TN Teams Stacking up Against the Best!

[coachknepper]

Nothing is more exciting than seeing a state become more competitive nationally. I have been in TN for 7 years now, a transplant from a crappy wrestling state known as Ohio , and have seen the teams and wrestling as a whole begin to turn the corner--there are some REALLY good teams here.

 

So without further ado, here are some of the results against the top-50 in the country by OUR Tennessee teams:

 

Soddy Daisy 33 #32 Christian Brothers 25 This was at SD the night before the Cleveland Duals

#32 Christian Brothers 34 Soddy Daisy 27 Cleveland Duals Finals

#6 Brandon (FL) 45 Soddy Daisy 24

#32 CBHS 43 Independence 19

#32 CBHS 35 #33 Blue Springs (MO) 18 .. Blue Springs was #32 and CBHS #41 at time

#16 Cincinnati Moehler (OH) 44 Father Ryan 15

#49 Jefferson (GA) 43 Father Ryan 27

Father Ryan 36 Elyria (OH) 27 <just outside top-50>

Father Ryan 37 Wadsworth (OH) 26 <just outside top-50>

Father Ryan 30 Baylor 26 <both teams are highly regarded...definitely top-100

Gilmer 39 Father Ryan 30 <just outside of top-50>

#25 Collins Hill defeated Baylor (I don't have the score, but am willing to bet it was at least competitive)

Marist (IL) 40 Baylor 26 ... Marist was #46 at the time

#47 Carl Sandburg (IL) 50 Baylor 18...last match at Clash X

#6 Brandon (FL) 45 McCallie 22

 

In my honest and humble opinion Soddy Daisy should be in the top-50 right now with their split with CBHS and only other loss being to #6 Brandon by basically 4 matches. Many top-50 teams have done much worse against Brandon. I also feel that Father Ryan needs more consideration, but would likely fall just short as of right now.

 

As the years progress I could see the following schools begin to be talked about for serious top-50 consideration year in and year out and I firmly believe there will be a TN team ranked from now on:

 

Christian Brothers

Soddy Daisy

Father Ryan

Cleveland

Baylor

Bradley Central

(strong feeders and perennially at the top in TN, national tournament pedigrees)

 

Science Hill

Independence

Wilson Central

St. Benedict at Auburndale

(this second group is a step below, but have strong feeder systems)

 

What makes it possible to rank TN teams more easily is that the rest of the state is getting better--whether through feeder programs, emphasis on summer work in USAWrestling, or more collegiate wrestlers coming back to build programs. Wins formerly discounted for the big-name teams are now looked upon as solid wins. When a Bradley Central beats a Walker Valley or Chattanooga Central by a few points it is more respected because people with wrestling knowledge know those are 2 strong programs.

 

I look forward to Tennessee becoming even more of a player on the national stage in the upcoming years.

Edited January 13, 2012 by coachknepper

[AsicTiger]

Baylor, McCallie, and Bradley have all 3 had teams in the top 20 before. The late 90's and 2000s all 3 had very impressive team on the national scale. I might be wrong on this but I believe it was 2000 or 2001 that Baylor and Bradley both cracked top 15 in the country.

[RMC]

Not sure if you guys know, but Jefferson GA is a really small school....about 700 kids. They have a great youth and middle school program. They're tearing it up in the state duals this weekend.