The 2015 TSSAA D-II state traditional wrestling tournament begins Friday at Williamson County Ag Expo Center in Franklin at 11 a.m. (EST) with the quarterfinals and the semis are at 7 p.m. (EST)
Baylor and Father Ryan are the favorites to battle for the title, but wrestlers from McCallie, Christian Brothers, Brentwood Academy will have a say in the final standings with big wins and a few upsets.
Championship finals in all divisions are Saturday at 6 p.m.
EST
Trackwrestling.com will have all bracket updates throughout the tournament.
Weight by Weight Analysis
106 - 2014 Champion – Eli King (Father Ryan) now at 132
Upper Bracket – Hunter Anderson (So. Brentwood Acad.) is only returning medalist (6th in 2014) .. should meet Thomas Bellet (MBA) in semis … Bellet (his brother, Sam, wrestles at 138) is the seventh brother to wrestle for coach Frank Simpson and there is one more sibling who could make the Big Red varsity in about five years.
Bottom Bracket – Christian Simpson (Father Ryan, son of hall of famer Jim Simpson) is favored to win the weight class and faces Hayden Hartline (Baylor)-Chadwick Cabenero (Christian Bros). winner the semis …
Finals: Thomas Bellet (MBA) vs. Christian Simpson (Father Ryan)
(If this happens coaching brothers Frank (MBA) and Pat (Father Ryan) will be sitting in opposite corners for a state finals match for the umpteenth time … and could very well do this multiple times Saturday night.)
113 – 2014 Champion – Michael Murphy (Baylor) now at 138
Top Bracket – region winner Raymond Eason (Father Ryan) meets Trace Jenkins (St. Benedict) in semis … Jenkins medaled in 2014
Bottom Bracket – Gabriel Elkin (MBA) is only returning medalist in this half … has twin brother Michael at 120 …
Finals: Ray Eason (Ryan) vs. Gabriel Elkins (MBA)
120 – 2014 Elijah Oliver (Christian Brothers) now wrestling in Illinois (will wrestle at Indiana U. next fall)
Strong weight class with six past medalists … and will have some of the best matches in D-II
Justin Becci (B.A.) , Trey Chalifoux (Father Ryan) and Michael Elkin (MBA) placed 2nd-3rd -5th respectively in 2014 at 113 … Becci beat Chalifoux in semis … Chalifoux beat Becci in this year’s region finals
Top Bracket – Four medalists in this half … Justin Becci (Sr., Brentwood Acad.) looks to be the one to make the finals … he goes for his fifth state medal and will wrestle at the Air Force Academy in the fall … Elkin’s twin brother Gabriel is wrestling at 113 … Michael should meet Becci-Jack Reynolds (Baylor) winner in the semis …
Bottom Bracket – Addison Cornell (McCallie) and Trey Chalifoux (Father Ryan) should be a great semis match even though Cornell is coming off an injury.
Finals: Justin Becci (B.A.) vs. Trey Chalifoux (Ryan)
126 – 2014 State Champion – James Westbrooks (McCallie) is at this weight
Another strong weight with a returning state champ and six past medalists
Top Bracket – 2014 state champ James Westbrooks (McCallie) and Christian Simpson (Father Ryan) should be an excellent semis … Westbrooks has been out part of the season due to injury … Simpson is son of Ryan coach Pat Simpson
Bottom Bracket – Baylor eighth grader Mason Reiniche could win it all … has lost to Simpson in state duals and has a win against Westbrooks … Tanner Tisdell (Christian Brothers, 39 wins) and John Michael Glover (MBA) are past medalists and meet in quarters … Tisdell is cousin of USA national women’s team member Tricia Saunders … she is a four-time world freestyle champion, is first female inducted into the National Wrestling HOF and is married to 1996 Olympic silver medalist Townsend Saunders …
Christian DiLucchio (Sr., Brentwood Academy) seeks fourth state medal and is working on his Eagle Scout project …
Finals Kirby Simpson (Father Ryan) vs. Mason Reiniche (Baylor)
132 – 2014 State Champion – Chris Wesnofske (Father Ryan) now at 145
State champion Eli King (Ryan), state runner-up Brock Herring (McCallie) and state medalist Trevor Brown (Christian Brothers) highlight this weight … King has wins over other two this year
Top Bracket – Trevor Brown (Christian Bros.) defeated Brock Herring (McCallie) in the state duals, 10-3 and they should meet in the semis …
Bottom Bracket – state champ Eli King (Ryan) is the favorite … and has a win over Herring in the state duals (and Brown in the region finals)
Finals: Trevor Brown (Christian Bros.) vs. Eli King (Father Ryan)
138 – 2014 State Champion Adam Connell (McCallie) now at Naval Academy Prep School
Two-time state champ Michael Murphy (Baylor) is the favorite …
