Inspiring for coaches and wrestlers...

[Sommers]

Keep Blackman in your prayers as a tragedy occurred. A very Somber and Cloudy day... should be in news, if not already

Edited February 8, 2015 by Sommers

[Sommers]

Fine TriCities Coverage...

 

http://www.tricities.com/sports/article_3357b364-af3b-11e4-b9d1-631054ae27f4.html

 

Prep WrestlingPendley win highlights four-title day for THS at Region 1-AAA tourney

 

Vikings' Pendley talks about his regional win

 

Bristol Herald Courier

 

Posted: Saturday, February 7, 2015 11:58 pm | Updated: 12:25 am, Sun Feb 8, 2015.

 

Nate Hubbard | Bristol Herald Courier

 

Posted on Feb 7, 2015

 

by Nate Hubbard

 

GRAY, Tenn. – A dejected Dewey Pendley sat slumped against a wall in the old Science Hill gymnasium last year at the individual Region 1-AAA wrestling tournament, unable to swallow a silver in the 132-pound bracket on a day where five of his Tennessee High teammates donned the title of regional champ.

 

On Saturday at Daniel Boone, Pendley was standing on top of the podium in the center of another celebratory showing for the Vikings.

 

Wrestling this time in the 138-pound bracket, the sophomore took control of his regional final match early and recorded at 15-5 major decision over Volunteer’s Jonathan Charpenter, dealing the two-time Colorado state qualifier only his second loss of the season since moving to Northeast Tennessee.

 

“It was definitely a wild card,†Pendley said. “I didn’t know what he was going to do, but it was my match.â€

 

And his triumph.

 

Following his victory, Pendley received hugs, pats and fist bumps galore as relief and joy washed over his face.

 

“It was a long time coming,†he said. “I was ready to win – been thinking about it all year.â€

 

Pendley said his narrow 2-0 setback in last year’s regional final was one of the lowest moments of his wrestling career.

 

“It wasn’t fun, I’ll tell you that,†he said. “That’s all I could think about all day. That’s all that was in my mind. I just didn’t want that to happen again.â€

 

Welcoming Pendley into the regional champion club Saturday were Trent Nelson (106 pounds), Corbin Hurley (132) and Bryson Henley (145) as the trio of Tennessee High wrestlers defended regional titles from a season ago.

 

Hurley was the first to give Pendley a congratulatory word seconds after the 138-pound champion completed his win.

 

“He dominated and that’s exactly what we do in practice,†Hurley said. “We work to dominate. He did his part and I’m ecstatic for him.â€

 

While Pendley enjoyed the thrill of moving up a spot, Hurley said repeat regional titles don’t get old either as he chases the first state title in the history of the THS wrestling program.

 

“It’s the same feeling as it was the very first day,†said Hurley, a junior who secured his third regional title in three tries with a 5-0 win over Sam Lane of Science Hill. “It’s really emotional and it’s something I hope to continue.â€

 

Hurley won his first regional title with a 5-4 decision and last year needed overtime to secure his victory. On Saturday, the fourth-place 2014 state finisher was in command throughout on the way to his 121st career win.

 

“It’s always good to have a cushion,†he said.

 

Nelson and Henley – both sophomores – also had rather routine victories in defending their 2014 regional titles.

 

Nelson recorded the lone Tennessee High pin in the finals, ending his match with Science Hill’s Cooper Williams in 3:43.

 

“This year I was probably a little more nervous just because last year I was the underdog, I was the second seed,†Nelson said. “This year it was kind of more expected so I was a little more nervous. I didn’t want it to go any longer.â€

 

Henley turned in a workmanlike 9-1 major decision over Hunter Stratt of Dobyns-Bennett.

 

“I had to go in and do my job,†he said.

 

For years a state qualifier or two was the norm at Tennessee High, but the resurgent Vikings held onto most of their gains from a season ago when the regional tournament was split into separate classes for the first time.

 

Tennessee High had only 10 wrestlers in the field Saturday, but nine of them secured state berths with top-four finishes in their respective brackets, matching the program’s 2014 showing.

 

After notching six regional finalists and five champions last year, Tennessee High had finalists in eight weight classes Saturday before bringing home four golds and four silvers.

 

“Having four [champions] is great … but you want them all,†said Vikings coach Tim Marshall.

 

Still, Marshall didn’t downplay the overall success as the Vikings finished second in the team standings for the second straight year, edging Jefferson County by a half-point – 162.5 to 162 – and finishing 21 points behind Dobyns-Bennett.

 

“We’ve done a great job,†Marshall said. “We’ve got 10 wrestlers here – everybody else is wrestling with 14. It’s been amazing what we’ve done with 10 wrestlers. We couldn’t have asked any of them to step up any more than what they’ve done.â€

 

Earning second-place finishes for Tennessee High were Judson McCray (113 pounds), Harold Johnson (152), Jeremy Spangler (160) and Kenneth Hagerman (220).

 

 

 

THS earns Best of Bristol mat title

 

Two years ago as a freshman, Corbin Hurley stamped himself as a rising star in the Tennessee High wrestling program when he won the decisive match of a clash with Sullivan East to deliver the …

 

McCray lost by major decision (13-0 to David Crockett’s Zachary Bynum) and Spangler suffered a technical fall (20-4 to Dobyns-Bennett’s Palmer Begley) as both went into the finals as significant underdogs.

 

Johnson was tied late in the second period with Alex Jeffers of Dobyns-Bennett before dropping an 8-5 decision and Hagerman, after falling behind on a series of technical violations that had the Tennessee High supporters livid, had to settle for silver after an 8-3 defeat to Michael Foster of D-B.

 

Will Poore (126 pounds) was the final state qualifier for Tennessee High as he earned a spot in the third-place match before being pinned in 36 seconds by Brandon Talley of Morristown East.

 

After going to the state meet with just three teammates as a freshman, Hurley said he’s looking forward to another trip to Franklin, Tennessee, next weekend with another sizeable bunch of Vikings.

