Bradley Central’s wrestling coaches initially thought the strength of their tournament last weekend might have been down some, but it didn’t turn out that way, and the two tournaments this weekend seem to have strong fields as well.
The Vandergriff Duals are today at Hixson, and entrants joining the host Wildcats include Walker Valley, which is ranked 11th in the latest Tennessee state coaches poll; perennial power Clarksville and Gordon Lee; which won the Georgia Class A dual and traditional state championships.
“It’s probably the best tournament field we have ever had,” Hixson coach Garrick Hall said.
The annual McCallie Invitational, which is today and Saturday, is lighter on numbers than in recent years but has a strong complement. While Marietta’s Pope High, which had a relatively easy time winning the Cleveland Duals title two weeks ago, is absent this year, tournament officials have added two other Georgia teams, Archer and Carrollton. Parkview, another Peach State school that was a longstanding member of the field, is returning after a two-year absence.
“The strength is as good as ever,” McCallie coach Mike Newman said. “We also have some individual wrestlers entered, so I think we’ll have a competitive tournament even though the numbers are down.”