Wrestling Updates and Tidbits...

[Sommers]

Wilson Central's AA Michael Kramer went 5-2 At The Super 32 with 4 pins including his final opponent while taking 5th!!

[Sommers]

Superb wrestling coverage in Tullahoma...

Sunday, November 5th, 2017 TMS Wildcats notch pair of Thursday wins

Posted on Friday, November 3, 2017 at 5:30 pm

TULLAHOMA NEWS

Staff Report

After notching a pair of wins last Saturday, the Tullahoma Middle School wrestling team followed that with two more wins at home, defeating Siegel and Goodpasture on Thursday.

The Wildcats soundly beat both schools, first defeating Siegel 53-25. As of press time, the final score of Tullahoma’s matchup against Goodpasture was unavailable.

Tullahoma’s Beau Banks lifts a Goodpasture wrestler in a home matchup on Thursday. –Photo by Jennifer Myers

Winning six of the first seven matchups against Siegel, Tullahoma set the tone early, going ahead 36-4. Jaydon Lee (72) got things started for the Wildcats, putting them in front by pinning (six points) John Butler in 59 seconds.

Beau Banks (78) followed that with a pinfall win of his own, this time pinning Brady Bramble in 35 seconds, giving his team a 12-0 advantage.

Siegel won its first matchup of the day after Brodie Garmon (86) defeated Brock Stroop by way of a 16-2 major decision (four points), cutting the score to 12-4.

Tullahoma went on to pick up four-straight pinfall victories to up its lead to 36-4. Caleb Adkins (100) defeated Quentin Groves in two minutes and 47 seconds. Tristan Bunch (108) followed by pinning Noah Brown in 1:35. Christopher McCreary (115) defeated Gatwech Jai in 20 seconds and Jerzy Hendrix (123) pinned Bronson Clark in 3:29.

Grace Elliot got Siegel back on the board after winning the 130-pound matchup by forfeit (six points), cutting the score to 36-10.

Cadan Avans (140) followed with points for Tullahoma. Avans pinned Blake Jackson in 3:59, giving Tullahoma a 42-10 advantage.

Marquise Watkins (150) picked up a pinfall win for Siegel after defeating George Candeleria in 30 seconds, making the score 42-16.

Nathan Jones (165) secured a technical fall (five points) win for Tullahoma, beating Kai Ingram. Jones defeated Ingram 15-0 to give the Wildcats a 47-16 advantage.

Siegel notched back-to-back wins for their final points of the match. Noah Todd (185) beat Zechariah Swiger by way of a 7-3 decision (three points). Preston Davenport (215) won by way of forfeit.

Tullahoma put up the final points of the day, winning by way of a forfeit to capture the 53-25 victory. Isiah McGee (265) went unopposed in his matchup.

Tullahoma was scheduled to head to Cookeville on Saturday to compete in the Cookeville Duals. As of press time, the results of that matchup were unavailable.

On Tuesday, Tullahoma will head to Murfreesboro to take on Oakland and Blackman. Start time is scheduled for 6 p.m.

_________________________

Scottie's Back...

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Wrestling Mocs get boost from return of Michael Pongracz, Scottie Boykin

November 3rd, 2017by Gene Henleyin Sports - CollegeRead Time: 3 mins.

 

 

Last season wasn't a normal one for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling program.

For the first time in Heath Eslinger's eight seasons as head coach, the Mocs failed to reach double digits in wins. The two losses against Southern Conference competition set a new high — or low — and the program finished fourth in the SoCon tournament, their lowest placement since Eslinger's first season in 2009-10.

There were a couple of key pieces missing, however, and with their return expectations are back to normal, or even higher.

Michael Pongracz and Scottie Boykin chose to redshirt the 2016-17 season. With their return, the Mocs feel good about their chances to win their sixth conference tournament championship under Eslinger, and he has a pair of wrestlers hungry to get back out on the mat in competition.

"Their leadership is vital," Eslinger said early this week. "They just bring an energy to our program that's healthy. Energy can be positive and negative, but those two guys bring a ton of positive energy to our program."

TheMocs begin their season Saturday afternoon with a match at Virginia Military Institute before traveling to Roanoke, Va., to compete Sunday in the Hokie Open.

Boykin was 22-8 in 2015-16, ranking as high at No. 9 in the country. Pongracz went 22-6 two seasons ago and attempted to make the jump up to 149 pounds last season before realizing his body wouldn't be able to take the additional weight.

Both admitted it was "tough" watching last season's Mocs go 7-9 overall and 5-2 against conference competition.

"I think it just made us grow as people and individuals," Pongracz said. "Some of our guys were able to get more experience on and off the mat. We were a very young team last year and only had a few people graduate, so it was good for us."

Two Mocs — Chris Debien (No. 20, 133) and Bryce Carr (No. 12, 184) — were included in the Intermat preseason national rankings. Having missed last season, Boykin and Pongracz were not, but each will have chances to move in quickly.

Boykin (197) faces Ohio State's top-ranked Kollin Moore and second-ranked Jared Haught of Virginia Tech this semester, while Pongracz (141) has matches lined up against North Carolina State's Kevin Jack, the nation's second-ranked 141-pounder, and seventh-ranked Joey McKenna of Ohio State.

The Mocs face second-ranked Ohio State, eighth-ranked Virginia Tech and 11th-ranked N.C. State in dual meets, so they'll have plenty of opportunities to pull off big wins — not just as individuals, but as a team.

"I think it's kind of put everything in perspective," Boykin said. "Wrestling is hard, but it's not very long. This year, looking back, I just realize the opportunities are so great. I beat two dudes who were All-Americans last year, so I know we're right there. The opportunity is small, but we've got to take advantage of these opportunities.

"It's a game of inches, so we've got to do everything right and trust the process."

Said Eslinger: "The thing I'm most excited about is the overall maturity of our program. We have a very mature group of guys that are fun to be around. They come in, do the right things — not just when they feel like it but because it's who they are.

"That as a coach is what gives you hope that great days are ahead. With talent, you live on edge; sometimes talent can leave you hanging, but when there's an element of maturity, discipline and togetherness, it's exciting because there's not a lot of things that can stop it.

"That's the fun of going into this season, cranking up some competition. There'll be good and bad as we talk through the ebb and flow of this season, but I do believe that we have a corporate group of people that are truly moving in the same direction."

Alonzo Allen (125), Chase Stephens (157), Chad Pyke (165), Justin Lampe (174) and Connor Tolley (285) join Pongracz, Carr and Boykin as probable starters Saturday against the Keydets — UTC's first season-opening SoCon match since wrestling Davidson on Nov. 8, 2008. Two weight classes have two wrestlers listed as options: Wade Cummings or Colton Landers at 133 and Jake Adcock or Roman Boylen at 149.

In the Hokie Open, Allen and Cody Hill will compete at 125, Jake Huffine at 133, Pongracz and Debien at 141, Adcock and Boylen at 149, Trey Watson at 157, Pyke at 165, Lampe at 174, Carr at 184, Boykin at 197 and Tolley at 285.

Scuffle tickets on sale

Tickets for UTC's Jan. 1-2 Southern Scuffle at McKenzie Arena are on sale at GoMocs.com. Reserved seats cost $60 for two-day tickets, $35 for one day. General admission costs $35 for two days, $20 for a single day, with $5 discounts for groups of 10 or more.

There also are hospitality passes that include two full meals each day plus a two-day reserved seat. Those cost $150. For more information on the hospitality option email Brent-McMillian@utc.edu or call 423-425-5273.

Season tickets remain on sale as well.

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.

 

Edited November 5, 2017 by Sommers

[Sommers]

Warm up match...

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2017/nov/05/utc-wrestlers-open-wover-keydets/456285/

UTC wrestlers open with win over Keydets

November 5th, 2017by Staff Reportsin Sports - CollegeRead Time: < 1 min.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling program won its season opener in convincing fashion Saturday, defeating Virginia Military Institute 37-7 at Cormack Hall in Lexington, Va.

The Mocs won't wrestle another dual match until hosting eighth-ranked Virginia Tech on Nov. 17 at Maclellan Gymnasium, but they will be in Roanoke, Va., today to compete in Virginia Tech's Hokie Open. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m.

Bryce Carr (184) and Connor Tolley (285) scored pins for the Mocs against VMI, with Carr's pin of Gage Levine occurring in 39 seconds after a quick takedown.

UTC's Alonzo Allen (125), Jake Adcock (149), Justin Lampe (174) and Scottie Boykin (197) earned major decisions, while Chad Pyke (165) won 8-2 and Michael Pongracz (141) won by forfeit.

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Carr, Boykin Take Titles at Hokie Open

Five Mocs place in the Open Division at the Hokie Open.

