Cleveland Wrestlers Win State Championship(s)

Boys Defeat Bradley Central; Girls Win Over Rossview

  • Sunday, February 5, 2023
  • Richard Roberts

FRANKLIN, Tenn. — To the surprise of no one, the Tennessee AA duals wrestling championship came down to the usual suspects, five-time defending champion Cleveland and Bradley Central — winner of 21 state wrestling championships.

The Bears last won a duals title in 2017, since then the Blue Raiders have frustrated the Bradley on the mat at the state championships five consecutive times — and tossed in four regular season duals wins this season alone, two by a single point.

Saturday night proved to be no exception as the Raiders claimed their sixth straight crown defeating the Bears 36-27 to capture the six-peat

It is the 12th duals title for Cleveland, but Bradley still holds the advantage with 14 duals titles.

“I think the boys wrestled really well. They always respond in this environment. I was really happy,” said Blue Raiders head coach Joey Knox.

The Lady Raiders wrestling team added icing to the championship cake winning Cleveland's first-ever girls championship and ensure Cleveland High School's place in the Tennessee Secondary School Athletics Association as the first school to hold men's and women's state wrestling titles.

The Lady Raiders defeated Rossview for the championship by a 34-27 margin.

The Raiders opened the championship match with a technical fall win by No. 1-ranked Logan Fowler at 152 pounds. Brother Cy Fowler (No. 4) made u[ for a loss at the region tournament with a pin at 160.

The Bears picked up their first points of the night with a Wade Brooks decision at 170 before Cleveland answered with a decision win by No. 1-ranked Lucas Szymborski at 182. The 195-pound bout went to Cleveland's Tyson Russel with a decision at 195.

The 220-pound battle went to the Bears' Hayden Nichols in a decision at 220. Cleveland's Stonewall Shurette put momentum back on the side of the Raiders with a pin at 285.

“The biggest wins of the night were probably Cy Fowler and Stonewall Shurette,” Knox said. “I think Bradley felt like they needed to win that (160) match and for us to get a pin there, I think that really kind of deflated their balloon.”

Cleveland's Jose Cordero, ranked No. 1 at 106, fought off a serious challenge from No. 3-ranked Miguel Rincon working his way out of a near pin to to eventually get the win. Bradley's Bryson Terrell wrestled to the only pin for the Bears at 113. Cleveland's Zac Bosken and Bentley Ellison picked up back-to-back five points wins for the Raiders with a tech falls at 120 and 126 pounds.

“I was a little worried there, but Jose is going to be a special kid. That match probably didn't go the way he expected it to go or wanted it to go, but he was trusting his coach and I appreciate that,” praised Knox. “He fought and he turned it around. It showed me a lot of his character and what kind of person he is. He really, tonight, stepped up for his team.”

Bears head coach Ben Smith pointed to the bout as a key turning point.

“When you've got the 106 pounder on his back, that was a difference in the match right there. We had tons of opportunities,” said Smith. “But, at the end of the day, if you can't beat a team one out of the five times (you face them during the season) you don't deserve to win a state championship.

Cleveland gave up a forfeit to Bradley's Ethan Lipsey at 132 in front of a decision by the Bears' Tyee Crisp at 138. The Raiders closed out the match with a forfeit to Bradley's Luke Belcher at 145.

“We lost one early and it hurt us,” said Smith. “They forfeited to us at 132, an undefeated 37-0 senior. We needed to get bonus points there.”

The Bears and Blue Raiders now turn their attention to the region individuals tournament looking to qualify as many wrestlers as possible for another expected battle for a state championship at the end of the month

“Congratulations to coach Knox and his kids. Kudos to them. I'm proud of them, I'm proud of our community,” said Smith. “We left a lot of points on the table five different times. No excuses. They won, they are state champs. We'll see them next weekend.”

Knox said winning never gets old, but the pressure to keep up the pace grows more difficult with each season.

“It never loses it's luster when it's all said and done. But, the grind gets harder and harder with the expectation and pressure every year. But, that comes with the territory,” he said. “We've just got to step back and adjust. I'll go play some golf when I'm done and try to soak it all in. Now we've got to get ready for the region tournament and substate and individual tournament.”

Girls

Cleveland 34, Rossview 27

The Lady Raiders used pins by Makya Parker (107), Kemoria Turner (132), Pioer Fowler (152) and Diamond Young (185) to roll to their first-ever state wrestling championship.

Cleveland's Olivia Collins (114) won a major decision while Senna Grassman (120) and Madelin Zunun (235) earned decisions or the Lady Raiders.

“I'm sort of speechless,” said Lady Raiders head coach Josh Bosken. “We've got two girls on our team who have been wrestling for more than a year. The girls believed blindly. Whatever I asked them to do, they never questioned it and I asked them to do some pretty crazy stuff. I love them.”

