Wrestling Updates and Tidbits...

[Indian]

http://nwhof.org/blog/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-class-of-2016/

[JSamson7]

The UTC Family, you may remember mid nineties, Robby Lail (a wrestler under Mark Leen now a Okla. HOF'er) has national wrestling hall of fame inductees, his own mom and dad, some of you may know...

 

http://m.hickoryrecord.com/life_entertainment/column-a-journey-to-the-national-wrestling-hall-of-fame/article_38f376ac-2102-11e6-9ce8-33995b32f059.html?mode=jqm

 

His dad, RT, has been a part of wrestling since 1967 and started Four high school teams and additional clubs. high ranking nationally acclaimed official as well.... His son, Robbie, was among north and south Carolina wrestlers who competed in Russia, winning two of the matches. He’d wrestled since age 3. He was St. Stephens High School’s first state champion, and the recipient of a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling scholarship.

 

---------------------

 

Also, here's a treat or little throwback some may find interesting and another example of how UTC helped as a stepping stone for top tier wrestling...

 

http://a.espncdn.com/ncaa/s/intermat/oklajosh.html

Robbie is a good friend and part of my class at UTC in 96. Good to hear the success story for sure.

[Sommers]

Coach Ben Smith of Bradley Central High School is the coach of the year for the Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps wrestling team.

 

Annual Scrappy Moore Awards...

 

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/preps/story/2016/jun/09/scrappy-coach-finalists-linked-state-finals-a/370129/

[Sommers]

http://nwhof.org/blog/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-class-of-2016/

Yes...

 

Suwannee's Bill Harlow never thought as a kid growing up in Tennessee that he would be standing where he was Friday night.

[soms2]

Here's ya one Sommers...

 

 

After being selected for Tennessee honors, Pat Simpson of Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tennessee, was named NWCA Head Coach of the Year. The Irish posted a 22-0 record and claimed state championships at the Division II individual and dual tournaments.

 

http://www.hermistonherald.com/eo/local-sports/20160512/wrestling-tovey-recognized-for-coaching-excellence

 

“Both Coach Simpson and Coach Tovey have long careers in coaching at the high school level and have served as tremendous mentors for our next generation of teachers and coaches,†said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “One of the hardest things about recognizing great scholastic coaches is there are so many viable and deserving coaches to consider.â€

 

 

 

Here’s a look at the 2016 Tennessee Sports Writers Association all-state wrestling teams:

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/07/03/2016-tswa-all-state-wrestling-teams/86654974/

 

2016 TSWA all-state wrestling teams

 

Michael Murphy, mfmurphy@tennessean.com8 hours agoFacebookTwitterGoogle Plusmore

 

Pic

 

Ayrika Whitney / Gannett Tennessee

 

Clarksville Northwest's Jessica Elery.

 

Pic

 

Tennessee Sports Writers Association

 

RELATED: 2016 All-Midstate boys wrestling teamsRELATED: 2016 All-Midstate girls wrestling teams

 

Pic

 

Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

 

Riverdale's Nick Boykin

 

CLASS AAA

 

106

Charles Wheaton, Soddy-Daisy

Brayden Palmer, Beech

Rodney Trent, Tennessee

Bryce Pond, Cleveland

 

113

Thomas Hicks, Bradley Central

Calvin Martin, William Blount

Tolliver Justice, Knox Halls

Jon Kost, Rossview

 

120

Ryan McElhaney, Bradley Central

Kyle Burns, Bearden

Logan Whiteside, Cleveland

Chase Brown, Knox Halls

 

126

Juan Hernandez, Heritage

Joshua LaCoe, Bradley Central

Triston Blansit, Cleveland

Jack Shrader, Franklin

 

132

Joseph Munoz, Walker Valley

Colton Landers, Cleveland

Hunter Parker, Bradley Central

Brady Ingram, Independence

 

138

Knox Fuller, Bradley Central

Dewey Pendley, Tennessee

Zack Wilkins, Mt. Juliet

Matt Meeks, East Hamilton

 

145

Trevor Rippy, Beech

Michael Diemer, Heritage

Austin Mathews, Bradley Central

Angel Leyva, Gibbs

 

152

Donnie Beyer, Bradley Central

Chris Rowland, Ravenwood

Mikel Gregory, Walker Valley

Jay Graham, Rhea County

 

