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Baylor beats rival McCallie on the mat but has bigger wrestling goals

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Baylor's Riley Alcantar, left wrestles host McCallie's Knox Ritchie in the 113-pound bout during the Chattanooga rivals' dual meet Thursday night. Alcantar's first-period pin helped the Red Raiders to a 39-27 victory. Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Baylor's Riley Alcantar, left wrestles host McCallie's Knox Ritchie in the 113-pound bout during the Chattanooga rivals' dual meet Thursday night. Alcantar's first-period pin helped the Red Raiders to a 39-27 victory.

By Patrick MacCoon January 22, 2026 7 min read

Sean Russell couldn’t ask for a better class of seniors to lead the way for Baylor in his first season as head coach of Tennessee’s most accomplished high school wrestling program.

That veteran group is a big reason the Red Raiders are showing the potential to win their 35th and 36th TSSAA team state championships next month, when the duals and traditional tournament competitions are held, and Thursday night they more than held their own on the road against the program’s top rival.

The Red Raiders left little doubt about their status as the current team to beat in Division II-AA as senior stalwarts Gabe Swann, George Emendorfer, Ollie Phillips, Titus Norman and Dylan Reel pushed Baylor to a 39-27 dual win at McCallie.

Emendorfer and his teammates had seen throughout the season that the Blue Tornado were ahead of them in the state’s prep wrestling rankings, which they put little worry into.

Baylor vs. McCallie wrestling on Jan. 22, 2026

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Baylor Triston Mouton wrestles McCallie Charlie Silberman during their 106-pound bout at McCallie on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Baylor went on to win the match, 39-27.

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Baylor Maddox McClure wrestles McCallie Cannon Voiles during their 285-pound bout at McCallie on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Baylor went on to win the match, 39-27. — Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Baylor Triston Mouton wrestles McCallie Charlie Silberman during their 106-pound bout at McCallie on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Baylor went on to win the match, 39-27.

“The connection we have over here is unreal,” said Emendorfer, who, despite wrestling with a 10-out-of-10 tear in his UCL, dominated his 150-pound match with a first-period pin after leading 7-0. “Every single guy on this team is my brother, and I would go to war for them.