Boys Results

Championship

Cleveland 36, Bradley Central 27

(Match started at 152)

106 — Jose Cordero (C) dec. Miguel Rincon (BC), 11-9; 113 — Bryson Terrell (BC) pinned Chase Walker (C), 4:00;  120 — Zac Bosken (C) tech fall Kyler Groves (BC), 21-6; 126 — Bentley Ellison (C) tech fall Elijah McKenzie (BC), 15-0; 132 — Ethan Lipsey (BC) win by forfeit; 138 — Tyee Crisp (BC) dec. Hudson Sims (C), 3-0; 145 — Luke Belcher (BC) win by forfeit;

152 — Logan Fowler (C) tech fall Jake Fox (BC), 21-6; 160 — Cy Fowler (C) pinned Gunner Taylor (BC), 1:52; 170 — Wade Brooks (BC) dec. David Denietolis (C), 3-2;  182 — Lucas Szymborski (C) dec. Knox Watson (BC), 4-2; 195 — Tyson Russel (C) dec. Lane Hicks (BC), 9-2; 220 — Hayden Nichols (BC) dec. Gabe Moore (C), 9-2;  285 — Stonewall Shurette (C) pinned Manuel Flores-Urena (BC), 0:58.

Semifinal

Cleveland, Summit

(Match started at 145)

106 — Jose Cordero (C), Blaise Masi (S) 113 — Chase Walker (C), pinned Noah Hajek, 0:11; 120 — Zac Bosken (CC) dec. Zachery Little (S), 9-3; 126 — Jarvis Little (S) tech fall Preston Congdon (C), 20-5; 132 — Bentley Ellison (C) dec. Michael Posey (S), 5-3 138 — Landon Desselle (S) win by forfeit;

145 — Brayden Leach major dec. William Schuft (C), 1-3; 152 — Logan Fowlery (C) pinned Patrick Brew (WC), 0:27; 160 — Cy Fowler (C) pinned Thomas O'Leary (WC), 2:48; 170 — Finley Jameson (S) major dec. Dylan Howard (C), 15-4; 182 — Lucas Szymborski (C) tech fall Cooper Felts (S), 15-0; 195 — Jensen Schreiber (S) dec. Gabe Moore (C), 6-1; 220 — Luke Justice (S) dec. Tyson Russel (C), 3-2; 285 — Peters Savarino (S) dec. Stonewall Shurette (C), 3-2.

Semifinal

Bradley Central 34, Wilson Central 28

(Match started at 145)

106 — Miguel Rincon (BC) dec. Chase Fisher (WC), 6-3; 113 — Kyler Groves (BC), pinned Eliam Sanders (WC), 2:53; 120 — Bryson Terrell (BC) pinned Ranch Lannom (WC), 0:52; 126 — Paul Johnson (WC) pinned Elijah McKenzie (BC), 1:00; 132 — Ethan Lipsey (BC) major dec. Nicholas Mercante (WC), 9-0;  138 — Connor Warnock (WC) win by forfeit; 145 — Luke Belcher (BC) pinned Camden Cockerham (WC), 1:04; 152 — Gunner Taylor dec. Wendell Myers (WC), 4-2; 160 — Riley Fort (WC) major dec. Jake Fox (BC), 10-2; 170 — Samuel Griggs (WC) dec. Wade Brooks (BC), 4-0; 182 — Knox Watson (BC) dec. Anthony Glasgow (WC), 10-6; 195 — Lane Hicks (BC), dec. Nolan Hudson (WC), 6-0; 220 — Noah Todd (WC) dec. Hayden Nichols (BC), 11-6;

285 — Andrew Clark (WC) pinned Manuel Flores-Urena (BC), 0:45. 

Quarterfinal

Cleveland 69, Rossview 3

(Match started at 138)

106 — Jose Cordero (C) pinned Jacob Gorman, 3:16; 113 — Chase Walker (C) major dec. Nicholas Collins, 10-1; 120 — Zac Bosken (C) pinned Cruz Rodriguez (R), 2:00; 138 — Max Landrum (R) decr Hudson Sims (C), 6-1; 145 — William Schuft (C) major dec. Osvaldo Resendiz (R),12-4; 152 — Logan Fowler (C) pinned Spencer Potter (R),0:51; 160 — Cy Fowler (C) pinned Robert Frost (R),1:16; 170 — Dylan Harrold (C) major dec. Phillip Shipstead (R),12-4; 182 — Lucas Szymborski (C) pinned Mateo Pardo (R),1:13; 195 — Tyson Russel (C) pinned Nathan Contraras (R),1:35; 220 — Gabe Moore (C) pinned Tristan Samuelson (R),1:10; 285 — Stonewall Shurette (C) pinned Thomas Shipstead (R),0:55.

