A Fan's Guide to the Tennessee D2 State Tournament
Welcome to SEWrestle’s Fan’s Guide to the Tennessee Division 2 State Tournament. For those of you unfamiliar with the Fan’s Guide … here are a few things to know. First, I don’t believe in making predictions … happy to leave that to others. Anything can happen on the mat and these wrestlers must win multiple matches to earn a title … so don’t jump to the conclusion that the favorite is my prediction for the champ. Second, the Fan’s Guide is simply designed to give the average fan an idea of the bracket and who are some of the best wrestlers to keep an eye on. This is determined by a number of different things including how they placed at the sectional tournament, how they performed at past state tournaments, etc. Third, if you have never heard the term “darkhorse” before … it is usually identified as someone “flying under the radar” that could surprise some people (for the purpose of the Fan’s Guide it will always be a wrestler that finished 3rd or 4th last weekend). I don’t necessarily believe the darkhorse will win it all, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they found a way high onto the podium.
I hope you enjoy the state tournament and best of luck to everyone competing.
NOTE: D2 in Tennessee is divided into an East and a West Region … as a result you will see the East Champ on the opposite side of the West Champ … the #2 from the East on the same side as the West Champ and so on. I don’t believe it is “seeded” in the traditional sense.
106 lbs.
Favorite: Joe Calvin (Father Ryan)
Contenders:
Jacob Bond (Baylor)
Cole Gumlick (Lakeway Christian)
Hudson Salvaggio (Christian Brothers)
Darkhorse: Nolen Hardman (Boyd Buchanan)
What to Expect: Calvin and Gumlick are both returning placers, but what pushes Calvin just ahead of Bond is the fact that he beat him 4-2 sudden victory at the state duals a few weeks ago. Bond can certainly win it, but Calvin is the favorite … that said - a match with Gumlick in the semis is far from easy.
Favorite: Nick Corday (Baylor)
Contenders:
Brody Gobbell (Father Ryan)
Alex Ropski (Christian Brothers)
Hudson Frazier (MBA)
Darkhorse: Wilkes Hewitt (Battle Ground)
What to Expect: Corday is going for his 4th title (2 in Tennessee and 1 in Georgia). He has been out most of the season, but looked superb at state duals a few weeks ago. Brody Gobbell beat returning runner-up Alex Ropski in sudden victory last weekend and as a results gets the opposite side the bracket. Corday hasn’t wrestled either Ropski or Gobbell this season (and instead pinned Lampert and Rehkopf quickly at state duals).
Favorite: Calvin Eason (Father Ryan)
Contenders:
Cameron Helton (Lakeway Christian)
Judson Jarrett (Baylor)
Brycen Jones (Goodpasture)
Darkhorse: Adam Jolly (Chattanooga Christian)
What to Expect: Eason is a 2x placer - as is Jones. Both Jolly and Jarrett have also made the podium. Eason didn’t wrestle at state duals, but his losses this year are to Lipsey and Bentley Ellison. Helton is a tough freshman and already has a 13-4 win this year over Jolly … we will see if the freshman can knock off the Senior (assuming both make the finals).
Favorite: Casen Roark (Father Ryan)
Contenders:
Jackson Bond (Baylor)
Luke Braman (Notre Dame)
Mason Butler (Christian Brothers)
Darkhorse: Carter Rowlett (Boyd Buchanan)
What to Expect: Another possible old guard vs. new guard … freshman vs. senior state final is possible at 126. Phenom freshman Casen Roark will need to beat returning placer Luke Braman if he is going to get another shot at Bond. The two have split this season with Roark winning the last one 4-3. Roark won the last matchup so we will go with him being the favorite, but in reality you could flip a coin to determine the favorite.
Favorite: Keyveon Roller (Lakeway Christian)
Contenders:
Nathaniel Askew (Baylor)
Chancery Deane (Father Ryan)
Will Bronson (Christian Brothers)
Darkhorse: Bo Donnelly (Brentwood Academy)
What to Expect: Roller beat Askew last weekend and Deane beat 2x runner-up Wills Bronson. Askew now shares the same side of the bracket as Deane - who he beat 6-3 at the state duals. Roller is a University of Virginia signee and is one of the best 126/132’s in the country. This is a good weight, but none should stop Roller from claiming another title.
Favorite: Garrison Dendy (Baylor)
Contenders:
Sawyer Rutherford (Father Ryan)
Conor Payne (Boyd Buchanan)
Carson Smith (Brentwood Academy)
Darkhorse: Caleb Gumlick (Lakeway Christian)
What to Expect: Another D1 signee headlines this weight. Dendy is going for his 4th state title and has signed to wrestle for the University of Wyoming. Dendy is ranked nationally and should cruise to another title … the race up top could be interesting to watch. Gumlick is in a dangerous position as the #4 (he injury defaulted to Wolcott last weekend).
