Inspiring for coaches and wrestlers...

[Sommers]

East Tn with Foreman and Hall Continues their 1-A success...

 

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/1/31/293162/Pigeon-Forge-Wins-Second-A-AA-State.aspx

 

Pigeon Forge Wins Second A-AA State Duals Title

 

Hixson Finishes Second After Falling 36-23 In Championship Match

 

Saturday, January 31, 2015 - by John Hunt

 

 

 

Hixson High School earned a runner-up finish in the Division I-A/AA State Duals tournament in Franklin Saturday evening, losing to a very strong Pigeon Forge squad, 36-23. 

- photo by Dennis Norwood

 

FRANKLIN – Pigeon Forge won the Class A-AA State Duals title for the second straight year as they beat the Hixson Wildcats in the final, 36-23.

 

Hixson had finished in third place the last four years and Wildcat coach Garrick Hall was happy to not finish there again, but he would have liked a better result than the runner-up finish.

 

The Tigers bolted to a 17-0 lead with a pin, a technical fall and two regular decisions in the first four matches.

 

 

 

Jonas Shackleford and Landon Goforth put the Wildcats on the board with back-to-back decisions at 145 and 152, but a major decision and a pin from Pigeon Forge stretched the lead to its biggest margin of 27-6 following the 170-pound match.

 

Hixson was able to win four of the last six matches, but the lead was simply too much to overcome.

 

“I never have to question the heart and desire of our kids, but Pigeon Forge was able to get the bonus points and we didn’t,†Hall said while the team awards were being distributed.

 

“It’s nice to finish second with such a young team, but I’m certainly not satisfied.  Our goals never change and I’m never pleased with finishing as the runner-up, but it’s a lot better than finishing third.  We have seven guys who have never been in a situation like this before and I hope they’ll learn from it,†Hall added.

 

Pigeon Forge coach Greg Foreman was like a kid in a candy store after his team had won its second straight state title and 38th win in 42 matches.

 

“All 14 of those guys did the job tonight, but it went even better than I had planned.  I keep telling them that if they wrestle to their capability, they’re going to win most of the time.  Winning here is just a reward for all of their hard work,†he added.

 

Dylan Bargerstock and Jacob Newman were Hixson’s only winners by pin while Brody Gregory and Chris Nicholson joined Shackleford and Goforth as winners by regular decision.

 

Hixson is now 29-5 following Saturday night’s loss.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

 

PIGEON FORGE 36, HIXSON 23

 

(Match began at 120 Pounds)

 

106 – Jacob Newman (Hix) pinned Dymond Smith, 2:54;

 

113 – Gavin Hutchins (PF) pinned Bruce Wilson, 1:06;

 

120 – Jacob Ruiter (PF) pinned Spencer Groves, 1:01;

 

126 – Elias Bond (PF) won by technical fall over Konnor Ziegler;

 

132 – Matthew Kieata (PF) dec. Isaac Yates, 10-5;

 

138 – Gary Reagan (PF) dec. Cederick Harris, 5-1;

 

145 – Jonas Shackleford (Hix) dec. Seth Workman, 3-0;

 

152 – Landon Goforth (Hix) dec. Franklin Darnell, 9-2;

 

160 – Josh Croley (PF) major dec. Ronny Huff, 13-4;

 

170 – Xavier Bohanan (PF) pinned Ryan Turner, :46;

 

182 – Chris Nicholson (Hix) dec. Anthony Baiamonte, 5-2;

 

195 – Dylan Bargerstock (Hix) pinned Chris Poole, 2:00;

 

220 – Alex Breeden (PF) dec. Truman Ross, 9-5;

 

285 – Brody Gregory (Hix) dec. Christian Sisto, 2-1.

 

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@comcast.net)

[Sommers]

EXCELLENT COVERAGE by CHATTANOOGAN's MR HUNT...

 

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/1/31/293153/Cleveland-Wins-Third-Straight-AAA-State.aspx

 

 Norwood

 

FRANKLIN – Jake Yost is batting a thousand in State Duals championship matches.

 

Just call it a three-peat for the Cleveland Blue Raiders after Saturday night’s 35-26 win over Wilson Central here at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo Center.

 

It was also the third straight time that the Wildcats had finished as the runner-up to Cleveland, but Saturday night’s battle was for sure the closest of them all and a battle from the opening whistle.

 

“That was a fun match,†Yost said while members of his team were whooping it up with themselves and the Cleveland faithful in attendance.

