lost two Division I matches to local opponents over the past six years, and the program has produced multiple state medalists including two state champions and a state runner-up. Wrestling, in terms of district, regional and state championships/titles, is the top-performing sport at AHS, but wrestling matches have been relegated to a small gym in the back of the high school. Lakeland High School construction on track for fall 2022 opening “We’re moving into that echelon of the schools that are willing to provide not only athletic opportunities for our students but are also giving our sports programs the facilities to provide excellence for those student-athletes,” said Simpson. “Since I’ve been at Arlington, we have not had our own place to work out. Now, we’ll have an extremely nice facility to call home where we can continue to build tradition.” He looks forward to seeing the school’s various banners and awards decorating the walls of the new facility. “For us, a big hurdle is keeping the kids in our area, so they don’t go to a variety of other private schools,” said Simpson. “In a lot of cases, that comes down to facilities.” Arlington also has a youth wrestling program for K-8 students, who will also use the new facility. “Coach Simpson, his staff and our athletes have built a wrestling program that’s been recognized statewide for its achievements,” Jeff Mayo, Arlington Community Schools superintendent, said. “This new facility will give our athletes even more opportunities to host local and statewide competitions, a chance to build their skills to remain competitive for potential scholarships and help recruit future Tigers through the Arlington Wrestling feeder program.” Earlier this month the Arlington Planning Commission approved the site plan for general contractor Chris Woods Construction, and they hope to start work by Feb. 1, according to project manager Grant Mills. “The objective is to have substantial completion done by August before school starts,” said Mills. Lakeland-based Renaissance Group Architects designed the facility, which will measure close to 14,500 square feet and attach to the existing school. In addition to seating for 300, the addition will have a gymnasium, locker rooms, coach’s offices, weight rooms and lobby area. A new parking lot will add 127 spaces on the southwest side of the school. The project also includes a new 1,150-square-foot soccer concessions and restroom facility on the west side of the soccer field, replacing an existing small ticket booth/concession stand. “After our initial planning, we learned through the architect that we could do a suite of projects at a cheaper cost, so that’s why we expanded it to include these other items as well,” Mayo said. ACS wants to make sure the project reaches more than just one set of students by benefiting both male and female sports. In recent years, the school’s dance and cheer teams have sometimes used the rotunda in the middle of the school for practices. “In addition to wrestling, the new facility will be utilized by the cheer and dance teams when it’s not in use, and with the project adding a new concession stand and restrooms at the soccer complex, we’re making sure that both male and female soccer athletes are seeing the benefits as well,” Mayo said. Mills sees minimal preliminary site work necessary to get construction underway. “It’s nothing like what the school’s new indoor training facility required, where we had to install 11-foot-tall concrete stem walls and 27,000 yards of dirt to fill that in,” he said. Arlington High debuts new indoor athletic practice facility Arlington High’s new $4 million indoor athletic training facility (also built by Chris Woods) that opened in October and the planned wrestling facility are part of the district’s five-year capital improvement blueprint. Chris Woods is currently building a similar wrestling facility as part of the new Lakeland Preparatory high school wing, which should open by the fall of 2022. There also are expected to build a new replacement gymnasium for Collierville Elementary.HIGHOOLRESTLING JEFAHAN SIMPSON CHRIS WOODS CONSTRUCTION Michael Waddell Michael Waddell is a native Memphian with more than 20 years of professional writing and editorial experience, working most recently with The Daily News and High Ground News.

