GRAY DEYOSports Writer

The Wildcats wrestling team on Friday, Jan. 30, put forth a dominant performance in the sectional duals, winning against Greenbrier High School 70-12.

The Wildcats wrestlers at the Welsh Wrestling Center before their matchup against Greenbrier already had their hair dyed pink and blonde. The winner of the matchup was taking a bus straight from the match to the state duals in Franklin, TN. In tradition for making state, Tullahoma and most teams that go there dye their hair as some sort of tradition in making it to this stage. The Wildcats quickly showed in this matchup against the opposing Bobcats that their hair color change was for good reason.

Tullahoma in the match had a total of 10 wins outside of matches won by forfeit. In these individual wins by Wildcat grapplers, nine of them came by way of pin. These pins came from the following Wildcat Wrestlers: Chandler Minor, Sayvion Surles, Memphis Oswald, Kiivon Butler, Neyland Dalton, Elijah Horton, Dwayne Cook, Grayson Peacock, and Sylas McGowen. The one win by decision in this match came from Knox Grimes. He won by a major decision by a score of 18-6.

After the win, the Wildcats celebrated the victory with their families and teammates, and then hopped in a bus and trucked down to the AG Center in Franklin for the TSSAA Dual Wrestling Championships. Matches for the event started the next morning at 9 a.m.

State Results

The Wildcats at the state meet secured a first-round win against Millington Central High School, winning 47-35. In the match, the Wildcats had a total of eight wins, with them getting a much-needed seven pins within these victories. These pins came from CJ Weaver, Butler, Zachary Murphy, Dalton, Corbin Avans, Peacock, and McGowen. Their opening round win set them up with a rematch with a team they took on last year at the state duals, Signal Mountain.

The Eagles, the year prior, finished as runner-ups in the Class A Wrestling State Championships, and clearly were bringing back a similar caliber team. Tullahoma in this match was competitive but ended up in the loss column again against the Eagles, losing 40-32. The Wildcats had six wins compared to Signal’s eight. These wins for Tullahoma came from Butler, Avans, Cook, McGowen, Grimes, and Horton.

Signal ended up making into the state duals final again, and lost to the same team they lost to last year. They lost to Soddy Daisy High School by a score of 38-30

With their first defeat at the state duals, Tullahoma entered the consolation bracket. Their next scheduled match was against Greeneville High School. The Wildcats and the opposing Devils ended the match deadlocked at 40-40. Greenville however, after the match tie, won the tiebreak by a score of 24-16. This match loss officially put Tullahoma’s duals season to a rest. But despite not claiming any state awards this trip to the AG Center, Tullahoma can still earn them this season. That possibility coming from individual state championships still being on the future calendar. Tullahoma grapplers will start their road to making it to this event on Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7. The THS girls’ team will participate in the individual regional tournament on the 6th, and the THS boys’ team will be in action in their individual regional tournament on the 7th.