UTC Mocs logoFRANKLIN, Tenn. — Tennessee’s wrestling community, especially those in the midstate area, suffered a tragic loss when Blackman wrestler Daniel Winters was killed in an auto accident last Sunday morning after he qualified for the Class AAA state tournament.
Winters’ brother, Hunter, and the driver of the car, teammate Michael Brobeck, also qualified for the state tournament but are not competing this weekend.
A Blaze teammate who is competing is 160-pound Tyler Garrison, a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga commitment who is unbeaten the past two seasons.
Garrison wasn’t allowed to wrestle in last year’s state although he was undefeated and a region champion, because of a blister/skin issue on his lip. Beyond that motivation, Garrison is paying tribute to his lost teammate this weekend. He was asked by Winters’ mother to wear her son’s wrestling shoes in his state matches.
Garrison is one of four UTC commitments in this weekend’s tournament. The others are Cleveland 132-pounder Chris DeBien, Alcoa sophomore heavyweight Samson Evans and Maryville 182-pounder Chad Solomon.