Long-time MBA wrestling coach honored for distinguished service December 21, 2020 Frank Simpson Wrestling's been a part of Frank Simpson's life, well, almost longer than he can remember. The legendary Montgomery Bell Academy coach first wrestled in high school at Father Ryan, then collegiately at MTSU and since has logged more than four decades in the sport that he grew to love from a mere happenstance event. “I actually saw my first wrestling match in 1968 when I went and watched Father Ryan wrestle Notre Dame,” Simpson said. “At that time my oldest sister (Sue Ann) was dating a wrestler at Ryan, and I thought it would be cool to see what wrestling is all about. “The rest is history. Fell in love with the sport that night.” Since then, Simpson – and his brother, Patrick, Father Ryan's wrestling coach and a former national wrestling coach of the year – have been intertwined with the sport in the Volunteer State. For these reasons and myriad others, Frank Simpson is the TSSAA's Distinguished Service Award recipient for the month of December. Frank has spent more than a quarter-century at the prestigious MBA, a school that demands in all facets the discipline Simpson expects from both his wrestlers and himself. This year, however, is a new role for the veteran coach and MTSU Wrestling Hall of Famer. This year, son Patrick Simpson is MBA's head coach. Dad is the assistant. “Having Patrick there, it's been an easy transition for me probably because he's a lot like his dad,” said Simpson, who began his career as a 98-pound wrestler and finished it at 142. “He's been a great asset as an assistant coach, has done all that I've asked him to do and more. So that's been a pleasure to work with him and seeing him grow as a young teacher and coach. “I just felt it was time to give him the reins and let him start being the head coach. Our school has been very good about letting Patrick take that role. I'm sure a lot of people would have loved to have that job, but they felt like they had the right one with Patrick and we work well together. The kids have accepted Patrick as their head coach and look up to him. I enjoy seeing him taking that leadership role. He's going to be very successful, too.” The elder Simpson's presence and success have been synonymous for so long at MBA. It's hardly gone unnoticed. “Frank has been an institution at MBA,” said Brad Lampley, his son, Jackson, a former MBA football All-America selection who signed with Tennessee, and who has served on the Nashville Sports Council and Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame boards. “What he has done with the wrestling program has been incredible, but what he has done in helping shape these young men into productive citizens, husbands, fathers is truly remarkable. “MBA has been richly blessed by Frank Simpson and his family.” Simpson cares little for any spotlight. He wants the focus on the kids, be it his wrestlers or otherwise. This COVID-19 pandemic year is unprecedented, even for someone whose love for the sport stretches to the late 1960s. “Obviously wrestling's been my expertise and it's just working with the kids and seeing the kids grow,” said Simpson, one of nine kids growing up and who, with wife, Margaret, have 10 children. “Most of the kids that I get have never wrestled before and my philosophy in coaching has always been to not build just wrestlers but build men of good character. A lot of people have asked me who's your most successful wrestler, and it's not always the state champions and guys who achieve the most on the mat. It's what I see in them 10, 15, 20 years down the road, good family men, married with children and doing a good job. That's what I consider success. “The pandemic has really been a stressful year for not just me as a coach but it is for every coach. It's put a lot of extra pressure on the coaches to keep the kids safe, so that they can continue to compete.” Father and son have worked diligently on the program's COVID-19 protocols in order to give this season's MBA squad its best opportunity for maximum competition. “We've worked very well together putting in the protocols that we have to try to keep our boys safe,” said Simpson, whose five sons all wrestled for him and three of whom wrestled collegiately at West Point. “It's a difficult year trying to get matches and keep a schedule. “We keep moving forward, and the big thing is our kids on our team understand the times that we're in and how we're trying to keep them safe and still have a season. It's been difficult for every coach in the country, but I'm proud of our kids.” https://tssaa.org/article/long-time-mba-wrestling-coach-honored-for-distinguished-service