160

Matthew Seals, Blackman

Alex Jeffers, Dobyns Bennett

Tucker Russo, Soddy-Daisy

Colton McMahan, Knox Halls

 

170

Zach Linton, Wilson Central

Tate Holmes, Anderson County

John Olivieri, Stewarts Creek

Nolan Kennedy, William Blount

 

182

Kaleb Rippy, Beech

Josh Booker, Jefferson County

Hunter Fortner, Gibbs

Jeremy Spangler, Tennessee

 

195

Brett Brown, Bradley Central

Tyler Reid, Ooltewah

Justin Johnson, Stone Memorial

Eric M. Cornelius, West Creek

 

220

Hunter Bagley, Science Hill

Tyler Barber, Stewarts Creek

Victor Bednarski, Ooltewah

Isaiah Demello, Independence

 

285

Nick Boykin, Riverdale

Logan Townsend

Jonathan Davis, Gibbs

Michael Kramer, Wilson Central

 



 

Tim Adkins / Gannett Tennessee

 

Harpeth's Braxton Hunter (right)

 

CLASS A-AA

 

106

Dymond Smith, Pigeon Forge

Elijah Hicks, Sullivan East

Jeremy Holloway, Notre Dame

Jeffrey Gross, Forrest

 

113

William Reichel, Red Bank

Dylan Pendley, Forrest

Caleb York, Pigeon Forge

Scott Weaver, Boyd Buchanon

 

120

Jacob Ruiter, Pigeon Forge

Braxton Hunter, Harpeth

Garrett Lay, Knox Grace

Michael Colon, Alcoa

 

126

Luke Mullin, Notre Dame

Logan Chase, Sullivan East

Elias Bond, Pigeon Forge

Eric Foster, Stratford

 

132

Ryan Verhulst, Alcoa

Bryson Hux, Greeneville

Isaac Yates, Hixson

Ned Warwick, Notre Dame

 

138

Matthew Kieta, Pigeon Forge

Andrew Birchett, Page

Isaac Coffman, Chattanooga Central

Daniel Dawson, Signal Mountain

 

145

Landon Goforth, Hixson

Gabe McDuffie, Red Bank

Mitchell Camper, Sycamore

Garrin Shuffler, Greeneville

 

152

Alonso Heyward, Chattanooga Central

Josh Vance, Greeneville

Gary Reagan, Pigeon Forge

Dallas Prater, Cheatham County

 

160

Austyn Renshaw, Alcoa

Josh Croley, Pigeon Forge

Drew Gill, Eagleville

Daniel Novack, Kingston

 

170

Jarim Shereef, Alcoa

Phillip Nichols, Christian Academy of Knoxville

Julian Furr, Montgomery Central

Darian Smith, East Ridge

 

182

Seth Petarra, Signal Mountain

Dylan Bargerstock, Hixson

Houston Tywater, Page

James Hughes, Stratford

 

195

Devin Crawl, Red Bank

Gregory Williams, Nashville Christian

Anthony Baiamonte, Pigeon Forge

Brian Sledge, Chattanooga Central

 

220

Nick Foster, Greeneville

Grant Brace, Alcoa

Toby Lynch, Greenbrier

Devon Suddeth, Red Bank

 

285

Samson Evans, Alcoa

Anthony Ottinger, Red Bank

Evan Grooms, Greeneville

Josh Stiltner, Sullivan East

 



 

Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

 

Father Ryan's Raymond Eason

 

DIVISION II

 

106

Robert Briggs, Christian Brothers

James Killian, Father Ryan

Carter Coughlin, Knox Webb

Joe Walsh, St. Benedict

 

113

Christian Simpson, Father Ryan

Joseph Tourquine, Montgomery Bell Academy

Trent Maddox, McCallie School

Dalton Kilpatrick, St. Benedict

 

120

Tray Chalifoux, Father Ryan

Gabriel Elkin, Montgomery Bell Academy

Trevor Milling, Baylor School

Connor Rasberry, Christian Brothers

 

126

Raymond Eason, Father Ryan

Brock Herring, McCallie School

Andy Atchley, Baylor School

John Michael Glover, Montgomery Bell Academy

 

132

Kirby Simpson, Father Ryan

Jack Reynolds, Baylor School

Tanner Tidswell, Christian Brothers

Trent Walliser, McCallie School

 

