Hixson puts 10 in semifinals, leads A/AA region

File (Feb. 10, 2017) – Red Bank's Zachary Gee, left, gains control over Whitwell's John King to post a 14-5 victory in the 132-pound weight class in the opening rounds of the Region A/AA wrestling tournament at Signal Mountain High School. File (Feb. 10, 2017) – Red Bank's Zachary Gee, left, gains control over Whitwell's John King to post a 14-5 victory in the 132-pound weight class in the opening rounds of the Region A/AA wrestling tournament at Signal Mountain High School.

By Ward Gossett February 11, 2017 3 min read

Whitwell coach John Weiss gestures as he instructs his wrestler John King Friday night in the opening rounds of the Region A/AA wrestling tournament at Signal Mountain High School.

There must be something Garrick Hall and his Hixson wrestlers relish about Signal Mountain.

Twice they’ve won region titles on the mountain, including an incredible pre-A/AA region victory by a half-point over Soddy-Daisy.

The region is back at Signal and the Wildcats are at it again, taking a 12-point lead after the first day of the A/AA competition. They had 44 points after the quarterfinals and two consolation rounds.

Hixson got outstanding performances from 126-pound Jordan Lewis, who won an overtime match, and 152-pound Bryan Waggoner.

“He really went after the kid to come from behind and got it into overtime before winning it,” Hall said of Lewis. “As he came off the mat I told him that’s why we run every day.