AP Poll

[papbear3]

I get irritated when these conversations start wandering off into the public/private debate. Public schools have no idea what goes on in the private schools and vice versa. How many public school coaches have had to sit a wrestler out of a match because the TSSAA has a rule that if a student is 60 days behind in tuition, they cannot participate?????? Or lose a wrestler because their parents lost their job and cannot pay tuition any longer???? Or, an 8th grader that scores high on the entrance exam to the school and qualifies for a scholarship that, if he accepts that scholarship, cannot participate in varsity athletics???? Many think that we all give scholarships, this is not true. If a student accepts a scholarship they cannot participate in TSSAA sports. If a student qualifies for financial aid, through princeton, we are only allowed a certain number per sport that can compete. These are all rules that can be found on the TSSAA site. I know that I am fighting a losing battle trying to explain all of this and I am sure that I will be bashed by a bunch of public school supporters, but, every one of these examples occurred in our program this wrestling season. I will now bow out of this.....

 

To quote Forrest Gump..."that's all I have to say about that."

Edited February 6, 2004 by papbear3

[dragonwrestler]

Nicely said Coach Lewis...

 

I enjoyed reading the article about you guys in the newspaper today. Once again the Purple Wave steals the West Tennessee spotlight :justwrestle: . Anyways, good luck tomorrow. We will be cheering for you guys, and hopefully you will return the favor. It's been a long season, and hopefully...finally...West Tennessee will bring back some state dual metal.

Edited February 6, 2004 by dragonwrestler

[WrestleSBA]

Hmm... I didn't check the paper today. Is there anyone out there that wouldn't mind giving me a quick synopsis. And that was very well stated Coach. I know we have sat through some similar situations. Goodluck to you guys this weekend Chris.

[best_of_the_west]

It was just a basic rundown of the line ups, along with starting times, opponents, etc. There's a big picture of Nick Marable at practice and a much smaller one of David Hunt in a match. It's good to see people getting excited about wrestling out here. These are two of the best duals teams to come out of the West in a while.

[WrestleSBA]

Thanks for the update. I definitely agree that the West will be sending two great dual teams up to Clarksville. They will make the rest of us back here in Memphis very proud this year. Both Collierville and CBHS have good draws that could carry them a long way into the tournament. I look forward to heairng about all the great matches and how well our boys do.

[CoachDelgado]

Sense of urgency

CBHS wrestlers hope to regroup

 

By Jim Masilak

February 5, 2004

 

As disasters go, last year's TSSAA Division 2 state dual wrestling meet could hardly have been worse for Christian Brothers.

 

Favored in its first-round match against Chattanooga Notre Dame, the Purple Wave, used to being the underdog, succumbed to the pressure of the moment.

 

Notre Dame won on a technicality - or criteria - as it is called in wrestling. After finishing their quarterfinal match in a 27-27 deadlock, the Fighting Irish advanced thanks to a 2-1 edge in victories by pinfall.

 

From there, CBHS fell into the consolation bracket and, despondent after the loss, was beaten again, 40-31, by Nashville Montgomery Bell Academy.

 

It was a shocking turn of events for a squad that entered the tournament with title aspirations.

 

"After that (Notre Dame) match, knowing we lost to a team that shouldn't have even been wrestling with us, everybody got down on themselves," said CBHS senior Michael Marable, the reigning Division 2 state champion at 171 pounds.

 

"We took Notre Dame for granted. That's what killed us," said junior Nick Marable, a state runner-up last year at 145 pounds and Michael's younger brother. "It's made a lot of people realize it all comes down to pins."

 

As Christian Brothers prepares for this weekend's TSSAA Division 2 state dual meet at Clarksville High, the lessons of a year ago are foremost in its thoughts.

 

Once more, the Purple Wave believes it has the potential to compete for a state title. But for this senior-dominated group, there is also a sense of urgency.

 

Although dominant locally and competitive with just about any team in the country, CBHS has failed to make much of a mark in a tournament long ruled by East and Middle Tennessee schools.

 

No Shelby-Metro school has ever won a state title in duals. But the Purple Wave, again with what seems a favorable draw, not to mention what coach Chris Lewis said is his best team in 13 years at the school, can't help but feel this just might be the year.

 

CBHS will face Brentwood Academy in a quarterfinal match Friday at 7 p.m.

 

If the Purple Wave can win that one, a possible semifinal match with Chattanooga Baylor awaits.

 

However, after the numbing experience of a year ago, CBHS isn't talking about anything beyond its opening match.

 

"That right there shows anything can happen," Michael Marable said. "We know we're the better team, but we're not taking (Brentwood Academy) lightly because we know what happened last year."

 

CBHS heads into the tournament with perhaps the best group of wrestlers in the state from 145 pounds up. If the Purple Wave can get some points at the lower weights, Lewis likes his prospects.

 

"I believe we have a chance to win the whole thing, but it doesn't matter what I believe," Lewis said. "We always talked about doing things, but I never got a sense they believed it.

 

"They believe it."

 

CBHS last won a match at the state duals in 1999-2000, when it finished fifth. Six straight losses have followed, and Lewis hopes that lack of success hasn't irreparably harmed his squad's confidence.

 

He suspects it hasn't.

 

Part of that is due to the success CBHS has had against some of the nation's top teams. Lewis put his team up against a number of regional and national powers, in tournaments in New Orleans and Missouri, and the experiences have been largely positive.

 

Lewis hopes such tests have produced a more confident team and a more cutthroat approach.

 

"We've constantly stressed in the last two weeks that the time for (not pinning people) is over," Lewis said. "When we've got someone on their back, we've got to put people away. We can't leave anything to chance.