 

“It’s awesome to see that we all grew up together,†said Hurley, one of a slew of Tennessee High wrestlers who cut their teeth at the AAU level competing for the Viking Wrestling Club.

 

“We all were in the club together and then we moved together here and now we’re just winning all together.â€

 

nhubbard@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Hubbard_BHCSprt | (276) 645-2543

[Sommers]

PF Headlines up in Johnson City...

 

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/article/124194/pigeon-forge-rules-regino-1-a-aa-wrestling

 

wrestling

 

February 7th, 2015 10:09 pm by IVAN SANDERS

 

ELIZABETHTON— Twenty Region A/AA teams converged on Treadway Gym Saturday looking for an opportunity to seize individual state wrestling berths in 14 weight classes.

 

When the final tap of the mat took place, the Pigeon Forge Tigers were the ones roaring the loudest, capturing first place in seven weight classes with 14 wrestlers qualifying for the state tournament at the Williamson County Expo Center in Franklin on February 12-14.

 

As a team, the Tigers finished well ahead of the pack with a score of 298 points. Alcoa clinched the second place slot with an overall team score of 219.5 points.

 

Northeast Tennessee did see a level of success as Sullivan East claimed third with 100 points and Greeneville wasn’t too far behind the Patriots with 89 points.

 

Garrett Gilley (17-0) of West Greene got the championship matches off on the right foot by taking the 106-pound class with a pin fall over Zachary Griffin (12-3) of Knox Catholic just 1:20 into their match.

 

Teammate Austin Gilley (10-5) collected a second place finish at 113 after being pinned by Gavin Hutchens (30-1) of Pigeon Forge. Joey Campbell (24-12) of Greeneville also qualified at 113 after being pinned by Michael Colon (31-18) of Alcoa to finish fourth.

 

In the 120 championships, Grayson Reed (42-9) of the Green Devils put up a good battle before succumbing to Pigeon Forge’s Jacob Ruiter (37-15) 4:57 into their showdown. Sullivan South’s Caleb Salyers (29-8) nabbed a fourth place finish after being pinned at the 3:55 mark by Alcoa’s Anthony Richardson (28-18).

 

One of the day’s most exciting matches was in the 126 lb. class as Sullivan East junior Logan Chase (30-3) captured a heart-pumping 12-7 decision over Alcoa senior Nathaniel Murphy (50-12) to take a regional championship.

 

“This is real special because it took a lot of hard work, and I thank God that it paid off finally,†said Chase. “He’s a tough competitor - he beat me last year by one point, but I came in here wanting it more. It’s a true honor.â€

 

Patriot teammate Luke Hicks (30-5) took third place in the 132 class with a pin over Chuckey-Doak’s Michael Sandstrom (24-11) as both wrestlers qualified for state spot.

 

Greeneville’s Josh Vance (41-3) took top spot on the podium by taking a close 8-7 decision over Gary Reagan (33-8) of Pigeon Forge to claim a region championship at 138.

 

South Greene’s Brandon McGhee (19-12) will advance with a fourth place finish at 145.

 

Hunter Arnold (35-2) was the second East Patriot to win a regional title as he had to fight with all his might and hold off Josh Croley (21-7) of Pigeon Forge to take a 5-4 decision in 152 lb. action.

 

Sullivan South senior James Lewis (28-5) snared a third place finish at 170 over Pigeon Forge’s Xavier Bohanon (36-17) with a pin at 2:44.

 

In the heavyweights, Jimmy Bowman (45-6) of Greeneville came up just short at 220 as Alex Breeden (39-6) of Pigeon Forge earned a 7-2 decision.

 

Sullivan East freshman Kaleb Bare (24-7) will be making the trip to Franklin in the 220 class as well with a third place finish over Bryson Perkins (31-11) of Alcoa with a 6-2 decision.

 

Daniel Ridlen (10-3) of Chuckey-Doak claimed one of the final slots in the super heavyweight 285 lb. class with a third place finish pinning Thomas McGill (25-11) of Kingston barely 1:26 into their match.

[Sommers]

Montgomery Co area coverage...

 

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2015/02/07/areas-top-individual-wrestlers-advance-state/23064683/

 

Area’s top individual wrestlers advance to state

 

George Robinson, The Leaf-Chronicle9:11 p.m. CST February 7, 2015

 

(Photo: File photo)

 

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Montgomery County will take more than 24 wrestlers to the state individual tournament next week as the Region 7-AAA Individual Tournament wrapped up late Saturday afternoon at Wilson Central High School in Lebanon.

 

The Clarksville area had only three region champions as Rossview’s John Kost captured a region title at 113 pounds and Clarksville High’s Clay Cook (145) and Kiel Russell (195) also earned region crowns.

 

Area teams also swept two weight classes, earning all four place awards. The top four finishers in each weight class advance to state and Clarksville wrestlers swept the 145 and 195 divisions. Cook captured first at 145 as Northeast’s Delrico Brown finished second. Rossview’s Christopher Beatty finished third and West Creek’s Brandon Oakley finished fourth.

 

At 195, Russell’s first-place finish was followed by Kenwood’s Omar Yunis. West Creek’s Eric Cornelius took third and Dylan Carney, of Northwest, finished fourth.

 

It was Wilson Cental that captured the overall team championship with 222.5 points. West Creek had the best finish of area schools in the 12-team tournament after taking fourth with 115 points. Rossview finished 5th, followed by Clarksville High (6th), Northeast (7th) and Northwest (8th). Kenwood finished 11th.

 

West Creek had the most advance to state with seven wrestlers. In addition to Oakley and Cornelius, Jose Intriago (132) and Diego Martinez (152) each reached the region championship match but finished runner-up. Nick Raines (220) finished third in his weight class while Jessie Struther (160) and Christian Macias (138) took fourth place.

