The 16th Annual D-II state traditional is Friday and Saturday at Williamson County Ag Expo Center with Christian Brothers and defending champion Father Ryan the favorites.

Milestones:

Baylor’s Brandon Brunner (132) goes for his fourth state title

Brentwood Academy’s Amos Mason (220) has won a state record 129 straight matches …

Possible Upsets ..? 103 – Trey Chalifoux (Father Ryan), 120 - John Santi (Christian Brothers), 132 – Mike Akers (Ryan), 138 – Pierce Olson (BGA),     

Valedictorian … Almost:  DCA senior 145-pounder Andrew Gentuso (23-2) has a 4.

3 GPA with one B, that coming in freshman English and is the salutatorian ... his girlfriend, Emory Fox (accepted into Belmont's nursing program) has a 4.33 and is the valedictorian ... she made an A in that freshman class and all others  … Andrew also plays varsity soccer, is in the National Honor Society and plans on studying pre-med in college with the goal of practicing medicine in a third-world country … was born in Cote d’Ivoire, Africa by American parents … he has participated in humanitarian aid project in Cote d’Ivoire, Africa, Japan and Ecuador .. Andrew has had admission interviews with Washington University in St. Louis; Emory; Tufts (his father's alma mater); and Vanderbilt (his dad did his residency there).

What’s in a Name: There are a couple of Adam’s but no Eve’s ... gospel writers at 145 in Matthew, Mark and Luke … but no John … a Caleb and Kaleb … always a Simpson or two in the corner and on the mat … sons of state champs ... a Jonah who might need a whale of an effort to win the state … plenty of alliteration at 132 with Tully, Telli and Tansil along with Herman, Horton and Humphries …

… a Dave Matthews band of wrestlers from Knox Webb ..  an Edison who might light up the tourney … there is a Cook and a Baker and a Tray who hopefully can serve up a win or two …  and one from Canada … a Claus, but no Santa … a Nick, and a few Saints (from St. Andrews) … Eli and Elijah ..

And numerous young gladiators looking for a title - the Holy Grail – and with it be called champion on Saturday night.

D-II State Traditonal Weight-by-Weight Analysis:

*106:  Top Bracket: No1 seed Baylor’s Michael Murphy is favorite to win ... dad, Pat, won titles at Hixson in 1978-79 … Brentwood Academy’s Justin Becci is a two-time medalist at this weight ... beat Murphy in 2012 state conso semis … Bottom Bracket: No2 seed Father Ryan’s Trey Chalifoux should make the finals … but has to get past a talented and smart Addison Cornell (McCallie, 4.3 GPA) in the semis …

Finals: Michael Murphy (Baylor) vs. Trey Chalifoux (Ryan) … Murphy beat him in dual match on Jam.2

 

*113: Top Bracket: No.1 seed Elijah Oliver (Christian Brothers) is clear favorite for second title …should meet Baylor’s Caleb Canada in semis …

Bottom Bracket: No.2 seed James Westbrooks (McCallie) makes the final …sophomore class president with 4.2 GPA and has studied Latin for four years … semis with Ryan’s Kirby Simpson should be close … Westbrooks has won twice by 4-2 scores …. Christian DiLucchio (Brentwood Acad.) plays guitar in the school rock band … should face Westbrooks in quarters …

Finals: Elijah Oliver CBHS) vs. James Westbrooks (McCallie) … Oliver pinned Westbrooks in 2012 state semis

 

*120: Top Bracket: No.1 seed and defending champ Alex Elsea (McCallie) has 3.96 GPA, six years of Latin, has taken seven Honors Classes … is top seed goes for his fourth medal (3-2-1-??)  but has three other medalists in the weight … has to get by senior and state medalist Kyle Jennings (St. Benedict) in semis … Elsea has beaten Michael Eckhart (Ryan) twice this season … Daniel Edwards (JP2) .. has 4.17 weighted GPA … first place tie as freshman in state Algebra II contest …

Bottom Bracket: anticipated semis with No.2 John Santi (CBHS) and No.3 Michael Eckhart (Ryan)  … Santi won 6-3 in state duals finals … one of several Ryan-CBHS meetings that Purple Irish need to make a run at the title …  could be a tourney “Best Match” …

Finals: Alex Elsea (McCallie) vs. John Santi (CBHS)

*126: Top Bracket: No.1 seed Nick Gray (CBHS) looks for fourth medal at first title (5-3-2-??) … Gray had tech fall over No.4 seed Nick Standefer (Baylor) in state duals …

Bottom Bracket: No.2 seed Hal Fisher (Ryan) should make the finals

Finals: Nick Gray (CBHS) vs. Hal Fisher (Ryan) … Gray won 6-5 in state duals finals …another Ryan-Bros. match

*132: three state champs in one weight class … Top Bracket: No.1 seed and state champ Adam Connell (McCallie, 2-1-??)) has a win against Baylor’s Brandon Brunner and is 1-1 with Mike Akers (Ryan) … Connell’s dad (Gordon) and brother (Lee) also won state titles …

Bottom Bracket: No.2 Brandon Brunner goes for fourth state title (1-1-1-??) … will wrestle at South Dakota State for former UTC coach Chris Bono …match-up with Ryan’s Mike Akers (2010 state champ) in a great semis … Akers (1-4-4-??) goes for fourth medal … Jacob Telli (JP2) plays trombone with 4.15 weighted GPA and is catcher in baseball …  

