by B.B. Branton
posted February 1, 2008
For Notre Dame’s wrestlers it’s a chance for a rare three-peat state duals title and for the Hixson grapplers, it’s a shot at a first title and to gain some respect.
These two Chattanooga teams and six others will compete in the TSSAA A/AA state duals on Saturday at Clarksville High School. The quarterfinals are at 9 a.m. Central, followed by the semis at 1 p.m. and the finals at 7:30.
Coach John Mullin’s Irish are seasoned veterans at the A/AA (small school) duals with two trophies in six trips, plus three other visits in the D-II tourney (1998, 2003, 2005).
Notre Dame (24-7) has won eight straight matches at the state duals dating back to 2005 as a D-II member. The last loss came against Baylor, 59-7, in the 2005 championship semis.
The winning streak must extend to 11 straight for the Irish to claim a three-peat which would put the Irish in select company.
McCallie (1990-93) is the only school in the 20-year history of the duals to win four straight, while three-peats have gone to Cleveland (1992-93-94), Brentwood Academy (1995-96-97) and Father Ryan (1998-1999-2000).
For Hixson, the state duals are basically a new, but welcome territory.
“We have had a good regular season (19-3), and we are treating the state duals like a bowl game in football, ‘’said Hixson coach Garrick Hall who wrote the proposal to expand the A/AA duals to eight teams from the four which competed the past two seasons.
“We will be in Clarksville not to have a good time and as a reward for a good season, but to win some matches and gain some respect. Hopefully, a lot of respect.’’
Hixson competed in its only duals in 2005 (third place out of four teams), but according to Hall, the Wildcats didn’t wrestle well.
“In writing the proposal, I felt last year and still feel now, that A/AA deserves eight teams,’’ stated the former Hixson state medallist. “So now we have received what we asked for and we better show up and wrestle.’’
In the bottom half of the draw, the Wildcats open with Cheatham County at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Gaining the season’s 20th win places the ‘Cats dressed in black in the semis opposite the East Literature-Greenback quarterfinals winner.
Hall sees the East Lit-Greenback match as the best of the four quarterfinal matches.
‘‘East Lit was third last year with most of that team back, and Greenback is real strong from 103-to-130 (including state champion Jeremy Miller),’’ he said.
Hixson (19-3) has its share of talent led by Logan Vandergriff (119), Eric Flanagan (130), Hanson Melvin (171) and junior Todd Worley (215).
In the top half, a 2007 finals re-match is expected in the semis (1 p.m.) as top seed and returning state runner-up Seymour and Notre Dame should win openers and meet again.
The last time Seymour (26-0) lost was to Notre Dame, 30-28, a year ago in Clarksville.
“We have been preaching all year to return to the state and facing Notre Dame,’’ said Seymour coach Jim McGinley, whose current seniors were third in 2006 and second in 2007.
A veteran team, Seymour is three-time defending Area 1 champ and has 11 returning starters.
Can Notre Dame win its third duals or does Seymour gain revenge in the semis?
Who wins the three-way battle in the lower half with East Lit, Greenback and Hixson? And does that survivor have enough to win it all?
Stay tuned as those questions and more will be answered by 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night.
Contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net
Other wrestling articles:
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D-II Wrestling Breaks New Ground With Invitational
Baylor, Bailey Whitaker Look to Duals Title
Class AAA
Bradley Rolls in AAA State Duals Wrestling
Bradley Ready For State Duals Challenge
Class A/AA
Notre Dame Looking For Wrestling’s Three-Peat
Girls Invitational:
Girls Wrestling Title On The Line In Round Robin Format
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