FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The Cleveland Blue Raiders have been on quite a roll with prep wrestling in recent years.
The Blue Raiders won their fifth straight State Duals title three Saturdays ago while they won their fifth straight traditional state title here at the Williamson County Agricultural Exposition Center early Saturday night.
Cleveland put four individuals in the state finals and headed home with three winners as they claimed 10 medalists as they finished with 197 points.
The Bradley Bears were the runner-up as they finished with 129.5 points.
Blackman was third with 112 points while Wilson Central and Arlington were fourth and fifth, respectively, with 105.5 and 104 points.
Cleveland coach Joey Knox could only smile when asked about his team’s performance for the past three days.
“It’s been a long three days, but we had a pretty good tournament and our kids did really well by winning three of four in the finals,” Knox began after the final match had been completed.
“I thought we wrestled about as well as could be expected, but this is a monumental moment in Tennessee wrestling history as we join Bradley as the only team to ever win five straight traditional titles. But I guess we’ll get back to work and start lifting again on Monday,” Knox added.
Bradley’s Ben Smith has been part of a winning Bears program for a long time. He knows that it’s tough getting to the top, much less staying there, but he’s confident that championship days will return for his team in the near future.
“We didn’t do very well in the second consolation round yesterday, so we were out of the championship race before today’s matches began,” Smith said while relaxing with friends after the action had ended.
“Cleveland was just the better team these past three days. I was hoping we’d win more in the finals and I was hoping we’d have a few more medalists, but all I ask is that our kids give their best and I’m confident they did just that.
“If second is the best we can do, that’s the best we can do and I’ll accept it,” Smith added.
Cleveland’s three champs included Chase Walker at 106, Tetoe Boyd at 195 and Ashton Davis at 285.
Blackman’s two included Justin Bradford at 126 and Jashua Chew at 182.
Nine other teams had one winner apiece, including Bradley’s Bryson Terrell at 113, Summit’s Jarvis Little at 120, Heritage’s Hunter Sturgill at 132, Rossview’s Sammy Shires at 138, Max Norman of Dobyns-Bennett at 145 and Arlington’s Jacob Roaten at 152.
Clarksville’s Aidan Brenot was the best at 160 while Mt. Juliet’s Anthony Pyron was the winner at 170. And last, but certainly not least, Oakland’s Theron Gaines was victorious at 220.
The Best Match award went to the 195-pound final where Cleveland’s Boyd posted a tough 6-4 decision over Devon Medina of Science Hill.
Shires of Rossview was honored as the Outstanding Wrestler.
While Cleveland led the way with 10 medalists, Blackman was next with seven while Bradley and Wilson Central both had six.
Terrell was Bradley’s only champ while Easton Lipsey (126), Ethan Lipsey (138) and Austin McClure (285) all finished second. Luke Belcher was third at 145.
Arlo Laxton was Cleveland’s only runner-up as he finished second at 132.
Zach Bosken (113), Bentley Ellison (120), Logan Fowler (126) and Lucas Szymborski (160) were all third while Cy Fowler (152) and Jax Ernest (170) both claimed fifth place.
Wyatt James was fifth for Bradley at 120 pounds.
McMinn County’s Austin Cooley was third at 182 while Rhea County’s Francisco Molina was fourth at 170.
(email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)