Dobyns-Bennett grapplers have goal of state title Jeff Birchfield Dec 18, 2020 Dobyns-Bennett’s Tre Morrisette, left, was the Kingsport Times News Super 14 wrestler of the year in 2020 and the defending Class AAA state champion at 160 pounds. File photo Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Save KINGSPORT — The goals couldn’t be any higher for the Dobyns-Bennett wrestling team. Ranked No. 4 in the latest Class AAA state wrestling poll, they got off to a fast start to the season, winning over eight teams at last weekend’s Indian Classic. However, the Indians suffered a setback late Wednesday when they were put on quarantine for contract tracing due to a positive COVID-19 test for one of the teams which competed at the Buck Van Huss Dome. On the mat, D-B boasts a senior-laden bunch led by individual state champions Jackson Hurst and Tre Morrisette. Wrestling is unique in that the Indians have two chances to become state champions, either at the state duals or the state individual championships. “It’s definitely one of the goals we have. The team is motivated and excited,” coach Wesley Idlette said. “During practice, they’re focused and they’re thankful when we get to practice every day with the uncertainty of everything. They’re locked in and feel they can compete with anybody.” Last season, D-B lost in the semifinals at the duals to eventual state champion Cleveland. The Tribe lost by one point to Bradley Central in the consolation bracket. This year’s team is built around four outstanding seniors. Besides the two state champions, there is Morrisette’s twin brother Clint, the defending region champion at 170 pounds, and three-time Region 1 champion Brennan Watkins at 132. “We have four wrestlers ranked at the top of the state. That’s usually unheard of in a wrestling room,” Idlette said. “They continue to motivate everybody. The younger wrestlers look up to them because they’re setting the standard for Dobyns-Bennett wrestling.” They were integral in Idlette’s plans when he took over the program. The group proved to be not only talented, but extremely coachable and quickly bought into the new coach’s philosophies. All four won their weight classes at last weekend’s Indian Classic, where the Indians were the tops out of nine teams including local squads from Tennessee High, David Crockett and Science Hill. Clint Morrisette was named the meet’s most outstanding wrestler. Gavin Armstrong at 120 and Aidan Rhoton at 182 posted second-place finishes, while Garrett Crowder was third at 195. Armstrong is the leader in the lower weight classes, which also includes Jacob Gabello at 106 and Judah Moore at 113. “As a freshman, he had close to 40 wins,” Idlette said about Armstrong. “He made the finals as a sophomore where he lost to a very tough opponent. He definitely has the opportunity to medal, and if he continues to wrestle well, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him win a state title.” Other starters include Cannon Mullins at 120, Watkins at 132, Greyson Cunningham at 138 and Eli Whitley at 145. Starting with Hurst at 152, the Morrisette brothers at 160 and 170, Rhoton and Crowder, it’s a stretch of matches few opponents are ready to face. “That’s obviously the strength of our team,” he said. “Whenever we’re wrestling a team and we get to that section, we’re pretty hard to beat with several of the top wrestlers in the state.” The heavier classes include Nicholas Byrd at 220 and Eseka Kipimo at heavyweight. Caleb Burleson, the defending Region 1 champion, wrestled at the Indian Classic. However, Burleson is currently taking a break after a long football season where he was the starting center for the Indians. EXTRA PRECAUTIONS With no sport having closer contact than wrestling, D-B has been taking extra precautions to try to keep its wrestlers safe through the COVID-19 pandemic. The team is divided into three groups with two wrestling rooms and the other group doing conditioning in the Van Huss Dome. As the groups rotate, the mats are cleaned and other processes are in place to keep everything as sanitary as possible. “We know it’s the closest contact sport, so we’re doing the best that we can,” Idlette said. “It takes a lot on the front end logistically, but you have to do it the right way.” NORTHEAST TENNESSEE Idlette comes from the traditionally strong Chattanooga area and was a standout high school wrestler at Baylor. He sees Northeast Tennessee with D-B, Science Hill and Tennessee High catching up to the Chattanooga and Nashville areas which have dominated the sport. “I know how strong the Chattanooga area has been historically, and I talk to our local coaches all the time about what we need to do to compete with those schools,” he said. “It all starts with the feeder programs, having those 5-6-year-olds wanting to wear the singlet. We’re starting to see our area catch up based on the state placement and the state champions from our region.” https://www.timesnews.net/sports/dobyns-bennett-grapplers-have-goal-of-state-title/article_c04ac09a-40bc-11eb-acfe-e3bc7e5c00c3.html

