Ryan Leads After the Semis; 9 in the Finals

[bbb]

Two longtime wrestling foes - Baylor and Father Ryan - face off Saturday in quest of the Holy Grail; the coveted state high school traditional championship for D-II.

 

Through Friday's championship semifinals and one round of consolation matches, Ryan held a 27.5 point lead (191-163.5) and had a nine to six edge in championship finalists and both teams have all 14 wrestlers still seeking medals.

 

"I don't think we could have wrestled any better on the first day of the traditional and had hoped to put nine in the finals which we did and that was important," said Father Ryan coach Pat Simpson.

 

Asked if a nearly 30 point lead was enough to say the title stays in Nashville for another year, Simpson said, "the lead is never big enough after day one."

 

More Team Standings: MBA is in third (125 pts.), followed by McCallie (118), Christian Brothers (68), BGA (46), Brentwood Academy (35), St. George's (24),MUS (17) and St. Benedict (16) to round out the top 10 of 16.

 

Depending on how each school's wrestlers fare in consolations, Ryan has a chance to secure the title early during the championship finals (6 p.m. EST) as coach Simpson will sit mat side for the first five matches (and eight of the first nine matches), including coaching his nephew, Christian Simpson (106) and his son, Kirby Simpson (126).

 

Ryan has finalists at 106 (Christian Simpson), 113 (Ray Eason), 120 (Trey Chalifoux), 126 (Kirby Simpson), 132 (Eli King), 145 (Chris Wesnofske), 152 (Marcello Morrice), 160 (Nick Naughton) 285 (Ben Stacey)

 

Baylor has finalists at 126 (Mason Reiniche), 138 (Michael Murphy), 160 (Blake Sutherland), 170 (Cayman Seagraves), 195 (Ryan Parker), 285 (Cooper Reiniche)

 

Baylor-Ryan: There are two head-to-head meetings between the two schools; at 126 as Baylor's Mason Reiniche faces Kirby Simpson and at 160 Baylor defending champion Blake Sutherland faces Ryan's Nick Naughton.

 

Wesnofske Brothers: Coach Simpson gave special praise to the Wesnofske brothers Chris (145) and Andrew (170) for key quarterfinal wins. Chris defeated Baylor's Caleb Powell in ovetime to avenge an 8-2 loss in the state duals, while Andrew edged MBA's Carter Heckle.

 

"Those two wins in the quarters were huge points wise but also a mental boost for our team," Simpson stated.

 

In the Semifinals, 28 wrestlers earned a shot at a title ... those with finalists ... Father Ryan was 9-2 in the semis, Baylor (6-5), MBA (5-2), McCallie (4-6)  Christian Bros. (2-3), St. George's (1-0), BGA (1-1).

 

St. George's First Ever Finalist: at 182, St. G senior Drew Ruffin won by forfeit against past state champion Cole Holloway (Baylor) in the quarters and then pinned Wyatt Lindlau (St Andrew's-Sewanee) to earn a spot in the finals opposite MBA's Cole Euverard.

 

St. G's coach Jefferson Brant is in his fourth year as head coach and wrestled at Clarksville under head coach Jeff Jordan and long time administrator Artie Manning ...

 

"Drew is a hard worker, is 35-3 on the season and has been in our program since the seventh grade," said coach Brant.

 

"This is our 11th season to field a varsity team and we are thrilled to have Drew be our first state finalist."

 

Most Traditional D-II Titles: Baylor (14), Father Ryan (13)

 

2014 State Coaches Association Awards (presented prior to the semifinals)

Senior Wrestler of the Year - Adam Connell (McCallie)

Assistant Coach of the Year -Ken Hammonds (Wilson Central)

Head Coach of the Year - Pat Simpson (Father Ryan) 

 

