Area wrestlers aim for individual glory
WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP
Tough sport, wrestling. Win a state title, and moments after coming down from that victory podium, someone’s asking, “Now about the encore?”
“How many sports do you win a championship and then have to turn around and do it again,” said Christian Brothers coach Chris Lewis, whose team topped Father Ryan, 4122, for the Division 2 duals title two weeks ago. “It was tough to get refocused the first few days back at practice, but this is a mentally tough group. Individuals are about them and their personal goals. They all have unfinished business.”
Two Purple Wave wrestlers — Kaleb Baker and Tate Robinson — also have state individual titles to defend.
Baker, a junior who won the 135pound title as a sophomore, is a clear favorite to win the state title at 145 this year. Sophomore teammate Robinson, last year’s 112pound winner, has a tougher task at 126. He’s in the same bracket with Chattanooga Baylor senior Zach Watson, who has won four state titles since eighth grade.
The pair met in the duals semifinals, Watson escaped with an 8-6 decision.
CBHS has three other wrestlers seeded second going into the competition, junior John David Santi (113) and seniors Matt Johnson (138) and Sam Thomas (285). St. Benedict senior Jeff Lamer (195) also has a two -seed.
Houston senior Holden Schay claimed his first state title at 171 pounds last year, but has found the road anything but smooth this year. A nagging shoulder injury, first suffered in football season, sidelined him much of the season, and led to some hurried catch-up work to prep for the 160-pound bracket.
What: Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association state wrestling championship When: Today through Saturday Where: Williamson County Agricultural Exposition Arena, Franklin Finals: Begin at 5 p.m. Saturday More on web: At commercialappeal.com/preps
“Normally we would try and put him against tougher competition early in the season. But we basically had to do it all during a meet in Collierville two weeks ago,” Mustangs’ coach Walt Holmes said.
He lost to Cordova senior Reginald Adams in that meet, and again in a regional meet where he aggravated the shoulder in the quarterfinals, then wrestled on despite a hard slam by Adams and lost a 10-5 decision. Those wins earned Adams the No. 1 seed.
“To beat a wrestler like Holden twice gives you a lot of confidence,” said Adams, fifth last year at 152. “But you have to respect everyone in this field.”
After the regional Schay, who also suffered a cut lip during the bout, said, “All you can do is go back, heal and get good practice.”
He said he’s ready to go this weekend and said the bracket placing doesn’t alter his preparation. “You always have to approach it like your next match has to be your best.”
Bolton senior Tate Dalrymple, a runnerup at 106 last year, is back as the top seed in that bracket after winning the regional.
Germantown is coming off its first regional title since 2008, qualifying 11 wrestlers including a top contender in junior Sidney Blackwood. He was third at 113 pounds and the No. 2 seed this year.
“I’m confident for that next step,” Blackwood said.