Fairview High Wrestlers win Cheatham Co. Dual Championship for second straight year BIFF CURTIS Dec 16, 2020 1 of 10 The Fairview High Wrestling Team earned the title of Cheatham County Dual Tournament Champions for the second straight year. MELISSA DELANO FHS wrestler Keegan Seaver competes on December 10, 2020. JENNIFER REYNOLDS FHS wrestler Malachi Bennett in action on December 10, 2020. JENNIFER REYNOLDS Fairview wrestler William Borre on the mat December 10, 2020. FHS’ Etien Mugnier stands strong against his opponent December 10, 2020. Yellow Jacket Kendrick Curtis wrestles for a pin and win December 10, 2020. Jacket wrestler Arie Donaldson on December 10, 2020. Fairview’s Jacob Clevenger eager to show his skills December 10, 2020. FHS’ Sam Hammon looking strong on the mat December 10, 2020. Kendrick Curtis with a pin over Creekwood’s Micah McGraecke at 195-lb in the Cheatham County Duals. BIFF CURTIS Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Save The Fairview High School Yellow Jacket Wrestling Team earned the title of Cheatham County Dual Tournament Champions for the second straight year. The wrestlers of Fairview High School are celebrating after hosting three events at home and traveling to Cheatham County during the week of December 5-12. Even with several injuries, the Jackets were able to fight for a 9-0 dual record during the week. Here is a scoring recap for the week: December 5 FHS 64 – Millington 18 FHS 59 – White House Heritage 21 FHS 44 – Brentwood Academy 36 December 8 FHS 64 – White House 14 December 10 FHS 41 – Nolensville 36 FHS 44 – Franklin 24 December 12 - Cheatham Duals Tournament FHS 54 – Creekwood 12 FHS 49 Cheatham Co 30 FHS 51 – Harpeth 24 FHS 45 – Sycamore 33 Several FHS wrestlers went undefeated during the week including: Jacob Clevenger (220lb/285lb) 10-0 with 7 pins; Kendrick Curtis (182lb) 10-0 with 6 pins, Riley Bennett (145lb/152lb) 6-0 with 2 pins, and Keegan Seaver (126lb) 10-0 with 4 pins. A few other standout matches that contributed to team wins were Etienne Mugnier (152lb) vs Nolensville, Jeffrey Anderson (132lb) vs Sycamore, Sam Borre (138lb) vs Creekwood, and Marco Pukl (170lb) vs Sycamore. The Jackets have a week of practice before heading to the Brentwood Academy Duals next weekend with BA, Brentwood, Knoxville Halls, Page, Centennial, West Creek, and Memphis University School. https://www.mainstreetpreps.com/county/williamson/fairview-high-wrestlers-win-cheatham-co-dual-championship-for-second-straight-year/article_02daeae8-3f5f-11eb-9f62-fbd136d8a345.html

UTC Wrestling Announces 2021 Schedule Friday, December 11, 2020 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling coach Kyle Ruschell announced the Mocs' 2021 schedule today. Action begins Jan. 2 and includes 12 dual matches in the COVID-19 shortened season. UTC previously announced the cancelation of the 2021 Southern Scuffle but will still host a dual on Jan. 2 when the Mocs open the season against Emmanuel. Chattanooga welcomes the NCAA Division II Lions to Maclellan Gym at 2:00 p.m. (E.S.T.). Chattanooga's other non-conference action is a quad-meet at Oklahoma State on Jan. 10. UTC faces Oklahoma State, Little Rock and Oregon State in Stillwater, Okla. "Putting together a schedule in this environment has definitely been a challenge, but we appreciate everyone's patience," stated Ruschell. "I think what we have set up for this condensed season will get us ready to compete for the Southern Conference Championship and the NCAA Tournament." The Southern Conference announced this week that the wrestling championships have moved up a week to Saturday, Feb. 28, in Boone, N.C. This allows for more time to prepare for the NCAA Championships on March 18-20 in St. Louis, Mo. The condensed SoCon regular season schedule includes four tri-meets, beginning Jan. 17 at Gardner-Webb. UTC faces GWU and The Citadel to open league action. The Mocs take on VMI and Davidson in Davidson, N.C., on Jan. 23. That is followed by a trip to Boone, N.C., to face Appalachian State and Presbyterian on Jan. 31. The final duals of the season are Feb. 5 when UTC hosts Campbell and Bellarmine in McKenzie Arena. At this time, fans are not allowed at the Jan. 2 or Feb. 5 duals, so no season tickets are on sale. That decision will continue to be evaluated throughout the season. All of the home matches will broadcast on ESPN+.