 

Clarksville High and Rossview each had five advance to state while Northeast will take four to state next week in at the Williamson County Ag Expo in Franklin. Northwest will have a pair of wrestlers advance while Kenwood’s Yunis will compete.

 

The Wildcats’ Dalton Hallilday took fourth at 106 pounds. Bryan Reynolds (152) and Chris Kiser (170) took fourth place.

 

The Hawks’ Anthony Cole (120) and Enrique Gonzalez (126) each finished third. Adrian Gonzalez finished region runner up at 138.

 

The Eagles’ Malik Pope took third at 152 pound while Dustin Beard finished region runner up at 220. Jefferson Tauai finished third at the heavyweight division.

 

George Robinson. Prep writer. 245-0747. georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com. Follow on Facebook and Twitter: @Cville_Sports.

[Sommers]

There were some saying possible shutout by #1 Iowa...

 

Here's a breakdown match by match from Flo...

http://www.flowrestling.org/coverage/252108-Iowa-vs-Penn-State/video/759604-Whiteboard-Wars-Iowa-vs-Penn-State#.VNf22IbnYm8

http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/recaps/020815aaa.html

 

Bryce Jordan Center | University Park, Pa. | 15,967 (25th straight home sell-out)

 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In front of nearly 16,000 frenzied collegiate wrestling fans, No. 5 Penn State nearly upset No. 1 Iowa on Sunday in the Bryce Jordan Center. In an epic setting in front of the second largest dual meet crowd in NCAA history, Penn State came up just short to the top-ranked Hawkeyes, winning four of ten bouts and dropping the dual by an 18-12 score.

 

The dual meet featured 17 ranked wrestlers and began at 125. Nittany Lion junior Jordan Conaway(Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 8, mounted a furious third period comeback to overcome an early deficit. But No. 5 Thomas Gilman used a riding time point to notch a thrilling 6-5 decision to give Iowa an early lead. Sophomore Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 7 at 133, sent nearly 16,000 fans to their feet with a late four-point move (takedown and two near fall points) to down No. 3 Cory Clark 8-5 to tie the dual.

 

At 141, Penn State red-shirt freshman Kade Moss (South Jordan, Utah) dropped a hard-fought 9-4 decision to No. 6 Josh Dziewa as Iowa retook the lead 6-3. Sophomore Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), ranked No. 18 at 149, nearly notched a last second, dual tying takedown against No. 2 Brandon Sorensen, but the Hawkeye fought off the move and grabbed a tough 6-4 win. At 157, junior Luke Frey(Montoursville, Pa.) nearly stunned No. 15 Michael Kelley before dropping a 7-4 decision and Iowa led 12-3 at the break.

 

Nittany Lion red-shirt freshman Garett Hammond (Chambersburg, Pa.) made at 165 with a thrilling 4-2 win over No. 7 Nick Moore. Hammond broke a 2-2 tie with a low single, lift and takedown with just :06 on the clock to pull Penn State to within six, 12-6. In one of the dual's most anticipated match-ups, Lion All-American Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) met Iowa All-American Mike Evans with the duo ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively at 174. Brown set the tempo throughout the seven minutes and, while not posting a takedown, used a second period escape and a third period ride-out to post the 2-0 win and cut Iowa's lead to 12-9.

 

Penn State red-shirt freshman Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 17 at 184, dropped a 7-1 decision to No. 8 Sammy Brooks as Iowa took a 15-9 lead. Nittany Lion All-American Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 4 at 197, dominated No. 6 Nathan Burak, using a two point near fall in the second period to roll to a 7-1 win and cut the Iowa lead to 15-12.

 

At 285, Nittany Lion senior Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), ranked No. 6, took on No. 2 Bobby Telford with the dual meet in the balance. Telford used an escape, a stall point and a riding time point to post the 3-0 win, keep the Lions from tying the dual and giving the Hawkeyes the 18-12 victory.

 

In one of the tightest duals of the year for Penn State, neither team notched a bonus point win and the takedown battle was a dead-even 8-8 tie. The crowd of 15,967 is the 25th straight home sell-out for Penn State including two duals in the Bryce Jordan Center. The total is the second highest in NCAA history, just 29 shy of the national record of 15,996, set last year in this same building when Penn State defeated Pittsburgh on Dec. 8. The attendance at today's dual and last year's Pitt dual are the two largest crowds ever for an athletic event in the BJC and are the two largest crowds at any athletic event in Penn State history not held in Beaver Stadium. Penn State is now 10-3, 6-3 in the Big Ten. Iowa is 13-0, 8-0.

 

Penn State will trek to Stillwater, Okla., for a dual meet against No. 9 Oklahoma State on Sunday, Feb. 15. Action is set for 3 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. local). A limited number of standing room only tickets are still available for Penn State's home finale against Rider on Feb. 22 in Rec Hall. Fans can call the Penn State ticket office at 1-800-NITTANY to purchase. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2014-15 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. 

 

#5 Penn State 18, #1 Iowa 12

February 8, 2015 - Bryce Jordan Center - University Park, Pa.

 

125: #5 Thomas Gilman IOWA dec. #8 Jordan Conaway PSU, 6-5 / 0-3

133: #7 Jimmy Gulibon PSU dec. #3 Cory Clark IOWA, 8-5 / 3-3

141: #6 Josh Dziewa IOWA dec. Kade Moss PSU, 9-4 / 3-6 

149: #2 Brandon Sorensen IOWA dec. #18 Zack Beitz PSU, 6-4 / 3-9

157: #15 Michael Kelly IOWA dec. Luke Frey PSU, 7-4 / 3-12

165: Garett Hammond PSU dec. #7 Nick Moore IOWA, 4-2 / 6-12

174: #3 Matt Brown PSU dec. #2 Mike Evans IOWA, 2-0 / 9-12

184: #8 Sammy Brooks dec. #17 Matt McCutcheon PSU, 7-1 / 9-15

197: #4 Morgan McIntosh PSU dec. #6 Nathan Burak IOWA, 7-1 / 12-15

285: #2 Bobby Telford IOWA dec. #6 Jimmy Lawson PSU, 3-0 / 12-18

Attendance: 15,967 (25th straight home sell-out)

Records: Penn State 10-3, 6-3 B1G; Iowa 13-0, 8-0 B1G

Up Next for Penn State: at Oklahoma State, Sunday, Feb. 15, 3 p.m. (Eastern) 

[Sommers]

In case you didn't see it in the other thread or in Facebook...