Nov. 05, 2017 Wrestling

STORY LINKS

• BRACKETS

Seniors Scottie Boykin and Bryce Carr led the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team with individual titles at the 2017 Hokie Open in Roanoke, Va., today.  Carr won his second title in three years at 184, while Boykin took home the title at 197.

"It was a great way to end the weekend for Scottie and Bryce," stated head coach Heath Eslinger.  "I thought we had a lot of guys wrestle well and I was prrouf of our effort.  We know what we have to work on to get ready for some tough matches coming up on the schedule."

Senior Chad Pyke also represented the Mocs on podium with a runner-up showing at 165.  Senior Michael Pongraczfinished third at 141, while junior Alonzo Allen was fourth at 125. 

Allen was 2-0 on the day, but was pulled from competition following his second win.  He opened with a 4-1 decision over Stanford's Brian Rossi and followed that with a 6-4 decision against Virginia Tech's starter Kyle Norstrem.  Allen is coming off an injury, so he was limited in competition this weekend. 

Pongracz shut out three Southern Conference opponents today.  He opened with major decisions over Appalachian State's Irvin Enriquez (10-0) and Davidson's Dustin Runzo (12-0).  His lone loss was a one-point decision to eventual champion A.C. Headlee from North Carolina.  Pongracz came back to tech fall App. State's Bradley Irwin (16-0 – 4:14) in the third place match. 

Pyke won four straight matches to advance to the finals at 165.  There he faced All-American and ninth-ranked David McFadden from Virginia Tech.  Pyke battled hard, but couldn't pull off the upset and fell 10-3 to finish second in the bracket. 

Carr cruised to his second career win at the Hokie Open.  He also won the tournament at 184 as an unattached redshirt for the Mocs in 2015.  Today he capped four wins with a 4-2 decision over N.C. State's Nick Reenan.

Boykin redshirted last season, and has had a strong opening weekened.  He needed a third-period escape for a 6-5 win over Army's Ryan Caywood in the semifinals.  He took down Stanford's Nathan Traxler in the third period to score an 11-9 decision in the finals. 

The Mocs also had a number of competitors in the Freshman/Sophomore brackets.  Fabian Gutierrez placed fourth at 125, while Dominick Petrucelli was third at 165. 

Up next for the Mocs is a visit from No. 9 Virginia Tech on Friday, Nov. 17.  Match time is set for 7:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) in Maclellan Gym.  Single-match and season tickets are still on sale on GoMocs.com. 

2017 Hokie Open
Roanoke, Va. – Nov. 5
Open Division
125 – Alonzo Allen – 4^th Place
Brian Rossi (Stanford) – W-D, 4-1
Kyle Norstrem (Va. Tech) – W-D, 6-4

125 - Cody Hill
Conner Ziegler (Army) – L-D, 6-12
Kyle Norstrem (Va. Tech) – L-Fall (2:36)

133 – Wade Cummings
Jacob Romano (Limestone) – W-MD, 19-5
Dennis Gustafson (Va. Tech) – L-MD, 4-17
Nolan Whitely (Newberry) – L-D, 4-11

141 – Chris Debien
Stephen Hart (GSCW) – W-Fall (4:33)
A.C. Headlee (UNC) – L-D, 3-4
Isaiah Locsin (Stanford) – W-For.
Zach Barnes (Campbell) – L-D, 5-11

141 – Michael Pongracz – 3^rd Place
Irvin Enriquez (App. St.) – W-MD, 10-0
Dustin Runzo (Davidson) – W-MD, 12-0
A.C. Headlee (UNC) – L-D, 2-3
Bradley Irwin (App. St.) – W-Tech. Fall, 16-0 (4:14)

149 – Jake Adcock
Jobby Armenta (GWU) – W-D, 9-6
No. 17 Troy Heilmann (UNC) – L-MD, 4-16
Roman Boylen (UTC) – L-Fall (6:56)

149 – Roman Boylen
Austin O'Connor (UNC) – L-D, 3-6
Brandon Leynaud (Duke) – W-D, 6-3
Jake Adcock (UTC) – W-Fall (6:56)
Josh McClure (UNC) – L-D, 4-8

165 – Chad Pyke – 2^nd Place
Thomas Williams (Ohio) – W-Tech. Fall, 16-1 (5:48)
Angel Najar (App. St.) – W-D, 9-3
Blake Hohman (VMI) – W-D, 4-1
Andrew Mendel (Army) – W-D, 10-4
No. 9 David McFadden (Va. Tech) – L-D, 3-10

174 – Justin Lampe
Alex Agulair (Newberry) – W-D, 8-2
Garrett Church (App. St.) – W-MD, 14-5
No. 7 Ethan Ramos (UNC) – L-MD, 5-13
Graham Ratermann (Army) – W-D, 11-6
Seldon Wright (ODU) – L-D, 4-7

184 – Bryce Carr – 1^st Place
Clif Decius (Limestone) – W-Tech. Fall, 17-1 (4:34)
Jack Wedholm (Army) – W-D, 7-4
Noah Stewart (Arum) – W-MD, 10-1
Nick Reenan (N.C. State) – W-D, 4-2

197 – Scottie Boykin – 1^st Place
Taylor Thomas (VMI) – W-Tech. Fall, 22-6 (5:51)
Haszell West (Newberry) – W-D, 9-3
Rocco Caywood (Army) – W-D, 6-5
Nathan Traxler (Stanford) – W-D, 11-9

285 – Connor Tolley
Michael McAleavey (Citadel) – W-D, 6-2
Andrew Gunning (UNC) – L-D, 5-8
Demazio Samuel (App. St.) – W-D, 6-4
Kyle Wilkins (Army) – W-MD, 13-4
Will Cooley (Davidson) – W-D, 10-4
Cory Daniel (UNC) – L-MD, 0-8

Freshman/Sophomore
125 – Fabian Guiterrez – 4^th Place
Trevor Edwards (N.C. State) – W-MD, 12-2
Coleton Chase (Ohio) – W-MD, 13-3
Zurich Storm (N.C. State) – L-D, 3-8
Charles Lennox (N.C. State) – L-D, 2-4

149 – Zach Shareef
Knox Fuller (Army) – L-D, 4-10
Frank Bruno (Ohio) – W-D, 7-3
Jody McAlister (Newberry) – W-D, 6-3
Brendan Grames (Va. Tech) – L-D, 3-5

165 – Dominick Petrucelli – 3^rd Place
Louis Wilson (Newberry) – W-MD, 16-5
Calvin Nimely (Emmanuel) – W-MD, 12-0
Mekhi Lewis (Va. Tech) – L-Tech. Fall, 7-22 (5:58)
Steele Stout (Ohio) – W-D, 8-3

184 – Rodney Jones
Hunter Yeargen (Ohio) – W-D, 6-2
Connor Frey (ODU) – L-D, 3-4
Sam Ashway (Emmanuel) – W-Tech. Fall, 20-5 (5:11)
Timothy Bowers (Ohio) – L-D, 1-3

197 – Ben Stacey
Max Gallahan (VMI) – W-D, 5-4
Elijah Seay (King) – L-MD, 0-8
Bryce Walker (UNCP) – L-Fall (3:51)
 

 http://www.gomocs.com/news/2017/11/5/wrestling-carr-boykin-take-titles-at-hokie-open.aspx

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Sadly this American Health Crisis can be way too close to home even with our grapplers...

http://nypost.com/2017/11/04/how-high-school-drug-kingpins-made-40k-a-month/

Edited November 6, 2017 by Sommers

[Sommers]

No Ga/Chattanooga area Free-Pressc coverage..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sonoraville wrestlers armed for Georgia title try

November 12th, 2017by Lindsey Youngin Sports - PrepsRead Time: 3 mins.

 

Baylor wrestling coach Ben Nelson should have one of the area's most talented teams again this season. Nine on the Red Raiders' roster for 2017-18 earned state medals last season.

Photo by Doug Strickland /Times Free Press.

 

 

23-Trevor Burdick, Sonoraville.

Photo by Tim Barber /Times Free Press.

CALHOUN, Ga. — Randy Steward is counting on the power of momentum.

The second-year Sonoraville High School wrestling coach was somewhat disappointed the 2016-17 season ended when it did. The Phoenix — or Firebirds, as the wrestlers prefer to be called — caught fire in the postseason, following up a GHSA Class AAA third-place duals finish with a runner-up finish in the state traditional tournament.

Steward said the success carried into an offseason in which the program grew from 19 individuals to nearly 40 and had an increase in spring and summer competition for many of the wrestlers. Instead of feeling comfortable getting back near the top at the state level, the program was left wanting more.

"With me being new, I didn't know how good we would be," Steward said. "They just responded to what we were teaching, and we had a great end of the year and a great offseason.

"We got a bunch of them to wrestle this spring and summer. It's a good situation. This has been a good wrestling school, though we've never won a state title, but the kids are working toward that and they understand the history of it."

