The Division II East/Middle Region wrestling competition could be a little tighter than expected when the eight teams convene at McCallie this morning.
McCallie is relatively healthy for the first time since ringing in the new year.
McCallie's Brock Herring controls Montgomery Bell Academy's Jed Griffin in the 132-pound matchon Friday, Jan. 6, 2015. The East/Middle tournament has changed in its second year with Father Ryan and Brentwood Academy being shifted to the West region to join Christian Brothers. There now also are an equitable number of medalists (top four) advancing to the state from each region.
Teams joining McCallie and Baylor in the East/Middle field are Battle Ground Academy, Franklin Road Academy, Knoxville Webb, Montgomery Bell Academy, Pope John Paul II and St. Andrew's-Sewanee.
Weigh-ins at McCallie are at 10 this morning, and wrestling will start at noon. Plans are to start the semifinals at 2:30 p.m. and the finals at 4:30. Matches for first and third will be wrestled simultaneously. All-day passes are $10 per person.
McCallie had missed 120-pound Addison Cornell since the final week of December and James Westbrooks (126) and Ethan Dendy (138) since the first week of January. The Blue Tornado wrestled all of their regional dual meets without the trio.
Cornell and Dendy are No. 2 seeds, while Westbrooks is top-seeded.
Other top seeds are Baylor's Hayden Hartline (106), Michael Murphy (138), Caleb Powell (145), Donovan Sutherland (160), Cayman Seagraves (170), Ryan Parker (195) and Cooper Reiniche (285); McCallie's Brock Herring (132), Will Patton (152) and Jay Roberts (220); and MBA's Gabriel Elkins (113), Michael Elkin (120), Cole Euverard (182).
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765.