Unbeaten Hixson Wrestlers Crush Red Bank

Wildcats Now 11-0 Following 70-12 Victory Over The Lions Tuesday Night

Tuesday, January 19, 2021
John Hunt

Hixson wrestlers cheer on during the 113 match.
photo by M.A. Locke

The post-season wrestling tournaments are just around the corner and the Hixson Wildcats have been working hard to qualify and to be ready to compete.

Based on the results of their dual meet with Red Bank Tuesday evening, the Wildcats are real close to being ready.

Kyle Harper gave the Lions a quick 6-0 lead with a third-period pin at 113 pounds, but the Wildcats then reeled off seven straight wins and it never got any closer as Hixson finished off with five more wins for a convincing 70-12 victory over Red Bank.

The Lions had posted a 63-12 win over Sequatchie County in the first match where the Lions won all five matches that were actually wrestled while picking up six wins by forfeit.

There was one double forfeit while both of Sequatchie’s wins were by forfeit as well.

Hixson improved to 11-0 with Tuesday’s win. The Wildcats host Cumberland County and Upperman on Thursday and Hixson coach Garrick Hall is pretty sure his team will qualify for the State Duals if his kids win on Thursday.

“It’s always fun when you beat your cross-town rival, but Red Bank has gotten a lot better and they’re very solid in what they try to do,” Hall said shortly after the Red Bank match ended.

“I liked the excitement we had here tonight. Sort of reminded me of the old days when everybody in the gym went crazy, but we got some good work in and I liked how our kids stepped up as they treated it like serious business.

“I really liked how Logan Woodall took charge of his match at 195. I felt like he had the chance to win, but he just went out and took care of business,” Hall praised his junior who got a first-period pin.

Chase Payne is in his first year as the Red Bank coach. He knows there are several spots still to be filled in his lineup and he knows he has a bunch of young kids, but he liked what he saw after winning one and losing one.

“That was a tough match for sure, but I feel like we have a lot of potential,” Payne praised his team that is now 5-4 following Tuesday’s matches.

“We were totally away from the mat for a month and we’ve been back a week, so we’re still a long way from being in shape, but I thought we showed some good fight. Hixson is a tough team and they have a lot more experience than us.

“But like I said, we have unlimited potential and we just have to keep working hard to realize it,” Payne concluded.

Harper had Red Bank’s first pin while Kobe Smith had the other at 170 pounds.

Hixson countered with eight pins, including six in the first period.

Grant Finch had the quickest in 17 seconds while Trevor Lewis needed just 31 seconds to win at 132.

Jonas Vandergriff, Maddox Gilkey, Parrish Pacetti, Landon Moore and Logan Woodall had the other pins for the Wildcats. Bradley Woodall won by a major decision while Michael Nix, Jase Moses and Kobie Smith all claimed forfeit wins.

Chase Gann, John Elbakidze and Seth Lacy all had pins for Red Bank against Sequatchie County while Luis Fontes added an 11-5 decision at 145.

Hixson had defeated Sequatchie County in a dual meet last week and that's why they didn't wrestle again for the record. They did enjoy some exhibition matches at the end of the evening.

HIXSON 70, RED BANK 12

(Match Began At 113 Pounds)

106 – Grant Finch (Hix) pinned Henry Varner, :17;

113 – Kyle Harper (RB) pinned Jujuan McCrary, 5:25;

120 – Michael Nix (Hix) won by forfeit;

126 – Jase Moses (Hix) won by forfeit;

132 – Trevor Lewis (Hix) pinned Chase Gann, :31;

138 – Caleb Miller (Hix) pinned Gavin Keffer, 3:34;

145 – Bradley Woodall (Hix) major dec. Luis Fontes, 8-0;

152 – Jonas Vandergriff (Hix) pinned Hayden Tate, 1:22;

160 – Kobie Smith (Hix) won by forfeit;’

170 – Kobe Smith (RB) pinned Jawon Billingsley, 2:43;