Favorite: Brayden Ivy (Lakeway Christian)
Contenders:
Ben Stigamier (Father Ryan)
Mac Russ (MBA)
Taylor Wimsatt (Brentwood Academy)
Darkhorse: Drake Bowers (Christian Brothers)
What to Expect: Ivy vs. Stigamier is the match we are looking for at 145. Both won their regions and both have been on the podium … Ivy is the returning 138 lb. State Champ and Stigamier was 2nd at this weight last year. Mac Russ vs. Drake Bowers should be a very good opening round match and the winner could give Stigamier a run in the semis. None of them wrestled one another at the state duals. Keep an eye on Wimsatt on the top as well (lost 1-0 to Stigamier last weekend). This might be the best weight in D2.
Favorite: Ian McGehee (Memphis University)
Contenders:
Ryan Tisdale (Baylor)
Chase Eakes (Friendship Christian)
Matt Oberlander (Father Ryan)
Darkhorse: Jay Eversole (Lakeway Christian)
What to Expect: Picking a favorite at 152 is tough … Both McGehee and Tisdale have finished 2nd, 3rd, and 5th in their careers. McGehee is the returning runner-up at this weight and only has one loss to a Tennessee wrestler this season. Tisdale hasn’t lost to a Tennessee wrestler this season and has beaten Eakes as well as Oberlander (5-2 at state duals). Oberlander vs. Eversole is a good first round matchup to watch.
Favorite: Joey Terry (Father Ryan)
Contenders:
Mason Alley (Baylor)
Colby Dalon (Lakeway Christian)
Griffin Frankfather (Franklin Road)
Darkhorse: Ryan Comfort (Grace Christian)
What to Expect: Joey Terry is the only returning D2 medalist at the weight and beat Mason Alley (the East Champ) 10-6 at the state duals. I said D2 medalist above because Colby Dalon has a medal when he wrestled for Pigeon Forge a number of years ago. Alley beat Dalon 7-4 last weekend in the East final and that puts Dalon on the same side as Terry. Keep an eye on this weight … any of the top 3 could end up on top.
Favorite: Aidan Bowers (Christian Brothers)
Contenders:
Michael Kinsey (Baylor)
Henry Rodgers (Father Ryan)
Austin Johnson (Boyd Buchanan)
Darkhorse: Riley Clark (Brentwood Academy)
What to Expect: Bowers is the returning Champ and dominated the West last weekend. Kinsey took the East title. A pair of previous medalists - Rodgers and Hyde will cross paths in the opening round. Bowers pinned Kinsey in the 1st period at State Duals and is the heavy favorite coming into this weekend.
Favorite: Omaury Alvarez (Baylor)
Contenders:
Gervacio Gonzalez (Christian Brothers)
Miller Barnett (Battle Ground)
Ben Bumgarner (Chattanooga Christian)
Darkhorse: Ben Marchetti (Father Ryan)
What to Expect: We didn’t get Alvarez vs. Gonzalez at state duals … so be sure to watch that matchup on Saturday. Gonzalez pinned Barnett in last weekend’s West final and Alvarez pinned Bumgarner in the first period in the East. Neither has claimed he top step, but both have been all over the podium during their careers. Keep an eye on Bumgarner vs. Marchetti in the opening round.
Favorite: David Harper (Baylor)
Contenders:
Cameron Cavins (Christian Brothers)
Tim Brunet (Father Ryan)
Ja’Von McMahan (McCallie)
Darkhorse: Richmond Flowers (Nashville Christian)
What to Expect: Harper, like his teammate Dendy, is a 3x State Champ and has signed to wrestle at the University of Wyoming next year. He is easily the favorite (might be the biggest favorite in D2) - the race here is for second. Keep an eye on the top side to see who makes their way out to the finals.
Favorite: Gabe Fisher (MBA)
Contenders:
Gunnar Garriques (Baylor)
Timbrook Hodge (Christian Brothers)
Jackson Well (Brentwood Academy)
Darkhorse: Carson Gentle (McCallie)
What to Expect: We didn’t get to see a returning Champ vs. Champ in last weekend’s East final … Garriques forfeited the match (no clue why that happened). No matter … the two should meet this weekend. Garriques has already beaten Hodge. Fisher and Gentle didn’t wrestle last weekend, but Fisher has beaten him once this season in early January. The East is deep at 220 and expect a great match between Garriques and Fisher.
Favorite: James Howard (McCallie)
Contenders:
Dion Stutts (Memphis U)
Max Fisher (MBA)
Abraham Cromarie (Father Ryan)
Darkhorse: Daniel Duncan (Nashville Christian)
What to Expect: James Howard returns to the mat and we are all happy to see the McCallie senior after missing last year. He is the favorite after beating Fisher last weekend (it ended as an injury default in the first). Fisher, Stutts, and Duncan share the top side and each are a previous medalist … look for the top to be fun to watch.