 

There has been a  GoFundMe  account set up to help Blackman's Winters family with funeral expenses.

 

http://www.gofundme.com/danielwinters

[Sommers]

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2015/2/8/293658/UTC-Wrestlers-Top-App-State-19-17.aspx

 

UTC Wrestlers Top App State, 19-17

 

Mocs Clinch Share of SoCon Title

 

Sunday, February 8, 2015

 

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team clinched at least a share of the Southern Conference regular season title with a 19-17 win at Appalachian State.  The Mocs (11-5) are now 6-0 with one league match left, while the Mountaineers (7-8) drop to 4-1 in SoCon action. 

 

The Mocs knew they were in for a tough battle with the Mountaineers.  Things got even harder when they learned on Friday that sophomore Jared Johnson, the starter at heavyweight and team leader with a 25-6 record, would be out with an illness. 

 

That made UTC’s margin of error even smaller and further highlighted the fact that four of their five losses were by four points or less.  Chattanooga split the five matches with Appalachian State today, and came up big with bonus points in key bouts. 

 

Action began at 125 with UTC’s 11th ranked senior Sean Boyle taking on ASU senior Dominic Parisi.  Boyle scored a 9-6 decision to give UTC a quick 3-0 lead.

 

The Mocs got down big in three matches today, including 7-1 at 133, 9-0 at 149 and 5-0 at 197.  However, they battled back to score a win in each of those matches. 

 

Senior Nick Soto, ranked No. 13 at 133 this week, was in a 7-1 hole to Vito Pasone.  He ran off 10 straight points for the comeback win.  It was his 110th career victory, moving him into sixth place on Chattanooga’s all-time wins list.  He is now 24-0 in his career in SoCon matches, while giving Pasone his first setback in league action.

 

“Nick got down big, but he didn’t not give up and found a way to win,†stated head coach Heath Eslinger.  “That was huge for us and set the tone for the rest of the match.â€

 

ASU closed the gap to 6-3 with a win at 141 and looked in complete control up 9-0 at 149.  That’s when senior Shawn Greevy really got it going.  He not only came back for the win at 149 over Javon Johnson, but he scored an astonishing 26-9 technical fall for five team points.  That gave UTC an 11-3 lead. 

 

Appalachian State responded with three consecutive wins over its own.  Zach Strickland used a takedown in the closing seconds for a 4-3 win over Austin Sams and Nick Kee scored a 16-5 major decision over freshman Justin Lampe at 165.  Forrest Przysz also used a takedown late in the third period for a 4-3 win over sophomore Sean Mappes at 174. 

 

Trailing 13-11, sophomore McCoy Newberg took the mat for Chattanooga at 184.  He dominated his match against Nick Vetell, turning in a 15-0 technical fall and giving the Mocs a 16-13 lead. 

 

“McCoy’s win was huge,†added Eslinger.  “He wrestled great and really helped us get the win today.â€

 

With Johnson out at heavyweight, the 197 bout was almost a must-win for Chattanooga.  SophomoreScottie Boykin took on Tyler Radford and he quickly found himself in a 5-0 hole.  Boykin was able to battle back and post a 15-10 decision. 

 

ASU was still in it, but had to have a pin at heavyweight.  They had a chance with their No. 20 Denzel Dejournette going against junior Clay Dent who was wrestling up a weight.  Dent fought him off as best he could before allowing a 15-2 major decision. 

 

This is the eight-straight win for UTC and their 21st consecutive SoCon victory.  The Mocs have won or shared 15 SoCon regular season titles since the league started recognizing a season winner in 1994. They have also won four-straight and 10 of the last 11.  Chattanooga also improves to 35-1 in SoCon action in six seasons under current Coach Eslinger.

 

Oklahoma Coming to Big Mac: The Mocs are back in action next Sunday when they host Oklahoma at 2:00 p.m. in Maclellan Gym.  This match is part of the NWCA National Duals.  Tickets are available on GoMocs.com or by calling the UTC Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627).  Be sure to check the wrestling schedule page on GoMocs.com for links to a live broadcast and live scoring.

 

Chattanooga 19 – Appalachian State 17

Sunday – Feb. 8, 2015 - Varsity Gym – Boone, N.C.  

125: No. 11 Sean Boyle (UTC) – Dec. 9-6 - Dominic Parisi (ASU) – UTC 3-0

133: No. 13 Nick Soto (UTC) – Dec. 11-7 - Vito Pasone (ASU) – UTC 6-0

141: Michael Longo (ASU) – Dec. 3-1 - Michael Pongracz (UTC) – UTC 6-3 

149: Shawn Greevy (UTC) – TF, 26-9 - Javon Johnson (ASU) – UTC 11-3

157: Zack Strickland (ASU) – Dec. 4-3 - Austin Sams (UTC) – UTC 11-6

165: Nick Kee (ASU) – MD, 16-5 - Justin Lampe (UTC) – UTC 11-10

174: Forrest Przybysz (ASU) – Dec. 4-3 - Sean Mappes (UTC) – ASU 13-11

184: McCoy Newberg (UTC) – TF, 15-0 - Nick Vetell (ASU) – UTC 16-13

197: Scottie Boykin (UTC) – Dec. 15-10 - Tyler Radford (ASU) – UTC 19-13

285: No. 20 Denzel Dejournette (ASU) – MD, 15-2 - Clay Dent (UTC) – UTC 19-17

[cbg]

There were some saying possible shutout by #1 Iowa...

