(A) Preseason Individual & Team Rankings

[cowcatcherII]

This early on, there is so much speculation as to what weights kids will end up wrestling. I based these rankings off last year's results as well as off season tournament results. It is hard to believe the season is just right around the corner. As always, please let me know what you think I missed!

106

1. Sam Comes (Seymour)
2. Luke Higdon (Signal Mountain)
3. Blake Allen (Gibbs)
4. Aidan Smith (Tennessee)

113

1. John Haney (Upperman)
2. Evan Glass (Volunteer)
3. Derrick Bolden (Millington Central)
4. John Sanchez-Ponce (Alcoa)

120

1. JoJo Uhorchuk (Signal Mountain)
2. Tyson Flavin (Soddy Daisy)
3. Ezra Finstad (Gibbs)
4. Zach Lewis (Eagleville)

126

1. Carson Dupill (Greeneville)
2. Landon Turner (Harpeth)
3. Zander Duncan (Soddy Daisy)
4. Colton Relation (Samuel Everett)

132

1. Ethan Uhorchuk (Signal Mountain)
2. Drew Lewis (Soddy Daisy)
3. Eli Moore (Tennessee)
4. Trey Moreland (Sycamore)

138

1. Brody McLemore (Eagleville)
2. Wyatt Davis (Whitwell)
3. Jake Ferrell (David Crockett)
4. Adan Alvarez (Cheatham Co. Central)

144

1. Braylen Cosper (Soddy Daisy)
2. Dylan Davenport (Sycamore)
3. Donavan Smith Peters (Sullivan East)
4. Evan Prewitt (Anderson County)

150

1. Elijah Turner (Soddy Daisy)
2. Ayden Hood (Pigeon Forge)
3. Thomas Solomon (Eagleville)
4. Alejandro Gutierrez (Millington Central)

157

1. Seth McCoy (Forrest)
2. Nikolas Taylor (White House Heritage)
3. Quenston Davis (Munford)
4. Eben Shriner (Signal Mountain)

165

1. Wyatt Howard (Pigeon Forge)
2. Logan Rawlinson (Soddy Daisy)
3. Josh Bingham (Anderson County)

175

1. Jackson Davis (Signal Mountain)
2. Bennett McDougal (Whitwell)
3. Tucker Ross (Soddy Daisy)
4. James Click (Samuel Everett)

190

1. Kobe Smith (Red Bank)
2. Connor Avans (Tullahoma)
3. Dylan Jackson (Pigeon Forge)
4. Ayden Derry (Anderson County)

215

    1. Rob Atwood (Trousdale County)

    2. Zac Chrisman (Greeneville)

    3. Aiden Howard (Pigeon Forge)

    4. Tyson Click (Samuel Everett)

    5. Loudon Laxton (Soddy Daisy)

285

1. Robert Tatum (Tullahoma)
2. Malik Boiling (East Nashville)
3. Cristopher Flockhart (Cocke County)
4. Jonathan Davis (Soddy Daisy)

TEAM

1. Soddy Daisy

2. Signal Mountain

3. Pigeon Forge

4. Eagleville

5. Anderson County

 

It will be interesting to see if Signal or Pigeon Forge can challenge Soddy this year. I think this Soddy team has the chance to be the most dominant team we have seen in the division since the A-AA split. While Signal and Pigeon Forge have the star power to match Soddy's studs, Soddy's lineup should be extremely solid top to bottom, which should really separate them from the pack. 

I am also excited to see how Anderson County fares dropping down. I suspect they will do well. Expect Eagleville to make some noise this year, too! Gibbs would be my next team to watch not included on the list.

I will be interested to see if Greeneville has any talent to build around Dupill. They have been such a mainstay at the top for so long, it feels odd not having them in my top 5 entering the year.

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by cowcatcherII

[TotallynotLEO]

I'd definitely have Chrisman from Greeneville up there at 215. 

165 Cole Darnell from Eagleton should be in the mix.

 

150lbs   I thought Elijah Turner for SD wrestled 160lbs last year.  You think he'll drop that much? Either way,  he'll be in the top 3 whatever weight he winds up. 

 

144lbs Ayden Hood from PF is going to be in the mix.  

It's fun to play around with it and get a discussion going but there are so many things that will change.  

Tullahoma should surprise some people too.

Edited September 12, 2023 by TotallynotLEO

[noonesfool]

I was going to mention Chrisman. I would have to guess he was inadvertently left off.

[dontstopbelieving]

It's crazy that the 4 you mention at 175 all come out of the same sectional. Pigeon Forge coming out of that sectional will help their chances as well as Signal Mountain and Soddy. Anderson County and Gibbs will be fun to watch, but with Pigeon Forge back in that region they are fighting for 2nd place. The level of wrestling in small school has come so far since the split it is very exciting to watch.

[cowcatcherII]

Chrisman was a definite miss. I was thinking he graduated for some reason but that is my mistake. You get forgetful when you become my age! LOL If healthy I would honestly have him at #1 above Atwood. I will update my earlier post. 
 

