Signal Mountain Falls To Halls In State Duals Final

Soddy Daisy Battles Back To Finish Third

  • Saturday, February 4, 2023
  • John Hunt

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – There was a lot of talk in Chattanooga earlier this week with hopes of having a rematch between Signal Mountain and Soddy Daisy in the championship match here at the TSSAA State Duals wrestling tournament.

The Eagles made it, but both of these teams lost to Knoxville Halls as the Red Devils nipped Signal by a 36-35 final in the D-I Class A championship after beating the Trojans by a 35-28 final in a semifinal match.

It’s really amazing that Signal even advanced to the finals after barely escaping Gibbs in the opening match on Saturday morning here at the Williamson County Agricultural Exposition Center.

Trailing by a 34-23 margin following the match at 113, the Eagles had to win the last three matches to advance.

The three Uhorchuk brothers were in three of those last four matches, which was a huge advantage for the Eagles, but Carter Lynch was the unsung hero at 120 who turned out to be the biggest hero of the day.

He was trailing by 9-6 in the final 30 seconds of the match, but somehow got a reversal and the pin call with a second remaining to save the day for Signal.

“We were inches away from losing that match, but Carter has waited his turn for a spot in this lineup and he made the most of it today,” Signal Mountain coach Houston Clements said after that first match.

“He was our very last hope and there’s no question his win was a miracle.  Gibbs clearly outwrestled us, but you have to have some breaks fall your way at times and they did in that match,” the coach said with a serious tone.

The Eagles played with fire in their second match with Tullahoma and trailed early before rallying for a 37-21 victory.

Unfortunately, that good luck for the Eagles came to a halt in that final against Halls.

Halls entered the final match needing a pin and that’s exactly what Harlen Hunley provided as the Red Devils totally erupted in celebration when referee Mike Craft slapped the mat to indicate the pin.

“Sometimes stuff like that happens,” Clements shook his head following the match.

“We just have to tip our caps to Halls as they earned it tonight as they got some big wins.  We totally left it all on the mat and we leave here with absolutely no regrets.  There is no shame in finishing second.

“I’m hoping that we can grow from this experience, but it’s one of those great life lessons where life isn’t always fair,” Clements added

Soddy Daisy had hopes of getting a rematch with Signal Mountain in the finals, but those guys from Knoxville Halls had other ideas as they defeated the Trojans by a 35-28 final.

Soddy Daisy could have won that match, but a Trojan wrestler who will not be named in this space, had a 10-2 lead in the third quarter before being reversed and pinned as the Red Devils rallied to win.

Soddy Daisy could have folded their tent, felt sorry for themselves and totally given up, but they battled back with wins over Gibbs in the consolation semis by a 39-34 margin before beating Fairview for the second time today to claim third place with a 36-30 victory.

Soddy Daisy coach Ulric Winesburgh was beside himself after his team lost to Halls, but he was mighty proud of the way they bounced back and showed just how big their heart was in the consolation final.

“I thought we showed a lot of resilience in the way we bounced back,” he said after offering congratulations to the Fairview wrestlers and coaches for another tough match.

“I really didn’t think we’d be here at the start of the season, but these guys have worked so hard and we had hopes of being in the finals.

“We fought our tails off today.  I keep telling our kids it’s the measure of a man in how you bounce back from adversity.  I can’t tell you how proud I am of the way we battled today and I’m really happy to be taking this home with us,” he said as he showed up the third-place plaque.

Fairview won three of the first four matches and had an 18-3 lead after a pin from Kendrick Curtis at 195.

Louden Laxton and Jonathan Davis both won overtime decisions in the next two matches to make it 18-9 before first-minute pins from Cole Dyer and Tyson Flavin gave the Trojans a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

A pin from Braylan Cooper at 138 put Soddy Daisy ahead 33-24 before 7-4 decision from Gage Welch clinched the win for the Trojans.

A forfeit in the final match made the final score a six-point difference.