 

Here's a breakdown match by match from Flo...

http://www.flowrestling.org/coverage/252108-Iowa-vs-Penn-State/video/759604-Whiteboard-Wars-Iowa-vs-Penn-State#.VNf22IbnYm8

http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/recaps/020815aaa.html

 

Bryce Jordan Center | University Park, Pa. | 15,967 (25th straight home sell-out)

 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In front of nearly 16,000 frenzied collegiate wrestling fans, No. 5 Penn State nearly upset No. 1 Iowa on Sunday in the Bryce Jordan Center. In an epic setting in front of the second largest dual meet crowd in NCAA history, Penn State came up just short to the top-ranked Hawkeyes, winning four of ten bouts and dropping the dual by an 18-12 score.

 

The dual meet featured 17 ranked wrestlers and began at 125. Nittany Lion junior Jordan Conaway(Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 8, mounted a furious third period comeback to overcome an early deficit. But No. 5 Thomas Gilman used a riding time point to notch a thrilling 6-5 decision to give Iowa an early lead. Sophomore Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 7 at 133, sent nearly 16,000 fans to their feet with a late four-point move (takedown and two near fall points) to down No. 3 Cory Clark 8-5 to tie the dual.

 

At 141, Penn State red-shirt freshman Kade Moss (South Jordan, Utah) dropped a hard-fought 9-4 decision to No. 6 Josh Dziewa as Iowa retook the lead 6-3. Sophomore Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), ranked No. 18 at 149, nearly notched a last second, dual tying takedown against No. 2 Brandon Sorensen, but the Hawkeye fought off the move and grabbed a tough 6-4 win. At 157, junior Luke Frey(Montoursville, Pa.) nearly stunned No. 15 Michael Kelley before dropping a 7-4 decision and Iowa led 12-3 at the break.

 

Nittany Lion red-shirt freshman Garett Hammond (Chambersburg, Pa.) made at 165 with a thrilling 4-2 win over No. 7 Nick Moore. Hammond broke a 2-2 tie with a low single, lift and takedown with just :06 on the clock to pull Penn State to within six, 12-6. In one of the dual's most anticipated match-ups, Lion All-American Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) met Iowa All-American Mike Evans with the duo ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively at 174. Brown set the tempo throughout the seven minutes and, while not posting a takedown, used a second period escape and a third period ride-out to post the 2-0 win and cut Iowa's lead to 12-9.

 

Penn State red-shirt freshman Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 17 at 184, dropped a 7-1 decision to No. 8 Sammy Brooks as Iowa took a 15-9 lead. Nittany Lion All-American Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 4 at 197, dominated No. 6 Nathan Burak, using a two point near fall in the second period to roll to a 7-1 win and cut the Iowa lead to 15-12.

 

At 285, Nittany Lion senior Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), ranked No. 6, took on No. 2 Bobby Telford with the dual meet in the balance. Telford used an escape, a stall point and a riding time point to post the 3-0 win, keep the Lions from tying the dual and giving the Hawkeyes the 18-12 victory.

 

In one of the tightest duals of the year for Penn State, neither team notched a bonus point win and the takedown battle was a dead-even 8-8 tie. The crowd of 15,967 is the 25th straight home sell-out for Penn State including two duals in the Bryce Jordan Center. The total is the second highest in NCAA history, just 29 shy of the national record of 15,996, set last year in this same building when Penn State defeated Pittsburgh on Dec. 8. The attendance at today's dual and last year's Pitt dual are the two largest crowds ever for an athletic event in the BJC and are the two largest crowds at any athletic event in Penn State history not held in Beaver Stadium. Penn State is now 10-3, 6-3 in the Big Ten. Iowa is 13-0, 8-0.

 

Penn State will trek to Stillwater, Okla., for a dual meet against No. 9 Oklahoma State on Sunday, Feb. 15. Action is set for 3 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. local). A limited number of standing room only tickets are still available for Penn State's home finale against Rider on Feb. 22 in Rec Hall. Fans can call the Penn State ticket office at 1-800-NITTANY to purchase. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2014-15 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. 

 

#5 Penn State 18, #1 Iowa 12

February 8, 2015 - Bryce Jordan Center - University Park, Pa.

 

125: #5 Thomas Gilman IOWA dec. #8 Jordan Conaway PSU, 6-5 / 0-3

133: #7 Jimmy Gulibon PSU dec. #3 Cory Clark IOWA, 8-5 / 3-3

141: #6 Josh Dziewa IOWA dec. Kade Moss PSU, 9-4 / 3-6 

149: #2 Brandon Sorensen IOWA dec. #18 Zack Beitz PSU, 6-4 / 3-9

157: #15 Michael Kelly IOWA dec. Luke Frey PSU, 7-4 / 3-12

165: Garett Hammond PSU dec. #7 Nick Moore IOWA, 4-2 / 6-12

174: #3 Matt Brown PSU dec. #2 Mike Evans IOWA, 2-0 / 9-12

184: #8 Sammy Brooks dec. #17 Matt McCutcheon PSU, 7-1 / 9-15

197: #4 Morgan McIntosh PSU dec. #6 Nathan Burak IOWA, 7-1 / 12-15

285: #2 Bobby Telford IOWA dec. #6 Jimmy Lawson PSU, 3-0 / 12-18

Attendance: 15,967 (25th straight home sell-out)

Records: Penn State 10-3, 6-3 B1G; Iowa 13-0, 8-0 B1G

Up Next for Penn State: at Oklahoma State, Sunday, Feb. 15, 3 p.m. (Eastern)

I watched this great match yesterday! Penn State did an excellent job of creating an electric atmosphere for wrestling by using the elevated mat along with a mat lamp. The crowd was announced at over 16,000 plus & they sold standing room only tickets. Maybe the TSSAA should try to learn something about facilities and creating a great fan friendly atmosphere. Tom Brands Iowa Hawkeye team seems to bring out the best in most every team. Edited February 9, 2015 by cbg

[Sommers]

Great local coverage by Banner's EDITOR for WV, Cleveland and BC Bears...

