Clarksville area wrestling: 7 state champions, Brenot named Best Wrestler, Gonzalez threepeats | PHOTOS

By Ryan Vinson

Clarksville Now

February 26, 2023 1:47 pm

FRANKLIN, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – High school wrestling in Tennessee culminated with the TSSAA state individual tournament at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park from Thursday to Saturday.

Of the 58 wrestlers from the Clarksville area who attended, seven were crowned state champions while another 15 medaled.

Champions

Two-time State Champion, 2023 Best Wrestler Aidan Brenot (CHS senior, 182 lbs)

CHS’s Aidan Brenot at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Since finishing 2nd in 2021, Aidan Brenot has been on a rampage. Undefeated by any other Tennessean in that time, he claimed his second straight state championship with a season record of 52-0. His first two matches at this year’s tournaments were pins, and then he won 21-6 in the semifinal.

In the final he found himself against Knox Watson of Bradley Central. Brenot controlled the match from start to finish, taking Watson down and letting him up at will. The match ended with Brenot winning,15-5. At the conclusion of the tournament, the coaches voted Brenot as the Best Wrestler for the boys’ AA tournament.

Three-time State Champion Ella-Lina Gonzalez (CHS senior, 114 lbs)

CHS’s Ella-Lina Gonzalez at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Ella-Lina Gonzalez entered this tournament looking to become the first female wrestler from CHS to win three state titles. She opened with pins in the first two rounds before things got interesting in the semifinals. Down by two going into the third period, she had a reversal and a nearfall to score five and punch her ticket to the finals. There she was up against Nataleigh Shane of Bradley Central.

Gonzalez struck first with a takedown, but her penalty and an escape by Shane tied things up 2-2. Gonzalez pulled ahead by one point in the second period, 4-3, then chose to start the third period on the bottom. Despite Shane’s best efforts, she was unable to score on Gonzalez in the final period, and Gonzalez secured her third championship with a season record of 46-0. This match was voted the Best Match of the girls’ tournament by the coaches.

Two-time State Champion Sha’niayha Wysinger (CHS junior, 235 lbs)

CHS’s Sha’niayha Wysinger at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Wysinger looked the part of a returning champion in the early rounds, recording two pins and a 17-2 tech fall. In the final, she faced off with a familiar foe: Diamond Young of Cleveland, whom Wysinger came from behind to pin in 2022’s title match after being down 7-1.

The script was pretty similar; Young went up early with a takedown and a nearfall, then tacked on an escape in the second period to go up 6-0. But Wysinger took Young down, then pinned her for her second title and a season record of 14-2.

State Champion Ty Bryant (CA senior, 132 lbs)

Clarksville Academy’s Ty Bryant at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Bryant made her third appearance in the state tournament and second appearance in the final. This time she was up against Haley Redmond from Gibbs High School. In the third period, Redmond slammed Bryant to the mat and Bryant remained still for several minutes. After the trainers got her back on her feet and ran through concussion protocols, the referee declared Bryant the winner. Redmond’s specific hold on Bryant did not allow Bryant to defend her head from the impact of the slam, and because Bryant was injured by this illegal move, Redmond was disqualified. Bryant finished her senior season with a record of 33-3.

State Champion Genesis Gilmore (MCHS senior, 145 lbs)

Montgomery Central’s Genesis Gilmore at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Gilmore made her fourth appearance at the state tournament, pinning her first three opponents to punch her ticket to her third finals. In the championship, she wasted no time claiming her first title, pinning Collierville’s Mercedes Standard in 50 seconds to cap off a stellar high school career and a 46-4 senior campaign.

State Champion Audrey Levendusky (MCHS freshman, 126 lbs)

Montgomery Central’s Audrey Levendusky at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Levendusky came in swinging in her first appearance at the state tournament. The freshman pinned her first three opponents to put herself into the finals. There she faced off with Verena Pate, a senior from St. Andrew’s and defending state champion. Levendusky’s takedown in the first period and a nearfall in the second were enough to seal the deal as she won, 5-0, finishing off a 43-8 debut season.

State Champion Mariana Bowen (RHS freshman, 120 lbs)

Rossview High School’s Mariana Bowen at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

West Creek’s Jes’onia Barefield tops Rossview High School’s Mariana Bowen at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview High School’s Mariana Bowen at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Bowen also started strong as a freshman, pinning her first two opponents early. Her semifinal match was cut short when her opponent was injured during a takedown attempt and had to forfeit. In the final, Bowen was paired up with West Creek sophomore Jes’onia Barefield. Barefield struck first, leading 5-0 after the first period. Then Bowen took over, scoring eight unanswered points, including pinning her opponent in the third period with 57 seconds left on the clock, to claim the win, 8-5. Bowen finished the year with a 46-11 record.