 

“There were a lot of lead changes and there was a great fan base on both sides, but we had guys step up all across the board, so it was a total team effort again.  Our guys have gotten good at enjoying competition like this as they don’t seem to feel the pressure.

 

“But this is for them.  The training is done and it’s all about fine tuning from here on out.  And this never gets old,†he added.

 

The Wildcats got a 6-1 decision from Caleb Berta in the opening match at 126 pounds for a quick 3-0 lead while a two-minute pin from Perry Baltz at 195 put the Wildcats ahead for the last time at 23-18.

 

John Gaither posted a hard-fought 3-2 sudden death overtime victory at 220 to trim that lead to 23-21 before Koran Kennedy put the Blue Raiders ahead to stay at 27-23 with a 2:59 pin at 285.

 

Wilson Central only won one match the rest of the way as the Blue Raiders prevailed by nine points.

 

“That was tough,†said Wilson Central coach John Kramer after his team lost for only the third time in 47 matches as his team’s 19-match win streak was snapped.

 

“There were a lot of close matches and on any given day, things could have been different, but Cleveland is still the team to beat and we just hope to get another shot next year,†Kramer added.

 

Cleveland advanced to the AAA finals for the third straight year but the Bradley Bears weren’t as fortunate.

 

Cleveland made the finals with three impressive wins, including a 57-15 romp over Summit in Friday’s opening match.  The Blue Raiders pounded Arlington by a 45-15 final in Friday’s second match before a 48-18 victory over Beech in Saturday’s championship semis.

 

Bradley was equally impressive in two Friday wins, the first a 48-27 decision over McGavock before crushing Siegel, 71-6.

 

The Bears got off to a good start against Wilson Central as they built a 17-6 lead following Donnie Beyer’s 11-3 major decision at 145, but the Wildcats won six of the next seven matches – including five by pin and the other by technical fall – for a 41-23 lead after the 285-pound match.

 

Once Wilson Central coach John Kramer made sure that the score was indeed correct, he forfeited the final two weights to make the final margin six points.

 

Ryan McElhaney got Bradley off to a good start against Wilson Central with a 12-0 major decision at 120 before Knox Fuller made it 10-0 with a first-period pin at 126.  Joshua LaCoe made it 13-0 with a 7-2 decision at 132.

 

Lane Dickeson put Wilson Central on the board with a second-period pin at 138 before Bradley’s Donnie Beyer notched an 11-3 major decision at 145 pounds for a 17-6 lead for the Bears.

 

The good news disappeared for Bradley at that point as the Wildcats took charge and never looked back, clinching the win with John Kramer’s pin at 285.

 

While Bradley had a bump in the road against Wilson Central, the Bears fought back like champions to claim third place, first beating Tennessee High by a 48-24 final and then Beech by a 52-22 final in their last match.

 

Needless to say, Bradley coach Ben Smith was hoping for a much better finish, but he was still somewhat proud of third place.

 

“I’m just glad that we had enough character to come back and finish third, but we have to learn how to fight harder when the opportunity presents itself,†Smith said.

 

“I think we’re headed in the right direction and there’s no question that third place is a heck of a lot better than fourth,†he said, knowing that this is the first time in 18 State Duals appearances that the Bears didn’t finish first or second.

 

Bradley has won more state duals titles than anyone with 12 and the Bears have been runner-up five times, but this year’s appearance for the Bears was the first since 2011.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

 

CLEVELAND  35, WILSON CENTRAL 26

 

(Match started at 126 Pounds

 

106 – Cody Matthews (Clev) major dec. Chase Berta, 13-0;

 

113 – Simon Pergande (WC) dec. Bryce Pond, 9-3;

 

120 – Tristan Blansit (Clev) major dec. Nick King, 10-1;

 

126 – Caleb Berta (WC) dec. Victor Barbosa, 6-1;

 

132 – Christopher DeBien (Clev) won by forfeit;

 

138 – Colton Landers (Clev) dec. Lane Dickeson, 6-4;

 

145 – Ezra Taylor (Clev) won by  technical fall over Andy Hamrick, 5:08;

 

152 – Mike Binns (WC) pinned Robert Hicks, 1:06;

 

160 – Aaron Oliver (Clev) major dec. Damon Smith, 12-0;

 

170  -- John Michael Jenkinson (WC) dec. Jonathan Martin, 8-6;

 

182 – Zach Linton (WC) won by technical fall over Seth Garcia, 5:35;

 

195  -- Perry Baltz (WC) pinned Riley Stevison, 2:00;

 

220 – John Gaither (Clev) dec. John Kramer, 3-2 in sudden death overtime;

 

285 – Koran Kennedy (Clev) pinned Evan Juhnke, 2:59.

