Wrestling tournaments will be center stage at Soddy-Daisy and Central today and Saturday.
Soddy-Daisy will have a series of dual meets tonight while Central will run the junior varsity portion of its tournament. Both will begin varsity invitational competition at 9 a.m. Saturday with Soddy-Daisy incorporating junior varsity and girls’ tournaments with a six-mat format.
The Central Invitational, which is now in its 42nd year, is one of the state’s oldest tournaments. Competing teams are Arab and Buckhorn from Alabama, the host Purple Pounders, David Crockett, Chattanooga Christian, Harpeth, Farragut, Howard, Hardin Valley, Tyner, Sequatchie County, Red Bank, Sale Creek, East Ridge, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Alcoa and East Hamilton.
“We’ll have a coaches’ meeting at 8:15 and then get started at 9,” Central coach Steve Price said. “We’ll go through the entire tournament taking as few breaks as possible.”
Joining the host Trojans at Soddy-Daisy are Blackman, Bolton, Bradley Central, Cookeville, Cordova, Gibbs, Hewitt (Trussville, Ala.), Independence, Kingston, Notre Dame, Ooltewah, Pigeon Forge, Science Hill, Soddy-Daisy, Tullahoma and Walker Valley. Bradley is the state’s top-ranked team, Soddy-Daisy is fourth and Ooltewah is 12th in the latest coaches’ poll.
Soddy-Daisy coach Steve Henry said he expects eight girls’ teams.
Indians, Ramblers ranked
A rarity occurred in the Georgia coaches’ basketball polls this week in that more northwest Georgia boys’ teams are ranked than girls. New to the Class AAA poll are the Murray County (12-1) and LaFayette (11-2) boys at Nos. 8 and 10, respectively. Holdover Dade County (12-3) is ninth in Class AA.
The unbeaten (12-0) Dalton girls moved up from fifth to second in the Class AAA poll, while surprising Northwest Whitfield (9-3) is eighth in AAAA.