Finals: Adam Connell (McCallie) vs. Brandon Brunner (Baylor)

*138: Top Bracket: No.1 seed Patrick Cosgrove (Ryan) moves down in hopes of a title … and team points … Gus Wilson (Brentwood Acad.) has a 4.0 and is the 4th Wilson brother to wrestle at BA ...Griffin Davis (McCallie)-Bailey Wittman (CBHS) winner has Cosgrove in semis … Bottom Bracket: BGA’s No.3 seed Pierce Olson goes for a fourth state medal (2-5-5- ??) … was state runner-up to Mike Akers (Ryan) at 103 in 2010 … should face No.2 seed Blake Sutherland (Baylor) in semis … it’s been 20 years since BGA has had a champion … and it was at this weight … (1993 - Steve Harvey, 140) …

 Finals: Patrick Cosgrove (Ryan) vs. Blake Sutherland (Baylor) 

*145: Top Bracket: No. 1 seed Father Ryan’s Mark Marchetti’s last chance (3-2-2-??) at a title .. faces Matthew Jones (McCallie) in first match…

Bottom Bracket: Luke Parish has 100+ career wins, but injuries have kept him out of the state tourney until this year … should make the finals … Andrew Gentuso (DCA) is a returning medalist and has a 4.3 GPA and is the salutatorian … behind his girl friend who is the valedictorian

Biblical Names: There is Matthew, Mark and Luke but John didn’t make it ...

Finals Mark Marchetti (Ryan) vs. Luke Parish (CBHS) … two seniors going for their first title

 

*152: Top Bracket: No.1 seed and two-time defending champ Kaleb Baker (CBHS) … goes *for third title … Benjamin Kidd (BA) is an AP Scholar … Conner McCroskey (DCA) has a 3.5 GPA, National Honor Society … National Art Honor Society, vice-president … co-captain in wrestling and soccer teams

Bottom Bracket: Ryan’s James Simpson should make the finals after meeting Ben Kurtz (St. Ben.) in the semis

Finals: Kaleb Baker (CBHS) vs. James Simpson (Ryan) … Baker is the heavy favorite

 

*160: Top Bracket: No.1 seed Bryson Popp (Baylor) looks for third medal (4-2-??) … Bryson’s dad, Dr. Tom Popp, won a state title at Hixson in 1975 (OW) … Max Mullen (BA, 9) is the son of Christian singer Nicole C. Mullen …

Bottom Bracket: returning medalists are No.2 seed Brandon Hataway (CBHS) and No.3 seed Jason Burchwell (JP2) …

Finals: Bryson Popp (Baylor) vs. Brandon Hataway (CBHS)

*170: Top Bracket: No.1 seed Barrett Walthall (CBHS) has committed to wrestle for UTC in the fall …John Hagey (Ryan) should meet Walthall in semis …

Bottom Bracket: Baylor’s Ryan Parker is a talented ninth grader and should make the finals … No.3 seed Calum McCroskey (McCallie) … his brother, Jason, was a SoCon champion  at UTC and three-time state medalist

Finals: Barrett Walthall (CBHS) vs. Ryan Parker (Baylor) … senior vs. freshman … some think this match will be closer than Walthall’s win (major dec.) in the state duals semis

 

*182: Top Bracket: No.1 seed McCallie’s Nathan Hoodenpyle

Bottom Bracket: No.1 Houston Clements (Baylor) is third generation prep wrestler … Ryan’s Houston Hooker is younger brother of three-time state champion Michael Hooker (McCallie/Father Ryan)

Finals: Nathan Hoodenpyle (McCallie) vs. Houston Clements (Baylor) …. Hoodenpyle won in 2OT in dual match

*195: Top Bracket: MBA has been known over the years for solid upper weights … MBA’s No.1 seed in Franklin Garston and … Nathan Farr (Knox. Webb) is grandson of 1961 Red Bank state champ and longtime wrestling official George Farr … BA’s Josh Greer’s dad was state runner-up in Michigan

Bottom Bracket: No.2 seed is Corbin McOlgan (CBHS) … has to get by Baylor’s No.3 Emory Norred whom he beat, 6-4, in state duals semis …

Finals: Franklin Garston (MBA) vs. Corbin McOlgan (CBHS) … two seniors seeking a title

 

*220: Top Bracket: No.1 seed Amos Mason (Brentwood Acad.) goes for third title ... has won a state record 129 straight matches ... will play football at the Naval Academy in the fall …

Bottom Bracket: No.3 seed Jeremy Brandon (CBHS) and No.2 seed Morris Equakun (MBA) are both returning medalists.

Finals: Amos Mason (BA) vs. Morris Equakun (MBA)

 

*285: five medalists in this weight … Top Bracket: upper bracket semis, MBA’s Jashon Robertson and Drayke Armstrong (CBHS)

Bottom Bracket: No.2 seed Casey Cook (McCallie) move up from 220 and is football and wrestling captain ... will play football for Kenyon College in the fall … Tucker York (BA) is has good wrestling family tree … great uncle Joe Roberts (Donelson HS) was state champ (1968- OW, 1969) and five-time state qualifier and another uncle Bobby York (Franklin) won a title in 1969 …

Finals: Jashon Robertson (MBA) vs. Casey Cook (McCallie)

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net