 

CONSOLATION FINAL FOR THIRD PLACE

 

BRADLEY 51,  BEECH 22

 

(Match started at 145 Pounds)

 

145 – Donnie Beyer (Brad) dec. Kyler Johnson, 3-0;

 

152 – Caleb Adkins (Brad) pinned Jherian Maddox, 1:09;

 

160 – Michael King (Beech) won by technical fall over Jack Bandy, 5:45;

 

170 – Corey Gatlin (Brad) pinned Kyle Smith, 1:52;

 

182 – Kaleb Rippy (Beech) pinned Ed Elkins, 1:25;

 

195 – Brett Brown (Brad) pinned David Dowell, 3:29;

 

220 – Peyton Reinert (Beech) pinned Timothy Lawson, 1:40;

 

285 – Devol Whitfield (Beech) pinned David Adams, 2:13;

 

106 – D.J. Hicks (Brad) pinned Bryan Kirkland, :38;

 

113 – Torobio Navarro (Brad) won by technical fall over Heath Uhles;

 

120  -- Ryan McElhaney (Brad) major dec. William Downing, 11-0;

 

126 – Knox Fuller (Brad) pinned Landon Butler, 5:10;

 

132 – Joshua LaCoe (Brad) won by technical fall over William Carney, 4:00;

 

138 – Stephen Scott (Brad) pinned Hayden Hammock, 1:34.

 

AAA CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS

 

WILSON CENTRAL 41, BRADLEY 35

 

(Match started at 120 Pounds)

 

106 – T.J. Hicks (Brad) won by forfeit;

 

113 – Toribio Navarro (Brad) won by forfeit;

 

120 – Ryan McElhaney (Brad) major dec. Nick King, 12-0;

 

126 – Ryan Fuller (Brad) pinned Austin Caron, 1:12;

 

132 – Joshua LaCoe (Brad) dec. Caleb Berta, 7-2;

 

138 – Lane Dickeson  (WC) pinned Stephen Scott, 2:54;

 

145 – Donnie Beyer (Brad) major dec. Andy Hamrick, 11-3;

 

152 – Mike Binns (WC) pinned Colby Wilson, 1:51;

 

160 – John Michael Jenkinson (WC) pinned Caleb Adkins, :48;

 

170 – Zach Linton (WC) won by technical fall over Corey Gatlin, 4:55;

 

182 – Ben Iles (WC) pinned Ed Elkins, 1:49;

 

195 – Brett Brown (Brad) pinned Kollin Miller, 3:39;

 

220 – Perry Baltz (WC) pinned Timothy Lawson, :44;

 

285 – John Kramer (WC) pinned David Adams, 1:08.

 

CLEVELAND 48, BEECH 18

 

(Match started at 120 Pounds)

 

106 – Bryce Pond (Clev) pinned Bryan Kirkland, :59;

 

113 – Heath Uhles ( pinned Jayce Mullin, 2:56;

 

120 – Tristan Blansit (Clev) pinned William Downing, 1:03;

 

126 – Landon Butler ( dec. Victor Barbosa, 8-1;

 

132 – Colton Landers (Clev) pinned William Carney, :38;

 

138 – Christopher DeBien (Clev) dec. Trevor Rippy, 10-3;

 

145 – Ezra Taylor (Clev) pinned Kyler Johnson, 2:12;

 

152 – Robert Hicks (Clev) pinned Jherian Maddox, 3:21;

 

160 – Aaron Oliver (Clev) dec. Michael King, 3-0;

 

170 – Jonathan Martin (Clev) pinned Kyle Smith, 1:08;

 

182 – Kaleb Rippy ( pinned Riley Stevison, 1:39;

 

195 – David Dowell ( dec. Seth Garcia, 7-2;

 

220 – John Gaither (Clev) dec. Peyton Reinert, 8-3;

 

285 – Koran Kennedy (Clev) dec. Devol Whitfield, 6-0.

