Baylor romps to state duals title; Signal and Baylor both place 2nd
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Cleveland’s wrestling team came into the TSSAA state duals tournament with one dual-meet loss this season. And Saturday at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center, the Blue Raiders left the same way.
Cleveland defeated Science Hill 51-22 in the Class AAA final to improve to 37-1.
Baylor and Signal Mountain also competed in finals Saturday but were runners-up. Christian Brothers defeated the Red Raiders 32-28 in Division II, and Gibbs beat Signal Mountain 40-33 in A/AA.
There was a common theme in the championship matches. Each winning team got off to a good start.
With the Class AAA meet starting at 220 pounds, Cleveland got a decision from Wilson Benefield and pins from Titus Swafford (285) and Trae McDaniel (106) for a 15-0 start. First-year coach Joey Knox said Swafford’s pin was particularly impactful.
“We knew it was going to be a tough match that could go either way,” Knox said. “After the pin with Titus, you could feel the air go out of the room.”
Cleveland’s other individual winners were all by pin: Bryce Pond (126), Jayce Mullin (132), Cody Mathews (145), Austin Sweeney (152), Dylan Jones (170) and Robert Hicks (182).
The state-duals title is the seventh for the Blue Raiders program but the first for Knox, who now turns his team’s attention to the traditional state tournament in two weeks at the same place.
“I couldn’t imagine having a better group than these guys,” Knox said. “We’re not done yet. They’ve all got big goals.”
The other finals started at 195 pounds and after four bouts, Baylor’s Red Raiders were looking up at a 19-0 deficit. They finished strong with Alex Atchley (152) and Connor Duffy (160) winning decisions before Mason Reiniche (170) earned a pin and Riley Westlake (182) provided the final margin by winning by technical fall.
“I’m happy with my guys’ effort,” Baylor coach Ben Nelson said. “Sometimes you don’t win when you wrestle well.”
Other winners for the Red Raiders were Porter Kaufman (113) and Hayden Hartline (132) with major decisions and Andrew Pace (138) with a decision.
“Our guys fought,” Nelson said. “There were some weights that we were hoping to get pins and instead got decisions and majors. There were a few matches we wish we could swing around, but that’s life. That’s why the kids decide it on the mat.”
Gibbs opened its meet against Signal Mountain (18-5) with three consecutive pins.
“We knew it was going to be difficult,” Signal Mountain coach Joe Jellison said. “Gibbs has what, eight or nine seniors? They’ve got a pretty big senior class competing against the five or six freshmen we’re starting. I don’t think they outskilled us.”
Signal Mountain battled back within 18-10 and was within 28-18 before Gibbs sandwiched pins around an overtime decision win by Preston Worley (152), and that sealed it.
“All those things we call adversity are going to help us get better next year,” said Jellison, who then paused and recalled the upcoming traditional tournament and added, “or next week.”
Signal Mountain’s other winners were Daniel Uhorchuk (106) by pin, Isaac Tate (113) by major decision, Kevin Muschel (126) by technical fall and Clay Gallant (138) by decision. Jake Woodlief (170) and Spencer Leonard (182) won the last matches by forfeits.
The Chattanooga area also had one third-place finisher, McCallie. The Blue Tornado beat Father Ryan 58-17 in the Division II consolation final.