A Fan's Guide to the Tennessee 1A State Tournament
Welcome to the Fan’s Guide for the Tennessee 1A State Tournament
So what is a Fan’s Guide?
The Fan’s Guide is a look at the tournament as a whole and each individual weight class … from a fan’s perspective. But it is not a prediction of who will win or who will make the podium. In fact, a Fan’s Guide is a little different. It is a look at a few individual pieces from each bracket … they include:
Favorite: the wrestler that enters the tournament as a section champ and has the best shot to claim the top step.
Contenders: a wrestler that finishes 1st or 2nd at sectionals has a decent chance to make the podium … one of the champs and both runners-up should be considered contenders.
Darkhorse: someone not on the radar that could make a run
Bracketbuster: a wrestler that finished 3rd or 4th in their section, but could make a run for the podium.
Isn’t that kind of a prediction?
Yes and no. I do identify the favorite, but beyond that I have no idea of who will march through the bracket and claim a title (don’t get me wrong - I’ve watched a lot of wrestling this season so I have an idea of what will happen). I could give you an educated guess about a possible finals match and who will make the podium, but in the world of high school wrestling that is dangerous territory. Few wrestlers (if any) are unbeatable … but we do have past results and past accomplishments on which to make a guess or two. In reality, I am as much of a fan as any of you and like to talk wrestling. I hope each athlete goes out and performs to his or her ability and we, as fans, get an opportunity to watch some great wrestling.
Remember the sole purpose of the website, twitter, instagram, fan’s guides, pictures, etc. is to promote the sport in the Southeast. Have a great time this weekend, enjoy the wrestling, and best of luck to everyone competing.
We have looked at Pin-Tn Rankings from February 1st and Rankwrestlers Rankings from February 19th to help evaluate the field in each bracket. If you see PTN and a # that is the Pin-TN Rankings and if you see RW and a # that is the Rankwrestlers ranking. The links above are to the two services … Pin-TN is free, Rankwrestlers has a subscription.
NOTE: ALL INFORMATION BELOW IS ASSUMING THAT THE INFORMATION INPUTTED INTO TRACKWRESTLING EITHER BY THE EVENT DIRECTOR OR THE COACHES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON IS CORRECT.
Team Notes
The table below is a list of every qualifier by school, along with their place. So we could talk about a number of different teams, but in reality there are just a handful that have enough to really make a run for a team title. They are discussed below the table.
Forgot the header on the table above … 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. refers to their place at sectionals last weekend.
Not sure if there will be much of a team race in 1A … Soddy Daisy showed they are back with run to the State Duals title and now have punched all 14 tickets to this weekend’s state tournament. Half of those qualifiers come in as Section Champions and a total of 11 of 14 were either 1st or 2nd at sectionals. The race for second could be the one to watch with a number of teams that will be in the hunt. Station Camp and Millington Central each bring 10 and Seymour and Montgomery Central each have 9 … but the teams to watch might be Pigeon Forge, Signal Mountain, and Tullahoma. The longer that Camp, Millington, Seymour, and Montgomery Central can keep their qualifiers in the tournament - the better shot they have to take the runner-up spot. Pigeon Forge, Signal Mountain, and Tullahoma have more section champs than the others and getting their wrestlers to the finals will be huge if they are going to overcome their number deficit and take the #2 spot. The battle for the top 5 is going to be fun to watch.
106 lbs.
Favorite: Luke Higdon (Signal Mountain)
Contenders:
Blake Allen (Gibbs)
Luke Myhan (Soddy Daisy)
Matthew Pennington (Eagleville)
Dalton Lopez (Millington Central)
Darkhorse: Deter Thompson (David Crockett)
Bracketbuster: John Haney (Upperman)
Thoughts: There is no consensus amongst the rankers at 106. Pin-TN has John Haney ranked #1 (he’s #6 by rankwrestlers) … he is the highest returning State Placer but was 3rd in Section 2 behind Higdon and Myhan. Rankwrestlers has Deter Thompson ranked #1 (#4 by Pin-TN), but he was second to Blake Allen (#5 PTN; #4 RW) in Section 1. There there is Luke Higdon who won Section 2 and is ranked #2 by Pin-TN and #2 by RW. We will split the difference and go with Higdon as the favorite, but honestly this weight could be wide open.