138

Eli King, Father Ryan

Trevor Brown, Christian Brothers

Austin Atchley, Baylor School

Conner Mitchell, Battle Ground Academy

 

145

Michael Murphy, Baylor School

Ethan Dendy, McCallie School

Daniel Wesley, Father Ryan

Bryce Wittman, Christian Brothers

 

152

Mason Reiniche, Baylor School

Drew Nicholson, Christian Brothers

Will Patton, McCallie School

Mark Floyd, Montgomery Bell Academy

 

160

Judah Duhm, McCallie School

Tommy Brackett, Christian Brothers

Riley Westlake, Baylor School

Drake Mitchell, Franklin Road Academy

 

170

Caleb Powell, Baylor School

Carter Heckle, Montgomery Bell Academy

Kevin Pease, St. Benedict

Andrew Wesnofske, Father Ryan

 

182

Khamari Whimper, Baylor School

George Hooker, Father Ryan

Noah Kurtz, St. Benedict

Jake Lindow, St. George’s

 

195

Ryan Parker, Baylor School

Brian Phillips, McCallie School

Andrew Sweatt, Christian Brothers

Sam Sullivan, Montgomery Bell Academy

 

220

Ben Stacey, Father Ryan

D’On Coofer, Montgomery Bell Academy

Isaac Roberts, McCallie School

Grayson Walthall, Christian Brothers

 

285

Jeremy Darvin, Father Ryan

Cooper Reiniche, Baylor School

River Henry, McCallie School

John Kelly, Montgomery Bell Academy

 

GIRLS

 

105

Katie Brock, Sequatchie County

Caitlyn Green, Northeast

Tony Shipley, David Crockett

Emma Allsbrooks, Montgomery Central

 

112

Isabella Badon, Daniel Boone

Jessyca Mumaw, Hendersonville

Nena Chrestman, Sycamore

Madeline Davis, Siegel

 

120

Allison Davis, Sullivan East

Halla Woodson, Dickson County

Kaitlyn Lee, Mt. Juliet

Macy DeBlois, Independence

 

125

Elise Dille, Cumberland County

Shantoia Blackburn, Antioch

Leilani Gutierrez, Northeast

Lexie Worley, Tennessee

 

130

Krista Legagneur, Bearden

Krista Martin, Tennessee

Hollie Yokely, Warren County

Kyah St. Marie, Stone Memorial

 

138

Jessica Elery, Northwest

Rachel Dagnan, Signal Mountain

Tailor Stole, Ravenwood

Alexis Jaynes, Happy Valley

 

148

Jailah Grimes, Summit

Lindsey Morrison, Northwest

Abby Mainzer, St. Andrew’s

Cailey Griffin, Gibbs

 

155

Jaydn Sayre-Adona, Northeast

Becka Stallard, Volunteer

Kayla Johnson, Hillsboro

Jayanna Stokes, Montgomery Central

 

165

Kenya-Lee Sloan, Hardin Valley

Keely Sage, Montgomery Central

Emily Russell, Munford

Kyerra Wall, Greeneville

 

185

Zaferah Fortune, St. Andrew’s

Kaleigh Johnson, Cumberland County

Jada Hoskins, Montgomery Central

Caitlyn Gilmore, Sycamore

Edited July 4, 2016 by soms2

[facenthecrowd]

Congrats to Pat Simpson from Father Ryan for winning this great award. You have done an incredible job with your program.

 

Good luck in the future and Congratulations again.

 

 

[soms2]

Here's another missed one from a couple of weeks ago...

 

DNJ All-Area Wrestling Team capsules

 

http://www.dnj.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/06/21/dnj-all-area-wrestling-team-capsules/86172384/

 

Tom Kreager, tkreager@dnj.com15 days agoFacebookTwitterGoogle Plusmore

 



 

HELEN COMER/DNJ

 

All-Midstate Wrestler of the Year, Nick Boykin, a junior at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, on Thursday March 24, 2016.

 

FIRST TEAM

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Lucas Gaines

 

Lucas Gaines

 

Stewarts Creek, Fr.

 

Weight: 106

 

Record: 29-12

 

Why chosen: Gaines finished third in Region 5-AAA and won one match at state.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Jaylen James

 

Jaylen James

 

Stewarts Creek, Jr.

