State of the Program ... Fairview (TN)
Fairview (TN)
Head Coach: James “Bubba” Derrick (9 years)
Staff: Biff Curtis and Denny Mitchell
Fairview graduated a quartet of hammers including 220 lb. State Champ Jacob Clevenger and State Qualifiers Sam Hammon, Marco Pukl, and Blake Mitchell. Those four accounted for about half from a Fairview squad that finished 8th a year ago Class 1A. That said, this year’s squad has the opportunity to be even better and should be amongst the contenders for a top 3 finish in 2023. The Jackets are led by returning 182 lb. State Champ Kendrick Curtis as well as State Qualifiers Coleman Caldwell, Keegan Seaver, and Allen Reynolds. The Jackets have a large Senior class that is at least 10 deep and they will be counted on to help the Jackets be in the hunt this season. But the key for the Jackets will be the return of Malachi Bennett who missed the post-season a year ago.
Seniors Josh Helm, Rion Bates, Troy Sexton, and Henry Ribble will be counted on to solidify the middle of the lineup (from 120-145). If fellow Seniors Jeffrey Anderson, John Spicer, and Boe Sanderson can fill-in the spots around Malachi Bennett and Kendrick Curtis up top, this Jacket team could see a lineup that features a Senior in every spot from 120-195. Add in a handful of Juniors and Sophomores including Allen Reynolds and Coleman Caldwell and this team should have an experienced wrestler in nearly every spot in the lineup. Keep an eye on Junior’s Walker Crowe, Weston Pope, Noah Bates, and Sam Borre as well as the return of Sam Frank. Underclassmen Dallas Day, Peyton Mitchell, Turbo Lange, Will Frank, Logan Baxley, Logan Oxendine, and Scotty Henderson will look to break into the lineup as well.
“We have some strong talent returning this year in what will be our largest squad in history and our most senior dominated squad in history. We have depth and seasoned wrestlers up and down the entire lineup. Some key returners for the Jackets this year are state champion Kendrick Curtis, as well as returning state placers Malachi Bennett, Keegan Seaver, Jeffrey Anderson, and Sam Frank. Anderson and Frank are returning from injuries last year, which would have made a huge impact for us in going back to back as Dual State Champions. We have a lot of kids, a lot of athletes, we have a lot of small kids and a lot of big kids and a lot of experienced kids. We are hungry and angry after last year and we will be on the hunt.”
NOTE: All mentions of placers and qualifiers in the body are based on the 2021-22 season. If a wrestler placed higher or lower in a previous year it is not captured above.