 

CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL

 

BRADLEY 48, TENNESSEE HIGH 24

 

(Match started at 138 Pounds)

 

106 – T.J. Hicks (Brad) pinned Rodney Nelson, 2:54;

 

113 – Toribio Navarro (Brad) pinned Judson McCray, 1:14;

 

120 – Ryan McElhaney (Brad) won by forfeit;

 

126 – Will Poore (TH) won by forfeit;

 

132 – Corbin Hurley (TH) won by forfeit;

 

138 – Dewey Pendley (TH) pinned Stephen Scott, 2:00;

 

145 – Donnie Beyer (Brad) pinned Ethan Walker, :17;

 

152 – Caleb Adkins (Brad) dec. Bryson Henley, 9-2;

 

160 – Jack Bandy (Brad) dec. Jason Johnson, 7-4;

 

170 – Corey Gatlin (Brad) dec. Jeremy Spangler, 11-8;

 

182 – Ed Elkins (Brad) dec. Billy Stoots, 9-5;

 

195 – Brett Brown (Brad) pinned Nathaniel Scott, 1:05;

 

220 – Kenneth Hagerman (TH) pinned Timothy Lawson, 2:34;

 

285 – David Adams (Brad) won by forfeit.

 

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@comcast.net)

[Sommers]

Here's some Tennessean Coverage...

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2015/01/31/two-midstate-finish-second-state-wrestling/22679383/

 

Two from Midstate finish second in state wrestling

 

 Sam Brown, sdbrown@tennessean.com12:45 a.m. CST February 1, 2015

 

(Photo: Shelley Mays / The Tennessean)

 

FRANKLIN â€“ Two Midstate teams took home second place in the state dual wrestling championships and two more took home fourth at the Ag Expo Center on Saturday.

 

Wilson Central and Father Ryan finished second in their brackets while Beech and Montgomery Bell Academy finished fourth.

 

Wilson Central fell to Cleveland for the third consecutive year in the Class AAA championship 35-26.

 

"It was a tough one," Wilson Central coach John Kramer said. "They're tough; they're the ones to beat. We've got to work hard in the offseason to get better for next year."

 

Beech took home fourth place in its first trip to the semifinals, falling to Bradley Central 51-22 in the third-place match.

 

In Division II, Father Ryan fell just short, losing to defending champion Baylor 32-30 in the final for the second year in a row.

 

"You work all year for one thing and that's to win a state championship, and we didn't win it and it was our fault," Father Ryan coach Pat Simpson said. "If we win the matches that we are supposed to win we're state champs."

 

Pat's brother, Frank Simpson, led Montgomery Bell Academy to a fourth-place finish after falling to McCallie 36-33 in the third-place match.

 

Frank Simpson said the team tournament will help his team prepare for the individual state wrestling tournament that will be held in two weeks.

 

"We had three or four kids who missed a little bit today, but we will go back and try to improve on what we are doing," Simpson said. "We look forward to the opportunity for the next two weeks to practice hard and try to improve and turn some of the matches around."

 

Pigeon Forge defeated Hixson 36-23 to win its second straight Class A/AA title in its fifth straight trip to the championship match.

 

Franklin Road Academy beat Battle Ground Academy 47-24 in the Division II Invitational final.

 

Reach Sam Brown at 615-259-8232 or on Twitter @SamBrownTN.

 

Baylor 32, Father Ryan 30

 

120: Trey Chalifoux (F) d. Jack Reynolds 11-3; 126 Kirby Simpson (F) d. Mason Reiniche 8-4; 132: Eli King (F) d. Alex Atchley 16-7; 138: Michael Murphy ( d. Daniel Wesley 11-3; 145: Caleb Powell ( d. Chris Wesnofske 8-2; 152: Marcello Morrice (F) d. Caleb Canada 12-4; 160: Donovan Sutherland ( d. Nick Naughton 11-1; 170: Cayman Seagraves ( p. Andrew Wesnofske 0:31; 182: Cole Holloway ( p. Robert Garstin 5:05; 195: Ryan Parker ( p. Will Shaw 0:47; 220: Jon Schnissrauter ( d. Ben Stacey 5-1; 285: Jeremy Darvin (F) p. Cooper Reiniche 1:34; 106: Christian Simpson (F) d. Hayden Hartline 15-0; 113: Raymond Eason (F) d. Trev Milling 8-0.