 

Weight: 113

 

Record: 20-8

 

Why chosen: James was the Region 5-AAA champion and won two matches at state.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Michael Moultry

 

Michael Moultry

 

Siegel, So.

 

Weight: 120

 

Record: 43-5

 

Why chosen: Moultry was the Region 5-AAA champion and won two matches at state.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Daniel Bradford

 

Daniel Bradford

 

Siegel, So.

 

Weight: 126

 

Record: 37-15

 

Why chosen: Bradford was the Region 5-AAA runner-up. He won three matches at state.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Carl Templeton

 

Carl Templeton

 

Smyrna, Sr.

 

Weight: 132

 

Record: 42-11

 

Why chosen: Templeton was the Region 5-AAA champion. He won two matches at state.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Eric Souksavong

 

Eric Souksavong

 

Stewarts Creek, Sr.

 

Weight: 138

 

Record: 15-16

 

Why chosen: Souksavaong placed third in Region 5-AAA to advance to the state meet.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Landon Fowler

 

Landon Fowler

 

Blackman, Fr.

 

Weight: 145

 

Record: 43-8

 

Why chosen: Fowler was the Region 5-AAA champion and won three matches at state.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Christian Salter

 

Christian Salter

 

Siegel, So.

 

Weight: 152

 

Record: 44-5

 

Why chosen: Salter was the Region 5-AAA champion and won three matches at state.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Matthew Sells

 

Matthew Sells

 

Blackman, Jr.

 

Weight: 160

 

Record: 49-2

 

Why chosen: Sells won the Class AAA 160-pound state title and was the Region 5-AAA champion.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

John Olivieri

 

John Olivieri

 

Stewarts Creek, Sr.

 

Weight: 170

 

Record: 39-3

 

Why chosen: Olivieri placed third at state in Class AAA. He was the Region 5-AAA champion.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Garrett Richards

 

Garrett Richards

 

Oakland, Sr.

 

Weight: 182

 

Record: 14-5

 

Why chosen: Richards was the Region 5-AAA champion and won one match at the state meet.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Andre Bravo

 

Andre Bravo

 

Blackman, Sr.

 

Weight: 195

 

Record: 42-8

 

Why chosen: Bravo won the Region 5-AAA title and won two matches at state.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Tyler Barber

 

Tyler Barber

 

Stewarts Creek Sr.

 

Weight: 220

 

Record: 37-6

 

Why chosen: Barber finished state runner-up in Class AAA at 220 pounds. He also was the Region 5-AAA champion.

 

Nick Boykin

 

Riverdale, Jr.

 

Weight: 285

 

Record: 45-0

 

Why chosen: Boykin won his second straight Class AAA 285-pound state title, going undefeated for the second straight year.

 

SECOND TEAM

 

106: Blaine Fussell, Eagleville, So.

 

113: Joshua Rodella, Siegel, So.

 

120: Dylan Coggins, Stewarts Creek, Sr.

 

126: Gabe Rogers, Stewarts Creek, Jr.

 

132: Jalen Brown, Blackman, Fr.

 

138: Elijah Cox, Blackman, Jr.

 

145: Treavor South, Stewarts Creek, Fr.

 

152: Ryder Gebhardt, Oakland, So.

 

160: Drew Gill, Eagleville, Sr.

 

170: John Williams, Siegel, Sr.

 

182: Hunter Winters, Blackman, So.

 

195: Branson Boone, Oakland, So.

 

220: Chester Peden, Smyrna, Sr.

 

285: Landen Patterson, Siegel, Sr.

 



 

Tom Kreager/DNJ

 

Blackman coach Ronnie Bray was named The Daily News Journal's Wrestling Coach of the Year.

 

Coach of the Year

 

Ronnie Bray

 

Blackman

 

Why chosen: Blackman reached the TSSAA Class AAA state duals this past season after beating Siegel in the Region 5-AAA duals championship. Bray's Blaze also had 11 wrestlers advance to the TSSAA Class AAA individual state tournament.

[soms2]

Here's another soms

 

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/preps/story/2016/jul/11/red-bank-hires-head-coaches-wrestling-basebal/375302/

 

Red Bank will have new faces directing its baseball and wrestling programs for the 2016-2017 school year.

 

Ulric Winesburgh is stepping up to replace Shane Turner and Jason Henderson is moving from Lookout Valley to take over for Trey Hicks. Turner is headed to Boyd-Buchanan and Hicks to Notre Dame.

