FRANKLIN - Baylor and Signal Mountain will wrestle for titles in the TSSAA state duals tonight at Williamson County Ag Expo Park.
Signal Mountain earned its first appearance in a state duals final with a 38-29 win over Fairview in the Class A-AA semifinals Friday.
"We started four eighth-graders last year who are now freshmen," Eagles coach Joe Jellison said. "They're kind of ahead of the curve in a sense compared to most freshmen. We're starting, like, six freshmen in the lineup."
Signal Mountain (16-4), the Region 5-A/AA champion, faces Gibbs – another first-time finalist – in the championship dual at 6:30.
"Just peaking them at the right time and having fun," Jellison said of the reason for the Eagles' success. "We play a lot of games in the practice room. These are 14-year-olds. They're still eating candy and not focusing as much on diet."
In the quarterfinals, Signal Mountain defeated 2017 state runner-up Greeneville 45-23, with the Eagles winning the first four matches of the dual.
Gibbs' quarterfinal was against Hixson, which lost the first three matches on the way to a 40-27 defeat. Hixson (23-9) will face Alcoa (20-9) in the first round of the consolation bracket at 10 this morning.
In Division II, Baylor (14-2) posted two lopsided wins to reach the title dual, including a 63-9 rout of 2017 champion Father Ryan in the semifinals.
"We've had a great week of practice," Baylor coach Ben Nelson said. "I felt like we were ready to come up here Tuesday. I wanted to get the guys on the mat against competition because they've been having such good workouts and they've been ready."
Baylor will meet Christian Brothers (22-3) with the title on the line at 6:30 tonight. Christian Brothers beat a short-handed Baylor team earlier this season.
Baylor, a fourth-place finisher last season, won 10 of its first 11 matches on the way to a 56-12 victory over Memphis University School in the quarterfinals.
"We expected to have a match like that," Nelson said. "We had seen them at an individual tournament (earlier) in the year, so we had a pretty good idea of what they had in their lineup. We've got a stronger lineup than they do, and our guys are wrestling pretty well."
McCallie (13-3), last year's runner-up, lost to Christian Brothers 37-30 in the semifinals. In the quarterfinals, the Blue Tornado won 10 of the first 11 weight classes during a 65-18 victory over Brentwood Academy.
"I think anytime you can get off to a big start, the team just kind of builds on it," said McCallie coach Mike Newman, who has just three seniors. "So it's always important every dual, those first few guys, they get out and they're battling and they set the tone. The momentum just kind of rolls, so that's what you're always looking for."
In Class AAA, Cleveland (32-1) defeated Wilson Central 37-29 in the quarterfinals and will meet Arlington (21-8) in the semifinals at 2 p.m. today.
"The guys battled, especially having to give up the forfeit there at 138," Cleveland coach Joey Knox said. "That was something strategic. I know it may look crazy, but it's what we had to do."
Cleveland routed Centennial 65-3 in the first round.
Soddy-Daisy lost to Brentwood 36-30 in the quarterfinals. Brentwood heavyweight Skylar Coffey clinched the Bruins' win by pinning Soddy-Daisy's Addison Roberts in 3:59.
Soddy-Daisy (10-3) faces Houston (19-10) in the first round of the consolation bracket at 10 this morning.