FRANKLIN, Tenn. – All of the coaches who lead Division II teams have been saying all week that this year’s competition for the state duals was the closest and most competitive they’ve seen in many years.
They know what they’re talking about as these teams really provided some excitement for those folks here at the Williamson County Agricultural Exposition Friday night.
Father Ryan and McCallie advanced to Saturday’s championship finals with big wins, the Purple Irish taking down Baylor by a 37-28 final in a rematch of last year’s championship. McCallie had to have a 3-0 decision from Thomas Sell in the next-to-last match at 145 pounds to regain the lead from Christian Brothers before undefeated Ethan Dendy put a little icing on the cake with a 35-second pin at 152 to seal the deal in the 31-24 victory.
“We still have another big match with Father Ryan tomorrow night, but what a great team effort this was,” McCallie coach Mike Newman told his team shortly after the heart-stopping win over Christian Brothers had concluded.
“Holy Cow! That was just how we planned it,” he added with a joke.
“Things never turn out how we plan, but we came out on top and that’s all that counts. It came down to a last-second score by Walker Robinson to win at 195 and Judah Duhm beat Tommy Brackett 6-2 in a rematch of last year’s state final. Brackett is a Greco national champ, so I knew it would be close, but what a battle this was from the first match to the last.
“You normally don’t see a final score being so low, but I’m really proud of these guys. We lost to Father Ryan by about 10 or 11 points two weeks ago, but if we wrestle like we’re capable, it should be another great match,” Newman nodded.
Baylor had won its first match with a 70-9 romp over Memphis University School while Father Ryan advanced with a bit tougher 39-33 win over Montgomery Bell Academy.
McCallie breezed to a 58-18 win over Brentwood Academy in its first match while Christian Brothers had rolled past Battleground Academy by a 72-12 final.
The Baylor-Father Ryan wasn’t nearly as close as the McCallie-Christian Brothers clash as the Purple Irish came out with fire in their eyes.
Mason Reiniche got Baylor off and running with a pin at 160 while a 6-1 decision from Riley Westlake at 170 extended that lead to 9-0.
But then the tide started turning as sophomore Henry Hagey, who had only won five matches all season, got a pin at 182 and that got the Purple Irish on a roll that never slowed down.
George Hooker and John Hayes followed with pins at 220 and 285 before Clayton Pettway got a decision for Baylor at 106. The momentum shifted back to Ryan’s side when Christian Simpson posted the fastest pin of the day in any match with an eight-second fall at 113. Eli King later added another pin at 145 to clinch the win with his team ahead at 37-24 before Alex Atchley closed out the match with an 8-0 major decision at 152.
Needless to say, Father Ryan coach Pat Simpson had a hard time hiding his smile when the match ended.
“Those guys embarrassed us at their place two weeks ago and we didn’t enjoy watching them celebrate. We came out ready to battle tonight and I felt like Henry Hagey’s pin at 182 is what got us going. George Hooker’s pin at 220 was big and Hayes’ pin at 285 really helped.
“Tomorrow’s match with McCallie should be another battle just like this one with Baylor,” Simpson added.
Baylor coach Ben Nelson was somewhat downtrodden after his team basically got outfought.
“We had a few good individual performances, but we just didn’t show up as a team. We gave up big bonus points in matches we had hoped to keep close, but this team is better than what we just showed.
“It’s disappointing to not have our best match against these guys tonight, but we better come back ready in the morning because it doesn’t get any easier,” he concluded, referring to a second-round consolation match with the winner of the Brentwood Academy-BGA match.