Finalists

Junior Alyssa Adamo (RHS 152) made her first appearance in the state finals, but found herself up against Maggie Graham, three-time state champion from Bartlett High School. Adamo did well to survive the first period, but Graham pinned her in the second to secure her fourth championship and the Best Wrestler award for the girls’ division.

Jes’onia Barefield (WCHS 120) followed up her 6th place finish as a freshman in 2022 with a much stronger showing in 2023. She made it to the final, where she fell to Rossview’s Mariana Bowen as described above.

West Creek’s Jes’onia Barefield at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Clarksville High School’s Brooklyn Whiteside at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

West Creek’s Eleasa Renken at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Max Landrum at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Katie McMillan and Montgomery Central’s Audra Buckley at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Irelynn Laurin at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Alyssa Adamo at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Clarksville High’s Seth Robles at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Clarksville High’s Lilli Cobb and Rossview’s Evelin Ochoa at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Clarksville High’s Kayla Powers at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Clarksville High’s Jack Stein at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

CHS coach Sharrock Cobb cheering daughter Lilli at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

CHS’s Ahmoyre Galbreath at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

West Creek’s Standford Thompson at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

West Creek’s Najette Mojica-Soto at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Tristan Samuelson at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Thomas Shipstead at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Ben Mayberry at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Ava Teasley at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Anna Jenks at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Rossview’s Analise Jetter at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Northwest’s Shyanne Michalski at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Northwest’s Ethan Cunningham at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Montgomery Central’s Reese Levendusky at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Montgomery Central’s at the TSSAA state individual tournament that ended Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Ryan Vinson)

Medalists

3rd place: Lilli Cobb (CHS 132), Irelynn Laurin (RHS 160), Max Landrum (RHS 138), Katie McMillan (RHS 185)
4th place: Jack Stein (CHS 160), Brooklyn Whiteside (CHS 138), Shyanne Michalski (NWHS 100), Evelin Ochoa (RHS 132), Eleasa Renken (WCHS 107)
5th place: Kayla Powers (CHS 145), Cearyona O’Conner (MCHS 165)
6th place: Seth Robles (CHS 145), Audra Buckley (MCHS 185)

The following wrestlers picked up two wins each before being eliminated: Peyton Langon (CHS 220), Lily Ann Blair (CHS 120), Gracie Tuberville (MCHS 107), Lily Peters (MCHS 152), Ethan Cunningham (NWHS 152), Roldon Timothy (NWHS 285), Nick Collins (RHS 113), Ava Teasley (RHS 100), Analise Jetter (RHS 138), Stitch Nikolao (RHS 145), Zahara Williams (RHS 235), Standford Thompson (WCHS 182), Joshua Ward (WCHS 195)

The following wrestlers got a taste of victory at state, picking up one win each: Ahmoyre Galbreath (CHS 170), Ava Ziegler (CHS 126), Kohana Renner (CHS 152), Autumn Lynch (CA 165), Sean Johnson (KHS 138), Frederick Ellis (KHS 195), Sally Johnson (NWHS 132), Ben Mayberry (RHS 126), Jacob Miller (RHS 132), Tristan Samuelson (RHS 182), Thomas Shipstead (RHS 220), Addie Bess (RHS 107)

The following wrestlers capped off a strong postseason with an appearance at the state tournament: A’Tiana Atkins (CHS 185), Reese Levendusky (MCHS 126), Levi Mayfield (MCHS 152), Ryan Babuscio (MCHS 160), Julie Garcia Suarez (NWHS 107), Anjolina Rosario (NWHS 165), Cruz Rodriguez (RHS 120), Anna Jenks (RHS 126), Ayden Andalon (WCHS 285), Najette Mojica-Soto (WCHS 114), Syriana Berrios (WCHS 138)

Team points

At an individual tournament, wrestlers still score points for their teams to see which program performs best overall. For the first time in eight years, a Clarksville school did not win this on the girls side. Cleveland High School took first place with 134 points, but Rossview was close behind with 128. Clarksville High claimed third with 120 and Montgomery Central finished in fifth place with 90.

Correction: Due to an incomplete database, several individual season records were initially incorrect. Also, the sequence of points for Bowen’s win was incorrect. The article has been updated.

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