More Info

TEAMS TO WATCH

› McCallie: The Blue Tornado return two state champions — senior River Henry (285 pounds) and freshman Alex Whitworth (106) — and seven other wrestlers who placed in the Division II tournament last season.

› Bradley Central: The Bears are coming off dual and traditional state championships, but coach Ben Smith must replace a trio of state champions and two runners-up. He does have four state placers back: Wesley Devaney, Kevin Gentry, Devin Gibson and Andy Robinson.

› Cleveland: Joey Knox takes over after being an assistant for four years and will lean on seniors Cody Matthews and Bryce Pond, junior Titus Swafford and sophomore Garrett Bowers, each a top-four finisher at state last season.

› Baylor: Coach Ben Nelson has a wealth of talent returning, led by sophomore 160-pound state champion Conner Duffy and runners-up Mason Reiniche and Riley Westlake, to go along with six other traditional tournament medalists from 2016-17.

› Trion: The Bulldogs finished third in the GHSA Class A public duals and second in the traditional tournament last season. Coach Eric Brock returns four state medalists, including runners-up Logan Blevins and Cole Luallen.

WRESTLERS TO WATCH

› River Henry, McCallie: The senior heavyweight, who is headed to Old Dominion, is coming off a 36-2 state championship season. He earned prep All-American honors with a runner-up finish at a national tournament this past spring.

› Tyler Hunt, Sonoraville: He was 40-1 and a GHSA state champion at 120 pounds last season. This season, the junior is 14th in FloWrestling’s national rankings at 126 pounds.

› Mason Reiniche, Baylor: He was a D-II state runner-up at 152 pounds before surging to a national second-place finish and earning prep All-American honors in the spring.

› Jacob Mariakis, Ridgeland: After offseason shoulder surgery, he battled back to go 18-0 and win the GHSA Class AAAA 138-pound state title last season as a junior.

› Griffin Jarrett, Chattooga: He burst onto the scene with a 69-3 record in 2016-17, concluding his freshman season as a GHSA Class AA state champion.

 

 

 

Sonoraville had only two seniors last season, though one was surprise state champion Ian Clark. Two state titlists return — juniors Tyler Hunt (120 pounds) and Trevor Burdick (126) — along with three other state medalists: sophomore Allen Stone (106), senior Gavin Thompson (113) and junior John Knight (195).

"I think we've got eight, nine really good kids," Steward said. "Tyler Hunt wrestled all over the country and is now nationally ranked, and what that does is it rubs off on the other kids. Trevor Burdick is the same caliber, and some of the other guys I expect to make big leaps."

Two of those are seniors Brandon Bell (145) and Hunter Wilson. Both just missed making the state field and are motivated to take the next step.

Stone could contend for a title this year, either at 113 or 120, while sophomore Charlie Brown is expected to do even better than his 26 wins last season.

"We're still relatively young with three seniors, and we've got a great bunch of younger kids coming up from the middle school," Steward said. "The depth we've built should help as well."

To that end, Steward and his staff plan to limit their wrestlers' number of matches some during the regular season to help prepare for Georgia's lengthy postseason. It was a strategy that paid off last year.

"The kids who went to state for us had about 40 matches last year," Steward said. "We saw some there with 60, so we're going to try to keep it about 40 to keep them fresh for the end of the year. We're trying to peak in early January for the duals and then focus on individuals and then get them to peak again.

"I feel good saying we want to be in the hunt. We would like something other than a silver trophy."

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfpress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.

[Sommers]

King University mentioned in this article way up north and did you know...

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, there were 14,587 girls participating nationwide in 2016-17 in wrestling.

California, Texas, Oregon, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Texas, Tennessee and Washington have separate teams and state tournaments for girls.

http://www.mcall.com/sports/varsity/mc-spt-part1-district11-girls-wrestling-series-1113-story.html

[Sommers]

 

CRAZY...

 

This incredibly nimble high school wrestling ref is better at his job than anyone else 

By

Alex Myers

 

 

 

6 hours ago

A wrestling ref needs to be nimble to keep tabs on the action. You've got to get pretty low to the mat to tell what's going on in what's a jumble of limbs and sweat and good lord did I just remember how haunting the foul smell of a high school wrestling match can be. But anyway, one wrestling ref has managed to go viral for his work. And when you watch the following video, you'll understand why.

How about that dedication to his craft? This guy has turned refereeing wrestling into an art form.

Even better? Someone put this dude's incredible moves to the sounds of DJ Casper's "Cha-Cha Slide. Trust me, you know the song. And trust me even more that you will want to watch this over and over again:

The perfect tweet. And the perfect referee. Kudos all around.

RELATED VIDEO

 

TWEETShttps://www.golfdigest.com/story/this-incredibly-nimble-high-school-wrestling-ref-is-better-at-his-job-than-anyone-else-is-at-anything

 

RELATED: This high school football ref might be faster than Usain Bolt

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Home » News » Chattanooga Central Wrestling Starts Fundraiser To Buy Equipment

 

CHATTANOOGA CENTRAL WRESTLING STARTS FUNDRAISER TO BUY EQUIPMENT

By: Jamal Williams

Submitted: 11/16/2017 - 9:31am

Chattanooga, TN (WDEF)  Chattanooga Central Wrestling is asking for help to raise funding for their program.

Donations will be used to cover the cost necessary to run a high school program. Donations will ensure that athletes get the proper equipment to perform. The money will go towards new safety equipment, uniforms, practice gear, tournament entry fees and travel costs.

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UTC Wrestlers Hosts No. 8 Virginia Tech Friday

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team welcomes No. 8 Virginia Tech on Friday, Nov. 17.  Match time is set for 7:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) in Maclellan Gym. 
 
The Mocs are coming off a strong showing after an opening weekend trip to Virginia.  UTC scored a 37-7 Southern Conference win at VMI on Saturday, Nov. 4.  Chattanooga followed that with two individual wins and three additional placers at the Hokie Open on Sunday, Nov. 5. 
 
The Hokies bring a top-10 ranking and a 1-0 record to the Scenic City on Friday. Virginia Tech opened with a 22-12 win over No. 12 Stanford before competing at the Hokie Open.  The Hokies won four individual titles at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic in Albany, N.Y., last weekend. 
 
Tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com or by calling the UTC Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627).  Fans can also purchase at the door when they open on Friday at 6:00 p.m. A link for live scoring and the free MocsVision broadcast are available on the wrestling schedule page on GoMocs.com.
 
UTC follows the Virginia Tech match with an early wakeup call and a flight to West Point, N.Y., for the Black Knight Invite.  There the Mocs face Army, Binghamton, Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Rutgers and Worcester Polytechnic on Sunday, Nov. 19.  A link to live scoring is also on the wrestling schedule page on GoMocs.com.   
 
CHATTANOOGA PROBABLE LINEUP
125:  Alonzo Allen (Jr. - 3-0, 1-0 SoCon)
133:  Wade Cummings (So. - 1-3, 0-1 SoCon)
141:  Michael Pongracz (Sr. - 4-1, 1-0 SoCon)
149:  Roman Boylen (Jr. - 2-2, 0-0 SoCon)
157:  Dylan Forzani (Jr. - 0-0, 0-0 SoCon)
165:  Chad Pyke (Sr. - 5-1, 1-0 SoCon)
174:  Justin Lampe (Sr. - 4-2, 1-0 SoCon)
184:  No. 12 Bryce Carr (Sr. - 5-0, 1-0 SoCon)
197:  Scottie Boykin (Sr. - 5-0, 1-0 SoCon)
285:  Connor Tolley (Jr. - 5-2, 1-0 SoCon)
 
UTC is coming off a 7-9 record last season.  The Mocs return five starters to a team that finished 5-2 in SoCon regular season duals and fourth in the league tournament. 
 
Senior Scottie Boykin is back in the lineup at 197 after redshirting last season.  He won the league as a junior in 2016, when he was ranked as high as No. 9 in the country.  He is off to a 5-0 start after winning the Hokie Open.
 
