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Region 2-A/AA OpenersLegendBoyd-Buchanan (BB), Brainerd (Br), Central (Cen), Chattanooga Christian (CCS), East Ridge (ER), Hixson (Hix), Notre Dame (ND), Red Bank (RB), Sale Creek (SC), Sequatchie County (Seq), Signal Mountain (SM), Howard (How), Tyner (Ty), Whitwell (W).106 poundsJeremy Holloway (ND) vs. Ethan Mararis (CCS)/Greg Marquez (Hix) winner; Haiden Dill (Cen) vs. Chris Rice (RB); Hunter Swanson (Ty) vs. Daniel Uhorchuk (SM).113 poundsScott Weaver (BB) vs. Javonte Ervin (Br); Christopher Cagle (RB) vs. Aaron Smith (Cen)/Thomas Loher (ND) winner; Isaac Tate (SM)/Josh Elliot (CCS) winner vs. Jesus Juarez (ER); Amado Gomez vs. Tucker Gill (Hix).120 poundsJacob Newman (Hix) vs. Jack Neely (Cen); Kevin Muschel (SM) vs. Logan Silvers (Seq); Jaren Thames (W) vs. Charley Waters (SC); Harrison Nichol (ND) vs. Caiden Cline (RB).126 poundsGrant Speer (ND) vs. Chase Burton (SC); Gage Evans (RB) vs. Mike Green (Br)/Jimmy Herrera (Cen) winner; Jay Brock (Seq)/Clay Gallant (SM) winner vs. Jordan Lewis (Hix); Alexander Coker (BB)/Afafton Horton (How) winner vs. Kashawn Cosey (ER).132 poundsJonas Shackleford (Hix)/Dakota Waters (SC) winner vs. Jacob Wright (Cen); Preston Worley (SM)/Will Keener (Seq) winner vs. Nathan Connor (CCS); Zach Gee (RB)/Gage (Ty) vs. John King (W); Malk Hendley (How) vs. Harrison Ward (ER)/Dominick Coker (BB).138 poundsNed Warwick (ND) vs. Zach Morgan (Seq); Oliver Goodgame (SM) vs. Lachlan Brandt (CCS); Steven Davoren (ER) vs. Abrahm Mondido (Br); Addison Cordell (W) vs. Cederick Harris (Hix).145 poundsIsaac Coffman (Cen) vs. vs. Jeff Brown (CCS); Bruce Wilson (Hix) vs. David Hodges (ND); Cameron Weaver (Seq) vs. Daidrick Dunham (How)-Jonah Bird (RB) winner.152 poundsJustin Wheeler (CCs) vs. Anthony Parker (SC); Brian Wagoner (Hix) vs. Alex Spraker (ND); Zane Williams (BB) vs. Kaleb Parcel (Ty); Wyatt Belvins (Seq) vs. Colton Bobbin (ER)/Daniel Dawson (SM) winner.160 poundsAlonzo Heyward (Cen) vs. Gavin Lee (Seq); Braden Tate (W) vs. Will Davis (SM); Jerrold Higginbotham (Hix) vs. Jared Lamar (SC); George Hutchinson (CCS) vs. Daniel Hodges (ND).170 poundsAlex Hundley (CCS) vs. Ashton Thomas (ND); Lloyd Pinheiro (ER) vs. Ashton Tubbs (RB); Jake Woodlief (SM) vs. Jake Ivey (Hix); Evan McGill (Seq) vs. Allen Ashworth (W).182 poundsDarian Smith (ER) vs. Deven Baker (Hix)/Jackson Hash (RB) winner; Daniel Mikel (W) vs. Adam Truelove (CCS); Barrett Buffington (SM) vs. Kell Stott (BB).195 poundsWill Watkins (BB) vs. Chase Poole (SC)/Michael Nelson (CCS) winner; Will Carter (W)/Pedro Bautista (ER) winner vs. James Boyd (ND).220 poundsTruman Ross (Hix) vs. Kaleb Penny (SC); Shaylan Bailey (T) vs. Grif Wheeler (CCS); T.D. Argo (W)/Aaron Sand (ER) winner vs. Donavyn Walker (Cen); Jacob Brigman (ND) vs. Devon Suddeth (RB).285 poundsGio Palacio (Hix) vs. Michael King (ER); Jamichael Wilson (Br) vs. Jeremiah Welch (RB); Steven Goff (SM)/Seth Turney (CCS) winner vs. Charles Jones (Cen); Garret Gass (W) vs. Kobe Bragg (ND).
Hixson's Garrick Hall thought he was putting his best team on the mat at last weekend's wrestling state duals, which the Wildcats reached by winning their region.
After a winless showing in the double-elimination tournament, though, he wasn't so sure. So uncertain was he that the veteran coach couldn't wait to have challenge matches, and he balked at the notion his team should be considered the favorite for this weekend's Region 2-A/AA traditional tournament.
"Us, the favorite? We were winless at the (state) duals," he exclaimed. "What about Notre Dame?"
The two are sharing the favorite's role for the tournament, which begins at 6 p.m. Friday at Signal Mountain. It will run through the quarterfinals and the first round of consolations that night and resume at 10 a.m. Saturday. Tournament officials anticipate the championship finals beginning no later than 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $7 per person.
Hixson was accorded four top seeds and two No. 2 seeds for the event, from which the top four advance to the state tournament Feb. 16-18 in Franklin. Notre Dame has three No. 1 seeds and three second-seeded wresters.
Based on the region coaches' seeding meeting, Notre Dame should advance nine wrestlers to the state and Hixson eight.
"Seeds mean nothing to me," Irish coach Rocco Mansueto said. "You still have to go out there and compete. I ignore brackets and seeds, and I encourage my kids to do that as well. The reality is that the gap isn't wide enough that I feel comfortable. I feel we have to take every opportunity to be prepared, even in our warm-ups."
When asked point blank who would win the bragging-rights team championship, the Notre Dame coach responded, "Fortunately for me at this point in the season, that is more up to our athletes than me."
The region field also includes Boyd-Buchanan, Brainerd, Central, Chattanooga Christian, East Ridge, defending champion Red Bank, Sale Creek, Sequatchie County, Signal Mountain, Howard, Tyner and Whitwell.
"It's going to be close," host coach Joe Jellison said of the Hixson-Notre Dame duel. "Hixson didn't wrestle well in the state duals and Notre Dame was in their matches. They lost to (eventual champ) Pigeon Forge by 10 and to Greenbrier (which also eliminated Hixson) by four."
Hall admitted that he'd like to see Hixson bring home another region tournament championship, "but it's my job to get as many as possible to the state. If we win the region, that's just a bonus. You have to show up, make weight and wrestle hard and to your potential."
The top-seeded wrestlers are Hixson's Jacob Newman (120), Jonas Shackleford (132), Truman Ross (220) and Gio Polacio (285); Notre Dame's Jeremy Holloway (106), Grant Speer (126) and Ned Warwick (138); Central's Isaac Hoffman (145) and Alonzo Heyward (160); Boyd-Buchanan's Scott Weaver (113) and Will Watkins (195); Chattanooga Christian's Justin Wheeler (152) and Alex Hundley (170) and East Ridge's Darian Smith (182).
Coaches seem to agree that 126 pounds will be the most competitive weight class. That group includes Speer, East Ridge's Kashawn Cosey, Sequatchie County's Jay Brock, Notre Dame's David Hodges, Red Bank's Gage Evans and Hixson's Jordan Lewis.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.