Top Bracket – Daniel Wesley Father Ryan) won west region … should meet McCallie’s Ethan Dendy in semis …
Bottom Bracket – Michael Murphy (Baylor) goes for his third state title .. his dad, Pat was state champ at Hixson … Sam Bellet (Sr. MBA) goes for his third state medal … younger brother, Thomas, is at 106 …
Finals: Ethan Dendy (McCallie) vs. Michael Murphy (Baylor)
145 – 2014 State Champion – Griffin Davis (McCallie) has graduated
Top Bracket - big quarterfinal match between state champ Chris Wesnofske (Father Ryan) and Caleb Powell (Baylor) … Powell beat Wesnofkse, 8-2, in state duals …. McCallie’s Sam Harrelson beat Powell in region finals … four state medalists in this half
Bottom Bracket – Tommy Brackett (9th, Christian Brothers) and Wesnofske split two matches (both one pointers) this season … Brackett won, 2-1, in west region final … Brackett (36-7) has to get past two senior medalists in this half to make the finals …
Finals: Caleb Powell (Baylor) vs. Tommy Brackett (Christian Brothers) …
152 – 2014 State Champion – Blake Sutherland (Baylor) now at 160
Top Bracket – two senior medalists meet in the semis … Marcello Morrice (Ryan) vs. Caleb Canada (Baylor) is re-match of state duals finals with Morrice winning, 12-4 …
Bottom Bracket – region champ Will Patton (McCallie) has a win over Canada, but a loss to Morris
Finals: Marcello Morrice (Father Ryan) vs. Will Patton (McCallie)
160 – 2014 State Champion Bryson Popp (Baylor) has graduated
Top Bracket – Baylor senior Blake Sutherland is man to beat …
Bottom Bracket – Nick Naughton (Father Ryan) is a returning state medalist … lost a major decision to Sutherland in state duals …
Finals: Blake Sutherland (Baylor) vs. Nick Naughton (Father Ryan)
170 – 2014 State Champion - John Hagey (Father Ryan) has graduated
Top Bracket – Dallas Broughton (Sr.,Christian Brothers) won the west region and is 43-1 … is a pitcher on the baseball team … Andrew Wesnofske (Ryan) beat Carter Heckle (MBA) in regular dual match … Broughton beat Wesnofske in an early season dual …
Bottom Bracket - Cayman Seagraves is odds on favorite to win the title after a second place finish a year ago … Max Mullen (Brentwood Acad.) …Max goes on mission trips to Belize every summer ... His mother is gospel singer Nicole C. Mullen …
Finals: Dallas Broughton (Christian Brothers) vs. Cayman Seagraves (Baylor)
182 – 2014 State Champion – Ryan Parker (Baylor) is at 195 this yr going for third title
Top Bracket – Cole Euverard (MBA) was D-II Mr. Football Offensive Player of Year … led Big Red to state title as quarterback …
Bottom Bracket … Patrick Healy (Christian Bros.), his dad wrestled at Minnesota-Duluth and also wrestled internationally … Baylor’s Cole Holloway won a state title at 113 in 2011 … Wyatt Lindlau (St. Andrews-Sewanee is an Eagle Scout and throws the shot and discus in the spring
Finals: Cole Euverard (MBA) vs. Cole Holloway (Baylor)
195 – 2014 State Champion - Trel Phillips (McCallie) – is back to defend title at same weight
Top Bracket – Trel Phillps (McCalie) should make the finals … has lost to Parker twice this season … Grayson Walthall (Christian Bros.), his brother Barrett wrestles for UTC
Bottom Bracket – two-time state champ Ryan Parker (Jr. Baylor) advances to final … has lettered in four sports and will concentrate on track and field this spring … not sure whether to pursue wrestling or football in college …
Final: Trel Phillips McCallie (McCallie) vs. Ryan Parker (Baylor)
220 – 2014 State Champion – D’On Coofer (MBA) is back to defend title at same weight
Top Bracket – D’On Coofer (MBA) and Jon Schmissrauter (Baylor) in semis … Coofer beat Schmissrauter in the region …
Bottom Bracket - Jay Roberts (McCallie) and Ben Stacey (Ryan) in semis … Stacey beat him in state duals … Jacob Cretin (Brentwood Acad.) will play football at Wheaton College in the fall …
Finals: D’On Coofer (MBA) vs. Ben Stacey (Father Ryan)
285 – 2014 State Champion D.J. Palmore (Christian Brothers) has graduated
Top Bracket – important matches include River Henry (McCallie) and Jeremy Darvin (Ryan) in quarters with winner to most likely face Michael Beamon (Brentwood Acad.) who won the west region and will play football for Tyler (Texas) Jr. College in the fall … his dad played for Tennessee State …
Bottom Bracket – Baylor’s Cooper Reiniche is favored in this half … younger brother is at 126
Finals: River Henry (McCallie) vs. Cooper Reiniche (Baylor)
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net