 

"Both coaches come highly recommended," said Red Bank assistant principal Wendell Weathers, who is returning to his alma mater, where he was an outstanding football player and wrestler.

 

"Ulric served as a volunteer assistant coach last year for Shane, and we're very comfortable and extremely excited about hiring him as head coach for this storied program. We're fortunate to get a baseball coach of Jason's caliber. He comes with high recommendations."

 

Winesburgh competed for highly touted Soddy-Daisy and won a state championship his senior year before moving on to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He wrestled there for Chris Bono for a couple of seasons before devoting all his time to academics and then graduating with an education degree.

 

"I was initially a little nervous about taking the job, but then I found out Wendell was going to be in the building and it became a golden opportunity," Winesburgh said. "I like having somebody who's been a head coach to guide me."

 

Weathers served as head wrestling coach for several seasons at Ooltewah before turning those duties over to Bryant Blackmon and stepping into administration as an assistant principal and assistant athletic director.

 

There are big shoes to fill and holes in the lineup. Winesburgh helped Red Bank to the 2016 Class A/AA state duals championship, but the Lions also had numerous seniors on that team.

 

"I have good rapport with a lot of the kids. We graduated a lot of seniors, but we have some really tough kids returning," he said. "We want to build on the base that Shane left, and we have some growing to do as a team."

 

Henderson, valedictorian at Lookout Valley in 2005, has played for and coached under some quality baseball people, including Joel Johnson for three seasons when he was at Bryan College. He also played for David Dinger and coached with Wes Caldwell and Lance Rorex at Lookout Valley.

[Sommers]

Ex-Wilson Central wrestler dies in Mt. Juliet crash...

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/wilson/mt-juliet/2016/07/11/wilson-central-grad-dies-mt-juliet-crash/86942462/

[Sommers]

Friends, Classmates and local metro TV station remember Ex-Wilson Central Wrestler...

 

http://www.newschannel5.com/news/friends-classmates-remember-ex-wilson-central-wrestler

 

WTVF

 

MT. JULIET, Tenn. - Friends and classmates came together to remember a Wilson County teenager killed in a car accident earlier this week.

 

A crowd filled the parking lot in front of Publix on South Mt. Juliet Road Friday evening.  They lit candles and shared stories of Lane Dickeson.

 

“He loved life and lived it to the fullest,†said Perry Baltz, a teammate of Dickeson’s.  “He was a big jokester and always smiling.â€

 

Dickeson, 19, was a 2015 Wilson Central High School graduate who was a star wrestler.  He went on to attend Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, but had plans to move closer to home and attend MTSU.  Dickeson was also an active member of Cook's United Methodist Church.

 

Dickeson was killed Sunday in a single vehicle accident on Beckwith Road in Mt. Juliet.  An initial report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol shows he was traveling South on Beckwith Road around 4:30 p.m. when he lost control of his car, and crashed into a tree.  Dickeson was wearing a seatbelt, and drugs and alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash.

 

His friends said news of the crash was still sinking in, and it had been an emotional week.  They gathered Friday to celebrate his life and remember the good times they shared.

 

“We have a lot of memories,†said Todd Cox, a former teammate and member of Cook’s United Methodist Church.  “He may be gone, but the memories will stay with us for forever.â€

 

Funeral services were held Thursday at Cook's United Methodist in Mt. Juliet. 

 

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Wilson Central wrestling program.

 

A memorial fund has also been set up.  Donations can be made here: https://www.tilt.com/tilts/lane-dickeson-memorial-fund?s=fb&u=slong6635&_branch_match_id=282588726941564862

 

2016 Scripps

[DaChampsAgain]

Friends, Classmates and local metro TV station remember Ex-Wilson Central Wrestler...

 

http://www.newschannel5.com/news/friends-classmates-remember-ex-wilson-central-wrestler

 

WTVF

 

MT. JULIET, Tenn. - Friends and classmates came together to remember a Wilson County teenager killed in a car accident earlier this week.

 

A crowd filled the parking lot in front of Publix on South Mt. Juliet Road Friday evening. They lit candles and shared stories of Lane Dickeson.