McCALLIE 31, CHRISTIAN BROTHERS 24
160 – Drew Nicholson (CB) pinned Hayden Rowland, :49;
170 – Montana Doty (CB) dec. Russell Barry, 4-2;
182 – Judah Duhm (M) dec. Tommy Brackett, 6-2;
195 – Walker Robinson ( M) dec. Andrew Sweatt, 4-3;
220 – Grayson Walthall (CB) pinned Riley Looper, :43;
285 – River Henry (M) dec. Patrick Healy, 2-1;
106 – Charles Salvaggio (CB) dec. Eddie Suh, 6-3;
113 – Alex Whitworth (M) won by forfeit;
120 – Jackson Herring (CB) dec. Zach Ward, 9-8;
126 – Evan Hughes (M) dec. Robert Griggs, 7-4;
132 – Brock Herring (M) major dec. Conner Rasberry, 10-1;
138 – Trevor Brown (CB) dec. Jay Davis, 12-5;
145 – Thomas Sell (M) dec. Elijah Hodge, 3-0;
152 – Ethan Dendy (M) pinned Eric Hodge, :35.
FATHER RYAN 37, BAYLOR 28
160 – Mason Reiniche (B) pinned Houston Crouch, :56;
170 – Riley Westlake (B) dec. Anthony Hagey, 6-1;
182 – Henry Hagey (FR) pinned Derek Duncan, :51;
195 – Khamari Whimper (B) dec. Andrew Wesnofske, 8-4;
220 – George Hooker (FR) pinned Tyree Tolliver, 5:50;
285 – John Hayes (FR) pinned Riley Bodine, 3:03;
106 – Clayton Pettway (B) dec. Paul Killian, 8-5;
113 – Christian Simpson (FR) pinned Porter Kaufman, :08;
120 – Luke Collins (B) pinned Griffin Hubacker, 5:57;
126 – Ray Eason (FR) major dec. Haden Hardline, 20-6;
132 – Clay Rodger (FR) dec. Luke Fraley, 9-2;
138 – Austin Atchley (B) dec. Joey Vogelpohl, 9-3;
145 – Eli King (FR) pinned Barret Chambers, 1:28;
152 – Alex Atchley (B) major dec. Nikita Kouzovik, 8-0.
BAYLOR 70, MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL 9
152 – Barret Chambers (B) pinned Torrance Bostick, :34;
160 – Mason Reiniche (B) won by injury default over Jake Knaff;
170 – Connor Duffy (B) won by forfeit;
182 – Erik Richardson (MUS) dec. Derek Duncan, 7-3;
195 – Sam Reynolds (B) pinned Eli Christenbury, 3:30;
220 – Tyree Toliver (B) pinned Stephen Christenbury, 1:30;
285 – Riley Bodine (B) won by forfeit;
106 – Clayton Pettway (B) major dec. Hart Gowen, 13-0;
113 – Porter Kaufman (B) pinned Wendell Caldwell, :44;
120 – Ryan Aghabeg (MUS) pinned Luke Collins, 5:09;
126 – Haden Hardline (B) won by forfeit;
132 – Luke Fraley (B) pinned Augustus Carter, :53;
138 – Austin Atchley (B) won by forfeit;
145 – Alex Atchley (B) pinned Peter Raves, 1:19.
McCALLIE 58, BRENTWOOD ACADEMY 18
152 – Ethan Dendy (M) pinned Furman Jones, 1:03;
160 – Russell Barry (M) pinned Harrison Smith, 1:14;
170 – Hayden Rowland (M) dec. Thomas Butler, 8-4;
182 – Walker Robinson (M) pinned John Nickels, :38;
195 – Will Taylor (BA) won by forfeit;
220 – Joshua Higgs (BA) pinned Adam Smith, 1:28;
285 – River Henry (M) dec. Airin Spell, 3-2 in overtime;
106 – Eddie Suh (M) won by forfeit;
113 – Alex Whitworth (M) won by forfeit;
120 – Zach Ward (M) major dec. Billy Brooks, 11-2;
126 – Evan Hughes (M) won by forfeit;
132 – Brock Herring (M) pinned Logan Spell, 1:11;
138 – Jacob Roberts (M) pinned Bradley Shirling, 3:13;
145 – Noah Reels (BA) pinned Caleb Jones, 3:40.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)