Also coming off a redshirt year is senior Michael Pongracz.  He is a two-time NCAA qualifier who was 22-6 at 141 in 2015-16.  He is 4-1 overall and finished third at the Hokie Open

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2017-18

 

Schedule

OVERALL	CONF	STREAK
0-0 (.000)	0-0 (.000)	0

 

All game times are Central Time

NOV 4 SAT	Patriot Open Recap   Results	Results
NOV 18 SAT	Lindenwood Open	9 a.m.
DEC 2 SAT	Indiana Little State	TBA
SMOKEY MOUNTAIN DUALS
DEC 16 SAT	Reinhardt University	TBA
DEC 16 SAT	Central Baptist	TBA
NWCA NATIONAL DUALS
JAN 5 FRI	NWCA - Day One	9 a.m.
JAN 6 SAT	NWCA - Day Two	9 a.m.
FIRE DUALS
JAN 13 SAT	at Southeastern University	8 a.m.
JAN 13 SAT	vs Indiana Tech	10 a.m.
MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE INVITATIONAL
JAN 19 FRI	Missouri Valley - Day One	Noon
JAN 20 SAT	Missouri Valley - Day Two	9 a.m.
JAN 24 WED	at University of the Cumberlands	6 p.m.
JAN 28 SUN	Cumberland Open	9 a.m.
JAN 29 MON	Lindsey Wilson	7 p.m.
PHOENIX DUALS
FEB 3 SAT	Life University	Noon
FEB 3 SAT	Campbellsville University	2 p.m.
FEB 9 FRI	at Brewton-Parker	6 p.m.
FEB 17 SAT	Mid-South Conference Championships	9 a.m.
60TH ANNUAL NAIA CHAMPIONSHIPS
MAR 2 FRI	NAIA Championships - Day One	10 a.m.
MAR 3 SAT	NAIA Championships - Day Two   ____________________________________________   LOGIN     UTC's Michael Pongracz, Justin Lampe win in 29-7 loss to eighth-ranked Hokies.    Boykin leads #2 and just falls short 10-8 OT November 18th, 2017by Gene Henleyin Sports - CollegeRead Time: 2 mins.   University of Tennessee wrestlers Michael Pongracz and Roman Boylen work on drills during wrestling practice at Maclellan Gym at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Photo by Erin O. Smith     University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Michael Pongracz entered his wrestling match Friday night against Virginia Tech knowing he was expected to win at his weight class. The 141-pounder got an extra point with a 10-2 major decision over Brent Moore, the highlight of the Mocs' 28-7 loss to the eighth-ranked Hokies at Maclellan Gymnasium. The other UTC win came from Justin Lampe, who prevailed 6-4 in overtime at 174 pounds. "It's always a good feeling to get a couple points for my team," Pongracz said.The Mocs (1-1) next wrestle in a dual match on Dec. 2, when they do it twice, facing both Davidson and ninth-ranked North Carolina State. They compete Sunday in the Black Knight Invitational in West Point, N.Y. "I feel like this is a team we need to see, especially early," UTC senior 197-pounder Scottie Boykin said about the Hokies. "These are guys we're going see late in the NCAA tournament, guys we need to beat if we want to be on that podium. "I think we had a lot of good things that happened in this match; now we've got to go evaluate. We can either pout about this tomorrow or we can get on a plane, go to New York, get better and then hopefully we see these guys again in March with a different outcome." Boykin held a 5-2 advantage over second-ranked Jared Haught after a period but ultimately lost 10-8 in overtime. Coach Heath Eslinger lauded his effort and also praised Chad Pyke, who dropped a 9-5 decision to fifth-ranked David McFadden at 165. McFadden had defeated Pyke 10-3 in the finals of the Hokie Open on Nov. 4. "It's unfortunate we weren't playing horseshoes, because we were close, but it doesn't matter," Eslinger said. "Here's what great guys do: They're willing to go earn a win. Everybody wants to win; there were 20 guys out there tonight that wanted to win, but only a few that were willing to earn it, and I don't think we were willing to earn it in some places. It takes a lot of work; it's inconvenient; it's tough. You can't sub in. Once you step out there, you've got to be able to defend yourself, go out and get the points, and we have the personnel to do it — that's what's frustrating. "I wouldn't be frustrated if they're that much better than us, but they're not that much better than us. We've got to be willing to go make it happen." Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.	10 a.m.

•  

Edited November 18, 2017 by Sommers

[Sommers]

Mocs get a big boost to morale...

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2017/11/19/358783/Boykin-Carr-Win-Black-Knight-Wrestling.aspx

Boykin, Carr Win Black Knight Wrestling Invite Titles

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Seniors Scottie Boykin and Bryce Carr bounced back from losses in Friday’s dual against No. 8 Virginia Tech by posting impressive wins at the Black Knight Invite in West Point, N.Y., today.  The Mocs had 12 of their 15 entries place in the tournament hosted by Army West Point.
 
Boykin improved to 8-1 with two decision and an 8-0 major over Binghampton’s Mark Tracy in the finals at 197.  Carr also moved to 8-1 with two majors and an 8-3 decision against Army’s Noah Stewart in the finals at 184.

 
 
Junior Alonzo Allen placed second at 125.  He cruised to the finals with a major and a pin, but lost his last match to second-ranked Nick Suriano of Rutgers (8-0).  Junior Roman Boylen (149) and seniors Chad Pyke (165) and Justin Lampe (174) all placed third in their brackets. 
 
“It was the end to a good weekend,” stated head coach Heath Eslinger.  “We saw a lot of good things, but was also learned a lot about what we need to work on moving forward.”
 
Juniors Dylan Forzani (157) and Connor Tolley (285) both placed fourth.  Junior Chris Debien beat senior Michael Pongracz for fifth at 141, while freshman Dominick Petrucelli also placed fifth at 165.  Junior Rodney Jones finished sixth at 184. 
 
Up next for the Mocs is a trip to Davidson for a Southern Conference match on Dec. 2 at 1:00 p.m. (E.S.T.).  UTC also takes on No. 9 N.C. State at Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, N.C., later that evening at 7:00 p.m.
 
Tickets are on sale now for the 2018 Southern Scuffle, presented by Compound Clothing.  Click here for details on Scuffle tickets, including a new hospitality pass that is available for a limited time.  Tickets information for the Mocs dual against No. 2 Ohio State in Alpharetta, Ga., on Dec. 17, is available on the wrestling schedule page on GoMocs.com.
 
Black Knight Invite
West Point, N.Y. – Nov. 19, 2017
125
Fabian Gutierrez
No. 2 Nick Suriano (Rutgers) – L-MD, 4-16
Joe Nelson (Binghampton) – L-D, 9-14
 
Alonzo Allen – 2nd Place
Joe Nelson (Binghampton) – W-MD, 12-9
Trey Chalifoux (Army) – W-Fall (6:54)
No. 2 Nick Suriano (Rutgers) – L-MD, 0-8
 
133
Wade Cummings
D.J. Fehlman (Lock Haven) – L-D, 3-9
Kyle Dinapoli (Rutgers) – L-MD, 5-13

141
Michael Pongracz – 6th Place
Taylor Brown (Army) – W-D, 5-2
Joseph Russ (Binghampton) – L-D, 4-6
Braden Stahlnecker (Bloomsburg) – W-D, 7-3
Mike Van Brill (Rutgers) – L-D, 4-6
Chris Debien (UTC) – L-D, 4-3
 
Chris Debien – 5th Place
Mike Van Brill (Rutgers) – L-D, 1-4
Austin Harry (Army) – W-Fall (4:25)
Pete Lapari (Rutgers) – L-D, 7-8
Michael Pongracz (UTC) – W-D, 4-3
 
149
Jake Adcock 
Knox Fuller (Army) – L-D, 3-5
Ryan Stocku (Bloomsburg) – W-D, 7-1
Roman Boylen (UTC) – L-D, 1-2 (TB1)
 
Roman Boylen – 3rd Place
William Lucie (Army) – L-D, 4-8
Jake Adcock (UTC) – W-D, 2-1 (TB1)
Nicholas Santos (Rutgers) – W-D, 4-2
 
157
Dylan Forzani – 4th Place
Tristan Rifanburg (Binghampton) – L-D, 3-6
Jon Ross (Lock Haven) – W-MD, 9-1
James Saylor (Army) – W-For
Tristan Rifanburg (Binghampton) – L-D, 4-11

165
Dominick Petrucelli – 5th Place
No. 11 Chance Marsteller – L-Tech. Fall, 3-19
Sam Williams (Army) – W-D, 9-3
Chad Pyke (UTC) – L-MD, 5-13
Anthony Vetrano (Bloomsburg) – W-D, 8-5
 
Chad Pyke – 3rd Place
Anthony Vetrano (Bloomsburg) – W-MD, 14-1
Andrew Mendel (Army) – L-D, 4-7
Dominick Petrucelli (UTC) – W-MD, 13-5
Vincent Deprez (Binghampton) – W-D, 3-1 (SV1)
 
174
Justin Lampe – 3rd Place
Jed Smith (Army) – W-D, 12-5
Jordan Pagano (Rutgers) – L-Fall (1:46)
Graham Ratermann (Army) – W-D, 7-4
Anthony Lombardo (Binghampton) – W-D, 5-2
 
184
Bryce Carr – 1st Place
Trey Harstock (Lock Haven) – W-MD, 10-1
Trevor Allard (Bloomsburg) – W-MD, 16-6
Noah Stewart (Army) – W-D, 8-3
 
Rodney Jones – 6th Place
Noah Stewart (Army) – L-Tech. Fall, 0-16
Willie Scott (Rutgers) – W-D, 14-10
Trevor Allard (Bloomsburg) – L-D, 1-8
Jeremiah Imonode (Army) – L-D, 3-6
 
197
Scottie Boykin – 1st Place
Alex Hopkins (Army) – W-D, 8-3
Kevin Mulligan (Rutgers) – W-D, 10-9
Mark Tracy (Binghampton) – W-MD, 8-0
 
285
Connor Tolley – 4th Place
Ralph Normandia (Rutgers) – W-D, 6-1
No. 14 Thomas Haines (Lock Haven) – L-D, 2-9
Bruce Graeber (Bloomsburg) – W-D, 5-4
Connor Calkins (Binghampton) – L-D, 4-6

[Sommers]

From the Wrestling Hot Bed of the SE...