113 lbs.
Favorite: Samuel Comes (Seymour)
Contenders:
Nathaniel Graham (Station Camp)
Ayden Jenkins (Soddy Daisy)
Gage Goetz (Creek Wood)
Christian Davis (Signal Mountain)
Darkhorse: Maddox Hooper (Fairview)
Bracketbuster: Derrick Bolden (Millington Central)
Thoughts: We have uncertainty at 106, but that all goes away over the next several weights. Samuel Comes is the defending 106 lb. State Champion at 54-2, won Section 1 title and is the only returning placer in the field. I agree with Pin-TN on this one … Comes is ranked #1 by them, but #6 by rankwrestlers (strange considering his only in-state loss was to Kibelbek). Station Camp’s Nathaniel Graham is ranked highly by both groups (#2 PTN; #1 RW) and is certainly one to watch after an outstanding sophomore campaign. Graham has a win over Jenkins at the state duals so seeing Jenkins as the 2 seed is a little strange - although there isn’t much of a difference between #2 and #3 seeds. Jenkins (NR PTN; #2 RW) and Gage Goetz (NR PTN; #11 RW) are your other two section champs in the bracket.
120 lbs.
Favorite: JoJo Uhorchuk (Signal Mountain)
Contenders:
Logan Bridges (Munford)
Justice Snyder (Clinton High school)
Cayden Zeits (Seymour)
Gunnar Tompkins (Watertown)
Darkhorse: Tyson Flavin (Soddy Daisy)
Bracketbuster: Harold Ward (Greenbrier)
Thoughts: One of the biggest favorites in 1A, Jojo Uhorchuk is nationally-ranked at 113 … he is the returning 113 lb. State Champion and is 45-1 on the season with his only loss coming to Ayden Smith in the Beast of the East finals. He is obviously the consensus #1 in both rankings. But the rankings diverge quickly from there … Tyson Flavin, who was 2nd to Uhorchuk in Section 2, isn’t rranked by Pin-TN, but is #2 overall by RW. Harold Ward of Greenbrier (who was 3rd in Section 3) is ranked #3 by Pin-TN and #4 by RW … obviously that first round match between Flavin and Ward is one to watch. Snyder (#4 PTN; #5 RW) is the 2 seed after winning Section 1, Logan Bridges (NR PTN; #3 RW) is the 3 seed, and Gunnar Tompkins (#6 PTN; #11 RW) is the 4 seed after winning Section 4. Keep an eye on Cayden Zeits who is ranked #5 and #6 and was second to Snyder last weekend.
126 lbs.
Favorite: Carson Dupill (Greeneville)
Contenders:
Landon Turner (Harpeth)
Ezra Finstad (Gibbs)
Charles Duncan (Soddy Daisy)
Zachary Murphy (Tullahoma)
Darkhorse: Colton Relation (Samuel Everett School of Innovation)
Bracketbuster: Gabe York (Watertown)
Thoughts: Another weight with a clear favorite in 2x State Champion Carson Dupill of Greeneville. This is another instance of Tennessee 1A having one of the best 120-126’s in the country at the weight. All 4 of Dupill’s losses have come to national-level competition at Walsh Ironman and Escape the Rock. In the state of Tennessee he has dominated everyone. That said … this weight is deep with 3 others that are returning State Placers (and all 3 sit on the bottom side of the bracket away from Dupill. Landon Turner (#2 at 120 PTN; #3 RW), Ezra Finstad (#2 PTN; #6 RW), and Charles Duncan (#3 PTN; #2 RW) will have to battle it out on the bottom side. Finstad draws a good Gabe York (#4 PTN; #17 RW) in the opening round with the winner likely getting Turner in the quarters. Freshman Zachary Murphy won Section 3 (NR PTN; #8 RW) sits on the top side with Dupill.
132 lbs.
