There should be no doubt that Soddy Daisy’s status as one of the most feared prep wrestling programs in Tennessee has been restored.
The Trojans have left little to debate in that regard this season, when their loaded lineup has produced a 30-0 record heading into Saturday’s TSSAA Class A state duals.
Opponents have had a tough time even making things competitive with the Trojans, who have scored more than 60 points in more than half of their dual meets. Even in victories short of that threshold, they’ve been dominant against noteworthy opponents, beating Bradley Central 53-8 and Dobyns-Bennett 57-21, with both of those Class AA teams also qualified for state duals.
Last week, coach Ulric Winesburgh’s program hammered Signal Mountain 55-19 for the Region 4-A title before tearing apart Alcoa 69-9 in the sectional round to advance to state.
“We can only hurt ourself,” said Soddy Daisy senior Elijah Turner, the state’s top-ranked 157-pounder in Class A. “If we are disciplined and stay strong the rest of the year, we will be state champs. That’s all there is to it. When we go up there this weekend, it’s not who is going to win. It’s everyone else going for second, because we’ve got it. We are going to show the state what’s up.”
Since winning their fourth state duals championship in 2012— that followed titles in 2007, 2002 and 1989 — the Trojans’ best finish in the event was a runner-up showing in 2016. They finished third last year, beating Fairview 36-30 in the consolation final as Knoxville Halls edged Signal Mountain 36-35 for the title.
Soddy Daisy’s most recent state duals title was accompanied by the program’s third state traditional title — the Trojans were back-to-back winners of the individual-based tournament in 2006-07 — for a sweep of the trophies that season as Blake Henry, Campbell Lewis, Jacob Stevens and Billy Swanson helped pave the way, with Lewis winning outstanding wrestler at the traditional tourney.
This season, the only single-digit outcome in a duel for Soddy Daisy was a 36-29 victory over Boyd Buchanan, which is also loaded and will try to repeat as Division II-A/AA’s state duals champ this weekend.
State rankings published by Pin-Tn.com included nine Soddy Daisy wrestlers, with eight of those in the top three in their weight classes. Turner, junior Jonathan Davis (285) and sophomore Braylan “Boogie” Cosper (144) each has only one loss this season, and senior Drew Lewis (138) has well over 100 wins in his prep career.
The arrival last season of Turner and his father, longtime wrestling coach Shane Turner, paid major dividends for Soddy Daisy.
“Once the Turners arrived, the style of practices really changed,” said junior Jonathan Davis (285). “The intensity of them changed and made our time when we come in here more serious. There is a lot less goofing off. It’s more about taking care of business now and bringing Soddy back to the top.”
Luke Mayhan (106), Xander Duncan (126), Tucker Ross (165) and Logan Rawlinson (175) is each ranked third at his weight in Class A, and Colin Bull, Tyson Flavin, Ayden Jenkins, Nate Moungsiharat, Pete Paxton, Jeremiah Tyson and Nathan Wade have also made a difference in the lineup.
“I think we are separated from the rest because we have depth at every weight class,” said Rawlinson, who is a sophomore. “We don’t have a weak spot. A lot of other teams have chunks where they can’t make up for it. We have a wide variety of killers in our lineup, top to bottom.
“We want to be the ones who bring the state championship back and the culture back for Soddy Daisy wrestling. For a few years, it was different and we weren’t respected enough. Now it’s like we have that back. Hopefully this is the first state title of many to come.”
If that’s the case, one of Soddy Daisy’s senior standouts is confident about what has made it all possible.
“Our team is a product of extremely hard work,” said Turner, who plans to gear his college studies toward becoming a nurse anesthetist. “We have been getting in the gym early in the morning and late at night. We have been practicing a lot and are extremely dedicated. It has been a team effort.
“We haven’t won a state title at Soddy in 12 years. To be the ones to end that skid would be really fun.”
2024 TSSAA STATE DUALS SCHEDULE
Saturday at Williamson County Ag Expo Center in Franklin
All times Eastern
Class A quarterfinals, 10 a.m.
Anderson County vs. Station Camp
Millington vs. Pigeon Forge
Munford vs. Soddy Daisy
Signal Mountain vs. Tullahoma
Semifinals at 2 p.m.; finals at 8
Class 2A quarterfinals, 10 a.m.
Arlington vs. Brentwood
Bartlett vs. Knoxville Halls
Cleveland vs. Summitt
Dobyns-Bennett vs. Bradley Central
Semifinals at 2 p.m.; finals at 8
Division II-A/AA semifinals, 4 p.m.
Battle Ground Academy vs. Boyd Buchanan
Brentwood Academy vs. Lakeway Christian
Finals at 8
Division II-AAA semifinals at 4 p.m.
Baylor vs. Father Ryan
Christian Brothers vs. McCallie
Finals at 8
Girls’ division semifinals at 2 p.m.
Bradley Central vs. Clarksville
Cleveland vs. Northwest
Finals at 8
Staff file photo by Olivia Ross / Trion’s wrestling program will host the GHSA Area 7-A traditional tournament Friday and Saturday, with area tournaments the first step toward determining individual state champions in Georgia.GHSA traditional postseason begins
Five returning individual state champions start their quests to repeat — and in two cases, three-peat — as the GHSA traditional postseason begins Friday for Northwest Georgia programs with area tournaments.
Trion hosts the Area 7-A tournament, where the Bulldogs’ Toby Maddux starts his path toward what he hopes is a third individual title. Now at 190 pounds, Maddux and returning state medalist Cohen Blaschke lead a team that wants to advance each of its 14 regulars into next week’s sectional round.
Also at Trion, Dade County’s Landon Williams begins his final postseason after winning two individual titles.
Coahulla Creek hosts the Area 6-AAA tournament and has one of the field’s strongest teams, led by 106-pounder Adonnis Sanchez. Ringgold, last season’s third-place traditional team, has a pair of returning state champions in Tristan Busch and Pierce Pennington.
North Murray is the host for the Area 7-AA tourney, where the Mountaineers’ Brandon Locke is a returning state champ at 106.
Sonoraville is the site for Area 7-AAAA, where state title hopefuls include past champion Olli Webb of Southeast Whitfield and runner-up Evan Wingrove of Heritage.
Dalton and Calhoun will be a part of the Area 7-AAAAA field at Cartersville.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.