 

Cleveland 35, Wilson Central 26

 

126: Caleb Berta (W) d. Victor Barbosa 6-1; 132: Christopher Debien © forfeit; 138: Colton Landers © d. Lane Dickeson 6-4; 145: Ezra Taylor © d. Andy Hamrick 17-1; 152 Mike Binns (W) p. Robert Hicks 1:07; 160: Aaron Oliver © d. Damon Smith 12-0; 170: John Michael Jenkinson (W) d. Jonathan Martin 8-6; 182: Zach Linton (W) d. Samuel Garcia 17-2; 195: Perry Baltz (W) p. Riley Stevison 2:00; 220: John Gaither © d. John Kramer 3-2; 285: Koran Kennedy © p. Evan Juhnke 2:58; 106: Cody Matthews © d. Chase Berta 13-0; 113: Simon Pergande (W) d. Bryce Pond 9-3; 120: Tristian Blansit © d. Nick King 10-1.

 

Pigeon Forge 36, Hixson 23

 

120: Jacob Ruiter (P) p. Spencer Groves 1:01; 126: Elias Bond (P) d. Konnor Zeigler 16-1; 132: Matthew Kieta (P) d. Issac Yates 10-5; 138: Gary Reagan (P) d. Cederick Harris 5-1; 145: Jonas Shackleford (H) d. Seth Workman 3-0; 152: Landon Goforth (H) d. Franklin Darnell 9-2; 160: Josh Croley (P) d. Ronny Huff 13-4; 170: Xavier Bohanan (P) p. Ryan Turner 0:46; 182: Chris Nicholson (H) d. Anthony Baiamonte 5-2; 195: Dylan Bargerstock (H) p. Chris Poole 2:00; 220: Alex Breeden (P) d. Truman Ross 9-5; 285: Brody Gregory (H) d. Christian Sisto 2-1; 106: Jacob Newman (H) p. Dymond Smith 2:54; 113: Gavin Hutchens (P) p. Bruce Wilson 1:06.

[Sommers]

(Okay, Okay Already Anonymous Mr Tex, I'll Clean & Edit it for you)

 

North Ga Success...

 

http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/prep_central/high_school/schools/gordon_lee/wrestling-gordon-lee-finishes-second-at--aa-tournament/article_73487fae-a9d1-11e4-96e0-c313d5d36b7a.html

 

WRESTLING: Gordon Lee finishes second at 3-AA tournament

 

Posted: Sunday, February 1, 2015 12:16 am| Updated: 12:18 am, Sun Feb 1, 2015.

 

Scott Herpst

 

A shorthanded Gordon Lee wrestling team gamely managed a runner-up finish at the Area 3-AA tournament Saturday at Model High School.

 

Nine of the 11 wrestlers who suited up for the Trojans on Saturday earned spots in next weekend's Class 2A state sectionals with top four finishes.

 

Gordon Lee was without three starters, one who didn't make weight and two more who quit the team on Friday, according to head coach Brent Raby.

 

"Not having those three in the lineup hurts and it will probably hurt us as far as the team standings go when we get to state in two weeks," Raby said. "I'm disappointed, but it is what it is. The kids that did wrestle today wrestled hard and did a good job for us, and most of the matches we lost were close ones. We'll just head to sectionals with our nine kids next weekend and see where we stand."

 

The Trojans amassed 164 points to place second behind Lovett's 218.5 points. Holy Innocents' (122) edged Armuchee (119.5) for third, while the host school (88) was fifth.

 

Gordon Lee claimed three individual champions in 120-pound senior Jonathan Ragsdale, 145-pound freshman Braden Jarvis and 160-pound senior Sydny Rhinehart. Ragsdale and Jarvis won by pinfall, while Rhinehart picked up a 7-2 decision in the final.

 

Hunter Freeman was second at 152 pounds, while Stihl Lance (132), Jarrett Lassetter (138), Wyatt Shepard (182) and Dallas Goodlet (220) each placed third. Zack Murdock (126) earned a sectional berth with a fourth-place finish.

 

Caleb Vines (195) finished fifth and will be a sectional alternate, while Jared Spradlin (285) placed sixth.

 

Greater Atlanta Christian School will host the state sectionals this weekend.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Sommers

[Sommers]

the Big Blue evens the dual with MBA till they meet again 1on1 Feb 13-14...

 

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/2/1/293197/McCallie-Wrestlers-Take-Third-in-State.aspx

 

McCallie Wrestlers Take Third in State Duals

 

Sunday, February 1, 2015 - by B.B. Branton

 

In a battle for third place in the TSSAA S-II State Wrestling Duals, it came down to the last match as McCallie’s Ryan Ward secured a 4-2 win as the Blue Tornado defeated MBA, 36-33 Saturday afternoon at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center in Franklin.

