Tonight’s Chattanooga area championship finalists
Class AAA106 – Charles Wheaton, Soddy-Daisy; 113 – T.J. Hicks, Bradley Central;120 – Ryan McElhaney, Bradley Central; 126 – Joshua LaCoe, Bradley Central; 132 – Colton Landers, Cleveland; Joseph Munoz, Walker Valley; 138 – Knox Fuller, Bradley Central; 152 – Donnie Beyer, Bradley Central; 195 – Brett Brown, Bradley Central; Tyler Reid, Ooltewah.Class A/AA113 – Blake Reichel, Red Bank; 126 – Luke Mullin, Notre Dame; 145 – Landon Goforth, Hixson; Gabe McDuffie, Red Bank; 152 – Alonso Heyward, Central; 182 – Dylan Bargerstock, Hixson; Seth Petarra, Signal Mountain; 195 – Devin Crawl, Red Bank; 285 – Anthony Ottinger, Red Bank.Division II126 – Brock Herring, McCallie; 132 – Jack Reynolds, Baylor; 145 – Michael Murphy, Baylor; Ethan Dendy, McCallie; 152 – Mason Reiniche, Baylor; 160 – Judah Duhm, McCallie; 170 – Caleb Powell, Baylor; 182 – Khamari Whimper, Baylor; 195 – Ryan Parker, Baylor; Trel Phillips, McCallie; 285 – Cooper Reiniche, Baylor.Girls105 – Katie Brock, Sequatchie County; 138 – Rachel Dagnan, Signal Mountain; 185 – Zaferah Fortune, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee.
FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Bradley Central has placed itself well beyond striking distance. Red Bank and Baylor are still within striking distance.
By late Friday in the Tennessee state traditional tournaments at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo, Bradley Central had mathematically locked up the Class AAA wrestling title after placing six Bears in this evening’s championship finals.
Red Bank had slipped into second place at the conclusion of the A/AA semifinals, scoring 118.5 points, 12.5 behind front-runner Alcoa and four points better than defending champion Pigeon Forge.
In Division II, Baylor had dropped from a lunchtime lead to a runner-up spot some 23 points behind pre-tournament favorite Father Ryan. Both Red Bank and Baylor were still wrestling consolation round matches.
For the first time since 2010 – and for the first time in the Ben Smith coaching era – Bradley will hold both the duals and traditional championships. This title, though, came a day earlier than most expected with medal rounds (to determine the top six places in each weight class) to be wrestled this afternoon.
“Well, I guess that part’s done then,” Smith said with an almost ho-hum air. “It’s nice to know it’s locked up. We really had a couple of good sessions back-to-back, winning eight of nine in the quarterfinals and six of eight in the semis. That figures to about 90 percent of our matches. That’s what we needed to do, but that’s what we were capable of doing.”
Two of the brightest spots were provided by 126-pounder Joshua LaCoe and 152-pounder Donnie Beyer.
“Joshua beat the defending state champ in a great match. When he opens up, he’s really hard to handle,” Smith said. “And Donnie Beyer (152) came from behind to pin a kid who most people thought would be favored. I think Donnie has met his potential.”
In addition to their six finalists, the Bears also had three wrestler in consolation rounds, including 145-pounder Austin Mathews.
“He’s one of those guys that overachieved,” Smith said. “He just keeps coming back through and placing, and he’s been a huge underdog.”
The A/AA race had been reduced to three teams. Pigeon Forge was trying to hold on against Alcoa, which has never won a state title, and Red Bank, which last won a traditional team championship in 1965.
Alcoa had 131 points, Pigeon Forge 128.5 and Red Bank 126.5.
“We still have a three-horse race, which is great for the sport – three great programs with three great coaches,” Alcoa coach Brian Gossett said. “I’ve left here before on Friday night with a lead, so I’m not getting too excited.”
Said Red Bank coach Shane Turner, whose team won the A/AA state duals title two weeks ago: “We have guys I thought would score and then didn’t. Now we have to dig ourselves out of a hole. We have to regroup and make a strong showing tomorrow.”
Red Bank has four wrestler in the championship finals but also another three or four still alive in the consolations.
There was no one raising or waving a white flag in the Baylor camp, either.
“We’re wrestling well and really looking forward to tomorrow,” Red Raiders coach Ben Nelson said.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter. @wardgossett.