The signs have been there. Red Bank High School's wrestling program didn't just burst from a phone booth on its way to the Class A/AA state duals championship.
Those in the know have watched Lions coach Shane Turner mold a group of youngsters - many as freshmen - into a battle-tested team that dispatched both Alcoa and defending champion Pigeon Forge last week in Franklin.
So it was no surprise Tuesday afternoon when Garrick Hall, coach of defending champion and perennial kingpin Hixson, all but laid the Region 2-A/AA championship at Red Bank's doorstep.
"They're the team to beat," Hall said.
Still, Red Bank will have to prove it - going after its first region title in close to two decades - in the two-day traditional tournament Friday and Saturday at Hixson Middle School.
The 14-team field will commence wrestling at 6 p.m. Friday, with quarterfinals and first-round consolations before the day's competition ends. Wrestling resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday, with championship and consolation finals scheduled for 3 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults, with children 9 and younger admitted free.
The top four finishers in each weight class advance to the state tournament Feb. 19-20 at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo in Franklin.
The region's 106-pound qualifiers already are determined. Barring disqualification, Notre Dame's Jeremy Holloway, Hixson's Rylie Hart, Red Bank's Zack Gee and Signal Mountain's Isaac Tate will advance as the region's only four wrestlers in their weight class, but their order is to be determined.
Holloway was one of two Notre Dame wrestlers accorded top seeds, joining Luke Mullin (126). Hixson also has two No. 1 seeds - Isaac Yates (132) and Dylan Bargerstock (182).
There was one top-seeded wrestler each for Boyd-Buchanan (Zane Williams, 160), Central (Alonzo Heyward, 152), East Ridge (Kayshawn Cosey, 120) and Signal Mountain (Daniel Dawson, 138).
The six remaining No. 1 seeds went to Red Bank: William Reichel (113), Gabe McDuffie (145), David Johnson (170), Devin Crawl (195), Devon Suddeth (220) and Anthony Ottinger (285).
"We're supposed to qualify 14, according to the seeds for the state," Turner said. "It doesn't mean it will be a cake walk. There are no cake walks in this region. There are a lot of talented wrestlers and a lot of talented coaches."
And there is balance, which Turner is determined his wrestlers won't take lightly.
"Each program has wrestlers that are capable of going out and winning state championships," Turner said. "Five of the top seven teams from last year's tournament were from this region."
The Red Bank coach has emphasized to his wrestlers that they have the chance to do something positive for their school and their community. "These kids have another opportunity to do something special," he said. "They've put the work in. All we can do now is see what happens."
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.
Region 2-A/AA pairings
106 pounds(no Friday matches; semifinals Saturday morning)Jeremy Holloway (ND) vs. Rylie Hart (Hix); Zack Gee (RB) vs. Isaac Tate (SM).113 poundsWilliam Reichel (RB) received bye; Frank Deitch (CCS) vs. Grant Speer (ND); Jacob Newman (Hix) received bye; Scott Weaver (BB) received bye.120 poundsKashawn Casey (ER) received bye; Jaren Thames (W) vs. Camden Dickens (ND); Gage Evans (RB) vs. Logan Silvers (SCo); Austin Biddy (Cen) vs. Jordan Lewis (Hix).126 poundsLuke Mullin (ND) vs. Addison Cordell (W); Joey Harig (SM) vs. Jay Brock (SCo); Konner Zeigler (Hix) vs. Lachian Brandt (Cen); Cornelius Woodruff (Br) vs. Trent Comeaux (RB).132 poundsIsaac Yates (Hix) vs. Michael Parcel (Ty); Daidrick Dunham (How)-Dominick Coker (BB) winner vs. Logan McDonald (ER); Ned Warwick (ND) vs. John King (W); Nick Leun (SM) vs. Jonah Bird (RB).138 poundsDaniel Dawson (SM) vs. Joshua Williams (ER)-Kyle Gross (SC) winner; Jared Smith (BB) vs. Affion Horton (How)-Cody Slatton (RB) winner; Jonas Shackleford (Hix)-Alex Spraker (ND) winner vs. Cameron Weaver (SCo); Nathan Harvey (W) vs. Trevott Scott (CCS)-Isaac Coffman (Cen) winner.145 poundsGabe McDuffie (RB) vs. Keith Hagood (Cen)-Hunt Drennan (SM) winner; Justin Wheeler (CCs) vs. Seven Davoren (ER); John Hillman (ND) vs. Landon Goforth (Hix).152 poundsAlonso Heyward (Cen) vs. Patrick Slough (ER)-Jarred Keener (SCo) winner; Christian White (SM)-Brian Wagner (Hix) winner vs. Alex Hundley (CCS); Chaysen Patrick (Ty) vs. K’maurian Philogene (Br)-David Hodges (ND) winner; Colby McCrary (W)-Jared Lamar (SC) winner vs. Kaine Kell (RB).160 poundsZane Williams (BB) vs. Jacob Hall (CCS); Daniel Hodges (ND) vs. Jackson Hash (RB); Avery Shrum (W)-Kaleb Parcel (Ty) winner vs. Jake Woodlief (SM); Jerrold Higginbotham (Hix) vs. Niejel Billingsley (How).170 poundsDavid Johnson (RB) vs. Bret Bowman (CCS); Thomas Martin (ND) vs. Mason Smelcher (Hix); Daniel Mikel (W) vs. Christopher Beckwith (SCo); Juan Camacho (Ty) vs. Darian Smith (ER).182 poundsDylan Barkerstock (Hix) vs. Doug Salvador (ER); William Carter (W) vs. Matthew McDonald (BB); Robert Perry (RB)-Dylan Lamar (SC) winner vs. Seth Petarra (SM).195 poundsDevin Crawl (RB) vs. Hunter Ali (Hix); Seth Cumby (W) vs. Corey Fox (SC)-Kell Stott (BB) winner; Kevin Cortes (Ty) vs. Pedro Bautista (ER)-Wyatt Wheeler (CCS) winner; James Boyd (ND) vs. Brian Sledge (Cen).220 poundsDevon Suddeth (RB) vs. Michael Nelson (CCS)-Dentae Tyson (Ty) winner; Will Watkins (BB) vs. T.D. Argo (W)-Brody Gregory (Hix) winner.285 poundsAnthony Ottinger (RB)-Charles Jones (Cen) winner vs. Juliah Capehart (SC); Sam Stovall (ND) vs. Keith Thomas (Ty); Guliano Palacia (Hix) vs. Matthew Carter (W); Jamichael Wilson (Br) vs. Seth Turney (CCS)-Christian Castro (ER) winner.