FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- One tradition returned -- one that used to drive former Bradley Central wrestling coach Steve Logsdon nuts -- and another tradition was introduced by Cleveland coach Jake Yost.
As the neighboring rival schools advanced to today's Tennessee state duals semifinals finals in the Class AAA division, Bradley did so with a variety of bleach-blond hairstyles and Cleveland was cranking its matside boom box.
Whatever it takes, right?
Both worked. Defending champion Cleveland steamrolled Arlington 45-15 and Bradley spanked injury-plagued Siegel 71-6.
Meanwhile, Hixson and Baylor moved into the A/AA and Division II championship matches. Hixson, a 57-14 winner over Greeneville, will meet Pigeon Forge, while top-ranked Baylor, a 37-19 victor over Montgomery Bell Academy, will wrestle Father Ryan.
Notre Dame lost its opener to Alcoa by a landslide 46-23 -- Alcoa forfeited the 145- and 152-pound matches and there were double forfeits at 160 and 170 -- and then Alcoa lost to Pigeon Forge in another lopsided match. The Irish are to wrestle Martin Luther King at 10 this morning in their first losers-bracket bout.
McCallie won its first match, blowing by former champion Christian Brothers, 42-27, before falling to Father Ryan. The Blue Tornado still are without three starters: a 2014 individual tournament state champion, a 2014 runner-up and another 2014 medalist.
Bradley will wrestle Wilson Central, which had a fairly strong test before putting down Halls, in one AAA semifinal and Cleveland will have Beech.
"They think they can beat us. We think we're better. It should be a good match," Bradley coach Ben Smith said.
At least one of the four AAA semifinalists will be listening to music.
"The guys had been using a smaller speaker-type box, and I had asked the guys last year if they'd like to have a new one," Yost said. "I think it helps us thrive. I think it's important that the kids realize they can be intense and still have fun."
Bradley's Smith would have preferred that his guys had shaved their heads rather than go with the golden locks, but he relented.
"I showed them a highlight video from 2001 when the guys did it, and they started asking questions," he said. "I just told them if one did it they all had to do it, and I told them if they did it they had to perform."
Hixson coach Garrick Hall reminded his wrestlers before the semifinal against Greeneville what happened two years ago.
"I think we overlooked them and it bit us. They beat us and wound up beating East Ridge to win the championship," he said. "I didn't want that to happen again. I'm not satisfied yet, but at least we aren't going to finish third."
The Wildcats have been third each of the last four years.
Bradley used six reserves in its first-round win (48-27) over McGavock, and three of the six won.
"I wanted to get some of the JV guys a match, so if we use them later they'll be used to being out there in this environment," Smith said.
Cleveland did the same, though to a lesser extent because of the number of forfeits and the idea of resting kids for today.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.