CLEVELAND, Tenn. Against one of the strongest field of challengers it has invited in more than a half-dozen years, Bradley Central returned to the throne of its own wrestling tournament Saturday.
The Bears, who had not won their tournament since 2009, slipped past defending champion Father Ryan, the state's top-ranked team, with a strong semifinal showing and an even stronger showing in consolation rounds to win the event.
The Bears scored 255 pounds to 222.5 for the second-place Purple Irish after the two separated themselves from the field in the semifinals Saturday morning.
"We set a goal at the start of the week to win this tournament, something we haven't done in a while," Bradley coach Ben Smith said. "I think, though, that every week we've competed since Thanksgiving that we have progressed."
Father Ryan offered quite the challenge.
"It was maybe halfway through the semis when I realized we were in it and had a chance to knock them off," Smith said. "They add something special to our tournament that may have been lacking -- a Division II program that people hold in high esteem -- and I think we have developed a friendly rivalry."
Veteran Father Ryan coach Pat Simpson said the tournament was just as tough as last year.
"It's tough. Everybody on my team had at least two tough kids to go against," he said.
Smith went so far as to compliment the Ryan fans, who have long been known as a boisterous bunch.
"Ryan is a classy team and their fans are classy and passionate," he said. "The tournament turned into a two-team race about midday, and our fans and their fans got into it. Everybody was keeping score and looking back and forth."
Etowah was third with 149.5 points, Commerce fourth with 131 and Tullahoma, coached by Al Morris Jr., fifth with 128. Huntsville (114) was sixth; Hixson and Tennessee High (107) tied for seventh; Blackman (97) was ninth and Knoxville Halls (85) rounded out the top 10.
Notre Dame placed 11th with 82.4, Central was 14th with 73, East Ridge was 22nd with 47 and East Hamilton was 27th in the 30-team field with 17.5.
Individual championships went to Bradley Central's T.J. Hicks (106), Toribio Navarro (113) and Knox Fuller (126); Father Ryan's Kirby Simpson (132), Eli King (138), Chris Wesnofske) and Ben Stacey (220); Commerce's Michael Patton (152) and Cole Chancey (170); Blackman's Tyler Garrison (160); Maryville's Chad Solomon (182); Clarksville's Kiel Russell (195); and Hixson's Brody Gregory (285).
Bradley also had two runners-up, two third-place finishers, a fourth-place medalist, a fifth-place medalist and two sixth-place finishers.
"Bradley's tough," Simpson said. "I'm sure they've gotten better as the season's gone along. They certainly looked impressive this weekend."
"What won the tournament for us was the guys that placed besides the champions," Smith said. "We had guys scoring in the consolation quarters and semis -- getting pins and extra points and wrestling in some cases above their ability. We didn't have a single guy finish below where he was seeded."
Stewarts Creek's Tyler Barber had the most pins -- six in 3:14.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.