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New 'high-tech' coverage for Raider wretlers

CLEVELAND HIGH wrestling fans will have an updated way to watch matches this season with the addition of clevleandwrestlingtv.com live stream broadcasting 24/7 worldwide.

PHOTO FROM CLEVELANDWRESTLINGTV.COM

Posted Tuesday, November 21, 2017 10:08 am

By PATRICK MacCOON

A new look inside the powerhouse Cleveland wrestling program will be provided this season.

Starting on Wednesday with the Blue Raider varsity dual meets against William Blount and Jefferson County, all home matches at the Jones Wrestling Center will be live streamed by clevelandwrestlingtv.com, instead of the school's award-winning "CHS Live," which had broadcast the matches for last few years.

With five high-definition cameras and a control board, one of the state’s top wrestling programs will continue to be available world wide free of charge, but at a more intense level.

Passionate about the sport, local businessman Allan Jones believes his website will help wrestling as a whole get more viewers, as well as a stronger following.

“This website and live stream are designed to get wrestling greater attention,” said Jones. “The quality of the streaming is the best you can get.”

“There is nothing like this out at the high school or college level of wrestling. We are developing it for wrestling across the country. Now you can watch Cleveland wrestling on your iPhone, even.”

Cleveland wrestling legend Al Miller will do the broadcasts for the live stream, which will be available to watch on Facebook Live as well as YouTube.

During matches viewers will be able to see different views of the match, as the announcer operating the live-stream board can switch camera angles with the touch of a button.

There will also be live interviews done with wrestlers and coaches, while call-in interviews with wrestling experts across the country could also be on display.

“Iowa head wrestling coach Dan Gable - the most dominant wrestler in history, whose name is famous all over the world - is a dear friend of mine, and he is interested in this new live stream we are starting at Cleveland,” Jones said. “We can even have him on an interview. We can dial him in on an iPhone and he can become a part of the broadcast.”

Cleveland wrestling fans, or those interested in scouting the state’s favorite to win the Class AAA state title, with a state-most 10 ranked wrestlers, will be able to see the match score on screen in real time.

The live stream is tied into the scoreboard and will be updated simultaneously.

First-year Raider head coach Joey Knox is excited about the unique exposure, which is live 24/7 to give viewers a complete look inside a program that has won 12 state titles and 30 individual state championships.

“It really sheds a light into the wrestling world,” Knox said. “You can watch at 6 a.m. and see a coach working with a wrestler and even see our guys getting after it in practice. It’s almost like when MTV had the ‘Real World’. You get to see it all the time.”

Viewership numbers can be tracked live online and will show up in the top left corner of the live video. 

Revenue will be built off advertisements sold to run during the live broadcasts.  

“We want to try to build a database of email addresses, but you can skip that option if you want to,” Jones said. “Five minutes before the event we will send out an email as a reminder to tune in. It is going to be very important to us to track how many people we have watching.”

The only matches clevelandwrestlingtv.com will not be able to broadcast will be the Cleveland Duals (Dec. 9) and postseason action.

"CHS Live," produced by the school's student journalists, will broadcast the Duals, which will be held in Raider Arena starting at 8 a.m.

Besides up-to-the-minute video streams from the heartbeat of wrestling in the state, which is Bradley County, the website is also very interactive.

At the bottom of the page is a scrolling message board where viewers can comment and interact.

At the top right of the site users have several available links to find out more about wrestling at CHS, including a team roster, coaching staff bios, complete 2017-18 schedule and information about the Jones Wrestling Center.

The national links tab gives an option to see rankings and stories covering the collegiate, state and national scene.

“When it comes to broadcasting and getting our wrestling program seen, we have to take advantage of this new type of media,” Jones said. “We think this is a great way to increase the wrestling fan base and market our product.”

With high hopes for state team and individual championships, the wrestling scene in Cleveland is about to be seen at a new level.

“We care greatly about wrestling in our community, and want to make sure our boys are seen as much as possible,” Jones said. “Now, you can watch matches from home if you can’t be there. We are excited about the future.”

The new mat season will get underway at 2 Wednesday afternoon with Walker Valley also participating in the four-way match.

Cleveland will take on  Jefferson County first, while the Mustangs will battle William Blount.

The two out of town teams will swap mats for the second sessions with the Raiders squaring off against the Governors, while WV will tangle with the Patriots.

http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/new-high-tech-coverage-for-raider-wretlers,69918

_____________________________

CHS wrestling looking for leaders to emerge

http://herald-citizen.com/stories/chs-wrestling-looking-for-leaders-to-emerge,24479

 

Posted Tuesday, November 21, 2017

BY BEN CRAVEN

The Cookeville High School wrestling team is about to embark on it’s 2017-18 season as the Cavaliers open up hosting McGavock High School tonight at 5:30 p.m. Upperman High School, in its first season as a program, will also compete in the match.

One of the biggest Challenges this year will be filling the void of State Tournament Medalist Jake Harrington and fellow heavyweight Allen Richardson. Last year, Harrington placed sixth in the state for the 220-pound weight class as a senior. The only other CHS medalist was Lisa Garcia, who was the state champion of the girl’s 125-pound weight class, but she is still with the team as a junior this year.

“Losing Harrington and Allen Richardson takes away that presence up top, and that’s pretty tough because there’s not really anybody coming in behind Jake right now that can fill that void,” CHS head coach Scott Cook explained. “We’ve got some potential for someone to rise up, but to lose a state medalist is always a tough loss.

“Fortunately, we were pretty young last year, and a lot of those guys have grown into some great roles. We have quite a few seniors on the squad this year.”

The Cavs’ young age last year has made for quite an experienced group this year. This year’s group of seniors includes: Hunter Harcum, Luke Denny, Bradley Houmard, Ben Bos, Jeff Enochs, Jack Wiggins, and Devin Parker.

All of them now have starting experience, but the list is topped by Harcum and Houmard, who have started their whole careers with the Cavs. Harcum is also a three-year state tournament qualifier looking for his fourth trip. Denny, Bos, and Enochs all had strong seasons last year, and Cook is expecting more of the same.

“Right now is a great time for Cavalier wrestling,” Cook said. “We have a huge high school roster with about 44-45 kids. Off the top of my head, I can think of two freshman that are coming to our lineup with three to four years of wrestling experience already under their belts. That’s a great thing.”

Cook also commended his team on performing well during preseason scrimmages.

“The thing that stands out to me the most is that this is a physical bunch, and that goes all the way back to our first-year guys who have never wrestled before all the way to our veterans,” Cook praised. “Now, the younger guys, obviously, lack some experience, but that’s to be expected. What I like that I’m seeing from my upperclassmen is their mat presence. They’re just flat out refusing to give up any situation, good or bad. They’ve got the attitude, ‘I’m a senior, this is my time, and I’m going to make the most out of it’.

“We’ve got to clean up our execution a little bit. We’re getting in situations where we’re not necessarily finishing all the way through. We’ll get into a takedown, and rather than just taking it a little bit farther to really secure our advantage, we’re trying to transition a little too early. That’s stuff that will come with practice.”

Like last season, Cook designed the schedule to be extremely tough early on. In the first three weeks, the Cavs will face off with Soddy Daisy, Cleveland, Walker Valley, Wilson Central, Baylor, and McCallie with relatively no district competition.

“It’s tough, but if you make it through that, you’re battle tested,” Cook said. “The rest of the season is almost like a vacation. The catch to that is that you have to stay focused, you’ve got to be ready for that grind.”

The Cavs are coming off a season in which five wrestlers qualified for the state tournament and several others were extremely close.

The returning qualifiers are Harcum (126), Houmard (145), Bos (160), and Dylan Houser (182). Cook feels strongly that these, along with others, can and will qualify for the state this year, so his goals are to help them prepare as best he can before then.

“The biggest thing that we talk about is just trying to keep moving forward,” Cook said. “We want to keep progressing, growing in the sport, gain more experience, and get better with our conditioning throughout the season. It’s a very long, very physical season, and we want to be prepared for February. That’s what it’s all about. Every match is practice for that region and state tournament.”

__________________________

Just a few miles up the road...

Socon gets more interesting!!