 

"I feel like we have a great opportunity. I think we're a very good team and might surprise some folks. We've gained a lot this year, but I don't know if we're ready to move to that next level. I hope we are."

 

Michael Marable says the difference in this team's mentality is markedly different from past CBHS squads.

 

"This team, this year, is better than our team last year. We're more confident in what we can do," he said. "We've got four or five people ranked No. 1 in the state.

 

"The good thing about this team is a lot of these kids weren't on the team - they were behind other seniors last year. They're hungry, and they know they can wrestle with these kids and beat them."

 

For the Marable brothers, this weekend's tournament takes on even more meaning because it represents their last chance to win a title together.

 

"It's important because it's our last dual meet together," said Michael, who is considering wrestling at Chattanooga or walking onto the football team at the University of Memphis. "I want to make it worthwhile.

 

"If we don't go up there and do what coach Lewis expects us to do, it would be disappointing. I don't want to let him down after four years. But I think something good should happen."

 

Said Nick: "We've got to take advantage of this opportunity. If we don't, we'll regret it."

 

Lewis, whose quest has been to build a team capable of beating the best from East and Middle Tennessee, is desperate for this team to succeed.

 

"There is a sense of urgency because a lot of these guys have been here for a long time. Their goal as a group has been to make a mark," Lewis said. "They have done more for our program with their work ethic, attitude and dedication.

 

"I really want them to achieve something. I hope we make a mark for West Tennessee."

 

- Jim Masilak: 529-2311

Edited February 6, 2004 by CoachDelgado

[charlie]

BC is not going to take on teams they feel aggressively recruits (or "have" recruited) wrestlers other D1 programs have developed.

 

It's sort of like our government taxing a percentage of every dollar once, i.e., young talent, and again once the remainder of that dollar matures in savings it is taxed again as income, and again when used to purchase and one more time when the purchased item is willed to their children. Then these same dollars are used to provide income to others not willing to put forth the work to develop their own skills, i.e., young wrestlers, and provide a good living (or success) for themselves. This can be frustrating if one should take inventory of their losses to the advantage of others.

 

Should a % the hard work (investment) of a coach be taken each year by the private schools and then used to work against them?

 

When I was at Hixson years ago we lost half of our stud wrestlers and football players to private schools. I, nor my brothers were not a part of this exodus obviously (usually the red 1st and the blue 2nd benefited from Wildcat talent then). A couple of years before, Gordon was fortunate to keep the Tom Popp's, Randy Batten's and others to become the #1 team,,, with ALL SCHOOLS (public or private) involved in the mid-seventies.

 

I'm not sure how much of that happens today, but it has made a few coaches angry as certain key investments were tapped into like Uncle Sam.

 

soms

Be careful soms. A few Red Bank boys have found their way to Bradley, just as have a few guys found their way to McCallie and Baylor. Big advantage for Baylor and McCallie. They get their kids in the 6th/7th grades. Lots of advantage having them in the same system for 7 years.

 

I think we all would have liked to see a Bradley/McCallie or a Bradley/Baylor match. Would have been good for the sport. Steve L. is an excellent coach and a gentleman. Although disappointed that such a match never took place, we respect his decision.

[MillsHalf]

papbear,

Thanks for providing some finite evidence to support your views. I think the whole misunderstanding about "Scholarships" vs. financial aid rests on a lack of knowledge about the real issues involved.

[texas23]

I am going to chime in on this. Semantic, Scholarship or Financial aid.

 

" that's all I got to say about that."

Forrest Gump

[takedown3]

""After that (Notre Dame) match, knowing we we lost to a team that shouldn't have even been wrestling with us, everybody got down on themselves," said CBHS senior Michael Marable, the reigning Division 2 state champion at 171 pounds"

 

I just hope Mullins has an opportunity to "share" this with his team. Sometimes kids say the darndest things!

[Sommers]

BC is not going to take on teams they feel aggressively recruits (or "have" recruited) wrestlers other D1 programs have developed. 

 

 

I'm not sure how much of that happens today, but it has made a few coaches angry as certain key investments were tapped into like Uncle Sam.

 

soms

Be careful soms. A few Red Bank boys have found their way to Bradley, just as have a few guys found their way to McCallie and Baylor. Big advantage for Baylor and McCallie. They get their kids in the 6th/7th grades. Lots of advantage having them in the same system for 7 years.

 

I think we all would have liked to see a Bradley/McCallie or a Bradley/Baylor match. Would have been good for the sport. Steve L. is an excellent coach and a gentleman. Although disappointed that such a match never took place, we respect his decision.

Are you Charlie Goss?

 

Well my friend, this certainly is a can of worms you don't want to open with the legman. It may best for you to be careful for you have no "leg" yourself (no pun intended) to stand on.

 

Da man did not benefit from recruiting anyone. Im not authority on BC or legman, but I can assure you he is no hypocrite from being up close and personal. Any family that chooses to move into a school district has the right for their child to attend and I'm not sure this happened with more than one of their wrestlers. I'm sure sly will have much to say regarding this because of his hard work and investment in developing their OWN talent. It is something that really only a few programs in the southeast can compare to (right RMC?).

 

They don't not need the benefit of enticing others to join their program.

 

soms

Edited February 6, 2004 by Sommers

[ijtx]

Here's the way I see the state's top five:

 

1. Bradley Central

 

2. Father Ryan

 

3. McCallie

 

4. Baylor

 

5. Soddy Daisy

 

Anyone care to fill in the rest? BOTW? Walkenvol?

 

And whatever happened to silverbullet?