 

http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/bears-win-region-wrestling-championship,2199

 

Bears win region wrestling championship

 

Close finish falls in favor of Bradley

 

BRADLEY CENTRAL WRESTLER Knox Fuller (top) battles Cleveland Colton Landers in the 126-pound bout at the Region 4-AAA tournament Saturday, at Bradley Central High School.

 

BANNER PHOTO, LYNNAE ROBERTS

 

Sunday, February 8, 2015 8:00 am

 

RICHARD ROBERTS Banner Sports Editor

 

The old adage “strength in numbers†holds particularly true in wrestling at state tournament time. Bradley Central, Cleveland and Walker Valley all have sizable numbers headed to the state traditionals tournament next week in Franklin, the Bradley Bears will arrive as Region 4 champions.

 

A total of 34 wrestlers from Bradley Central, Cleveland and Walker Valley will be battling it out for the right to be called state champion beginning Thursday in Franklin.

 

Bears coach Ben Smith was happy with the region championship but feels the Bradley wrestling team did not perform up to his expectations in the six and a half-point victory over Cleveland.

 

“It’s kind of bittersweet because you do what you have to do to win the tournament. But when you look at the end result, we only won six of the 13 matches we wrestled in the final round. Rather than building our lead and improving our lead we were hanging on. It’s hard to win big tournaments if you don’t win those final round matches,†said Smith, already looking toward next week. “I’m happy we won, but there are still lots of areas where we have got to get better. If we are going to beat them next weekend when it really matters, we have got to get better. We’ve got to finish stronger.â€

 

The Bears earned 210 points to Cleveland’s 203.5. The Walker Valley Mustangs finished fourth with 122 points. Soddy-Daisy wrestled to a third-place finish with 155.5 points and Ooltewah rounded out the top five with 79.

 

Bradley qualified for state berths in 13 of 14 weight classes. The Blue Raiders of Cleveland will send 12 wrestlers to Franklin and the Walker Valley Mustangs will go to the tournament with nine wrestlers.

 

Ironically, it was a match the Bears were not involved in that helped push the final point count in their favor. The 220-pound bout between Walker Valley’s Ric Kennett and Cleveland’s John Gaither was a pivotal point in the championships. At the time, however, Smith had other things on his mind.

 

“It’s a helpless feeling,†Smith said of depending on the outcome of another match. “At the time I was really focused on doing the math as far as the team point we got deducted — which should have been on me — was going to affect us. Those were two good kids. Really, we just didn’t need Kennett to get pinned. It’s helpless, but you still look for the kids to not get hurt. But it worked out well for us.â€

 

Cleveland coach Jake Yost could not have been happier with his wrestlers even though the Blue Raiders fell short of winning another region title.

 

“We had a good day. We qualified 12 out of 14,†said a pleased Yost. “Every single kid wrestled to or above their seed. Those seeds are there because of what played out during the year. Several of our kids wrestled better than their seed. That’s a good day.â€

 

Yost had already done his match as far as the outcome of the 220-pound bout and said the final result would not have made a difference either way. The team’s focus will now be on final preparation and possible rematches in the state finals on Saturday.

 

“Even if we win that match we don’t win. We could have won some more matches, but I don’t know how I could be any happier. The guys did such a good job. We qualified 12 guys. We had a freshman region champion at 152. We had a freshman qualify at 106. We had some sophomores qualify, so now it’s just a matter of getting ready for next weekend. It’s a matter of making sure the kids are feeling good, working on their timing and making sure they are ready to go.â€

 

Mustangs coach Al Morris was happy with the way the day turned out after Walker Valley got off to a somewhat slow start in the early rounds.

 

“We’ve got nine going. We had two champions and in the medal round we won seven of our nine matches,†said a mostly content Morris. “We finished the day strong. We struggled a little earlier in the day. Now we’ve got a couple of days to get ready and we will see how it goes in Franklin.â€

 

The Mustangs face an uphill battle as far as winning a state championship

 

“I’m looking to place as many guys as we can. Obviously, it will be the first time over there for some of our guys. At minimum we are going to have some guys go over there and see what it’s about. Hopefully, we will make a little noise.â€

 

Walker Valley’s Jaylon Martin wrestled to the championship at 195 pounds and Kennet followed with a first-place finish at 220.

 

Cleveland had six Blue Raiders atop the podium. Tristan Blansit (120), Chris DeBien (132), Ezra Taylor (138), Jack Hicks (152), Aaron Oliver (160) and Koran Kennedy (285) won first place medals.

 

The Bears walked away with four champions. T.J. Hicks (106), Toribio Navarro (113), Knox Fuller (126( and Brett Brown (182) finished the day as region champions.

 

The Best Match Award went to 120-pound wrestlers Tristan Blansit and Ryan McElhaney.

 

The Outstanding Wrestler trophy was awarded to 132-pounder Chris DeBien.

 

Region 4-AAA Championship Finals

 

106 — T.J. Hicks (Bradley) dec. Cody Mathews (Cleveland), 10-5; 113 — Toribio Navarro (Bradley) dec. Chase Payne (Soddy-Daisy), 6-2; 120 — Tristan Blansit (Cleveland) dec. Ryan McElhaney (Bradley), 10-6); 126 — Knox Fuller (Bradley) dec. Colton Landers (Cleveland), 4-2; 132 — Christopher DeBien (Cleveland) pinned Austin Houser (Soddy-Daisy); 138 — Ezra Taylor (Cleveland) dec. Emory Holcomb (Soddy-Daisy), 7-3;145 — Tucker Russo (Soddy-Daisy) dec. Donnie Beyer (Bradley), 6-3; 152 — Jack Hicks (Cleveland) dec. Joshua Stiles (Soddy-Daisy), 5-3; 160 — Aaron Oliver (Cleveland) major dec. Jordan Chafi (Ooltewah), 9-0; 170 — John Williamson (Soddy-Daisy) pinned Corey Gatlin (Bradley), 1:24; 182 — Brett Brown (Bradley) pinned Samuel Garcia (Cleveland), 0:44; 195 — Jaylon Martin (Walker Valley) dec. Ed Elkins (Bradley), 8-7; 220 — Ric Kennett (Walker Valley) dec. John Gaither (Cleveland), 3-1 OT; 285 — Koran Kennedy (Cleveland) major dec. David Adams (Bradley), 14-0.