SIUE Wrestling Announces Four Standout Newcomers

Nov 20, 2017

 

 

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE wrestling Head Coach  announced the addition of four top-flight competitors who will join the Cougars next season.

Saul Ervin (Morganfield, Ky.), Austin Macias (Burlington, Illinois), Justin Ruffin (McDonough, Georgia) and Aaron Schulist (Eagle, Wisconsin) have announced their intentions to become members of the SIUE wrestling family.

"These are great kids who are really into wrestling," said Spates. "When these guys mixed with our current wrestlers, they seemed like family right away. The next few years are going to be fun to watch for Cougar wrestling."

 
Ervin has three direct connections to SIUE wrestling as his father, Robert, competed for the Cougars during the 1985-86 national championship season and his uncle, Tim, was a three-time Division II All-American from 1979 to 1981. His brother, Isaac, also competed for the Cougars during the 2010-11 season.

A two-time state champion at Union County High School, Ervin has been an accomplished wrestler for several seasons. He most recently earned the 138-pound title at the USAW Preseason Nationals.

"We're happy to get Saul on board," said Spates. "We have seen him wrestle for a number of years and know he's focused on earning a third Kentucky state title."

He is the son of Robert and Laura Ervin. His mother, Laura, also is an alumnus of SIUE.

The defending 2A Illinois state champion at 126 pounds, Macias heads into his senior season at Central High School looking for a repeat. He also took third place his sophomore season.

Macias is a two-time Fargo All-American and has wrestled for Izzy Style for five years. His high school coach, Jordan Bakley, also is a former SIUE wrestler (2010-11).

"We're excited to get another in-state wrestler," said Spates. "Austin has competed at a high level for several seasons and will continue to get better at the next level."

He is the son of Gabe and Kelli Macias.

A three-time state champion in Georgia, Ruffin will go for his fourth state title for Union Grove High School.

Ruffin is a three-time Fargo All-American and two-time Super 32 All-American. He is ranked 59^thnationally by FloWrestling.com in all weight classes.

"Justin is coming in as our highest-ranked recruit," said Spates. "He's a kid we have known for a long time. He's a workhorse and has had high school success. He will continue to grow in college and get better."

He is the son of Lloyd and Sidnie Ruffin.

A 133-pounder, Schulist holds a career prep record of 115-15 at Mukwonago High School. He also was the fastest to 100 wins at Mukwonago.

He is a three-time place winner at the Wisconsin state championships earning second during the 2015 and 2016 season as well as fifth in 2017. Schulist has been named first team All-Area twice and is a two-time honoree for Academic All-State.

"Aaron placed at the junior nationals in Fargo and the Super 32, which is one of the biggest tournaments in the country," said Spates. "He just loves to work. He has been working with the Askren brothers (Ben and Max) the last few years, and you can see the influence."

He is the son of Randy and Lisa Schulist.

"So far this is our best recruiting class yet," said Spates. "We will be adding a few more big names to the list in the spring, but we are thrilled with this start."

Twitl

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

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

From Ohio State Coverage...

Buckeye opponents Maryland, Kent State and Chattanooga all received votes in this week's poll....

DIVISION I USA TODAY/NWCA RANKINGS

RANK	TEAM (FIRST)	RECORD	POINTS	CONFERENCE	PREVIOUS
1	Penn State	3-0	400	Big Ten	1
2	Ohio State	1-0	384	Big Ten	2
3	Oklahoma State	2-0	368	Big 12	3
4	Missouri	4-0	345	MAC	5
5	Lehigh	3-0	319	EIWA	10
6	NC State	6-0	312	ACC	7
7	Iowa	3-0	299	Big Ten	8
8	Minnesota	2-1	292	Big Ten	6
9	Michigan	1-1	286	Big Ten	4
10	Virginia Tech	3-0	267	ACC	9
11	Rutgers	3-0	235	Big Ten	11
12	Arizona State	1-2	213	Pac-12	12
13	Nebraska	1-0	191	Big Ten	15
14	Illinois	1-1	190	Big Ten	14
15	Cornell	1-0	187	EIWA	19
16	South Dakota State	0-1	153	Big 12	16
17	Northern Iowa	1-1	146	Big 12	13
18	Central Michigan	1-1	130	MAC	17
19	Wisconsin	2-0	129	Big Ten	18
20	Purdue	3-0	92	Big Ten	22
21	Oklahoma	1-2	85	Big 12	20
22	Rider	0-0	53	EWL	23
23	Edinboro	2-1	48	EWL	24
24 (TIE)	Pittsburgh	1-2	13	ACC	25
24 (TIE)	Stanford	2-2	13	Pac-12	21

*Others receiving votes: Maryland 11, Drexel 10, Navy 6, Appalachian State 5, Kent State 5, Chattanooga 4, North Dakota State 4, North Carolina 2, Northwestern 2, Lock Haven 1

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Multi State Champs... Ga over Ala

Edited November 22, 2017 by Sommers

[Sommers]

Cookeville sweeps, Upperman splits in wrestling season opener

Cookeville's Hunter Harcum, right, works his advantage on a McGavock wrestler during the Cavs' 54-24 win over the Raiders on Tuesday night at CHS.

TONY MARABLE | HERALD-CITIZEN

 Buy this photo

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• 
• 

Posted Wednesday, November 22, 2017

BY BEN CRAVEN

 

The Cookeville High School and Upperman High School wrestling teams officially begun their seasons on Tuesday as CHS hosted a match with UHS, Livingston Academy and McGavock High School. Cookeville came out of the night with a 3-0 record facing all of the other teams, while Upperman went 1-1 facing Cookeville and Livingston Academy.

“I couldn’t be happier with how our kids did tonight and where we’re at,” CHS head coach Scott Cook said. “Again, they were really aggressive in a majority of the matches, which is huge. We had some mistakes, but the biggest mistakes were simple lacks of experience and knowledge. We were still in every match that we lost. We’ll fix those as quick as we can, but the foundation is there.”

Cookeville’s most exciting match of the evening came against McGavock, but the Cavs were still able to pick up a convincing 54-24 win. 

The girls started things off with two wins for the Lady Raiders over Lisa Garcia and Savannah Cowan. However, the Lady Cavs were still able to get a win as Maura Hart pinned her opponent in the second round.

As the match moved on to the boys, CHS got two quick wins as David Weidner and Samuel Hadlock pinned their opponents in the first and second rounds respectively. Newcomer Skylar Lassiter was not able to get a win in his second official match of his career as he was pinned in the second round, but the Cavs then went on a seven-bout winning streak to make the overall score 51-6. 

Ben Reed, Jeff Enochs, and freshman Ethan Cumby scored pins in the second round, while Ben Boss and freshman A.J. Johns got pins in the first round. The closest matches of that stretch came from seniors Luke Deeney and Hunter Harcum. Denney was able to secure a pin with time running down in the third round, and Harcum held off his opponent with a 3-2 final score in a nail-biter.

The Cavs finished out the match with a win and three losses to give the Raiders their 24 points. Dylan Houser pulled off a close 3-1 win in his bout, but Kaige Whiteaker suffered a tough pin in the second round with the lead, while Devin Parker and freshman Derico Jimerson were both pinned in the first round.

“My seniors are getting on the mat with the attitude and the expectation that they’re going to do whatever it takes to win the match, and it shows,” Cook said. “They’re fighting, and they’re getting upset if they’re not winning by as much as they think they should be.

“The most exciting thing about this team is that we’re anchored by a group of solid seniors, but we’re not old across the board. There’s several good freshman in the lineup, there’s some good sophomores, and some good juniors too.”

For the entire night, the CHS seniors went 11-1, and the freshman went 4-1 in matches that weren’t forfeited.

The night started with Cookeville and the brand new Upperman team. the Cavs came out with a 78-3 win as the Bees’ only win came from Elevterio Rodriguez with a score of 8-7 over Reed. Non-forfeit winners for CHS were Jimerson, Lassiter, Harcum, Boss, and Enochs.

The Bees’ second match of the night went much better as they beat Livingston Academy 36-30. UHS got wins from Rodriguez, David Castrejon, and Hector Leon.

“Our first match went as planned. We’re brand new, and those kids have only wrestled for two weeks,” UHS head coach Jason Holcomb said. “We got a few wins, and you can’t ask for anything more. They’ve got a lot to learn, but I was really thankful for their effort. We got smiles out of the kids, and I think we’ll have just as good a chance as anybody here in a couple of years.”

“I’m excited about Upperman,” Cook added. “That’s exactly what we need, and that was the biggest crowd I’ve ever had in this building. That’s a first-year Upperman team with a bunch of scrappy, tough, fighting kids. They haven’t had a ton of time on the mat, and they’re not anchored by a group of seniors. But they will get there, and how exciting is that?”