From Jeff Price: 12/7/2020 THIS IS THE FIRST POLL OF THE SEASON. Now in its 29th year, The Poll is primarily a measure of dual meet strength with some consideration to individual tournament strength. Votes are cast by a state-wide panel of high school wrestling coaches and are based on a maximum Power Ranking of 144. STATE POLL: RANK SCHOOL POWER RANKING LAST WEEK 1 BAYLOR 131 2 CLEVELAND 129 3 WILSON CENTRAL 118 4 CHRISTIAN BROTHERS 103 5 BRADLEY CENTRAL 98 6 MCCALLIE 83 7 DOBYNS-BENNETT 72 8 BLACKMAN 70 9 SUMMIT 24 10 BEECH 16 11 PIGEON FORGE 15 12 BRENTWOOD 14 ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: CENTENNIAL, CLARKSVILLE, COLLIERVILLE, FATHER RYAN, GIBBS, HALLS, HERITAGE, LAKEWAY ACADEMY, MBA, OAKLAND, ROSSVIEW, SCIENCE HILL, WALKER VALLEY https://williamsonsource.com/tennessee-high-school-wrestling-poll-for-december-7-2020/

Brothers Martin comes to Tennessee again https://www.nola.com/sports/high_schools/article_11bbebb2-38c4-11eb-8fa5-b7e9c3dc268d.html

Not bad recruiting coaches.... CHATTANOOGA MOCS Dale Rutemeyer Mocs Ink Three State Champs in Early Signing Period 11/23/2020 10:08:00 AM Head Coach Kyle Ruschell. GIVE TO UTC WRESTLING University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling head coach Kyle Ruschell signed three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. All three future Mocs are state champions and all are set to join the program in the fall of 2021. "I am excited about this group we have coming in," said Ruschell. "They are all winners and have competed at a high level. I look forward to seeing the impact they will have on our program." This group includes Dayne Dalrymple (Memphis, Tenn.), Blake Boarman (Evansville, Ind.) and Hunter Noland (Dalton, Ga.). Dalrymple won the 2020 Tennessee Division II state title at 120 pounds as a junior at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis. He finished with a 53-7 record last season. He was 52-6 as a sophomore and finished third at the state tournament. "We are excited to add to Dayne to our Chattanooga Wrestling Family," stated Ruschell. "He is one of the top seniors from the state of Tennessee. He is an exceptional worker and embodies our Chattanooga Wrestling Philosophy." "I am looking forward to adding to the Christian Brothers pipeline. They are a fantastic program and continue to produce guys that are prepared." Boarman went 39-3 as a junior on his way to a 138-pound state title at Mater Dei High School in Evansville, Ind. He also earned All-American honors at both the Flo Nationals and the UWW Cadet Nationals. "Blake is a very talented wrestler from a big wrestling state," added Ruschell. "Indiana only has one division, so this kid knows how to win. I am excited to add him to our lower weights and watch the competition in the room." Boarman was a state runner-up at 120 pounds as a sophomore and a UWW Cadet Nationals All-American in 2017. His overall prep record currently sits at 115-7, competing for head coach Greg Schaefer. "Blake has a nice double leg and some high level re-attacks," continued Ruschell. "He is coachable and constantly working to improve. His relentless pressure makes him a perfect fit for Chattanooga Wrestling!" Noland comes from nearby Dalton High School in Dalton, Ga., where he competed for head coach and former UTC All-American Michael Keefe. Noland is a two-time Georgia state champion with a 111-2 record over the last two seasons. "Hunter is a local kid that has wrestled under UTC Alum Michael Keefe," said Ruschell. "Coach Keefe has done an outstanding job instilling the Chattanooga Wrestling mentality in guys like Hunter." Noland was a two-year starter in football, but is only wrestling during his senior year. He was a state runner-up as a freshman before winning titles at 126 and 138, respectively. "Hunter Noland has a ton of upside," added Ruschell. "This is his first year wrestling all year round and it has made a national impact. His speed, strength, and athleticism are going to be fun to watch in a Chattanooga singlet. The sky is the limit for this kid."