 

Consolation Finals

 

106 — Charles Wheaton (Soddy-Daisy), pinned Chandler Davis (Walker Valley), 1:40; 113 — Briar Potter (East Hamilton) pinned Marcus Hall (McMinn County), 2:56; 120 — Zane Smith (Walker Valley major dec. Justin taylor (Soddy-Daisy); 126 — Matt Meeks (east Hamilton dec. Jacob McClure (Soddy-Daisy), 8-5; 132 — Joe Munoz (Walker Valley) major dec. Joshua LaCoe (Bradley), 12-4; 138 — Austin Gregory (Walker Valley) dec. Stephen Scott (Bradley), 3-1;145 — Mikel Gregory (Walker Valley) dec. Jordan Massengill (Ooltewah), 8-2; 152 — Caleb Adkins (Bradley) pinned Dionte Richardson (Walker Valley), 3:54; 160 — Clay Bandy (Bradley) pinned Hunter Rogers (Soddy-Daisy), 2:26; 170 — Tyler Reid (Ooltewah) dec. Jonathan Martin (Cleveland), 11-5; 182 — Chuck Sanders (East Hamilton) dec. Nick Lett (Ooltewah), 6-5; 195 — Victor Bednarski (Ooltewah) major dec. Riley Stevison (Cleveland), 13-1; 220

 

— Jacob Keltch (Ooltewah) dec. Jacob Cranfill (Rhea County), 4-0; 285 — C.J. Schwark (Walker Valley) dec. Jesse McNew (Soddy-Daisy), 3-0.

[Sommers]

Here's some inspirational Wrestling Coverage from Mr Krieger & The Tennessean...

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2015/01/30/siegel-freshman-overcomes-cancer-now-excels-mat/22617351/

 

Siegel freshman overcomes cancer, now excels on mat

 

Tom Kreager, Gannett Tennesseean

 

(Photo: Helen Comer/Gannett Tennessee)

 

Zac Duncalf sat on a cafeteria chair.

 

His Siegel High wrestling teammates stood around him, waiting to start practice.

 

Rolled up wrestling mats standing on end hid him from the practice mats he’d get on later that day in the Stars’ make-shift practice room.

 

It was the last practice for the Stars’ freshman 145-pound wrestler before today’s TSSAA Class AAA State Duals at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center in Franklin.

 

Duncalf appeared as the perfect picture of a healthy 15-year-old.

 

However, it’s been a long road to get back to this point.

 

Six years ago, Duncalf was diagnosed with cancer, forcing him to give up wrestling and football, which he played when his family lived in Iowa.

 

“When I first got diagnosed, it was pretty bad,†Duncalf admitted. “I was pretty sick for about 31/2 months.

 

“I was feeling really sick, and was really tired. I wasn’t really myself. I wasn’t like a 9-year-old boy that wants to go outside and play. I just wanted to stay inside and sleep. That’s when my parents said, ‘OK, we have to get you checked out.’ â€

 

Duncalf was diagnosed with T-cell ALL leukemia and lymphoma. He had a mass on the right side of his body that wrapped around to his spine that was crushing his heart, forcing surgery to drain fluid.

 

Duncalf was treated with chemotherapy for 31/2 years. He’s been off treatment for the past two years and is currently cancer-free.

 

His strength has returned. He’s toned his body to the point where he can now play sports.

 

“This is a sport where you have to be able to handle adversity,†Siegel wrestling coach Lee Ramsey said. “The type of adversity that Zac has gone through, you can see it in the type of wrestler he is. You can see it in the type of man he is, and the type of man he’s growing into.

 

“He enjoys life. But at the same time, underneath that, he has an understanding of how important the things we do are, and how important it is to enjoy it.â€

 

Siegel is in the midst of a series of program firsts for the Murfreesboro school. The Stars recently won their first District 10-AAA championship and first Region 5-AAA championship to reach their first state duals. The Stars wrestle Tennessee High at 5:30 p.m. in the first round of the duals. The winner faces the McGavock-Bradley Central winner at 7:30 p.m. The loser faces the McGavock-Bradley Central loser at 9 a.m. Saturday in the double elimination tourney.

 

Duncalf, who also played freshman football for Siegel, is 20-15 for the Stars this season in his first year of high school wrestling.

 

Growing up in Urbandale, Iowa, wrestling was always important to Duncalf, who started wrestling when he was 6.

 

“Wrestling has always been very important to me,†Duncalf said. “It was really hard to hear that I had got it. It was hard to accept it and know I couldn’t play sports, especially because my other friends could play sports.â€

 

Duncalf said when he was finally cleared of the cancer, he immediately asked if he could begin wrestling again. The doctors cleared him as soon as the port in his chest healed.

 

And he soon got back in the athletic arena.

 

“I don’t take my sports for granted,†Duncalf said. “They mean a lot to me. It was really hard to not play for three years.

 

“When I got cleared, I was so excited to get back in them.â€

[Sommers]

Inspiring for a whole team or region...

 

Just got word that Rulon Gardner will come train a group for HALF OFF here!

 

Note: Believe it or not... he is working on a come back btw

 

Just personal message me and I will give details!

Edited February 10, 2015 by Sommers

[Sommers]

Sumner Co Coverage from the Tennessean...