 

“He loved life and lived it to the fullest,†said Perry Baltz, a teammate of Dickeson’s. “He was a big jokester and always smiling.â€

 

Dickeson, 19, was a 2015 Wilson Central High School graduate who was a star wrestler. He went on to attend Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, but had plans to move closer to home and attend MTSU. Dickeson was also an active member of Cook's United Methodist Church.

 

Dickeson was killed Sunday in a single vehicle accident on Beckwith Road in Mt. Juliet. An initial report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol shows he was traveling South on Beckwith Road around 4:30 p.m. when he lost control of his car, and crashed into a tree. Dickeson was wearing a seatbelt, and drugs and alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash.

 

His friends said news of the crash was still sinking in, and it had been an emotional week. They gathered Friday to celebrate his life and remember the good times they shared.

 

“We have a lot of memories,†said Todd Cox, a former teammate and member of Cook’s United Methodist Church. “He may be gone, but the memories will stay with us for forever.â€

 

Funeral services were held Thursday at Cook's United Methodist in Mt. Juliet.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Wilson Central wrestling program.

 

A memorial fund has also been set up. Donations can be made here: https://www.tilt.com/tilts/lane-dickeson-memorial-fund?s=fb&u=slong6635&_branch_match_id=282588726941564862

 

2016 Scripps

It's sad to see these young kids lose their life before they even get to start one. Rhea County also had a star football player that got struck by lightning and lost his life the other day and Bradley also had a young man to leave us several weeks ago. May God bless these schools and families through all of this.

[Sommers]

MOST OUTSTANDING AWARD....

 

http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/jones-to-receive-outstanding-american-award-for-efforts-in-wrestling-programs,38876

 

 

Allan Jones

 

PreviousNext

 

Posted Saturday, July 23, 2016 10:28 pm

 

By BRIAN GRAVES Banner Staff Writer

 

The thing about wrestling is you may get pinned on one night, but you get up and work harder to pin the other guy the next.

 

That is the definition of how local businessman Allan Jones feels about the sport of wrestling and the lessons he learned from being involved in the sport has led him well through life and business.

 

Because of that special connection, the Tennessee chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame will award Jones with its “Outstanding American†award Aug. 20 in Chattanooga.

 

“It is an honor to receive this,†Jones said.

 

“I was at Arnold Junior High School and played basketball. I was OK at basketball, but left the team,†he said adding with a laugh. “I had failed a few subjects. I’m not a quitter, I was fired by coach Lou Underdown.â€

 

Jones went out for wrestling his freshman year.

 

“I remember the first year we had a football coach as a coach,†he recalled. “We had the fastest player of all time, Robert Ware. We met jumping center against each other.â€

 

The two came out together for the wrestling team.

 

“He was better than me in basketball and a lot better than me in football,†he said. “In wrestling, I could tell I could be better than him.â€

 

With another laugh he said, “After I proved that to him, he quit.â€

 

Jones said he found himself enjoying the sport, actually starting on the varsity team when he was a freshman.

 

“In my first match, I was overweight and had to lose weight from 140 to 138,†he said. “I think I had forgotten to lose weight. So, I missed my first match and the second string would up winning it.â€

 

Jones said his first match in his sophomore year was in front of the student body.

 

“I remember this vividly,†he said. “A guy named Steve Eller from Hixon was the opponent. The whole student body was watching and I pinned him. After I pinned him, that’s when I realized I really liked this. I worked hard at it.â€

 

The event which motivated Jones to help ensure Cleveland had the best teams possible was in his junior year under their football coach, Bo Elliott.

 

“For the years I was on the team, the coaches were football coaches and not wrestling coaches,†he said. “So, I am going down to wrestle McCallie in my senior year, which had a whole staff of college-level wrestling coaches without the help.â€

 

Jones does not hold a great deal of affection remembering coach Elliott who was coach during is junior year.

 

“He knew I was the best wrestler and tried to get me to start a fight on the football field. I refused to do that, so we started off on the wrong foot,†he said.

 

Jones was on the team with Jim DiGennaro, who later became the SEC champion at the University of Georgia.

 

“We are at the region tournament my junior year under coach Elliot and if we won the next match — and mine was the easy match — we go to the state tournament,†he recalled.

