FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Father Ryan always seems to rise to the occasion when the stakes are highest.
Such was the case this weekend as the Purple Irish won their second straight D-II State Duals wrestling title with a convincing 45-27 victory over McCallie.
River Henry gave the Blue Tornado a 3-0 lead with a decision at 285 and Alex Whitworth made it 9-3 with a first-period pin at 113, but Father Ryan then reeled off five straight wins for a commanding 27-9 lead following Eli King’s pin at 145 for a 27-9 lead.
Ethan Dendy, Russell Barry and Judah Duhm all had pins for McCallie in three of the next four matches, but the Irish got pins from Andrew Wesnofske and George Hooker in the final two matches for the final 18-point spread.
“That win by Anthony Hagey at 170 sealed it for us and we were feeling good at that point, but now I have to try to figure out a way to convince them they aren’t very good yet,” joked Father Ryan coach Pat Simpson after his team had improved to 27-5.
“We’ve won the last two after finishing second four years in a row, but we’re just thankful it wasn’t Baylor tonight. We gambled and won in several spots tonight, but that’s the best we’ve wrestled all year and I’m really proud of them,” Simpson added.
McCallie coach Mike Newman had all the praise in the world for his Nashville opponents.
“Those guys went out there and earned it tonight, so give all the credit to Father Ryan,” he began his post-match comments.
“They are used to settings like this as they performed well. I just hope we can learn from it. We would have liked to have had better match-ups, but there are times when you just have to go with what you’re dealt. The effort was there. We just didn’t get the results we were looking for,” Newman concluded.
BAYLOR FINISHED FOURTH Saturday afternoon after getting beat by Christian Brothers 38-26 in the consolation finals.
A pin from Jackson Herring and a technical fall from Tyler Lubin allowed the Purple Wave to take an 11-0 lead at the start before Baylor won four of the next five matches to take the lead at 18-15 following a pin from Mason Reiniche at 152.
The score was tied twice after that, the final time at 23-23 before Khamari Whimper gave the Red Raiders a 26-23 lead with a 7-2 decision at 195.
Christian Brothers then won the final three matches, including two with pins, to win going away.
“We had a tough weekend here,” said Baylor coach Ben Nelson after his team went 2-2.
“Christian Brothers has a really good team and we knew coming in that we didn’t match up well with them. We did a lot of intense wrestling and that’s all I can ask, but they were just better than we were today.
“It’s really disappointing after the way we finished our regular season, but that just goes to show that life isn’t always a bed of roses,” Nelson concluded.
Luke Fraley was the only other Baylor wrestler to have a pin in that final match.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
FATHER RYAN 45, McCALLIE 27
285 – River Henry (M) dec. John Hayes, 2-1;
106 – Paul Killian (FR) dec. Eddie Suh, 6-1;
113 – Alex Whitworth (M) pinned Ty Holland, 1:09;
120 – Christian Simpson (FR) dec. Zach Ward, 7-2;
126 – Lawrence Madson (FR) pinned Evan Hughes, 3:07;
132 – Ray Eason (FR) pinned Brock Herring, 5:55;
138 – Joey Vogelpohl (FR) dec. Jay Davis, 2-0;
145 – Eli King (FR) pinned Thomas Sell, 1:07;
152 – Ethan Dendy (M) pinned Nikota Kouzovik, 2:53;
160 – Russell Barry (M) pinned Patrick Clements, 5:50;
170 – Anthony Hagey (FR) pinned Hayden Rowland, 2:37;
182 – Judah Duhm (M) pinned Henry Hagey, 1:54;
195 – Andrew Wesnofske (FR) pinned Walker Robinson, 1:23;
220 – George Hooker (FR) pinned Riley Looper, :35.
CONSOLATION FINAL FOR THIRD PLACE
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS 38, BAYLOR 26
113 – Jackson Herring (CB) pinned Porter Kaufman, :44;
120 – Tyler Lubin (CB) won by technical fall over Luke Collins, 5:09;
126 – Haden Hartline (Bay) dec. Robert Griggs, 6-1;
132 – Luke Fraley (Bay) pinned Conner Rasberry, 1:28;
138 – Trevor Brown (CB) major dec. Austin Atchley, 19-6;
145 – Alex Atchley (Bay) dec. Elijah Hodge, 5-2;
152 – Mason Reiniche (Bay) pinned Luke Leon, 1:45;
160 – Eric Hodge (CB) dec. Tim Morton, 3-1;
170 – Riley Westlake (Bay) won by injury default over Drew Nicholson;
182 –Andrew Sweatt (CB) won by technical fall over Derek Duncan, 5:14;
195 – Khamari Whimper (Bay) dec. Tommy Brackett, 7-2;
220 – Grayson Walthall (CB) pinned David Thompson, 3:33;
285 – Patrick Healy (CB) pinned Tyree Toliver, :34;
106 – Charles Salvaggio (CB) dec. Clayton Pettway, 5-3.
CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL
BAYLOR 49, BRENTWOOD ACADEMY 30
106 – Clayton Pettway (Bay) won by forfeit;
113 – Jake Weekley (Bay) won by forfeit;
120 – Billy Brooks (BA) pinned Chase Radpour, :18;
126 – Roy Latimer (Bay) won by forfeit;
132 – Logan Spell (BA) pinned Luke Fraley, 3:57;
138 – Austin Atchley (Bay) pinned Bradley Shirling, 1:21;
145 – Alex Atchley (Bay) won by technical fall over Noah Reels, 16-1;
152 – Mason Reiniche (Bay) pinned Furman Jones, 3:11;
160 – Harrison Smith (BA) pinned Tim Morton, 3:37;
170 – Riley Westlake (Bay) won by technical fall over Thomas Butler, 16-0;
182 – Khamari Whimper (Bay) won by forfeit;
195 – Sam Reynolds (Bay) dec. Will Taylor, 7-6;
220 – Max Schott (BA) pinned Tyree Toliver, :37;
285 – Airin Spell (BA) pinned Sam Beard, :18.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)