It’s always the ultimate dream for any high school athlete to win a state championship, so you can only imagine just how happy those young men from Soddy Daisy High School are today after winning their second straight Class A state wrestling title at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo Center in Franklin Saturday night.
It was the conclusion of a second perfect season in a row where they didn’t lose a dual meet during that time and captured both the state duals and traditional titles both times.
The Trojans were heavy favorites to win coming in as they qualified a dozen individuals. They finished with nine medalists, including four champions, to easily win by scoring 198 points. Signal Mountain was a distant second as five of their eight earned medals, including three champs, to finish with 127.5 points.
Pigeon Forge was third with 98.5 while Gibbs and Station Camp tied for fifth place with 95 points.
Soddy Daisy had the most champions with four while Signal Mountain had three and Pigeon Forge two. Anderson County, Greeneville, Station Camp, Whitwell and Upperman all had one each.
Jonathan Davis was the only Soddy Daisy winner to repeat as he won his second title at 285. Luke Myhan was hoping to repeat at 113, but had to settle for second after losing 11-8 in overtime to Station Camp’s Nathaniel Graham. Other Trojans who finished at the top of the podium included Ayden Jenkins at 120, Boogie Cosper at 150 and Nathan Wade at 190. Tyson Flavin was second at 132.
Signal’s three champs included the Uhorchuk brothers – JoJo won his third title at 132 while senior Ethan became the first public school wrestler to win five state crowns after winning the 138-pound title with a technical fall. Jackson Davis became Signal’s first champ when he posted a 34-second pin to win at 175.
The two winners for Pigeon Forge included Wyatt Howard at 157 and Ayden Hood at 165. Other champions included Anderson County’s Joshua Bingham at 215, Greeneville’s Brylan Rhodes at 106, Station Camp’s Graham at 113, Whitwell’s Wyatt Davis at 144 and Upperman’s Grady Phelps at 126.
Davis won his final match with an 11-8 decision as he handed Cascade’s Vayden Moore his first loss after 51 straight wins.
It’s been a long season for Soddy Daisy coach Ulric Winesburgh and his Trojans, but all of those long, grueling workouts paid off in a big way when they took home the first-place trophy.
“It’s been another great day for Soddy Daisy wrestling and I’m just totally ecstatic,” Winesburgh said after the final match had ended.
“We brought 12, had nine earn medals and finished with four champions, so I can’t be any more proud. We had a nice lead starting the day and just needed to do the right thing to maintain it. We went out and achieved our ultimate goal for the second straight season. We had several who got the monkey off their back after not winning last year.
“Luke Myhan lost a tough match at 113 to finish second, but I was really happy for Nathan Wade, who was down early before rallying to win a tough match at 190 by an 11-10 final. But it’s always nice as a coach to see good people achieve their dreams. I couldn’t ask for a better group to work with,” he added.
Signal Mountain also had a great tournament as the Eagles finished with three champions and two others in the medals in eight entries. The Eagles wrestled well enough to win in most years, but Soddy Daisy had just a bit too much fire-power.
Despite that fact, coach Houston Clements was as happy as anyone Saturday night.
“We had a great weekend and scored the most points ever in school history and still finished second, so I can’t be too disappointed. We had three in the finals and all won. JoJo didn’t give up a single offensive point all season. Jackson Davis won his title with less than four minutes on the mat all tournament. And what can you say about Ethan, who won his fifth state title and became the first public-school wrestler to do that,” the coach praised.
“We have three of the best wrestlers in this tournament on our team, so it always helps to have guys like that on your side. We lose two great seniors in Ethan and Jackson, but have some really good young ones on our roster who will be back. We did all we could this weekend and have nothing to be ashamed of, but Soddy Daisy had a great weekend too,” Clements added.
Signal's Ethan Uhorchuk was an easy choice as tournament Outstanding Wrestler while the 113-pound final between Soddy Daisy’s Myhan and Station Camp’s Graham was voted Best Match.
