Father Ryan had a near-perfect first day here Friday in Nashville at Montgomery Bell Academy at the Division II state wrestling tournament when the Purple Irish built a 20-point lead over the Baylor Red Raiders.
Baylor was equally as good and maybe just a little bit better on Saturday in the medal rounds as they rallied to win another state title with 241.5 points. The Red Raiders won the state duals title two weeks ago with an impressive win over McCallie.
Father Ryan was second with 224.5 while defending champ McCallie was third with 202. Lakeway Christian and Chattanooga Christian completed the top five teams with 153 and 135.5 points, respectively.
Jim Morgan, the late, great Baylor coach always talked about just how important the consolation rounds were in a big tournament. You might remember when Morgan’s team had a great round many years ago in the consolation finals to win the tournament long before the public and private schools split and the popular gathering was held at UTC’s Maclellan Gym.
This year’s Baylor team took a page from that book as they won nine of 10 matches in the consolation semifinal and finals round, taking the lead from Ryan following Triston Mouton’s third-place finish at 106 pounds. They added four wins in six finals matches to finish the day with 13 wins in 16 matches.
Baylor coach Rex Kendle was super proud of his team after finishing second to McCallie a year ago.
“Just a fantastic team performance from every member of our team as we wrestled really well today,” Kendle began after it had ended.
“We talked about just how important the consolation rounds were and that’s where we did really well. We had 10 of our 11 finish third or better, so they will get to go to the National Prep tournament next weekend in Lehigh. Ryleigh Sturgill will also go and compete.
“I’m really proud of these kids as they worked hard all season. It’s nice to see them being rewarded for all of that,” Kendle nodded.
The Red Raiders never looked back as the led the way with four champions and 11 medalists total. Ryan and McCallie both had three champs and also 11 medalists while Lakeway Christian, Chattanooga Christian, Brentwood Academy and St. George’s all had one champion.
Senior Maximus Norman claimed Baylor’s first title with a second-period pin over MBA’s Claiborne Tompkins in the first championship match at 175 pounds while younger brother Titus earned the last one with a 1-0 decision over Ryan’s Chancery Deane at 165. In between, Gabe Swann and Ollie Phillips won at 120 and 150, respectively.
Ryan’s three winners included Tanner Tran at 106, Brody Gobbell at 132 and Casen Roark at 138 while McCallie’s three included Jaxon Lane at 126, Dylan Villers at 144 and Cooper Gentle at 285.
Other champs included Brentwood Academy’s Cash Waymire at 113, St. George’s Griffin Davis at 157, Lakeway’s Jay Eversole at 190 and Chattanooga Christian’s Ryder Smith at 215.
Ryan’s Roark was voted the Outstanding Wrestler after posting a 9-1 major decision over Baylor’s Malachi Puckett in the 138-pound final while the 165-pound match between Baylor’s Titus Norman and Ryan’s Chancery Deane was voted Best Match after Norman claimed the 1-0 decision.
McCallie coach Jake Yost knew that his team had some work to do before Saturday’s action began. They made a nice run, but the deficit was simply too big.
“There’s always room to get better, but we had three champs and scored over 200 points, so I have to be pleased with that. Baylor and Ryan both had outstanding tournaments and our hats are off to them, but we had a great day on Saturday and I’m hoping we’ll be back in the hunt next year,” Yost said.
“I’m really happy for Cooper Gentle, who had lost to that MBA kid three times, but really wrestled well today. I thought we did well as a team as we competed like warriors and acted like gentlemen. I can’t ask for more than that,” he added.
There were five pins in the finals with McCallie’s Lane getting the quickest in a scant 13 seconds. There were also five regular decisons, two majors and two technical falls.
While Baylor had four champions, seven others earned medals, including Malachi Puckett (138) and George Emendorfer (157) with seconds. Mouton, Jacob Bond (126), Chase Hart (144) and Dylan Reel (190) all finished third while NY Cofer was fifth at 132.
Ryan’s other medalists included Aidan Hare (113), Ethan Lampert (150), Deane and Sawyer Rutherford (190) as runners-up while Braxton Eason was fourth at 120, Luka Lemaota fifth at 215 and Jax Crolley and Kai Slater, who were sixth at 157 and 175, respectively.
McCallie’s other medalists included Axel Ritchie second at 120, Cainan Williams and Cannon Voiles both third at 138 and 215, Braden Ryan fourth at 150, Cooper Ledbetter and Zaydan Morgan fifth at 157 and 165 respectively, and Brody Connell sixth at 132.
While Smith was the only champion for Chattanooga Christian, the Chargers had seven other medalists, including Tyre Brown third at 285, Callen Bridgman and Jonah Bumgarner fourth at 157 and 190, Joseph Kennedy fifth at 120 and Christian Miller and Jackson Turner sixth at 138 and 165.
CCS coach Josh Craft was simply overjoyed at the way his team performed, setting school records for most medalists and for their highest finish ever.
“It was an awesome weekend for us as we have a great group of young men. I’m so proud of Ryder Smith, who won his second straight title and wanted a pin in the final so we could finish fifth as a team. Ryder is one of the hardest working young men I’ve ever coached, who focuses on getting better every day but cares more about his team than himself,” Craft said after all was said and done.
