Bradley Central takes state wrestling title; Cleveland, McCallie, Hixson runners-up

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestlers set the mats — under the direction of coach Heath Eslinger — inside McKenzie Arena on Wednesday in preparation for the Southern Scuffle, the top national college wrestling tournament.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestlers set the mats — under the direction of coach Heath Eslinger — inside McKenzie Arena on Wednesday in preparation for the Southern Scuffle, the top national college wrestling tournament.

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - If they wind up the sirens and gear up the escort for yet another victory parade in Cleveland today, they'll be out of luck.

That is unless the Bradley Central wrestling team's bus broke down on the way home Saturday night, something the Bears were crossing their fingers about and hoping to avoid. It happened a year ago and the state champions spent the wee hours of Sunday morning on the side of I-24 with a busted fuel pump.

After winning the Class AAA state duals championship two weeks earlier, Bradley won its second consecutive state traditional championship and its 10th of the 21st century Saturday at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo. The Bears now have 26 state titles combined between the duals and traditional tournaments.

"We just had a good evening overall," Bears coach Ben Smith said after seeing three of his five finalists secure championships.

Following Bradley's 236 points were Cleveland (171), Tennessee High (135.5), Independence (119) and Mount Juliet (109). Soddy-Daisy was 13th (79), East Hamilton 23rd (42) and Walker Valley 30th (32).

The Bears all but wrapped up the team title by gaining five finalists Friday evening, and they put the championship in their collective back pocket early Saturday afternoon in the consolation medal rounds.

Among the Bears, Cleveland and Soddy-Daisy, the state title has resided in the Chattanooga area for the past 17 seasons.

Also Saturday, Hixson rallied and kept hold of a runner-up finish in Class A/AA, while McCallie was second and Baylor fourth in Division II.

Hixson had 110.5 points to 138.5 for winner Pigeon Forge, and the Wildcats led a charge that ended with Chattanooga teams taking seven of the top 16 spots. Notre Dame tied for sixth, Signal Mountain was ninth, Central 10th, Red Bank 11th, Boyd-Buchanan (with its first state champ) 14th and Chattanooga Christian 16th.

With a great opening round Friday, Father Ryan (239.5) bested McCallie by 27 points. Christian Brothers was third (179), Baylor fourth (173) and MBA fifth (152.5).

The Division II outstanding wrestler was Baylor 170-pounder Khamari Whimper and the A/AA award went to Central 160-pounder Alonzo Heyward.

The A/AA best match went to 106-pounders David Uhorchuck, an eighth-grader from Signal Mountain, and Notre Dame sophomore Jeremy Holloway. The match was won by Holloway.

In the night's opening match - the finals started at 145 pounds, a break from tournament tradition - Knox Fuller became only the second Bradley wrestler to win four state championships, joining the late and legendary Matt Keller.

"I'm really proud to be associated with Matt Keller, but I certainly don't think I'm the best to ever go through Bradley," Fuller said. "There have been a lot of really good wrestlers. I'm one of the lucky ones."

Fuller, who finished this season with 58 wins and his career with just four losses, is headed to West Point to wrestle for Army. He was awarded AAA's outstanding wrestler award.

Father Ryan's Eli King also became a four-time champion, with he and Fuller becoming the 12th and 13th in state history to reach that mark. There have been two five-time champions.

Hixson was wrestling for medals but also for redemption. The Wildcats went two-and-done in the A/AA state duals but refused to call it quits and rebounded nicely.

"Medaling seven is pretty good for us. Bottom line, the kids stepped it up. They didn't want to be denied," Wildcats coach Garrick Hall said. "The kids performed well - outstanding, really - and I am so proud that they battled through adversity."

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.

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