FRANKLIN, Tenn. - It's possible that one of Cleveland businessman Allan Jones' Check into Cash accountants might figure the percentages differently, but almost everyone here is coloring the Class AAA state wrestling championship black with a hint of gold.
Displaying relentless resolve, defending champion Bradley Central scored 50-plus points in the championship semifinals Friday night, gaining five finalists and breaking open a tight two-team race with crosstown rival Cleveland.
"Realistically, it was what we expected and we were so close to getting two more (finalists), which would have been amazing," Bradley coach Ben Smith said.
Riding the output of T.J. Hicks (113), Ryan McElhaney (132), Knox Fuller (145), Austin Mathews (152) and Caleb Adkins (160), the Bears burst to a two-day total of 204 points.
Cleveland, with only Colton Landers (132) reaching the finals, trailed by 71 points.
There are consolation medal rounds today - beginning at 11 a.m. EST - before the three-division championship finals start at 6 p.m.
Elsewhere on the dust-filled carpet floor of Williamson County Agricultural Expo, the Division II teams were trying to slow defending champion Father Ryan while Pigeon Forge was well on its way to the A/AA championship.
Smith refused to jinx the Bears' apparent second straight traditional championship. When asked if they'd put the team title away, he hedged.
"Not yet, but we have put ourselves in position to," he said. "It will be a good way to start the day."
Turning back to that note pad with his numerous tournament charts, Smith stopped at the wrestle-backs page and said, "There's 40-50 points we could score in the morning."
The other area AAA finalist is Soddy-Daisy 145-pounder Tony Wilson. The Trojans suffered a heart-breaker when 126-pound Landon Wheaton lost on a questionable takedown in his semifinal match's final seconds. The Trojans' 220-pound Ty Boeck suffered an apparent broken leg in a consolation match with Bradley's Devin Gibson.
Still, the Trojans were in 13th place with 70 points. East Hamilton was 25th with 37, Walker Valley was 31st with 27 and Rhea County had scored 20.
Five Division II teams had topped the century mark, but Ryan had a 30.5-point lead over second-place McCallie, which had 153.5. Christian Brothers was third with 135.5, Montgomery Bell Academy fourth with 121 and Baylor fifth with 120.5.
"We did pretty well overall, but I felt like we let some bonus points slip away," McCallie coach Mike Newman said. "Father Ryan just had a really good night. If they haven't locked it up, I think they'd have to lose every match tomorrow for somebody to pass them."
McCallie finalists are Alex Whitworth (106), Zach Ward (120), Brock Herring (132), Ethan Dendy (152), Judah Duhm (182) and River Henry (285). Baylor's finalists are Mason Reiniche (152), Connor Duffy (160), Khamari Whimpeer (170) and Riley Westlake (182).
Defending A/AA champion Pigeon Forge had scored 116.5 points to move ahead of second-place Hixson by 36. Chattanooga-area teams in general were holding their own in A/AA. Red Bank is in seventh place, Notre Dame is tied for eighth and Central, Signal Mountain and Boyd-Buchanan hold spots 10-12.
Area A/AA finalists are Hixson's Cederick Harris (138) and Truman Ross (120), Notre Dame's Jeremy Holloway (106), Chattanooga Christian's Alex Hundley (170), Signal Mountain's Daniel Uhorchuk (106), Central's Isaac Coffman (145) and Alonzo Heyward (160) and Boyd-Buchanan's Zane Williams (152).
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.