CHS finished off the night with a dominant 60-6 win over Livingston. The Cavs got first-round pins from Denney, Harcum, Johns, Whiteaker, and Houser. Lassiter and Parker both got pins in the second round, and Hadlock pulled off his pin in the third round. Cookeville’s only loss was when Reed was pinned in the second round by Chase Hunter.

Up next, the Cavs will travel to Soddy Daisy for their second match next Tuesday. Weigh-in is scheduled for 5 p.m.

“I’m excited about the way things went tonight, but we all have to understand that there is a tremendous amount of work in front of us,” Cook said. “We can’t sit back and rest on what we did tonight.”

 It says that we’re headed in the right direction, but we’re by no means where we need to be.”

____________________

The Fairview Middle School Falcon Wrestling Team.

by Matt Bates

 

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Nancy Stephens | USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee12:00 p.m. CT Nov. 23, 2017

Eight middle school wrestlers crowned champions in weight classes

The Fairview Falcon Wrestling Team stretched their competitive boundary lines November 11 and earned a first place finish in the Middle Tennessee Fall Brawl.

 

Competing in the out-of-league tournament at Independence High School, the Falcons went up against some "big school” competition. And yet, when the last whistle blew, the Falcon wrestlers made it clear that the size of their school was not a factor. 

The young men representing Fairview in the tournament scored number one in 7 out of the 14 weight classes to see a Fairview Falcon crowned champion.   

Fairview Middle School Wrestling Varsity Medalists: Back Row (l-r) - Matthew Andrea (122 lb) - Bronze, Marco Pukl (165 lb)- Gold, Jacob Clevenger (185 lb) - Gold, Kendrick Curtis (132 lb) - Gold; Front Row - Blake Mitchell (96 lb)- Gold, Malachi Bennett (110 lb)- Gold, Hayden Caldwell (104 lb) - Gold, Sam Sergent (74 lb) Gold.

by Matt Bates

Head Coach Jeff Bennett said the Fairview boys came to compete. And compete they did as the Falcons compiled 181 team points in the 11-team tournament.  

 

Sam Sergent, a sixth grader (9-0), pinned his way through the tournament at 74 pounds. 

Blake Mitchell, eighth grader and returning MCAC CHAMP (9-0), dominated his opponents to take home another gold for the Falcons. 

At the 104-lb weight class, sixth grader Hayden Caldwell, with an 8-1 record, proved he is a force to be reckoned with as he pinned his way through the tournament. 

Malachi Bennett, seventh grader and returning MCAC champ (9-0), exercised total control to work his way through the tournament and take home gold at the 110-lb weight class. 

Kendrick Curtis, sporting a 9-1 record, wrestled a weight class above his normal and established his dominance in the 132-lb weight class gaining 24 team points and taking home yet another Falcon gold medal. 

 

Marco Pukl, undefeated at 8-0, continued to instill his will upon his opposition with his mean cross face cradle which earned him gold in the 165-lb weight class. 

Jacob Clevenger (9-0) weighed in at 158 pounds and filled the 185-lb slot for the Falcons.  His opponents weight advantage was no match for Clevenger’s strength and skill level as he pinned his way through the tournament. 

Other high finishers included Blake Fannin 5th place, Julian Johnson 6th, Matthew Andrea 3rd, Johnathan Perkerson 6th, Taz Donaldson 5th, Sam Hammon 4th and Tyler McNeal 5th.

Fairview Middle Schooll Wrestling Coaches (l-r) Austin Walker, Denny Mitchell - Head Coach Jeff Bennett, Hunter Caldwell, Biff Curtis, Matt Bates. Not pictured - Walt Winchell.

Submitted

In junior varsity action, the Falcon wrestlers scored five place winners.  Breydon Howell took home gold while Weston Pape, Jeremiah Forrest, Drew Mcoy and Robert Sheffield all secured a bronze medal.  Also placing a close fourth was Ethan Locke. 

 

The Falcons resume action this Saturday, November 18 at Charlotte Middle School for the MCAC Dual Championships.  Coach Bennett encourages the community to come out and support these young men as they demonstrate their skills on the wrestling mat.

The Falcons will be back in action at Fairview High school on November 30 and December 7 as they cap off the 2017 middle school wrestling season.  

Edited November 24, 2017 by Sommers

[Sommers]

Out of state coverage for Science Hill and William Blount...

http://www.mcdowellnews.com/sports/another-good-weekend-for-titan-wrestling-team/article_0a961608-d3a7-11e7-9928-fb32f0f60c6e.html

The McDowell Titan wrestling team has spent the early part of the season serving notice that it’s a force to reckoned with, and that continued last weekend at the North Henderson Knight Invitational.

The Titans, who are unbeaten in dual matches, wrestled to a solid, third-place finish in the prestigious tournament. McDowell (196) placed behind only champion Science Hill (TN), who scored a whopping 325 points, and second-place North Henderson (258).

William Blunt (TN) and Mitchell rounded out the top five in the 15-team field that included teams from South Carolina as well.

The McDowell Titan wrestling team has spent the early part of the season serving notice that it’s a force to reckoned with, and that continued last weekend at the North Henderson Knight Invitational.

The Titans, who are unbeaten in dual matches, wrestled to a solid, third-place finish in the prestigious tournament. McDowell (196) placed behind only champion Science Hill (TN), who scored a whopping 325 points, and second-place North Henderson (258).

William Blunt (TN) and Mitchell rounded out the top five in the 15-team field that included teams from South Carolina as well.

Josh Morgan (182 pounds) worked his way into the championship bout as well, taking a 12-4 major decision over Science Hill’s Will Mooney in the semifinals. Dawson Satterfield of Blount pinned Morgan in the championship bout.

Alldyn Conley (120) placed third, taking a 6-3 decision over Swain’s Nate Brock in the consolation finals. Channing Watson (145) beat Blount’s Joshua Hughes 7-4 for third place as well. Connor Good (160) also took third, pinning Isaiah Ryans of Science Hill in the consolation finals. Aaron Duncan (285) placed third by virtue of an 8-6 decision over Swansea (SC) grappler Kyresse Williams.

Hutchins said his team did a good job pinning its opponents to score more points for the team.

“It’s not that we win all our individual matches, it’s that this team is really putting out the pins,” said the 23^rd-year head coach. “I’ve always preached to my guys and worked a lot on pinning people. It’s of course what put the most points on the board, and I’ve always told them the quicker you get the match over, the more energy you’re saving for the next match.

“Also, a pin leaves no chance of a late comeback from your opponent or a mistake on your part that gets you pinned. The guys have bought into it and are consistently looking to finish the match.”

North Henderson’s Morgan King, the 152-pound champ, was named MOW for the upper weights. Science captured championships in seven of the 14 weight classes. “Best team I’ve seen in years,” said Hutchins of Science Hill. The host team won three titles, Madison two and the Titans and Blount one apiece.

 

http://www.mcdowellnews.com/sports/another-good-weekend-for-titan-wrestling-team/article_0a961608-d3a7-11e7-9928-fb32f0f60c6e.html

_____________________

 

 

It is state press for The Hill...

http://www.blueridgenow.com/sports/20171127/back-from-torn-labrum-king-takes-title-and-weekly-award

Back from torn labrum, King takes title and weekly award

North Henderson’s Morgan King takes part in the last year’s Falcon Frenzy at West Henderson. King won a title Saturday at the North Knight Invitational. [PATRICK SULLIVAN/TIMES-NEWS]

By Dean Hensley 

Posted Nov 27, 2017 at 6:01 
      
Last year during the wrestling season, North Henderson’s Morgan King injured his shoulder, suffering a torn labrum.

After successful surgery and a grueling six months of recovery, he’s back and stronger than ever. He proved that Saturday as he earned the 152-pound title at North’s annual North Knight Invitational wrestling tournament, which has become a post-Thanksgiving tradition.

The Knights finished runner-up for the second year in a row to powerhouse Science Hill, and leading the way was King, who had three pins and a thrilling 4-3 decision win over Science Hill’s Arthur James in the championship bout. King was voted one of the Most Outstanding Wrestlers of the tournament. For his strong performance in his return he’s also been named this week’s Hendersonville Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Player of the Week award.

“It just feels good being back on the mat and competing. This was my first tournament since the injury,” King said.

He’s off to a quick 5-0 start in his junior year after finishing 58-9 last year as a sophomore in the 145-pound weight class. He ended up fourth in the state at 145 last year, helping lead the Knights to a third-place finish at the 3-A state championship tournament.

On Saturday, he started off with a with a 1 minute, 42-second pin over Science Hill’s Ian Marek in the first round and followed that up with a 28-second pin over Brennan Chapman of Rosman in the second round. In the third round, he pinned Benjamin Dodd in 1 minute, 45 seconds, setting up the finals bout with James.

James, who was fourth in the Tennessee 3-A state tournament last year at 152, is a familiar opponent for the Knights. He was in the 152 finals last year at the North Knight Invitational and was defeated by North’s Paul Searcy, who is now wrestling at 160. Searcy also won a title on Saturday.

