FRANKLIN, Tenn. — McCallie and Christian Brothers wrestled well. but Baylor wrestled better in the TSSAA Division II state traditional tournament.
“We put seven in the finals, and a lot of years that would have been enough to win it all,” McCallie coach Gordon Connell said. “Not this year. You could see it after the seeding meeting that they were clearly the team to beat, and they outperformed their seeds.”
While Baylor ran away with the team championship, all but locking away the title with an astounding semifinal performance Friday by putting 10 in the championship finals, much of the focus was on McCallie senior and Maryland-bound T.J. Duncan, who became the state’s first five-time champion.
Duncan said five years ago as an eighth-grader that he intended to become the state’s first five-time winner, and five years and much maturity later he fulfilled his somewhat brash proclamation.
Following his 15-6 major decision of Baylor’s Spencer Craig, Duncan’s sisters handed him a new T-shirt. The shirt was dark blue, and in blue lettering across the front it said “Grave-digger.” Across the back was “First Tennessee 5-timer” and his title years — 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2010.