Congrats to all who even attended.. Just saw this article showing some recognition to Tennessee wrestling... A notable nugget of information discovered by Willie Saylor of MatScouts was that Tennessee had as many (3) placewinners at the boys high school level as did California. No disrespect to Tennessee, but these two states are rarely mentioned in the same breath when it comes to wrestling accomplishments. Of course, there are plenty of possible explanations for this. First is the proximity of the Super 32 (Greensboro, NC/Myrtle Beach, SC) to Tennessee compared to California. Another factor is that wrestlers in California have experienced much more difficulty trying to train compared to the rest of the country. And to give Tennessee it’s due, they have a good crop of young talent current in their high school ranks. https://news.theopenmat.com/high-school-wrestling/super-32-standouts-from-non-traditional-power-states/79187

Arthur "Artie" Edgar Manning Jr. Oct 11, 2020 Updated 23 hrs ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Save Arthur Edgar Manning Jr., “Artie / Coach Manning / Mr. Artie” went to be with the Lord Wednesday morning, October 7th, 2020 after a heroic two-year battle with cancer. He was born in Clarksville, Tennessee on February 27th, 1948 to Arthur Edgar Manning Sr. and Elizabeth Carney Manning. His father lost his life in 1951 as POW in the Korean Conflict and, his mother later married Pastor Ben Binkley. Artie’s mother passed away in 1984. Ben and his wife Dee Binkley were at Artie’s side to comfort him in his final days. Artie lost his wife Bobbie Leigh Manning in 2014. He is survived by his 3 children: Francie Tierney (Wes), Lindsey De Jesus (Omar) and Drayton Hughes. He has three beautiful grandchildren Carson Quintard, Cruz De Jesus, and Emma Tierney. He was cared for by all the children and his good friend Jennifer Rudolph. Artie left a huge impact on not only the Clarksville community but many of the lives within the community. He did this through his kindness, friendship, and leadership that he brought with him to every conversation and interaction he had throughout the day. He graduated Sewanee Military Academy (now St. Andrews – Sewanee School) in 1966. He was awarded the SAS Service Award in 2019 for his involvement in the “Last Cadet Statue” project that now stands in front of Quintard Hall on the former SMA campus. The statue is there to commemorate Sewanee Military Academy, and the hands on the statue were molded from Artie’s hands. He went on to graduate from Austin Peay State University with a both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education. He was a proud member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and was involved in recolonizing the group in recent years and also served as Chapter Advisor. Artie had a servant’s heart and worked many places in Clarksville including Acme Boot Company, Orgain Building Supply, the City of Clarksville and Montgomery County. While working for the Gas and Water department he developed Gas and Water University. This program gave workers a chance to learn more about the department and even came with a graduation ceremony, rings, pictures and more. He also developed a training program with D2 Energy that has been implemented throughout the state that has taught critical information on water conservation and improved water quality for Tennesseans. He taught architecture and drafting at Clarksville High School where he was also a coach. Artie was instrumental in raising the bar for TSSAA wrestling in not only Clarksville but the entire state of Tennessee. He helped Clarksville High School make transitions with more than 9 head coaches and he was a driving force to hire Coach Jeff Jordan that led Clarksville High to a State Duals Championship and a Traditional State Championship in 2000. He organized and raised funds to build a wrestling building at Clarksville High that was later named in his honor. Artie received his green jacket signifying his membership into the Tennessee Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He retired from wrestling in 2014 after dedicating over 50 year to the sport. Many of the current coaches in the area are there because Artie asked/told them to be there. During Clarksville High’s 2020 homecoming game on October 2nd his children accepted his award for being inducted into the Clarksville High School Coaching Hall of Fame. He was an important person to a lot of people. When asked what he would like to be remembered for he said: I just want people to say, “Artie Manning was my friend”. In lieu of flowers the family has requested that you make donations to two of his favorite places: Clarksville High School Wrestling: The Takedown Club, 151 Richview Rd. Clarksville, TN 37043 Sewanee Military Academy and St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School: St. Andrew’s Sewanee School, 290 Quintard Road, Sewanee, TN 37375 Service times are to be announced. Online condolences may be made at www.Navefuneralhomes.com. https://www.mainstreetclarksville.com/obituaries/arthur-edgar-manning-jr/article_0c777440-0c33-11eb-b40d-7fd005dbdb12.html