 

McCallie used three pins in the first five matches to lead 24-0, but MBA won six of the next seven matches to even the score at 33-33 before McCallie’s Ward clinched the team victory.

 

McCallie’s win avenged a loss to MBA, 36-24, Jan. 16 in the D-II Middle/East Region Duals at McCallie.

 

Two key wins for McCallie came as Ward moved up to 126 from 120 to win the final match (Ward lost in the earlier MBA match at 120) and Sam Harrelson defeated Sam Bellet, 8-2, at138 after losing to him, 3-0, on Jan. 16.

 

The D-II Middle/East Traditional Region is Sat. Feb. 7 at McCallie … the D-II State Traditional is at the Williamson County Ag Expo, Feb. 13-14

 

Championship Match: Baylor, 32, Father Ryan, 30

 

Third Place: McCallie, 36, MBA 33

 

* McCallie 36, MBA 33

 

132 – Brock Herring (McC) pinned Perry Matthews, 3:28 … McCallie, 6-0

 

138 – Sam Harrelson (McC) dec. Sam Bellet, 8-2 … McCallie, 9-0

 

145 – Anders Heald (McC) dec. Blake Solarek, 6-3 … McCallie, 12-0

 

152 – Will Patton (McC) pinned Mark Floyd, 3:06 … McCallie, 18-0

 

160 - Thomas Rowland (McC) pinned Charles Hunter, 3:47 … McCallie, 24-0

 

170 – Carter Heckle (MBA) dec. Ariel Bong, 10-3 … McCallie, 24-3

 

182 –Cole Euverard (MBA) forfeit win … McCallie, 24-9

 

195 – Trell Phillips (McC) dec. Ben Kelly, 2-1 … McCallie, 27-9

 

220 – D’On Coofer (MBA) forfeit win … McCallie, 27-15

 

285 – Jay Roberts (McC) pinned Joe Scowden, 5:55 … McCallie, 33-15

 

106 – Thomas Bellet (MBA) pinned Thomas Sell, 1:31 … McCallie, 33-21

 

113 – Gabriel Elkin (MBA) forfeit win … McCallie, 33, 30-27

 

120 – Michael Elkin (MBA) forfeit win … Match Tied at 33-33

 

126 – Ryan Ward (McC) dec. John Michael Glover, 4-2 … McCallie, 36-33

[Sommers]

Current and alum athletes recognized by Chattanoogan ...

 

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/2/1/293195/Hall-Tull-Helton-are-Athletes-of-the.aspx

 

Hall, Tull, Helton are Athletes of the Year

 

Chattanooga Sports HOF is March 2

 

Sunday, February 1, 2015

 

 A trio of outstanding athletes – a pair of UTC alums and a current Duke football star – will be recognized as “Athletes of the Year†at the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame dinner to be held March 2 at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

 

Former Southern Conference Female Basketball Player of the Year Taylor Hall is the female honoree, while UTC football All-American Davis Tull and Duke star David Helton, a recent recipient of “Academic Heisman†will share the men’s honor.

 

* Tickets: The banquet starts at 6:30 p.m. and tickets for $35 can be purchased by contacting Catherine Neely (842-7274). Tables seating eight can be reserved for $280.

 

Other special honorees will be the late Mary Gene Roberson with the Betty Probasco Award and Doug Dennett and Bruce Brye with the Walt Lauter Award for lifetime achievement or service in area athletics and William Nelson Jr. and Austin Roden with the Jim Morgan/Allan Morris Award for dealing with adversity.

 

The late Ron Bishop already has been revealed as the recipient of the organization’s top award, in memory of Fred Gregg Jr. The class of hall inductees will be announced soon.

 

Hall was the 2014 Southern Conference women’s basketball player of the year, defensive player of the year, tournament most outstanding player and ultimately the league’s overall female athlete of the year after her 2013-14 senior season in which she was UTC’s leader and one of the SoCon leaders in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and free-throw percentage. She had 12 games of double-figure points and rebounds that season.

 

As football seniors in 2014, Helton and Tull were multiple-year stars who went out with a bang.

 

Tull completed his UTC career this past season as a three-time Southern Conference defensive player of the year and first-team FCS All-American, and he broke the league record for career sacks. He’s also an Academic All-American, but he said his greatest accomplishment was helping the Mocs have their first 10-win season, 7-0 league record and national quarterfinal appearance.

