Cleveland’s Chris Debien, left, will be shooting for his fourth individual state championship when the TSSAA traditional tournament takes place this weekend in Franklin, Tenn.It has been almost four years since Chris DeBien won his first state championship.
He was a wide-eyed and innocent 106-pounder, caught up in the emotion of his team’s chase for a state championship.
He didn’t know he should’ve had a case of nerves. This was wrestling, and wrestling was what he did.
“I almost had a stroke in the semis,” his father and then coach Eric Phillips recalled. “We’d never talked about it. Then when he actually got there I just about stroked out.”
Tennessee state wrestling tournaments
At Williamson County Agricultural Expo, Franklin, Tenn. Admission $10 per person; parking $5 Schedule (All times Eastern) Today Noon gates open 4 AAA round of 32, round of 16; 2 consolation rounds Friday 11 a.m. AAA quarterfinals; A/AA round of 16; DII quarterfinals Noon Girls’ championship quarterfinals 7 Championship semifinals all divisions; A/AA, DII consolations Saturday 11 a.m. Consolation semifinals all divisions; 3rd-6th medal rounds Noon Girls championships 6 Boys championships (all divisions) Tennessee’s 5- and 4-time state wrestling champions 5-Zach Watson, Baylor (2008-09-10-11-12) 5-T.J. Duncan, McCallie (2007-08-09-10-11) 4-Stuart Doster, Baylor (2008-09-10-11) 4-Jordan Leen, Baylor (2001-02-03-04) 4-Bailey Whitaker, Baylor (2005-06-07-08) 4-Matt Keller, Bradley Central (1999-00-01-02) 4-Phillip Simpson, Montgomery Bell Acad. (1998-99-00-01) 4-Ryan Scott, McCallie (2001-02-03-04) 4 – Martin Francis, Notre Dame (1969-70-71-72) 4 – Campbell Lewis, Soddy-Daisy (2009-10-11-12)