Favorite: Ethan Uhorchuk (Signal Mountain)
Contenders:
Andres Hamilton (Tullahoma)
Trey Moreland (Sycamore)
Adan Alvarez (Cheatham Co. Central)
Max Minor (Tennessee)
Darkhorse: Craig Sudderth (Montgomery Central)
Bracketbuster: Nathaniel Moungsiharat (Soddy Daisy)
Thoughts: And the final weight with a clear favorite is at 132 with 3x State Champion Ethan Uhorchuk. If you read the previous weights … you can insert that here as well. Uhorchuk is nationally-ranked and amongst the best 126’s in the country. His only losses this season came at Beast of the East - he is ranked #1 by Pin-TN (but #2 by RW which is laughable and why an algorithm doesn’t always work when doing rankings … most of the time it is very good, but this is an instance where he is the clear #1 … not to take anything away from Tullahoma Senior Andres Hamilton who is their #1, but there is nothing to indicate that Uhorchuk isn’t the best in the field). Max Minor (NR PTN; #5 RW) and Hamilton (#4 PTN) share the bottom side with a tough Adan Alvarez who is the only other returning state placer in the field. Alvarez (#2 PTN; #4 RW) took 2nd to Trey Moreland (#5 PTN; #3 RW) in Section 4 … Moreland is the 4 seed and is on the top side with Uhorchuk.
138 lbs.
Favorite: Andrew Lewis (Soddy Daisy)
Contenders:
Jake Ferrell (David Crockett)
Jacob Pennington (Eagleville)
Walter Rutland Harris (Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet)
Lukas Pratt (Pigeon Forge)
Darkhorse: Vincent Ward (Greenbrier)
Bracketbuster: Asher Christie (Station Camp)
Thoughts: Pin-TN and Rankwrestlers agree and disagree at 138 … they both have Lewis and Ferrell in the top 2. They are just flipped for each ranking (Pin-Tn has Lewis #1, Rankwrestlers has Ferrell #1). Both are returning State Placers and are seeded #1 and #2 … so I guess everyone is in agreement about that part. Both have 2 losses this season, but they have not faced one another … so keep an eye on that. That said - the bracket has several obstacles before either can look to a showdown in the finals. Ferrell shares the bottom sidewith Jacob Pennington (#3 at 132 PTN; #5 RW) and he draws Vayden Moore (#6 by PTN; #9 RW) in the opening round. Lewis shares the top side with Section 4 Champ Walter Rutland Haris (NR PTN; #4 RW) as well as Vincent Ward (#4 PTN; #10 RW), Lukas Pratt (#3 PTN; #6 RW), as well as Asher Christie (#5 PTN; #8 RW).
144 lbs.
Favorite: Braylan Cosper (Soddy Daisy)
Contenders:
Caiden Mears (Tullahoma)
Seth Mccoy (Forrest)
Reese Levendusky (Montgomery Central)
Max Cable (Pigeon Forge)
Darkhorse: Eben Shriner (Signal Mountain)
Bracketbuster: Peyton Mitchell (Fairview)
Thoughts: Another really good weight that could see any number of wrestlers make their way to the top step. Seth McCoy is a 4x State Placer, but has never climbed onto the top step. He is ranked #1 by Pin-TN (#4 by RW), but took 2nd to Caiden Mears in Section 3 last weekend. As a result, McCoy shares the top side with the only other state placer in the bracket in Braylen Cosper of Soddy Daisy. Cosper (#2 in both) is the top seed after winning Section 2 over Eben Shriner (NR PTN; #5 RW) last weekend. Cosper and McCoy share the top side with Section 4 Champ Reese Levendusky (#6 PTN; #3 RW). The bottom side features Section Champs Max Cable (NR PTN; #9 RW) and Caiden Mears (NR PTN; #1 RW), Shriner, and others. Keep an eye on Peyton Mitchell (#5 PTN; #8 RW) … Mitchell vs. Schriner in the opening round is one to watch with the winner likely getting the Pigeon Forge freshman.
150 lbs.