FINAL TEAM SCORES: 1. Soddy Daisy 198; 2. Signal Mountain 127.5; 3. Pigeon Forge 98.5; 4. Gibbs and Station Camp tied with 95; 6. Anderson County 75; 7. Alcoa 74.5; 8. Greeneville 67; 9. Montgomery Central 65.5; 10. Millington Central 64; 19. Whitwell 29.5; 20. Red Bank 26.5; 36. Marion County 10.5; 39. Polk County 7; 41. Chattanooga Central 6; 49. East Ridge 3.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS FOR FIRST PLACE
106 – Brylan Rhodes (Greeneville) dec. Jacob Stinnett (Upperman), 10-4;
113 – Nathaniel Graham (Station Camp) dec, Luke Myhan (Soddy Daisy), 11-8 in overtime;
120 – Ayden Jenkins (Soddy Daisy) major dec. Blake Allen (Gibbs), 10-2;
126 – Grady Phelps (Upperman) major dec. Daylen Davis (Munford), 13-5;
132 – JoJo Uhorchuk (Signal Mountain) pinned Tyson Flavin (Soddy Daisy), 3:20;
138 – Ethan Uhorchuk (Signal Mountain won by technical fall over Craig Sudderth (Montgomery Central), 2:19;
144 – Wyatt Davis (Whitwell) dec. Vayden Moore (Cascade), 11-8;
150 – Boogie Cosper (Soddy Daisy) pinned Jeremy Mills (Montgomery Central), 2:34;
157 – Wyatt Howard (Pigeon Forge) pinned Corbin Avans (Tullahoma), 1:21;
165 – Ayden Hood (Pigeon Forge) won by technical fall over Elijah Moore (Tennessee), 5:20;
175 – Jackson Davis (Signal Mountain) pinned John Pettis (Station Camp), :34;
190 – Nathan Wade (Soddy Daisy) dec. Eli Bratton (Anderson Co), 11-10;
215 – Joshua Bingham (Anderson Co.) major dec. Tyson Click (Samuel Everett), 13-5;
285 – Jonathan Davis (Soddy Daisy) pinned Brayden Vance (David Crockett), 5:45.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR THIRD PLACE
106 – Luke Higdon (Signal Mountain) major dec. Jimmy Johnson (Sullivan East), 13-1;
113 – Ryley Correll (Eagleville) major dec. Gabriel Oakley (Greeneville), 8-0;
120 – Derrick Bolden (Millington Central) dec. Zedediah Hulet (Anderson Co), 9-6;
126—Noah Eller (Gibbs) dec. Timothy Williams (James Lawson), 15-13;
132 – Brody Ford (Gibbs) won by technical fall over Nikolas Inmon (Greenback), 4:50;
138 – Derrick Day (Greeneville) pinned Jake Laxton (Soddy Daisy), 2:09;
144 – Ezra Finsted (Gibbs) pinned Nolan Henry (Alcoa), 2:59;
150 – Austin Glass (Volunteer) pinned Cory Hatcher (Alcoa), 2:28;
157 – Lane Cope (Samuel Everett) dec. James Tuepker (Millington Central), 8-6;
165 – Quenston Davis (Munford) dec. Hayden Simmons (Carter), 9-4;
175 – Skyler Campbell (Seymour) major dec. Dawson Trentham (Pigeon Forge), 18-7;
190 – Darius Sudderth (Alcoa) dec. Samuel Beck (Station Camp), 5-4;
215 – Houston Retting (Eagleville) major dec. Anthony Lastra (David Crockett), 17-3;
285 – Jalen Wright (Gibbs) dec. Robert Tatum (Tullahoma), 8-2.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR FIFTH PLACE
106 – Jackson Levendusky (Montgomery Central) pinned Will Carter (Greenbrier), 2:54;
113 – Parker Lewis (Samuel Everett) won by forfeit over Dalton Lopez (Millington Central);
120 – Deter Thompson (David Crockett) dec. Mason Shrum (Marion Co.), 7-1;
126 – Christian Davis (Signal Mountain) dec. Nathaniel Moungsiharat (Soddy Daisy), 1-0;
132 – Zachary Murphy (Tullahoma) won by technical fall over Skylar Hedges (Fairview), 3:00;
138 – Demorios Ford (Stratford) dec. Gunnar Tompkins (Watertown), 13-6;
144 – Elliot Davison (McMinn Central) won by forfeit over Max Cable (Pigeon Forge);
150 – Nathaniel Calvillo (Fairview) major dec. Thomas York (Station Camp), 13-4;
157 – Lincoln Rich (Station Camp) pinned Felix Duncan (David Crockett), 2:32;
165 – Jeremiah Wysong (Soddy Daisy) dec. Kaden Weitzel (Livingston Academy), 10-9;
175 – Conrad Morales (Cocke Co.) pinned Xavier Viazcan (Cornersville), 2:45;
190 – Aaron Estes (Munford) dec. Rylenn Kerne (Millington Central), 15-11;
215 – Micah Hardaway (Red Bank) dec. Dalton Kendall (Clinton), 5-4;
285 – Kenny Harris (Alcoa) major dec. Matthew Fowler (Red Bank), 10-0.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)