Especially individual!!! Why not? __________________________________ 15 years ago remembered... Blackman recognizes one great one that was out-voted for MOW to Cleveland's Danny Cole for his 4 excellent years, with the exception of the Bundy soph loss (Hendersonville/Army). Kenny Meredith Sports: Wrestling, football The 2005 graduate was the first state champion in Blackman history, capturing the Class AAA state title in the 189-pound division in 2005 (over Clarksville's Jim Weakley). He went 43-0 that season and was all-area wrestler of the year and named The Tennessean's All-Midstate Wrestler of the Year. Meredith placed at the state tournament three times, finishing his Blackman career with a 169-17 record before going on to wrestle at Central Oklahoma. He was a two-time all-state performer in football (2003, 2004) and became the first Blaze running back to rush for 300 yards in a game. https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/09/24/high-school-sports-blackman-induct-four-into-hall-fame/3517764001/

Union county Invasion... https://gomocs.com/news/2020/9/21/wrestling-another-kentucky-state-champ-among-mocs-newcomers.aspx

Interesting read on classifications... https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/sports/tssaa-turns-its-back-on-mid-sized-schools/article_94a3da8a-e6e9-11ea-bd3d-d70ce3812bc7.html

How many of you have watched this movie...

The Ervin Union county Moc invasion continues... https://gomocs.com/news/2020/8/20/wrestling-three-time-kentucky-state-champ-part-of-incoming-class.aspx

https://techlunchpail.com/blog/virginia-tech-wrestling-lands-commitment-from-cooper-flynn

I Like it!! GoMocs.com returns to its profiling of the incoming recruiting class of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team. This week's article takes a look at two-time Kentucky state champion Micah Ervin. Ervin is a native of Morganfield, Ky., and competed for Union County High School. The son of Robert and Laura Ervin, Micah wrestled for his father at Union County. The Braves are the five-time defending state team champions with 12 titles overall. Micah competed at 182 as a senior, where he won his second consecutive state championship by pinning his finals opponent in 20 seconds. He projects at 184 or 197 at the collegiate level. He was 92-4 in his final two years of prep competition. He was an NHCSA National Champion as a freshman and finished fourth as a junior. "Micah is a great addition to an already talented upper weight class," stated UTC wrestling head coach Kyle Ruschell. "He has been around the sport his entire life and knows what it takes. Watching his brothers go through it at different schools, he will come in right away to push our team to be great. "He comes from a hard-nosed family that fights on the mat and gives their all. I am excited to have the Ervin family a part of our team."Three of Ervin's brothers competed collegiately at the Division I level. Caleb was a four-year letter winner at Illinois, while Isaac lettered at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Saul is currently on SIUE's roster as a sophomore in 2020-21. He has two other brothers, Elijah and Matthias, and a sister, Thea. Matthias is also continuing that family tradition of collegiate wrestling by joining Micah at UTC in the fall. Check back to GoMocs.com next week for that profile. https://gomocs.com/news/2020/7/27/wrestling-two-time-kentucky-state-champion-added-to-utc-recruiting-class.aspx