Favorite: Brody McLemore (Eagleville)
Contenders:
Ayden Hood (Pigeon Forge)
Wyatt Davis (Whitwell)
Elijah Moore (Tennessee)
Sam Frank (Fairview)
Darkhorse: Cohen Oswald (Station Camp)
Bracketbuster: Malachi Stephenson (Red Bank)
Thoughts: Like McCoy at 144, Eagleville’s Brody McLemore has been all over the podium (twice finishing 2nd) and this is his final run to claim a title. Unlike McCoy, McLemore won his section a week ago and comes in as the #1 seed (and ranked #1 by both PTN and RW). McLemore has quite the pack looking to knock him off on their way to a title. Ayden Hood (#2 in both), Sam Frank (#5 PTN; #3 RW), Wyatt Davis (#3 at 144 PTN; #6 RW), and Elijah Moore (#4 at 144 PTN; #4 RW) have all been on the podium previously. Hood and Davis are on the bottom side with Cohen Oswald (#3 PTN; #7 RW) and others. McLemore shares the top side with Frank, Moore, and out bracketbuster Malachi Stephenson (#6 PTN; #17 RW).
157 lbs.
Favorite: Elijah Turner (Soddy Daisy)
Contenders:
Dylan Davenport (Sycamore)
Thomas Solomon (Eagleville)
Alexander Biagiotti (Seymour)
Kaden Weitzel (Livingston Academy)
Darkhorse: Hayden Simons (Carter)
Bracketbuster: Felix Duncan (David Crockett)
Thoughts: Another fun weight that features several hammers, but none that have been on the top step in previous attemptos. Elijah Turner was 2nd last year at 160 and comes in #1 by Pin-TN (#2 by Rankwrestlers) and the top seed after finishing the year 18-1 (his only loss was to Devin Corbin in early December). Dylan Davenport has been 6th, 3rd, and 4th, but the senior has never claimed a title (or made the finals). Davenport (#2 by PTN; #1 by RW) is the 2 seed and is 52-2 on the season with his losses only coming to Chancery Deane and Jack Anderson (Bartlett). The only other placer in the field is Thomas Solomon (#5 PTN; #10 RW) who is the 3 seed. Davenport and Solomon share the bottom side with Felix Duncan (#3 PTN; #5 RW) and Lane Cope (#4 at 150 PTN; #6 RW), Kaden Weitzel (NR PTN; #4 RW) as well as Hayden Simons (NR PTN; #7 RW). Be sure to watch those first round matches. Turner is up top with Section 1 Champ Alexander Biagotti (NR PTN; #8 RW) and others.
165 lbs.
Favorite: Wyatt Howard (Pigeon Forge)
Contenders:
Tucker Ross (Soddy Daisy)
Quenston Davis (Munford)
Nikolas Taylor (White House Heritage)
Kyron Fielder (Station Camp)
Darkhorse: Dameion Lavell (Clinton High school)
Bracketbuster: Cole Darnell (Eagleville)
Thoughts: Another weight with 3 returning State Placers - none of which have been to the finals previously. 2x State Placer Wyatt Howard is the consensus #1 by both Pin-TN and Rankwrestlers. He beat a good Dameion Lavell to claim the Section 1 title and as a result put Lavell into a meatgrinder on the bottomside of the bracket. Lavell (NR PTN; #2 RW) is joined by State Placers Tucker Ross (#3 PTN; #4 RW) and Section 3 Champ Kyron Fielder (NR PTN; #6 RW). The top side features Howard, Section 4 Champ Quenston Davis (#2 PTN; #5 RW), and returning State Placer Nikolas Taylor (#2 at 175 PTN; #3 RW). Keep an eye on Cole Darnell of Eagleville. He vs. Shaw is the best first round matchup in the bracket.
175 lbs.
Favorite: Jackson Davis (Signal Mountain)
Contenders:
Logan Rawlinson (Soddy Daisy)
Calvin Rickard (Station Camp)
Jaden Jones (Pigeon Forge)
Gage Forsythe (Cheatham Co. Central)
Darkhorse: Skyler Campbell (Seymour)
Bracketbuster: Colton Ferrell (David Crockett)
Thoughts: Returning State Placer Jackson Davis and Logan Rawlinson are joined by Section Champs Gage Forsythe (NR PTN; #7 RW), Jaden Jones (NR PTN), and Calvin Rickard (#6 PTN; #3 RW). Davis is the consensus #1 by both Pin-TN and Rankwrestlers and comes in 40-3 having won Section 2 over Rawlinson last week. Rawlinson is ranked #3 by Pin-TN and #2 by RW and should be a force on the bottom side. Other names to keep an eye on in the bracket are Skyler Campbell (#6 at 165 PTN; #4 RW) of Seymour, Colton Ferrell (#4 at 165 PTN; #5 RW) of David Crockett, and Hayden Dowell (#5 PTN; #8 RW) of Cascade.
