McCallie's Will Patton signed scholarship papers Friday morning to wrestle at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn. Patton was the 2015 TSSAA champion in the 152-pound classification.
photo by Dennis Norwood
On his college recruiting page McCallie’s Will Patton is quoted as saying, “I have always dreamed of wrestling in college.”
That dream is now a reality as the former state champion, surrounded by family friends, teammates and coaches in Caldwell Hall, signed scholarship papers Friday morning to continue his academic and wrestling careers at Cumberland University, an NAIA school located in Lebanon, Tennessee.
While the personable Patton says that his 2015 state championship match is memorable, he goes on to say that, “The semi-final match that year is just a bit more memorable because of a photo that (Chattanoogan.com contributor) Lawson Whitaker took during the match.
I didn’t realize I had gotten so high in the air – it was amazing!”
He defeated Nathan Martin of Briarcrest in a 3:48 fall in that match.
In the title match that year he defeated Father Ryan’s Marcello Morrice in a 9-7 overtime bout that was voted as the tournament’s best match.
Patton has been wrestling since the third grade and has competed at the varsity level since the eighth grade. This past season he finished third at the state meet, winning that match in a fall at 4:12 over MBA’s Mark Floyd.
He has an inner strength that shines through in his ability to wrestle through adversity.
He says on his recruiting page, “(I have the) ability to push through the hard times. I was diagnosed with Mononucleosis two weeks before the state tournament my freshman season in 2013. I was unable to wrestle in the tournament that year because of it. As well as the Mononucleosis, I injured my shoulder during the summer before my sophomore year. I would later re-injure that shoulder in the match of the state tournament of my sophomore year in 2014. I was able to wrestle through and place 5th with the shoulder injury. I am different because of my ability to press on when times get tuff, I continue to push the pace in my matches.”
The son of Clay and Meg Patton, Will has two younger brothers – one a cheerleader and the other a diver.
Patton turned down several other scholarship offers before settling on Cumberland. Of his decision to wrestle there, he said, “I wanted to wrestle, but could never find a school that fit, one that I’d like to go to if I were to become injured and couldn’t wrestle.”
He continued, “I fell in love with (Cumberland) when I saw it and committed on the spot. I really like Coach (James) Hicks; he made me feel right at home.”
McCallie’s head coach, Mike Newman, said of Patton, “Will was one that everyone came out to watch as you knew you were going to see an exciting match.”
When not on the mat, Patton is an avid deer and turkey hunter. The same year he won the state championship he took the largest deer he’s ever shot, a 10-point buck.
2015 was a good year for Will Patton and his future looks even brighter.
(Email Dennis Norwood at sportsshooter614@gmail.com; follow him on Twitter at @DennisENorwood)
McCallie's Will Patton goes airborne over Briarcrest's Nathan Martin in a 2015 state wrestling tournament semi-final match. According to Patton, this photo made the match the most memorable in his high school career.
photo by Lawson Whitaker