Up next for the North Henderson wrestlers is a home tri-match at 5 p.m. Wednesday with Pisgah and West Lincoln and then another big tournament Friday and Saturday: The Falcon Frenzy at West.

“That is a tournament we always look forward to,” King said. “There is always plenty of good competition there, too.”

Edited November 28, 2017 by Sommers

[Sommers]

WC 44. Beech 27
WC 50 Clarksville 24

Freshman Hunter Border beats #1 ranked Noah Horst  9-7 in Overtime

 

SPORTS

Sibling rivalry: 2 of Nashville's best high school wrestling coaches are brothers

Brad Schmitt | USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee10:00 p.m. CT Nov. 27, 2017

Show Caption

 

Packed rafters shake each year from shouting, stomping fans, screaming themselves hoarse.

 

The annual Father Ryan-Montgomery Bell Academy match is the greatest wrestling rivalry in Middle Tennessee, and certainly among the top five rivalries among all Nashville-area high school sports.

Coaches and brothers Patrick and Frank Simpson show off some wrestling moves Nov. 9, 2017. Patrick Simpson is the wrestling coach at Father Ryan, and Frank Simpson is the coach at Montgomery Bell Academy.

Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

And it’s the only showdown in Tennessee that starts every year with the opposing coaches hugging and giving each other a kiss on the cheek.

Turns out the legendary coaches are brothers and best friends, born only 13 months apart.

“That kiss, some of the coaches from out of town, they say it looks crazy,” Frank Simpson said, laughing, “that it looks like the Mafia kiss of death.”

Simpson, 60, the younger brother, is at the helm for MBA. His brother Patrick, 61, coaches Father Ryan.

Coaches and brothers Patrick and Frank Simpson have faced off 21 times in dual wrestling meets since Frank Simpson took over as head coach of Montgomery Bell Academy. Father Ryan has dominated the series, 13-8.

Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

And that loving, brotherly greeting comes before the match, not after, for a reason.

“At the end, one of us is upset, so it isn't the time to socialize,” Patrick Simpson said. “When you lose, you just wanna get the heck out of the gym.”

The Simpson brothers have been facing off each year on the mat since 1995, with older brother Patrick and his Father Ryan wrestlers dominating, winning 13 of their 21 dual meets.

15 PEOPLE, 1 BATHROOM

Sibling rivalry is nothing new for the two, though.

They’ve been competing — and loving and supporting each other — since they grew up in the middle of nine siblings in a large Catholic family in a big house off Belmont Boulevard.

A house that also had their two parents, a grandmother and three great-aunts in it.

A house that had only one bathroom.

How did that work?

“Military style,” Frank Simpson said. “It was a very structured house.”

Coach Frank Simpson holds a scrapbook photo from when he and his brother Patrick wrestled side by side as youths in Nashville.

Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

About 5 a.m., one of the great-aunts would wake up the nine kids one at a time to have them go to the bathroom. Quickly.

 

Then the adults would shower and get ready to go to work.

Then the kids could have the bathroom again — on a schedule — to get ready for school.

“That’s where all our discipline came from,” Frank Simpson said.

WHICH BROTHER WAS BETTER WITH THE LADIES? NEITHER

Father Ryan wrestling coach Patrick Simpson works with Thomas Wesnofske during practice Nov. 14, 2017.

Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Patrick and Frank, the brothers closest in age, found themselves doing everything together — and competing in everything. 

Patrick Simpson was the more competitive and quieter of the two.

Frank Simpson was more sensitive but outgoing.

Who was better talking with the girls?

“Neither one of us,” Patrick Simpson said, laughing.

Every Friday night during winters, the family would go ice skating at Municipal Auditorium downtown.

One Friday night, when the middle brothers were about 9 years old, the Simpsons didn't go ice skating.

Patrick says it’s because Municipal was closed that night; Frank thinks Municipal was too crowded.

'THAT'S IT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.'

They went instead to Father Ryan that night to watch their first high school wrestling match because the oldest Simpson girl, Sue Ann, was dating one of the wrestlers.

Coach Frank Simpson holds a newspaper article from his scrapbook of when he and his brother Patrick wrestled at Middle Tennessee State University.

Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

In the first match, a little guy — only about 100 pounds, like Patrick and Frank — won for Father Ryan. And 1,000 fans went bonkers. The brothers were hooked.

“That was the most magnificent thing I’d ever seen in my life,” Frank Simpson said.

“These guys wrestling their hearts out, throwing each other around, the coaches screaming and hollering, the fans screaming and hollering. Pat and I both walked out and said, ‘That’s it. That’s what we are doing.’ ”

The brothers went on to wrestle together at Father Ryan and Middle Tennessee State University. After that, both started coaching at the high school level, and by 1995, they were coaching at rival private schools, Patrick at their alma mater and Frank at MBA.

THE BIG UPSET

In 1998, Father Ryan dominated MBA at a tournament, so when the two teams met in a match a week later, most folks thought surely that Ryan would win again.

A 2015 Father Ryan vs. Montgomery Bell Academy wrestling match at Father Ryan High School

Will Norton

Those folks thought wrong.

It came down to the last match — and the MBA heavyweight wrestler, David Farrell, who went on to play football at Yale, won by one point.

The MBA fans and wrestlers went crazy. Frank Simpson remembers trying to keep his guys off the mat until the official raised the winner’s hand.

“It was like trying to stop a bunch of kids rushing toward Britney Spears at a concert,” he said. “I was pretty dadgum excited.”

 

 

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Wrestling coach Frank Simpson encourages Bryce Wittman during practice Nov. 14, 2017, at Montgomery Bell Academy.

Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Patrick Simpson still flinches when he thinks about that night.

“I was pretty embarrassed,” he said slowly, adding, “But if there’s one person you don’t mind losing to, it’s my brother. How can I not be proud of him?”

Both coaches can be proud. Since 1995, Father Ryan has won nine state championships and churned out more than 70 individual state champ wrestlers.

In those same years, Montgomery Bell Academy has produced 25 state champion wrestlers.

'BOTH ARE HALL OF FAME'

The coaches — who have two brothers who officiate high school wrestling matches — also have raised champion wrestler sons.

Kirby Simpson hugs his father, Father Ryan Coach Patrick Simpson, during the TSSAA state wrestling championships Feb. 14, 2015, at the Williamson County Expo Center in Franklin.

Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Patrick and Frank Simpson have cultivated winning records and reputations for excellence — and for caring about their wrestlers on and off the mat.

 

 

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“Both are hall of fame,” said Father Ryan Principal Paul Davis, “not only for accomplishments as wrestlers and coaches, but more as men.”

MBA high school dean Will Norton — a member of the 1998 MBA wrestling team — said he is inspired by how the brothers can be so intense and so supportive in their matches.

“It’s really a neat balance between competing at the highest level with each other, and at the same time, being able to embrace each other in love of family.”

Frank Simpson said he’ll continue to hug and kiss his brother every time they square off.

“We’ve had fun together, loved together, ate together, and that’s not gonna change til the day we die.”

Reach Brad Schmitt at brad@tennessean.com or 615-259-8384 and on Twitter @bradschmitt.

"I love him, I want to beat him, but we’re still brothers when it’s over," Father Ryan wrestling coach Patrick Simpson says of MBA wrestling coach Frank Simpson.

Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Edited November 29, 2017 by Sommers

[Sommers]

For those of you facing some Georgia competition which may involve Archer and North Halls....

North Hall's wrestling program picked up wins against Class 7A's 2017 state runner-up Archer, 48-23, and 2017 state placer West Laurens, 45-24, in pool competition of the Archer Duals on Saturday in Lawrenceville. 

_________________________________

Bradley gets out of state coverage...

http://www.gwinnettprepsports.com/sports/mountain-view-wrestling-to-host-loaded-duals-tournament-saturday/article_d827c3d0-7148-52a1-adcc-bbaeba4634f0.html

Mountain View wrestling to host loaded duals tournament Saturday

A pair of state champions from Tennessee and Alabama highlight an impressive field for a wrestling tournament at Mountain View on Saturday.

The Compound Clothing Mountain View Duals will feature a number of top high school programs, including the host Bears, who were third in the state last season. Brookwood, seventh in Georgia last season, is the only other Gwinnett program in the 12-team field.

But the remainder of the field is loaded with top wrestlers and teams, including defending state champions Bradley Central (Tenn.) and Vestavia Hills (Ala.). South Paulding and Lumpkin County, both 2017 state duals runner-up teams, are entered along with Woodland-Cartersville, a state runner-up at the traditional meet last season.

Mountain View’s coaches feel it’s the toughest set of duals the program is hosted, as well as one of the toughest duals tournaments scheduled in Georgia for the 2017-18 season

Edited November 30, 2017 by Sommers