 

He recalled the coach calling them in and telling them. “You know if you win this next match, you’ll be going to the state tournament. You know if you go to the state tournament, you’re going to have to practice for another week. If you have to practice another week, that means I’ll have to come and be at practice for another week. You do not want me to have to work another week. If you do, it will be the worst week of your life. So, you know what you’re going to have to do, don’t you?â€

 

He said the two responded, “Yes, sir.†The coach walked out of the room.

 

Jones’ match was first “and we were demanded to throw our matches.â€

 

There is a photo of Jones wrestling “a guy I could just kill.â€

 

“DiGennaro had an opponent with which he could lose and nobody would know he threw the match,†Jones said. “Mine was going to be obvious.â€

 

“He runs off the mat. I’m thinking I’m going to win and DiGennaro’s going to lose and I’m going to be stuck [with the coach] by myself the next week,†he recalled.

 

“In desperation, I drag him by the foot and drag him to the center of the mat,†Jones said. “The paper snaps the picture and I jump underneath him. That picture shows the match I threw.â€

 

Jones said that was a turning point for him. He decided “that would never happen again.â€

 

“My dad wanted me to go with him to the state tournament. I never told my parents,†he said. “My dad said I could have won that championship and it was killing me to know I had to throw that match.â€

 

Jones said it is fortunate Elliott was not hired back for the next year.

 

During Jones’ senior year, another coach came in, Duane Schriver who was from New York “and talked funny.â€

 

Schriver had been at the University of Tennessee for baseball and had taken over for coach Bill Talley.

 

Jones said the first match under the new coach was against McCallie.

 

“We are a horrible team and McCallie has a whole slew of college wrestling coaches,†he said. “Schriver had wrestled very little in high school and we knew more than he did.â€

 

“He kept telling us we can beat these guys and me and DiGennaro thought we were going to get killed by these guys,†he said.

 

When Jones stepped on the mat, it was 52-0.

 

“I was the best wrestler on our team and my opponent was their worst,†he recalled. “I absolutely annihilated him. For all these years, I’ve been trying to find him to apologize.â€

 

He and DiGennaro win and they retire to the locker room “to get our usual butt-chewing.â€

 

“This was the turning point for wrestling at Cleveland High School when Duane Schriver said, ‘Guys, I need to apologize to you. I’m new at this and don’t know much about this. You were not outwrestled tonight. I was outcoached. I talked to those other guys. They have a middle school program. We don’t. All of those guys are college coaches. I’m not.’â€

 

Jones said Schriver said if the players would stick with him, they would never be put in that position again.

 

“By 1981, Schriver wins the state championship and turns things around,†Jones said. “He did it by caring about the kids and by making sure he got the best out of each kid he could. Your best match you wrestled may not be one you won, and he understood that.â€

 

Schriver brought in an assistant, Al Miller, who had previously wrestled at Cleveland High. and was a wrestler at UTC.

 

“I have been motivated that these kids never face Bo Elliot again,†Jones said.

 

He said part of making Cleveland competitive again was to get Bradley Central to start a wrestling team.

 

“I couldn’t make Cleveland competitive unless Bradley was competitive. We had this rivalry going,†Jones said. “That’s what makes these two schools good — being competitive with each other.â€

 

“Bo Elliott gets credit for motivating me for all of that and all of my donations to the sport to ensuring wrestlers do not have to face another coach like him,†Jones said with a laugh. “As a result, Cleveland and Bradley County have become the capital of wrestling.â€

 

In speaking of the award, Jones goes back to what the sport of wrestling has done for him.

 

“It taught me how to push myself harder,†Jones said. “When you think you can’t go any harder, you can go harder.â€

 

He the only way to compete was to be in better shape than his competitor.

 

“I would go out and run after practice,†he said. “I would run and I would jog and work my rear off to put myself in good shape so when third period came, I had a lot of horsepower.â€

 

“I couldn’t learn wrestling because I didn’t have anyone to teach it,†Jones added. “But, I could put myself in good condition.â€

 

“Wrestling taught me how to drive myself,†he said. “It also taught me character. It’s not people who win a wrestling match — when I was winning my senior year, that was easy — what was hard is the freshman year when I was 0 and how ever many matches I wrestled. I would lose in front of my girlfriend or my parents and force myself to come back and do it again and do it again and do it again.â€

 

“That’s what teaches character,†Jones said. “It’s easy when you’re a winner to go out there, but what’s hard is after you’ve lost to keep pushing yourself and pushing yourself.â€