D-I, CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP

KNOXVILLE HALLS 36, SIGNAL MOUNTAIN 35

(Match began at 152 pounds)

106 – Luke Higdon (SM) dec. Tanner Kitts, 4-2;

113 – JoJo Uhorchuk (SM) pinned Rylan May, :57;

120 – David Cook (Halls) dec. Carter Lynch 9-4;

126 – Ethan Uhorchuk (SM) major dec. Jordan Sexton, 17-6;

132 – Sam Hutchisen (Halls) dec. Jackson Owens, 5-2;

138 – Caleb Uhorchuk (SM) won by forfeit;

145 – Harlen Hunley (Halls) pinned Cameron Elliott, 3:13;

152 – Jackson Davis (SM) pinned Barrett Whaley, 3:44;

160 – Briar Whaley (Halls) pinned Mason Lillard, 1:21;

170 – Sean Foxton (Halls) pinned Bayler Roddy :51;

182 – Jaxon Quails (SM) major dec. Elijah Stowell, 10-1;

195 – Matthew Cook (Halls) pinned Christian Garner, 1:19;

220 – Bull Goodman (Halls) pinned Jacob Winchester, 1:05;

285 – Daniel Odom (SM) pinned Caleb Turner, 1:50.

CLASS A CONSOLATION FOR THIRD

SODDY DAISY 36, FAIRVIEW 30

(Match began at 160 pounds)

106 – Cole Dyer (SD) pinned Dallas Day, :22;

113 – Tyson Flavin (SD) pinned Josh Helm, :57;

120 – Henry Ribble (Fair) dec. Zander Duncan, 5-3;

126 – Andrew Lewis (SD) pinned George Bates, :42;

132 – Keegan Seaver (Fair) dec. William Whalen, 14-9;

138 – Braylan Cooper (SD) pinned Peyton Mitchell, 4:24;

145 – Gage Welch (SD) dec. Troy Sexton, 7-4;

152 – John Spicer (Fair) won by forfeit;

160 –Malachi Bennett (Fair) pinned Jeremiah Wysong, 3:07;

170 – Elijah Turner (SD) dec. Logan Baxley, 4-2;

182 – Boe Sanderson (Fair) pinned Tucker Ross, 1:23;

195 – Kendrick Curtis (Fair) pinned Nathan Wade, 1:04;

220 – Louden Laxton (SD) dec. William Henderson, 3-1 in overtime;

285 – Jonathan Davis (SD) dec. Ethan Locke, 3-1 in overtime.

D-I, CLASS A QUARTERFINALS

SIGNAL MOUNTAIN 41, GIBBS 34

(Match began at 138 Pounds)

106 – Blake Allen (Gibbs) dec. Luke Higdon, 7-4;

113 – JoJo Uhorchuk (Signal) won by technical fall over Ezra Finstad, 16-0;

120 – Carter Lynch (Signal) pinned Tyler Constantino, 5:59;

126—Ethan Uhorchuk (Signal) won by forfeit;

132 – Caleb Uhorchuk (Signal) pinned Christopher Puryear, 1:18;

138 – Jackson Owens (Signal) pinned Francisco Ordonez, 1:13;

145 – Owen DeLuca (Gibbs) pinned Cameron Elliott, 4:11;

152 – Hunter Abner (Gibbs) pinned Eben Shriner, 1:04;

160 – Jackson Davis (Signal) pinned Lucas Thompson, 1:30;

170 – Gilman Reid (Gibbs) major dec. Jaxon Quails, 10-2;

182 – Elijah Hicks (Gibbs) pinned Carson Burkholder, 1:20;

195 – Cameron Norman (Gibbs) dec. Christian Garner, 3-0;

220 – Jacob Winchester (Signal) pinned Luke Tidwell, 1:10;

285 – Landon Brooks (Gibbs) pinned Daniel Odom, 5:48.

