UTC Wrestle Offs

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Moc Wrestlers Fighting For Starting Spots

 

Thirty-three Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestlers vying for 10 starting spot competed in wrestle-offs Monday afternoon.

 

The finalists in each weight class meet again Friday night at the annual Blue-Gold match in Maclellan Gym at 7 p.m.

 

If the finalists are 1-1 after Friday night, a final wrestle-off will be next Monday. The Mocs open the season at Va. Tech on Nov. 7. First home match is Nov. 14 with Gardner Webb and Anderson College.

 

125: Josh Statum (Jr.) dec. Paul Garza (So.), 7-0 … Statum faces Demetrius Johnson Friday night … Statum was 10-8 at 133 last year … Garza was 3-10 at 125 last year … Johnson was 11-8 as the starter at 125 last year and SoCon champ and NCAA qualifier.

 

133: Cody Hood (Fr.) pinned Logan Biddy (Fr.) … Josh Sandoval (redshirt Fr.) then dec. Hood, 10-4 ...

Sandoval and Hood meet again Friday … In a match of two state champs, Biddy led 4-3 after one period, but Hood scored a reverse and a fall in the second … Sandoval was a two-time state runner-up in Texas.

 

141: semis: Cody Cleveland (Sr.) pinned Joe Burns (Fr.) … Ben Johnson (RS So.) dec. Jeremy Sandoval (Fr.), 6-2 … finals: in meeting of two former state champs, Cleveland major dec. Johnson, 10-0 … Cleveland and Johnson meet Friday … Sandoval was also a Texas state champ.

 

149: semis: Dean Pavlou (RS Fr.) major dec. Carlos Baron (Jr.), 11-3 … Alex Hudson (Fr.) dec. Kelly Felix (Jr.), 5-2 … finals: Pavlou dec. Hudson, 7-2 … they meet again Friday … good takedown attempts by both wrestlers in opening period, but no points … Pavlou led 2-0 after second period on a reverse … Pavlou scored a takedown to start the third, countered by Hudson's reverse … Pavlou closed it out with an escape and take down … Pavlou, Hudson and Felix were state champs

 

157: semis: Joey Knox (Sr.) major dec. Cody Stokes (Jr.), 11-2 … Josh Condon (RS Fr.) dec. Bond Davis (Jr.), 4-2 … finals: Knox dec. Condon, 1-0 … Knox rode Condon in the second and had an escape in the third … they meet again Friday … Knox is a SoCon champ and NCAA qualifier … he and Condon were state champs in Ga., while Davis was a Tenn. State champ.

 

165: semis: Brandon Wright (RS So.) pinned Alex Platt (Fr.) … Mikey Fuller dec. Wiley Davis (Fr.) 4-1 … finals: Wright dec. Fuller, 10-3 … they meet again on Friday.

 

174: semis: Jake Young (Fr.) pinned Hunter Scott (Fr.) … Mark Rogers (Jr.) dec. Camron Couch (Fr,), 5-2 … finals: Young dec. Rogers, 4-2 OT … Rogers had second period escape and Young escaped in the third … Rogers gained early escape in first overtime, but Young scored a takedown for 3-2 lead … then had escape in second overtime period.

 

189: Jason McCroskey (RS So.) pinned Stephan Garrett (Jr.) … finals: McCroskey dec. Tyler Roberson (RS So.), 8-2 … they will wrestle again on Friday … were teammates at Soddy Daisy.

 

215: Niko Brown … no challenge match ... will wrestle Stephen Garrett on Friday.

 

285: Matt Lettner (Jr.) dec. Tom Minwell (Jr.), 2-1 … wrestle again Friday night.

 

Coach Heath Eslinger's comments to his team after the wrestle-offs:

 

“If you did not win today, you can find a way to fix it,'' said Eslinger. “Ninety-nine percent of the time it comes down to you fixing things. It's about you.''

 

“Ask yourself what do you bring to the table to make this a championship team?''

 

“The good part about wrestling is that you find out who wants to go to war with you.''

 

(At 149) ''Hudson wrestled well and Dean responded great. Should be a good match on Friday.''

 

Coming to UTC: Baylor senior Cole Hayes has verbally committed to UTC … Red Raider teammate Trey Stavrum and Cullen King (Cordova) are also verbal commits.

 

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

 

 

also posted on chattanoogan.com

[hoosierdad]

B.B.,

 

Thanks for the update from wrestle-off's. I have a question. What year did Bond Davis win the state?

 

Also, great to see some early commitments from the c-town. Great additions are coming!

[ghouse]

B.B.,

 

Thanks for the update from wrestle-off's. I have a question. What year did Bond Davis win the state?

 

Also, great to see some early commitments from the c-town. Great additions are coming!

 

I think Bond Davis was a 3x runner-up with one of those being rather controversial. I think it was something about a potential missed point from a 3rd caution.

 

Some interesting things in the wrestle-offs. I hope to have time to come back and comment later.

[nooga]

Bond didn't win a state title on the mat. He won one on a protest. Pretty sure it was in 2004 or 2005.

[texas23]

Why is Waddell not in the wrestle off?

[coachknepper]

Does anyone know if Seth Seneca (Independence) is in the room at UT-C. I would be interested to know why he wasn't in the wrestle-off unless he is redshirted?

[ghouse]

Bond didn't win a state title on the mat. He won one on a protest. Pretty sure it was in 2004 or 2005.

 

Was he actually awarded the state championship back then? I thought that the decision on the mat couldn't be overturned but it is possible that I am just not remembering the final outcome well enough. I do remember a protest being filed.

 

If so, the TSSAA does not show it in their search-able records and they need to amend it.

[hoosierdad]

I have never heard somebody winning a state championship by protest. Is this a first? Where can I find this? I did not see this on the TSSAA website. Also, his bio on UTC wrestling states he won the state. It also has Jake Young placing 2nd his Junior year. I thought he was hurt his Junior year and could not wrestle at the state tournament.

[YoungWrestler1995]

Why is Waddell not in the wrestle off?

Waddell is still recovering from a shoulder surgery. He'll be back soon enough, as he is rehabbing his shoulder back to full strength. I can guaruntee he wont be as skinny as he was last year.

[bbb]

Bond Davis - I e-mailed Heath about Bond Davis winning a title.

 

Jake defaulted his junior year due to injury ... Heath or someone needs to proof media guide before it goes to press to make sure all the info is accurate.

 

b.b.b.

[ghouse]

Bond Davis - I e-mailed Heath about Bond Davis winning a title.

 

Jake defaulted his junior year due to injury ... Heath or someone needs to proof media guide before it goes to press to make sure all the info is accurate.

 

b.b.b.

 

Like I said before my memory is a little fuzzy but Bond Davis may have been awarded a state championship later by the TSSAA. It should be in their meeting notes if they did.

 

I am surprised someone involved with the Franklin program hasn't provided a definitive answer yet.

[Hamm]

Bond's junior year, at the state tournament, he should have won his finals match in overtime by a false start. His opponent gave a false start in overtime which would have awarded Bond a point. Unfortunately, the referees did not award that point. The match continued and Bond lost the match in overtime. At the conclusion of the match, Franklin realized this problem and tried to have it corrected unsuccessfully. They later took this arguement all the way to the TSSAA and it was still unsuccessful. Bond had the full support of the administration at Franklin High School (after viewing the video footage) throughout the entire process, and is recognized as a State Wrestling Champion at Franklin High School.