 

Helton was all-state in football and a state wrestling champion at Baylor School before going to Duke and helping in that program’s turnaround under coach David Cutcliffe, with three consecutive bowl appearances for the first time in Blue Devils history and 26 wins in three seasons for the first time. He led the Atlantic Coast Conference in tackles the last two seasons and was first-team All-ACC in 2014, and he was voted the league’s top senior scholar-athlete before winning the William V. Campbell Trophy as the nation’s top scholar-athlete.

 

Roberson joined her husband of 72 years, Blake, in passionate support of athletics in Bledsoe County. She played basketball at Bledsoe County High School and Martin Methodist College, and she coached Lusk Elementary School to a 130-game winning streak before becoming the first female coach at her high school alma mater, where her teams won two district championships. She played and coached in recreational softball and basketball leagues until her late 50s and also won Senior Olympics awards in both sports.

 

Brye lettered in football, wrestling and track and field in high school in Iowa and was the NAIA wrestling heavyweight national runner-up in 1958 and 1959 at Wartburg College. A longtime water quality specialist for TVA, he provided wrestling tips at Red Bank and other area high schools and then was Red Bank’s team scorekeeper for about 30 years and became involved in administration of local tournaments at multiple levels of the sport.

 

Dennett, who reached the rank of captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, is a former TSSAA sports official of the year who gave much of his time and energy for three decades to helping area cross country and track teams and for 25 years to the Chattanooga Area Swim League. He received an “Award of Excellence†from McCallie School in 1991 for his contributions to cross country and an award from exemplary service in 1994 from area track coaches, and he received the TSSAA’s A.F. Bridges award for 2011-12.

 

Nelson didn’t let having no fingers on his left hand stop him from being a key basketball player — and two-time team captain — for Hixson High School, after beginning AAU play as a seventh-grader. He’s volunteered at the Glenwood recreation center since 2001 “to help other youth.â€

 

“Some doubted my ability to play because of the physical disability with my hand,†he said in a response to the Hall of Fame’s decision to honor him. “I do not consider myself as having a disability. I consider it an opportunity to prove that whatever you put your mind to do, it is possible.â€

 

Roden has faced adversity of a different sort, undergoing intensive chemotherapy for brain tumors while helping coach the East Ridge High School football team this past fall. He also has worked with New York-based marketing company Saxon/Hart on a social media campaign against cancer.

 

A middle school MVP quarterback who became a standout wide receiver in high school, Roden also played golf, basketball and soccer in his school years and said, “Just being able to play any sport is an accomplishment.â€

 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

 

I can see Ryan Parker getting this kind of recognition one day, could involve an Ivy League School, or perhaps joining another Baylor talent up the road in VA or some 3000 miles away at the Harvard of the West. You never know, but no matter what, he's a kid going somewhere, hopefully wrestling though.

[Sommers]

Let's Compare the Different Options and Opportunities We Have in Tennessee...

 

Compare this Ag Center Venue and crowd noise:

 

Baylor McCallie Wrestling,,, Nothing like it:

More Baylor - McCallie:

 

No room on the Baylor side!:

 

Crazy Loud!:

[Sommers]

Obviously, as you will see,,, I was pulling for mid-tn wrestlers and went 0 for 2. Hixson may come back like last year for Individuals, we shall see!

[texas23]

Alum is not the same thing as Alumni. Must be that Hickson education.

[Sommers]

I'd better add "...ni" so I can keep up with you Bear Alumnus then, huh?

 

After the 60+ negative red votes on my reputation, I can't believe that's it's about to break the century mark in the green, thanks to those who do appreciate a few things the ol Soms throws out there, oh Texey...

 

Don't worry I won't be catching you on your some odd 14k posts any time soon!

Edited February 2, 2015 by Sommers

[Newestguy]

There is no comparison. If it weren't for the commentating and the Cleveland cheerleaders, the only noise heard at the AG Center would be the referees whistle.

 

But it isn't a giant mystery. The AG center is supposed to be used for Agricultural shows and pig auctions. It's not meant to host wrestling tournaments. If you want to attend a livestock show the AG center is perfect.  

 

An arena or gymnasium is supposed to be used for athletic events. Not sure if the pigs and cows would respond too well to the enthusiasm displayed at the McCallie and Baylor match.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Newestguy

[Sommers]

More Mo Coverage...

 

“It’s a team effort,†Pete Miller said. “It’s a matter of little things. In close matches like that, it goes back to paying attention to detail.â€

 

The winless appearance in the state tourney won’t overshadow the progress of the program, in Miller’s opinion.