190 lbs.
Favorite: Aiden Howard (Pigeon Forge)
Contenders:
Connor Avans (Tullahoma)
Isaac Chapa (Cascade)
Darius Sudderth (Alcoa)
Aaron Estes (Munford)
Darkhorse: Caleb Conn (East Ridge)
Bracketbuster: Houston Retting (Eagleville)
Thoughts: Aidan Howard is the returning Runner-up at 195, is 35-7 on the season, is ranked #1 by Pin-TN and #2 by Rankwrestlers, and won Section 1 over Alex Ingle (NR PTN; #15 RW) last weekend. He is also the top seed entering the weekend. Connor Avans was 5th last year at 182 and has bounced back and forth between 175 and 190 this season … finally landing at 190. He is ranked #4 at 175 by Pin-TN and #1 by RW. The only other returning placer is Isaac Chapa (#3 PTN; #5 RW) of Cascade. That doesn’t mean the path is easy … several hammers finished 3rd in their section and as a result sit in spots to blow up the brackets. Two to watch are Houston Rettig (#2 PTN; #7 RW) of Eagleville and Nathan Wade (#6 in both) of Soddy Daisy. You also have section champs Darius Sudderth (NR PTN; #20 RW) of Alcoa and Aaron Estes (NR PTN; #9 RW) of Munford to keep an eye on. One last wrestler to watch from a #4 spot from their section is Fletcher Beck who is 28-8 on the season.
215 lbs.
Favorite: ROB ATWOOD (Trousdale County)
Contenders:
Zac Chrisman (Greeneville)
John Geist (Livingston Academy)
Kenny Harris (Alcoa)
Landon Morris (Cheatham Co. Central)
Darkhorse: Morgan Dye (Anderson County)
Bracketbuster: Tyson Click (Samuel Everett School of Innovation)
Thoughts: Atwood is a 2x State Champ and enters this weekend a perfect 19-0. He is the heavy favorite to win a third title. But the bracket is littered with returning placers that should make it fun to watch. 2x State Placers John Geist (#4 PTN; #2 RW) and Zac Chrisman (#3 in both) sit on the bottom side of the bracket with returning placer Scotty Henderson (NR PTN; #13 RW) and Melvis Lopez-Miguel (NR PTN; #9 RW). The top side features Atwood (the consensus #1), Section Champ Landon Morris (NR PTN; #12 RW), as well as Kenny Harris (#5 PTN; #7 RW) and returning State Runner-up Tyson Click (#2 PTN; #4 RW) who finished 3rd in Section 2 … making him a very dangerous bracketbuster (that said he gets a tough Morgan Dye (NR PTN; #5 RW) right off the scale).
285 lbs.
Favorite: Jonathan Davis (Soddy Daisy)
Contenders:
Cristopher Flockhart (Cocke County)
Malik Boiling (East Nashville Magnet School)
Andrew Grove (Creek Wood)
Logan Duncan (Station Camp)
Darkhorse: Jalen Wright (Gibbs)
Bracketbuster: Brayden Vance (David Crockett)
Thoughts: Interested in a wide open weight to finish things off in 1A? 285 is the only bracket in 1A without a returning placer. Now that doesn’t mean there isn’t talent at the weight … 4 wrestlers have 3 or fewer losses on the year. But it does mean that none have the experience of wrestling on Saturday night with a state title on the line. Jonathan Davis is the consensus #1 by both Pin-TN and Rankwrestlers and is 47-1 on the season with his only loss coming to Riley Souther of Georgia in late December. Christopher Flockhart is the 2 seed and is ranked by both groups at #4. Flockhart won Section 1 and enters 35-1 on the season with his only loss coming to Brayden Vance of David Crockett (who was 3rd in the Section) in early January. Andrew Grove (NR PTN; #2 RW) and Malik Boiling (NR PTN; #3 RW) also won section titles last weekend. Keep an eye on Logan Duncan (2nd to Boiling) who is ranked in the top 5 by both Pin-TN and Rankwrestlers as well as Jalen Wright (#5 PTN; #12 RW), and Brayden Vance (#6 PTN; #9 RW).