Five teams to watch
(listed in alphabetical order)› Baylor: The Red Raiders will contend for the Division II-AA titles with eight returning state medalists led by Mason Reiniche and Khamari Whimper.› Bradley Central: The reigning Class AAA state champions graduated five state medalists including three finalists, but there will be little if any drop-off in production.› Cleveland: Josh Bosken was instrumental in the Blue Raiders’ state-title development while operating in a background role. The Blue Raiders are young, but the program is strong from the youth groups right up the ladder.› Heritage: The Generals return eight wrestlers who scored in last season’s GHSA traditional state championships, led by champion Chuckie Thurman and Daniel and Dylan Jernagin.› Ringgold: The Tigers were one of Georgia’s biggest surprises last season and return seven wrestlers who scored in the state meet. Among the returners are champion Griffin Green and super sophomores Tanner Stone, Holden Moss and Will Broom.
Five wrestlers to watch
(listed in alphabetical order)› Judah Duhm, McCallie: A state champion 160-pounder last year, he also placed fifth at the postseason Prep Nationals.› Knox Fuller, Bradley Central: A 138-pounder a year ago, he’s looking for his fourth state championship.› Chris Henderson, Ridgeland: The returning state champion at 220 is coming off a 52-win campaign and already has a tournament title at Buford wrestling up at 285.› T.J. Hicks, Bradley Central: He may not be in the lineup early, but the two-time state champion will be at 113 pounds by January.› Chuckie Thurman, Heritage: He was dominant last year, winning the 126-pound state title. During a 57-2 season he had 38 pins and 14 technical falls.
Because of the extended football season and a handful of injuries, Bradley Central wrestling isn't close to where coach Ben Smith foresees the Bears being after New Year's celebrations.
"We're probably about 65 percent where we need to be and want to be come February," he said of the sport's postseason tournament series.
He and his team, though, are still the envy of every Tennessee wrestling program. The Bears are defending state champions for both the team and traditional state tournaments at Franklin's Williamson County Agricultural Expo.
"We know how to be humble, but we honestly have a long way to go. We have kids in the lineup that aren't where they'll be later in the year," Smith said.
It is something of a change for the Bears.
"Normally at the first of the season what you see is what you get with Bradley," he acknowledged, "but we have kids in the lineup now that aren't where they'll be. The weight assessment got us out of kilter a little bit."
The Bears are two-deep at most weights with close to 50 wrestlers in the practice room every day.
"We're a veteran team but also a deep team, which gives us some advantages others might not have," Smith said. "When January fifth comes, I think we'll be tough."
But, he quickly added, so too will Cleveland, Beech, Wilson Central and Soddy-Daisy.
The first glimpse the Bears will get at title contenders and other potential state powers will come at the Cleveland Duals in a couple of weeks. Among those in Cleveland's new gym that day will be the host Blue Raiders, coached now by Josh Bosken, along with Science Hill, Soddy-Daisy and Division II powers Baylor and McCallie.
- Bosken stepped up from an assistant's role at Cleveland when Jake Yost decided to move to McCallie as an assistant. Ryan Mallory similarly stepped up at Central when John Lennon resigned because of job restrictions due to his teaching at Signal Mountain and coaching for the Pounders. And J.D. Dunbar has stepped into Ooltewah's head position after Bryant Blackmon resigned and went home to Bradley.
- A key addition this year at Notre Dame comes at heavyweight in the person of football two-way lineman Sam Stovall, who is an FBS-type prospect.
Signal Mountain has decided to bring up a number of eighth-graders to compete at the varsity level, including Daniel Uhorchuk, Kevin Muschel, Kale Albritton and Preston Worley.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.