With Turner, I have been told that he was very light for 160 last year and wrestled up a weight class to help the team. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him at 157, but doubt he goes any higher than that. 

Edited September 12, 2023 by cowcatcherII

[TotallynotLEO]

Thing about 175lbs this year is who is going to cut from last years 182lbs? Who is moving up? We saw Davis wrestle a month ago at 182lbs. He's sneaky good from bottom position.  

James was at FS state and he might make 177lbs but he's a big kid.  

The big 182lbs from last year likely go 190lbs this year and many of the 195lbs will cut another 5 to make 190lbs.  That weight class should be more crowded this year.  

 

 

Region 2 is pretty strong with PF, AC, Gibbs and Seymour. 

That sectional between them and region 1 with Crockett, Greeneville,  Tennessee is going to be entertaining.  

Region 4 has SM and SD making it tough on everyone.  

Team wise,  I think it's Soddys year and is not close.  

SD

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PF

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 Everyone else

[oceansize42]

1 hour ago, cowcatcherII said:

Chrisman was a definite miss. I was thinking he graduated for some reason but that is my mistake. You get forgetful when you become my age! LOL If healthy I would honestly have him at #1 above Atwood. I will update my earlier post. 
 

With Turner, I have been told that he was very light for 160 last year and wrestled up a weight class to help the team. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him at 157, but doubt he goes any higher than that. 

Almost zero chance he beats Atwood, I've seen them both wrestle up close on many occasions.   Atwood trains and travels far far more than Chrisman.   Chrisman is strong but Atwood is a better wrestler. 

[oceansize42]

47 minutes ago, TotallynotLEO said:

 

That sectional between them and region 1 with Crockett, Greeneville,  Tennessee is going to be entertaining.  

 

Greeneville and Crockett will both be down, I think probably massively down.  Greeneville has lost three of the best wrestlers in the state, period, in the last two years, that being Kodiak, Hunter, and Colin.  They do not have the talent to replace even 1/3 that.  It doesn't exist.

Crockett has lost three medalists in the last two years as well, those being Horton, Hylton (their ace), and Gabe Ferrell.  

I don't see either being particularly competitive next year. I'm not being mean, just stating how it is.  

[TotallynotLEO]

3 minutes ago, oceansize42 said:

Greeneville and Crockett will both be down, I think probably massively down.  Greeneville has lost three of the best wrestlers in the state, period, in the last two years, that being Kodiak, Hunter, and Colin.  They do not have the talent to replace even 1/3 that.  It doesn't exist.

Crockett has lost three medalists in the last two years as well, those being Horton, Hylton (their ace), and Gabe Ferrell.  

I don't see either being particularly competitive next year. I'm not being mean, just stating how it is.  

Who do you see coming out of that region as the top 2 teams then?  I was thinking Crocket at least has a full roster of experienced kids. Same for Tennessee high. Greeneville will be good,  great even,  at some weights, but will they be giving up any forfeits?  Hard to win duals like that.  

Edited September 13, 2023 by TotallynotLEO

[oceansize42]

14 minutes ago, TotallynotLEO said:

Who do you see coming out of that region as the top 2 teams then?  I was thinking Crocket at least has a full roster of experienced kids. Same for Tennessee high. Greeneville will be good,  great even,  at some weights, but will they be giving up any forfeits?  Hard to win duals like that.  

They have Carson and Chriswood. After that things get super iffy.  The other kid who was fairly good quit last year.  

Crockett has the two Ferrell brothers remaining who of course will be fine. Their likely 190 is solid but needs to wrestle to his potential. They have several kids in the middle of the lineup who are all sophomores. One is really solid, one will do ok.  They will be a handful in their junior and senior years.   If their 106 from last year can hang around until the end of the season, a big if, then he can be decent at the lower middle weights assuming he has grown.  Crockett will have a new 106 who be good.

Next year is likely PF and Gibbs moving on to states. It helps that Halls has moved on but Anderson will be tough as well, or at least should be.  

Edit: To my knowledge very very few of the remaining Greeneville and Crockett kids train the bulk of the year.  The last of those were the prior kids mentioned who have all moved on. 

Edited September 13, 2023 by oceansize42

[TotallynotLEO]

Good stuff Ocean. It's going to be a fun season.  

AC got Gibbs pretty good last year in a dual with full varsity line ups. Gibbs lost a few hammers last year. The Finstad kid will be really good. Brody Ford will be good. Allen will help them out too. They have some decent kids at the 3 upper weights but I think AC gets them again. 

AC has had a few kids put in work this off season. No one is super talented but they are experienced and solid. The biggest thing is staying healthy. I'm most excited to see the 190 and 175 from AC and DC go at it.  

AC lost a decent hwt, a really good 132 and a pretty good 113lb kid to graduation. They won't be as good at those weights this year but will be better most everywhere else. 

Still don't think they have anything for PF though.  

[StormChaserWrestling]

Kenny Harris from Alcoa pinned Laxton last year to make the state tournament. Also pinned Click in their only meeting. Had a bad end of the season, but I would look for him to be in the top 3 at 215 when it is all said and done.