Boyd Buchanan finished eighth with 67 points and four medalists, including Nolan Hardeman and Harbor Bent third at 120 and 132, Xander Hatcher fourth at 175 and Colin Grone fifth at 113.
LEGEND AND FINAL TEAM SCORES: 1. Baylor (Bay) 241.5; 2. Father Ryan (FR) 224.5; 3. McCallie (McC) 202; 4. Lakeway Christian (LC) 153; 5. Chattanooga Christian (CCS) 135.5; 6. Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) 133; 7. Christian Brothers (CB) 124; 8. Boyd Buchanan (BB) 67; 9. Brentwood Academy (BA) 59.5; 10. Pope John Paul (PJP) 45.5; 11. Battle Ground Academy (BGA) 36; 12. Friendship Christian (FC) 33; 13. Nashville Christian (ND) 31; 14. St. George’s (SG) 24; 15. Evangelical Christian (ECS) and Webb School (WS) tied with 12; 17. Goodpasture Christian (GC) 11; 18. Briarcrest Christian (BC) 10; 19. Ensworth (EH) 7; 20. Grace Christian (Grace) and Memphis University School (MUS) tied with 5; 22. Notre Dame (ND) 4.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS FOR FIRST PLACE
106 – Tanner Tran (FR) pinned Cade Riddle (LC), 2:41;
113 – Cash Waymire (BA) pinned Aidan Hare (FR), 1:07;
120 – Gabe Swann (Bay) dec. Axel Ritchie (McC), 7-2;
126 – Jaxon Lane (McC) pinned Luke Kibelbek (LC), :13;
132 – Brody Gobbell (FR) dec. Cole Gumlick (LC), 8-2;
138 – Casen Roark (FR) major dec. Malachi Puckett (Bay), 9-1;
144 – Dylan Villers (McC) dec. Cameron Helton (LC), 18-12;
150 – Ollie Phillips (Bay) dec. Ethan Lampert (FR), 6-3;
157 – Griffin Davis (SG) major dec. George Emendorfer (Bay), 13-0;
165 – Titus Norman (Bay) dec. Chancery Deane (FR), 1-0;
175 – Maximus Norman (Bay) pinned Claiborne Tompkins (MBA), 3:02;
190 – Jay Eversole (LC) won by technical fall over Sawyer Rutherford (FR), 4:48;
215 – Ryder Smith (CCS) pinned Elias Franks (MBA), 1:08;
285 – Cooper Gentle (McC) won by technical fall over James Trainer (MBA), 5:33.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR THIRD PLACE
106 – Triston Mouton (Bay) dec. Camden Ritchie (McC), 4-2;
113 – Joseph Drewry (CB) won by technical fall over Carlton King (MBA), 4:01;
120 – Nolan Hardeman (BB) major dec. Braxton Eason (FR), 14-6;
126 – Jacob Bond (Bay) won by technical fall over Bo Dominguez (MBA), 3:58;
132 – Harbor Bent (BB) dec. Hudson Salvaggio (CB), 9-8;
138 – Cainan Williams (McC) dec. Wilson Jamison (CB), 7-2;
144 – Chase Hart (Bay) pinned Hudson Frazier (MBA), 4:47;
150 – Andrew Connow (PJP) major dec. Braden Ryan (McC), 10-1;
157 – Findley Smout (CB) major dec. Callen Bridgman (CCS), 8-0;
165 – Mason Butler (CB) major dec. Brody Casto (LC), 10-0;
175 – Jordan Crouch (PJP) dec. Xander Hatcher (BB), 4-1;
190 – Dylan Reel (Bay) major dec. Jonah Bumgarner (CCS), 14-4;
215 – Cannon Voiles (McC) dec. James Davenport (FC), 3-1;
285 – Tyre Brown (CCS) dec. Jon Adair (NC), 4-3 in overtime.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR FIFTH PLACE
106 – Cayden Clay (ECS) pinned Isaiah Waycaster (CB), :51;
113 – Colin Grone (BB) dec. Kristopher Sanders (CCS), 4-1;
120 – Joseph Kennedy (CCS) pinned Andrew Benefield (CB), :41;
126 – Cayden Fowler (FC) dec. Daniel Bautista (MBA), 14-7;
132 – NY Cofer (Bay) pinned Brody Connell (McC), 2:52;
138 – Kaden Dressel (LC) major dec. Christian Miller (CCS), 11-2;
144 – Hayden Hervey (BGA) won by technical fall over Jack Quigley (WS), 2:50;
150 – Trenton Casto (LC) dec. Landon McConnell (GC), 10-5;
157 – Cooper Ledbetter (McC) dec. Jax Crolley (FR), 4-2;
165 – Zaydan Morgan (McC) dec. Jackson Turner (CCS), 11-5;
175 – John Bramlett (CB) dec. Kai Slater (FR), 8-3;
190 – Brody Belville (BA) dec. Colin Hande (MBA), 7-0;
215 – Luka Lemaota (FR) dec. Tate Daugherty (NC), 3-0;
285 – Nate Fleming (BGA) pinned Rony Enamorado (BC), 2:25.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)