What to know from wrestling championships
FRANKLIN – Lance Williams has wrestled with a mask over his face for about a month.
The Alcoa 285-pound wrestler and three-star college football prospect never let it bother him on his way to a dominating state title run where he pinned all four of his opponents, including Knoxville Fulton's Seth Vaughn in the Class A state championship in 2:49 to complete an undefeated season.
Williams' state championship is his second in three years. He did not wrestle at the state championships last season after sustaining a shoulder injury before the region tournament that required surgery.
"That injury was devastating really," Williams said. "I really wanted to be a four-time state champion."
This year he broke his nose, but wrestled on. And after pinning Vaughn, he celebrated by showing off a takedown of former Alcoa wrestler Noah Evans, who was watching on beside coach Brian Gossett.
"He told me before I even wrestled that he was going to be mad if I didn't throw him after I won," Williams said. That was fine with Gossett.
"I didn't know they had all that cooked up," Gossett said. "I'm pretty sure he knows not to do that with me because I would have gotten hurt."
Third no more: Sammy Shires had three third-place medals entering his final state championships.
However, the Rossview senior topped off an undefeated season with his first state title Saturday at the Williamson County Expo Center.
Shires defeated Bradley Central's Ethan Lipsey 9-5 to win the Class AA 138-pound weight class and wrap up a 55-0 season.
"I've been third every single year," Shires said. "It feels surreal to win it. Once I knew I won, it felt amazing.
"I've wanted this every single day. I've told my dad I was going to be a state champion and he believed. My family believed me and that really inspired me to win a state championship.
Bradford repeats: Blackman senior Justin Bradford's final high school wrestling match is one he'll remember. Bradford won his second straight state title 2-1 in the 126-pound Class AA championship, beating Bradley Central's Easton Lipsey in the third overtime, or what is referred to as the ultimate tiebreaker.
In the ultimate tiebreaker, the person on the bottom position must score on an escape or reverse to get the win. The person on the top position keeps the wrestler under control for the entire 30 seconds then he wins the match and is awarded the point.
Bradford was the top wrestler during the final 30 seconds and held off a late charge by Lipsey to win.
"I wanted to be a two-timer," Bradford said. "I was determined to do it. "I wasn't going to let him up." Bradford was joined by teammate Jashua Chew as a state champion from Blackman. Chew beat Rossview's Zachary Dussler 6-5 a year after not medaling.
Overton's first girls champ: Sophomore Vivian Mariscal capped an undefeated season with John Overton's first girls state championship, beating Independence's Rylee Lent 12-8. It came a year after her season was limited to just a week because of COVID-19 restrictions in Metro Nashville Public Schools.
"It was so surreal after not having a year last year because of COVID and not being able to come out here and wrestle," said Mariscal, who finished 20-0. "It's honestly amazing. I had one week to get ready for regionals and it wasn't enough time."
Two-sport state champion: Theron Gaines brought a gold ball back to Oakland in December when he was a key defensive player on the Patriots' Class 6A back-to-back football state championship team.
He's now bringing home the school's first wrestling state championship in 27 years after defeating Wilson Central's Noah Todd 6-4 in Class AA at 220 pounds. Brian Guthrie won the Patriots' last title in 1995. Gaines' title comes after not medaling a year ago.
Memphis' best: Wemawamungu Moktani of Munford was one of many wrestlers statewide who showed off gymnastic skills after winning titles. Motani backflipped after beating Page's Grant Hawkinson by a 12-4 major decision at 132 pounds in Class A.
He was one of two boys who won state titles. Arlington senior Jacob Roaten beat Collierville's Cameron Cook by a 10-4 decision at 152 pounds in Class AA.
The Shelby County area also had two girls titles.
Bartlett's Maggie Graham pinned Carter's Jailynn Tindall in 5:29 for the 145-pound weight class. Collierville's Chukwuedun Odeigah won the 165pound title with a 6-5 decision over Clarksville Northwest's Brette Spink.
Team champions: Cleveland won the Class AA team title with 197 points, blowing out the rest of the field. Bradley Central was second with 129.5 points and Blackman was third with 112. In Class A, Greeneville won with 166 points ahead of runner-up Signal Mountain (110) and Pigeon Forge (96.5).
Clarksville won the girls title with 122.5 points ahead of Rossview (108.5) and St. Andrew's Sewanee (96).
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.