TSSAA D-II Semifinals Results

106 - Thomas Bellet (MBA) dec. Hunter Anderson (Brentwood Acad.), 9-3

Christian Simpson (Father Ryan) major dec. Hayden Hartline (Baylor), 14-3

113 - Ray Eason (Father Ryan) dec. Trev Milling (Baylor), 8-6 OT-1

Gabriel Elkin (MBA) pinned Kolton Grimsley (BGA), 2:24

120 - Michael Elkin (MBA) major dec. Justin Becci (Brentwood Acad.), 11-2

 Trey Chalifoux (Father Ryan) dec. Addison Cornell (McCallie) injury forfeit, 5:10

126 - Kirby Simpson (Father Ryan) dec. James Westbrooks (McCallie), 9-5

 Mason Reiniche (Baylor) dec. Tanner Tisdell (Christian Bros,), 6-5 OT -1

 

132 - Trevor Brown (Christian Brothers) dec. Brock Herring (McCallie), 9-2

Eli King (Father Ryan) major dec. Alex Atchley (Baylor), 14-2

138 - Ethan Dendy (McCallie) pinned Daniel Wesley (Father Ryan), 3:01

 Michael Murphy (Baylor) pinned Bryce Wittman (Christian Bros.), 1:21

145 - Chris Wesnofske (Father Ryan) dec. Sam Harrelson (McCallie),5-2.

Braxton Kinney (BGA) pinned Blake Solarek (MBA), 3:00

 

152 -  Marcello Morrice (Father Ryan) dec. Caleb Canada (Baylor), 8-1

Will Patton (McCallie) pinned. Nathan Martin (Briarcrest), 3:48

160 - Blake Sutherland (Baylor) tech. fall Turner Rowland (McCallie), 3:52, 15-0

Nick Naughton (Father Ryan) major dec. Eric Olsen (BGA), 11-0

170 - Dallas Broughton (Christian Bros.)pinned Andrew Wesnofske (Father Ryan), 3:29

Cayman Seagraves (Baylor) pinned Max Mullen (Brentwood Acad.), 1:55

 

182- Cole Euverard (MBA) dec. Nick Pope (Briarcrest), 9-5

Drew Ruffin (St. George's) pinned. Wyatt Lindlau (St. Andrews-Sewanee), 5:49

195 - Trel Phillips (McCallie) dec. Grayson Walthall (Christian Bros.), 10-4

Ryan Parker (Baylor) tech fall John Gray (MUS), 5:22, 16-1

220 - D'On Coofer (MBA) dec. Jon Schmissrauter (Baylor), 1-0

Ben Stacey (Father Ryan) dec. Jay Roberts (McCallie), 5-4

285 - River Henry (McCallie) dec. Michael Beamon (Brentwood Acad).,5-2

Cooper Reiniche (Baylor) dec. Joe Scowden (MBA), 2-1

 

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

Edited February 14, 2015 by bbb

[Sommers]

The Fine Art of Peaking!

 

It's not over, but another orchestration of timing, Mr Pat Simpson!

 

Not surprising, but as strong as Baylor looked nobody saw this coming. Holloway was Baylor's late season boost for a few matches, but the late season showdown at duals raised plenty of eyebrows and now this?

 

Kudos!

[rgiii]

The Fine Art of Peaking!

 

It's not over, but another orchestration of timing, Mr Pat Simpson!

 

Not surprising, but as strong as Baylor looked nobody saw this coming. Holloway was Baylor's late season boost for a few matches, but the late season showdown at duals raised plenty of eyebrows and now this?

 

Kudos!

What? You don't even make sense. " The late season showdown raised plenty of eyebrows"?

[Sommers]

2 pt loss at the duals. That was a nice measuring stick and gave Ryan something to work for. Again, impressive finish!

 

Several mid-tn wrestlers from current divisions made an impact the last few days.

 

On the D1 side, not sure Lebanon has had such a high finish since the days of Lester.

[texas23]

i thought Wilson central would be more of a factor this time around.

[CupCake]

Congrats to Father Ryan and Cleveland...very strong finish! Kudos to OW Blake Sutherland from Baylor! Finishing like a Boss / Beast is as good as it gets!

 

CC,,,sends...