Ben Nelson is in his ninth season as Baylor’s wrestling coach, so he knows what to expect when the TSSAA state traditional tournament gets underway Thursday in Franklin.
“This sport is so intense, difficult and takes so much discipline that when you finally get to the end of the season, you have all that built up emotion ready to pour out,” Nelson said. “For everyone there, it is an interesting finale.”
The Red Raiders won Tennessee’s Division II state duals championship two weeks ago in Franklin with a four-point victory over rival McCallie in the final, and this week they’ll try to sweep the division’s state titles for the first time since 2011.
Just two of Baylor’s 13 state qualifiers are seniors, so the program’s future looks to remain bright, but old or young, Nelson said those who end up on the top step of the medal stand Saturday night will share a key trait.
“Hating to lose more than anything is the key ingredient across the board for a state champion,” he said. “We have tried to keep our guys fresh and not burnt out. It’s very important to be mentally prepared for this week.”
The GHSA state traditional tournament started Wednesday in Macon with a round of championship competition and a round of wrestlebacks for Georgia’s top four classifications. The girls’ division and Classes A through AAA will begin competition Thursday morning at the Centreplex, and as in Tennessee, the GHSA’s finals are set for Saturday.
GHSA state qualifiers made it to Macon via area and then sectional tournaments, and two local standouts will be shooting for a fourth consecutive individual state title. In AAAAAA, Dalton 132-pounder Tyler Hunt improved to 63-0 with a first-period pin in his opening match Wednesday. In AAA, Sonoraville 145-pounder Trevor Burdick is 47-0 as he aims to finish undefeated.
That also will be the goal for four Chattanooga-area wrestlers at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park. In Division II, Notre Dame’s Cade Holloway (113 pounds) is 33-0 and Baylor’s Mason Reineche (170) is 34-0, while in AAA, Cleveland’s Trae McDaniel (106 pounds) is 35-0 and in A-AA, Signal Mountain’s Daniel Uhorchuk (113) is 37-0.
Only three wrestling programs at the TSSAA state tournament qualified a team member for each of the 14 weight classes: Bradley Central and Cleveland in AAA and Hixson in A-AA.
Cleveland is trying to sweep the state team titles for the second consecutive year. The Blue Raiders beat rival Bradley Central in the AAA duals final early this month, and when those teams’ qualifiers are combined with Walker Valley’s seven, schools in Bradley County will have an impressive total of 35 representatives at state.
Ooltewah also has seven qualifiers in AAA.
Hixson’s hunt for the A-AA team title will be led by Charles Burton (126), Rylie Hart (138), Jordan Lewis (145) and Devotis McCurdy (285), each with more than 40 wins this season. Signal Mountain and Whitwell each advanced nine wrestlers to the A-AA brackets, with Central sending eight.
As for the area’s GHSA programs, Sonoraville has a dozen qualifiers as the Phoenix try to repeat as champions a year after winning state for the first time, which they did with just eight qualifiers. Two programs from northeast Georgia are expected to be strong contenders in AAA as well: North Hall has 13 qualifiers and Jefferson 11.
For Dalton in AAAAAA, Hunter Noland (126), who’s 58-1, and Cole Hunt (106), who’s 60-3, are among the Catamounts joining Tyler Hunt in trying to help the program earn a strong finish in the team standings.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.