Cleveland, Bradley Wrestlers Advance To State Duals

Blue Raiders Beat Soddy Daisy While Bears Maul Walker Valley

Thursday, January 26, 2017
John Hunt

EVENSVILLE – The top two high school wrestling teams in the state advanced to next weekend’s State Duals and they did so without wrestling a championship match here at Rhea County High School Thursday evening in the Region 4-AAA Duals.

Top-ranked and unbeaten Cleveland advanced with a 39-28 win over Soddy Daisy while the second-ranked Bears had no problem getting past Walker Valley in a 77-6 final.

Both of these two teams are heavily favored to meet for the third time next Saturday in the state finals, so there really wasn’t much point in meeting for the championship on Thursday.

“What we had to gain by wrestling this match was minimal and we’re both pretty beat up, so that extra week of rest will help,” said Bradley coach Ben Smith after the decision was made to bypass Thursday’s match.

“I don’t think there’s much question that we have the top two teams, so it was a mutual agreement by both teams to skip tonight’s match. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to wrestle next Saturday night in Franklin,” Smith added.

Cleveland’s first-year head coach Josh Bosken added similar feelings.

“Neither surrendered, but this isn’t the trophy we’re looking for. We both agreed that we’d be better off waiting until next week,” the bearded Bosken added.

The Soddy Daisy-Cleveland match started out close, but Cleveland came back strong after the Trojans had taken an 11-6 lead with three straight wins following a first-minute pin from Cleveland’s Jack Hicks in the opening match.

Ty Boeck won by technical fall at 220, Addison Roberts pulled out a 12-11 overtime win at 285 and Jacob Allen had a 5-2 decision at 106, but Garret Bowers helped the Blue Raiders regain the lead with a pin at 113 and Bryce Pond added to it with another fall at 120.

Soddy Daisy closed to 18-17 with a pin from Landon Wheaton at 126, but the Blue Raiders then won the next five matches, including pins from Colton Landers and Caleb Eachus plus decisions from Cody Mathews, Austin Sweeney and Zach Brezna for a substantial 39-16 lead with two matches remaining.

Soddy Daisy had lost a team point following an unsportsmanlike conduct call in the 152-pound match, but it didn’t matter as Cleveland forfeited the final two matches after the outcome had been determined.

It’s been a roller-coaster season for the Trojans and coach Jim Higgins, but he was feeling much better than he was last week when his team got embarrassed in a 59-6 loss to Bradley.

“The best team won tonight as they’re the most deserving and most talented team we’ve faced this year,” said Higgins after his team dropped to 17-4 with its second loss to Cleveland.

“I saw lots of effort from my guys and I’m not one to make excuses, but we also made a lot of technical errors that cost us. We’ve struggled with consistency all year, but I’m just hoping we learn from this experience. None of us ever like to lose, but they are the clear-cut best two teams in the state in any classification and both are headed to Franklin next weekend,” Higgins nodded.

Perhaps the best match between Cleveland and Soddy Daisy came at 285 when Seth Garcia bumped up a weight class to wrestle Soddy’s Addison Roberts.

Roberts broke from a 6-6 tie in the third period for an 11-6 lead with a takedown and three-point near-fall, but Garcia scored a reversal and his own three-point near-fall at the end to force overtime. Roberts was declared the winner after Garcia was penalized a point for stalling.

“That match at 285 didn’t go our way, but Seth handled it in a mature fashion. There’s always someone stepping up as we just focus on wrestling hard and having fun. We’ll get back to work on Monday, but I’m always pleased with the effort these guys give.

“It’s been a most-enjoyable first year of being the head coach I could have ever imagined, regardless of what happens after this,” Bosken concluded.

The Bradley-Walker Valley match was never close as the Bears came ready to wrestle.

Kevin Gentry, D.J. Gibson, Wesley Devaney, Trey Hicks, Ethan Anderson and Ryan McElhaney all had pins while Chris Cash and T.J. Hicks both received forfeits as Bradley had a 48-0 lead really quick.

Walker Valley’s only win came with a forfeit to Dillon Clark at 138 before Austin Mathews and Caleb Adkins both had pins for Bradley and Henley Headrick and Ed Elkins both received forfeits.

Knox Fuller was the only Bradley winner without a pin or a forfeit and he was impressive in a technical fall victory at 145.

Bradley’s Smith was pumped and his kids were ready to wrestle Cleveland for the third time, but they can wait nine more days for that next chance.

“That was solid,” Smith said following the win over the Mustangs.

“We just wanted to focus on doing our job and I felt like we did what we needed to do. We’re right where we need to be mentally, so now we can only sit and wait,” he said, Bradley’s match over long before the Cleveland match.

“I felt like it was time for us to rest some people and that’s why all of my regulars didn’t wrestle tonight,” said Walker Valley coach Allan Morris after his team dropped to 17-11 for the season.

“It really wouldn’t have mattered anyway, but we have the two best teams in the state in this region and I’m fully confident they will both do well next weekend,” Morris added.

Both semifinal matches started at 195 pounds on Thursday.

CLEVELAND 39, SODDY DAISY 28

106 – Jacob Allen (SD) dec. Garrett Stevenson, 5-2;

113 – Garret Bowers (Clev) pinned Cole Prestwood, 1:23;

120 – Bryce Pond (Clev) pinned Jacob Pratt, 5:27;

126 – Landon Wheaton (SD) pinned Jayce Mullin, 1:45;

132 – Colton Landers (Clev) pinned Jacob Kilgore, 3:15;

138 – Cody Mathews (Clev) dec. Slater Daniel, 10-4;

145 – Caleb Eachus (Clev) pinned Austin Crowe, 3:08;

152 – Austin Sweeney (Clev) dec. Tony Wilson, 5-2;

160 – Zach Brezna (Clev) dec. Cade Ghaffari, 9-3;

170 – Hayden Maynor (SD) won by forfeit;