 

“We’ve got three seniors and three juniors, and the rest are freshmen and sophomores,†he said. “We’ve got a bunch of young, eager wrestlers wanting to get better. I think their eagerness and willingness to learn has helped propel us to the level we’ve reached in such a short period of time.â€

 

http://m.williamsonherald.com/mobile/communities/franklin/article_faf796b6-a99e-11e4-ab57-8fb498aee753.html

 

Summit takes unfortunate bow at state wrestling duals

 

Maurice Patton for the Williamson Herald | Posted: Saturday, January 31, 2015 5:14 pm

 

It was a double-elimination tournament, but Summit managed to lose three times in the TSSAA Class AAA state wrestling dual championships at the Williamson County Ag Expo.

 

Following an opening-round loss Friday to Cleveland, the Spartans dropped a 33-30 elimination match Saturday morning to Tullahoma.

 

After the second match, Pete Miller and the Summit coaching staff contested the eligibility of a Tullahoma wrestler who weighed in at a different weight on Saturday than on Friday.

 

“A bunch of people figured it out at one time – after I brought it to their attention before the match and was told he could bump up one weight,†Miller said.

 

According to the TSSAA, the basis for Summit’s concern was accurate, but because it was not raised until after a winner had been declared, the situation was not correctable by rule.

 

“Once they left the mat, we can’t correct that error,†TSSAA assistant executive director Mark Reeves said. “They were right, but it was never brought to the head table.â€

 

The wrestler in question scored three points with a decision. Had he been ruled ineligible, it would have been a six-point forfeit for Summit.

 

As it turned out, Summit was eliminated in two matches as was Brentwood Academy in Division II. The Eagles lost to Baylor on Friday and to St. Benedict in Saturday’s consolations.

 

For the Spartans, it wasn’t hard to find a silver lining in their 0-2 cloud.

 

“We have such a young team (that) we still need as much exposure to higher-level wrestling as we possibly can get,†Miller said. “They’re sponges. They take in as much as possible. This is what our guys need.

 

“I’d much rather be wrestling than working a table or towel-tapping. This is a great way to get all our team ready for (individual) state.â€

 

Starting with a buzzer-beating pin by Sean Butler at 120 pounds against Tullahoma, Summit opened with five wins in its first eight matches. However, Tullahoma kept the matches close enough that the Spartans were unable to pick up any bonus points to extend the margin, and the Wildcats were able to overcome a 21-12 deficit with consecutive pins at 182, 195 and 220 pounds en route to a 33-21 lead.

 

Needing pins at 106 and 113 pounds to force the contest to tiebreaking criteria, Summit got a 12-6 decision from Zach Thomas that sealed the outcome.

 

“It’s a team effort,†Miller said. “It’s a matter of little things. In close matches like that, it goes back to paying attention to detail.â€

 

The winless appearance in the state tourney won’t overshadow the progress of the program, in Miller’s opinion.

 

“We’ve got three seniors and three juniors, and the rest are freshmen and sophomores,†he said. “We’ve got a bunch of young, eager wrestlers wanting to get better. I think their eagerness and willingness to learn has helped propel us to the level we’ve reached in such a short period of time.â€

 

With the Region 6-AAA individual tournament set for Friday and Saturday at Overton, the Spartans will have to shake off any disappointment quickly.

 

“Our guys are very good at bouncing back and responding,†Miller said. “They’ll be ready to go.â€

 

Brentwood Academy got off to a rough start, with a pair of starters – junior 170-pounder Max Mullen and freshman 285-pounder Airin Spell -- missing Friday’s weigh-ins.

 

“That’s 12 points for us right there,†veteran coach Rodney Cash said. “Without those two kids, that hurt us.â€

 

First-period pins by Justin Becci at 120 and Christian DiLucchio at 132 gave BA an early 12-6 lead Saturday, but St. Benedict scored 28 points in the next six matches and picked up 12 more points on two forfeits to post a 46-28 win.

 

The twin losses marked the second winless tournament appearance for the Eagles in as many years.

 

“We’ve been sick, we’ve been injured – it’s been crazy,†Cash said. “But we’ll be better next year.â€

 

In the Division II invitational finals, Battle Ground Academy lost to Franklin Road Academy 47-24 following a 43-28 semifinal win over St. George’s.

 

For more from veteran Midstate sports writer Maurice Patton, go tohttp://mopattonsports.wordpress.com.