Sports: Columns Wiedmer: B.B. Branton close to irreplaceable as a local sports historian July 13th, 2020 | by Mark Wiedmer When Jay Blackman first took over communications for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletic department in December 2008, one of the first people he met was local sports writer and wrestling historian B.B. Branton. "From the moment I started here, B.B. was a huge help to me," said Blackman, now the senior associate athletic director for strategic communications. "He had an uncanny knowledge of all Chattanooga sports, but especially wrestling, football and tennis." Branton passed away Sunday after a long, courageous battle with cancer. For a lot of us who once worked with him at the Times Free Press, as well as prep coaches throughout the region, it was an especially painful loss. "It breaks my heart," said Soddy-Daisy principal Steve Henry, long one of the Scenic City's most successful wrestling coaches. "I loved B.B. He and Luther Killian are the biggest reasons we've got the Tennessee Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was such a researcher. He'd bring records to the surface that no one else knew existed." This sports department's David Paschall worked with Branton after B.B. returned from a stint in California as the sports information director for Athletes in Action and a couple of World Cup soccer venues. "From a professional standpoint, the great thing about B.B. was that no sport was too small," Paschall said. "He cared as much about a Little League baseball game as a World Series game. And he was always careful to get the names of every kid he covered, even if it was 7- or 8-year-old Dixie Youth game. "And personally, when each of our three children were born, he'd leave a little gift for them in our mailbox. He had that amazing personal touch about him." A personal memory: The home B.B. grew up in on Lookout Mountain had a wonderful pool in the backyard. When he moved into the home after his parents' deaths, B.B. never failed to send my two daughters a note that proclaimed, "The pool's open. Drop by anytime." Henry recalled the night he and Branton were being inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame a few years ago. "I was running late for the induction class picture before the dinner began because I'd gone to pick up my mother," Henry said. "B.B. wouldn't let them take the picture until I got there. That's the kind of guy he was." Another example of the kind of guy he was: For almost every year since 1977 that he lived in Chattanooga, Branton would gather together old friends from his childhood here for a lunch on the day after Christmas. Said B.B. to this newspaper in 2017 when asked about those lunches of nearly 40 years: "I enjoy organizing, keeping up with friends and trying to find them. Who do you rely on if you don't keep up with friends from long ago?" How much did the sport of wrestling rely on Branton over portions of five decades? When B.B. was inducted into the Tennessee chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2019 for "lifetime service to wrestling," fellow Hall of Famer and longtime McCallie faculty member Killian said of Branton, according to an obituary in the Chattanoogan: "No one in Tennessee has written so eloquently about high school, college, and international wrestling with such depth and breadth as Mr. Branton. Because of his knowledge, 'BB' is jokingly referred to as the 'Rainman' of Tennessee wrestling. Whether he is recounting a semifinals match of a recent state tournament or a high school dual meet he watched as a fifth grader, Branton will share the event with the details, and the stories behind the details. His writing reflects the critical eye of a referee, the knowledge of a coach, the enthusiasm of a parent, and the passion of a champion." Yet while this supreme knowledge of most local sports often encouraged him to send emails or make phone calls to those he knew had fallen short of correctly stating the facts of a particular sport or event, he never gloated over what he knew that they didn't. "He wasn't afraid to correct you," Blackman said. "But B.B. was always very professional about it. He never did it in public. He never tried to show you up or embarrass you. He'd usually just send you an email. He just wanted to make sure you always got the facts right. And he really did know everything about Chattanooga sports. We put out something on UTC homecoming games one time. He emailed us to say he thought we'd missed a couple. He was right, of course." As Henry was reflecting on B.B., and what his loss means to the wrestling community he knew and reported on like few others, he said, "B.B.'s one of those people who's irreplaceable." When it comes to Branton's gift for chronicling local sports, he might be right. Mark Wiedmer Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @TFPWeeds.