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/sumner/2015/02/09/beech-sends-eight-state-wrestling-tourney/23148131/

 

Beech sends eight to state wrestling tourney

 

Chris Brooks, Sumner County Publications6:05 p.m. CST February 9, 2015

 

 

 

CONNECTTWEETLINKEDINCOMMENTEMAILMORE

 

Thirteen Sumner County wrestlers will take aim at individual state titles this week when the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association (TSSAA) State Wrestling Championships convene at Franklin’s Williamson County Expo Center, beginning on Thursday.

 

Each of the four local schools who currently have wrestling programs will have at least one representative in the state tournament, with Beech High garnering the most qualifiers. The Buccaneers will send eight wrestlers to Franklin after each finished in the top four of their respective weight classes in last weekend’s Region 7-AAA Championship Meet at Wilson Central High.

 

Freshman Trevor Rippy (47-5) won the 132-pound weight class, defeating West Creek’s Jose Intriago in the finals by a 12-0 major decision. Rippy defeated Hendersonville’s Nicholas Martin in the semifinals, needing only 52 seconds to pick up a pinfall victory.

 

Senior Michael King won the 160-pound division, doing so by winning a 10-5 decision over Wilson Central’s John Michael Jenkinson. King enters the state tournament with a 50-4 record this season. He won two matches in the state tournament last year at 160, winning once in the main draw and once in the consolation draw.

 

Junior Kaleb Rippy won the 182-pound weight class, defeating Wilson Central’s Perry Baltz by a 6-0 decision. Rippy is 47-2 as he enters the state tournament. He finished fourth in last year’s state tournament in the 170-pound division and will be seeking to medal for the third consecutive year, having finished sixth in 2013 in the 143-pound division.

 

Senior Devol Whitfield will head to the state tournament with a 38-1 record after winning the 285-pound division. He won all three of his matches by pinfalls, finishing with a win over Springfield’s Dalton Johns in 1:57. Whitfield didn’t take long to defeat his opponents, winning all three in a combined time of 3:44.

 

Last year, Whitfield didn’t place, but he did win two matches in the consolation bracket after suffering a first-round loss.

 

Senior Kyler Johnson finished third in the 138-pound weight class, defeating West Creek’s Christian Macias in the third-place match.

 

Freshman Kyle Smith placed third in the 170-pound division, while junior teammate Peyton Reinert took fourth in the 220-pound class. Reinart won one match in last year’s 220-pound class at the state tournament.

 

White House High will send three wrestlers to the Class A-AA state tournament.

 

Senior Kyle Cantrell will make a return appearance in the 285-pound division, finishing as the runner-up in the Region 3 A-AA meet at Eagleville on Saturday. Cantrell lost to East Nashville’s Joseph Cartwright in the finals.

 

Senior Charles Beasley – who attends Portland High but competes with the Blue Devils as part of a cooperative program – placed fourth in the 152-pound division. Beasley suffered an injury early in the consolation semifinals, taking a 90-second injury timeout. He went back to the mat and proceeded to win his match, 10-6, to advance to the third-place match. However, Beasley was unable to compete in the match due to the prior injury, forcing him to forfeit.

 

Sophomore Sky DeWeese qualified in the girls’ 125-pound class, placing fourth in the Region 3 A-AA Tournament at Ravenwood on Jan. 24. DeWeese also wrestled in the state tournament last year, after placing second in the region in 2014.

 

Pope John Paul II High senior Jacob Telli placed third in the 152-pound weight class in the Division II East/Middle Region Meet at McCallie on Saturday. Telli - who has a 14-4 record - defeated Franklin Road Academy’s Will Tansil in the consolation final by a 7-3 decision.

 

Senior Jonathan Jones was Hendersonville High’s lone state qualifier, placing fourth in the 182-pound division. Jones suffered a quarterfinal loss to Mt. Juliet’s Nathan Walling and then advanced through the consolation bracket, getting to the third-place match before falling to Waller again.

 

The Class AAA Tournament begins on Thursday afternoon, with the first two rounds of the main draw and the consolation bracket. Friday’s action will kick off the tournament for the Class A-AA and Division II tournaments, beginning at 10 a.m. All divisions will wrestle through the semifinals in the championship bracket on Friday.

 

Saturday’s action will begin at 10 a.m. with the consolation semifinals and finals in all divisions, along with the fifth-place matches. All divisions, including the girls’ championship, will hold the finals at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

 

TSSAA State Wrestling Tournament First-Round Matches

 

Class A-AA (Friday at 10 a.m.)

 

152: Charles Beasley (White House) vs. Noah Bankston (Notre Dame)

 

285: Kyle Cantrell (White House) receives first-round bye, to face Sam Stephenson (Chattanooga Central)/Thomas McGill (Kingston) winner

 

Class AAA (Thursday at 3 p.m.)

 

126: Landon Butler (Beech) vs. Esteban Remillard (Summit)

 

132: Trevor Rippy (Beech) vs. Tyler Brown (Munford)

 

138: Kyler Johnson (Beech) vs. Mathew Maxwell (Gibbs)

 

160: Michael King (Beech) vs. Jaron Rowland (Smyrna)

 

170: Kyle Smith (Beech) vs. Corey Gatlin (Bradley Central)

 

182: Jonathan Jones (Hendersonville) vs. Brett Brown (Bradley Central)

 

182: Kaleb Rippy (Beech) vs. Zach Ratliff (Dobyns-Bennett)

 

220: Peyton Reinert (Beech) vs. Michael Foster (Dobyns-Bennett)

 

285: Devol Whitfield (Beech) vs. Jesse McNew (Soddy-Daisy)

 

Division II (Friday at 10 a.m.)

 

152: Jacob Telli (Pope John Paul II) vs. Nathan Martin (Briarcrest Christian)

 

Girls’ Division (Friday at 11 a.m.)

 

125: Sky DeWeese (White House) vs. Emily Legagneur (Bearden