SODDY DAISY 36, FAIRVIEW 30

(Match began at 138 pounds)

106 – Cole Dyer (SD) pinned Dallas Day, :47;

113 – Tyson Flavin (SD) pinned Josh Helm, :54;

120 – Henry Ribble (Fair) dec. Zander Duncan, 10-5;

126 – Andrew Lewis (SD) major dec. George Bates, 13-4;

132 – Keegan Seaver (Fair) won by forfeit;

138 – Braylan Cooper (SD) won by technical fall over Peyton Mitchell, 15-0;

145 – Gage Welch (SD) dec. Sam Frank, 4-3;

152 – Logan Rawlinson (SD) dec. John Spicer, 9-5;

160 – Malachi Bennett (Fair) pinned Jeremiah Wysong, :46;

170 – Elijah Turner (SD) dec. Jeffrey Anderson, 5-2;

182 – Tucker Ross (SD) pinned Logan Baxley, 4:57;

195 – Boe Sanderson (Fair) dec. Nathan Wade, 8-4;

220 – Kendrick Curtis (Fair) pinned Louden Laxton, 1:32;

285 – Ethan Locke (Fair) pinned Jonathan Davis, 4:17.

CLASS A SEMIFINALS

SIGNAL MOUNTAIN 37, TULLAHOMA 21

(Match began at 145 pounds)

106 – Luke Higdon (SM) pinned Sayvion Surles, 1:37;

113 – JoJo Uhurchuk (SM) pinned Justin Frank, :58;

120 – Carter Lynch (SM) won by forfeit;

126 – Ethan Uhorchuk (SM) pinned Nolan Stroop, 1:12;

132 – Double forfeit;

138 – Double forfeit;

145 – Cody Agnell (Tull) dec. Cameron Elliott, 9-3;

152 – Jackson Davis (SM) major dec. Caleb Adkins, 10-0;

160 – Jerzy Hendrix (Tull) pinned Mason Lillard, :54;

170 – Jaxon Quails (SM) dec. Carson Avans, 5-4;

182 – Connor Avans (Tull) pinned Carson Burkholder, :54;

195 – Matthew Swiger (Tull) dec. Christian Garner, 7-2;

220 – Nathan Jones (Tull) dec. Jacob Winchester, 6-2;

285 – Daniel Odom (SM) pinned Robert Tatum, 7:00 in overtime.

KNOXVILLE HALLS 35, SODDY DAISY 28

106 – Cole Dyer (SD) pinned Tanner Kitts, 2:15;

113 – Tyson Flavin (SD) pinned Rylan May, 1:17;

120 – David Cook (Halls) pinned Zander Duncan, 6:00;

126 – Andrew Lewis (SD) dec. Jordan Sexton, 9-6;

132 – Sam Hutchison (Halls) major dec. William Whalen, 15-1;

138 – Harlen Hunley (Halls) pinned Colin Bull, 2:39;

145 – Braylan Cooper (SD) major dec. Trevor Sexton, 10-0;

152 – Barrett Whaley (Halls) major dec. Logan Rawlinson, 12-3;

160 – Briar Whaley (Halls) pinned Jeremiah Wysong, :51;

170 – Elijah Turner (SD) dec. Sean Foxton, 3-1;

182 – Tucker Ross (SD) dec. Elijah Stowell, 8-3;

195 – Nathan Wade (SD) dec. Matthew Cook, 7-3;

220 – Bull Goodman (Halls) pinned Louden Laxton, 1:13;

285 – Caleb Turner (Halls) dec. Jonathan Davis, 1-0;

CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL

SODDY DAISY 39, GIBBS 34

(Match began at 152 pounds)

106 – Cole Dyer (SD) won by technical fall over Blake Allen, 16-0;

113 – Tyson Flavin (SD) pinned Ezra Finstad, 5:38;

120 – Zander Duncan (SD) major dec. Tyler Constantino, 11-0;

126 – Andrew Lewis (SD) won by forfeit;

132 – William Whalen (SD) dec. Christopher Puryear, 10-7;

138 – Owen DeLuca (Gibbs) won by forfeit;

145—Fransico Ordonez (Gibbs) won by forfeit;

152 – Logan Rawlinson (SD) pinned Hunter Abner, 4:45;

160 – Elijah Turner (SD) pinned Lucas Thompson, :18;

170 – Gilman Reid (Gibbs) pinned Tucker Ross, 3:17;

182 – Elijah Hubbs (Gibbs) pinned Nathan Wade, 1:45;

195 – Louden Laxton (SD) dec. Cameron Norman, 4-1;

220 – Luke Tidwell (Gibbs) major dec. Torrey Montgomery, 10-1;

285 – Landon Brooks (Gibbs) pinned Jonathan Davis, :39.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)

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