The annual Cleveland Duals wrestling tournament, 16 teams strong this year, will be held Saturday.
There will be a new champion this year. While defending champion Archer will compete, it plans to wrestle only its pool matches so the wrestlers can get back in time to see the school's football state championship game.
"I would think the front-runners would be Father Ryan; Woodland, Georgia; and Baylor," host coach Jake Yost said this week. "I'd like to consider us to be competitive. Thompson, Alabama, always brings a good team, and Soddy-Daisy is always solid."
Father Ryan is ranked No. 1 in the latest Tennessee coaches' poll, while Baylor is No. 2 and Cleveland is No. 4. Also included in the lastest poll are No. 5 Bradley Central, No. 6 McCallie and No. 7 Soddy-Daisy.
Weigh-ins are scheduled for 7:30 Saturday morning, and wrestling will begin at 8:30. There will be two mats in the Jones wrestling arena, two in the auxiliary gym and two in the cafeteria. The semifinals and championship meet will be wrestled in the cafeteria.
"That's where we wrestled them last year, and it seemed to work out pretty well," Yost said.
Cleveland will be without a primary gym until next fall.
Tournament admission is $10 for an all-day adult pass and $7 for students.
Zeman to miss game
Marion County running back and linebacker Blake Zeman won't be able to play in tonight's East-West all-star football game at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville. The two-time Mr. Football finalist suffered a shoulder injury in the Warriors' state-final loss last week.
Area players who will take part in the game that's sponsored by Toyota include Mr. Football kicker Laszlo Toler III from Ooltewah, defensive back J.J. Lewis and record-setting running back Alex Trotter of McCallie, record-setting Soddy-Daisy quarterback Hunter Maynor, Boyd-Buchanan receiver Damaris Macon, East Ridge quarterback/defensive back JoJo Tillery and Notre Dame defensive lineman Joe Dossett.
Trotter set a city single-game rushing record with a 374-yard, seven-TD performance, and Maynor took the city single-season passing record that had belonged to McCallie's B.J. Coleman. Maynor passed for 3,257 yards in 11 games.