Bradley Central 48, Brentwood 22

(Match started at 138)

106 — Miguel Rincon (BC) tech fall Reed Loeffel (BR), 16-0; 113 — kyler Groves (BC) pinned Brady Griffiths (BR), 3:31; 120 — Bryson Moats (BC) pinned Graham Stanley (BR), 1:00; 126 — Aidan Scruggs (BR) major dec. Landon Goins (BC) , 5-5; 132 — Judson Jarrett (BR) win by forfeit; 138 — Ethan Lipsey (BC) major dec. Arash Yazdani (BR), 11-1; 145 — Luke Belcher (BC) pinned Andrew Donelson (BR), 2:32; 152 — Gunner Taylor (BC) pinned Nicholas Hamada (BR), 1:58; 160 — Clark Vaughn (BR) dec. Jake Fox (BC), 6-4; 170 — Wyatt Gibbs (BR) major dec. Wade Brooks (BC), 11-1; 182 — Knox Watson (BC) dec. Aiden Thompson (BR), 6-4; 195 — Lane Hicks (BC) pinned Noah Dixon (BR), 3:04; 220 — Hayden Nichols (BC) pinned Ruger Humble (BR), 2:25; 285 — Jackson Ard (BR) pinned Manuel Flores-Urena (BC), 5:33.

Brentwood's team score was adjusted by -1.0 for Unsportsman like on Asst. Coach (Russ Hoop) during the match.

Girls

Championship

Cleveland 34, Rossview 27

(Match stated at 165)

100 — Ava Teasley (R) pinned Anna Melton (C), 1:35; 107 — Makya Parker (C) pinned Adelynn Bess (R), 5:17; 114 — Olivia Collins (C) major dec. Mahkenze Bonczek (R), 16-5; 120 — Senna Grassman (C) dec. Mariana Bowman (R), 8-7; 126 — Evelin Ochoa (R) dec. Jakyra Parker (C), 3-1;  132 — Kemoria Turner (C) pinned Natalie Tageser (R), 2:18; 138 — Analise Jetter (R) pinned Serenity McGlade (C), 0;09; 145 — Gianna Nikoloa (R) pinned Bella HaRis (C), 4:57; 152 —Alyssa Adamo (R) pinned JayLee Garcia, 1:37; 165 — Piper Fowler (C) pinned Irelynn Laurin (R), 2:42; 185 — Diamond Young (C) pinned Alexis Mize (R), 2:34; 235 — Madelin Zunun (C) dec. Katelyn McMillan (R), 1-0.

Semifinal

Cleveland 30, Clarksville 29

(Match started at 152)

100 — Miranda Robles (CLA) pinned Anna Melton (CLE), 3:01; 107 — Makya Parker (CLE) pinned anete Rodriguez (CLA), 0:54 114 — Senna Grassan (CLE) major dec. Lily Ann Blair (CLA), 11-0; 120 — Ava Ziegler (CLA) dec. Jakyra Parker (CLE), 9-7; 126 — Ella-Lina Gonzalez (CLA) win by forfeit; 132 — Lilli Cobb (CLA) win by forfeit; 138 — Brooklyn Whiteside (CLA) major dec. Kemoria Turner (CLE), 14-1; 145 — Kayla Poweers (CLA) major dec. Serenity McGlade, 10-1; 152 — Bella Harris (CLE) tech fall Kohana Renner (CLA), 6-1; 165 — Piper Fowler (CLE) pinned Elizabeth Hailman, 0:18; 185 — Madelin Zunun (CLE) pinned A'Tiana Atkins (CLA), 3:18 235 — Diamond Young (CLE) dec. Sha'Niayha Wysinger (CLA), 6-2.
 
(Email Richard Roberts atrichardvols55@yahoo.com)  
Prep Sports
PREP SCHEDULES
  • 4/30/2024

Prep Schedules for Week of: March 18th All times are local to the event (Coaches/ADs: Please send any schedule corrections or addititions to Dennis Norwood, Prep Sports Editor, at ... more

Hixson Tennis Sweeps Grace
  • 3/18/2024

Hixson High School hosted Grace Academy at the Hixson High School Tennis Courts on March 18th. Hixson girls won 9-0, and Hixson boys won 5-4. Girls Singles Samantha Paik (Hix.) def ... more

McCallie Tennis Sweeps Knox Catholic
  • 3/18/2024

McCallie traveled to Knoxville on Monday afternoon and came away with a 7-0 region victory over Knoxville Catholic in a boys tennis match played at Cedar Bluff Racquet Club. The four-time defending ... more