GRAY DEYOSports Writer

Nine Wildcat wrestlers represented Tullahoma at the individual state tournament held in Franklin. All of Tullahoma’s wrestlers fought hard at the event resulting in a combined total of 14 wins with three of the nine Wildcats finishing the event on podium.

Zachary Murphy

Tullahoma’s sophomore talent Murphy placed fifth overall in the 132 lb. weight class. This gave him his second state medal, as he also finished in the top six of his weight class last year and earned a medal.

Murphy won his first two matches in the main bracket dominantly, winning by a pin and then winning by a 20-5 score line. He unfortunately then ran into a buzz saw in Signal Mountain Wrestler, and eventual A 132 state champion Joseph Uhorchuck. Uhorchuck ended his year with an undefeated 34-0 record with 30 pins.

Murphy suffered an injury earlier in the year, and to bounce back and get to this point is truly remarkable. His junior campaign will be a fun one to watch.

Bob Tatum

The senior Wildcat Tatum ended his THS wrestling career with a bang.

He finished fourth overall in the 285 lb. division, winning a total of three matches at the event with two of them coming by pin. His second pin in his quarterfinal match against David Lands from Polk County High School gave him his 100th career pin.

Tatum is a hard worker and everything he has put forth into the sport showed at the state tournament this weekend.

His run in the main bracket unfortunately came to an end against the runner-up of this year’s A 285 division.

Although Tatum’s high school career is now over, 100 pins and a state medal is one heck of a way to go out.

Corbin Avans

Avans made it the farthest out of the nine Wildcat participants, placing second in the 157 lb. weight class.

The sophomore Wildcat won three straight matches to establish his shot at a state title for the second year in a row. He took on Wyatt Howard from Pigeon Forge High School who has won 58% of his career matches by way of pin.

Avans was hanging with Howard in the early goings of the match, he just got caught in an unfortunate position, where Howard was able to lock down Avans in a pin and win the match.

Avans already has two second-place state medals to his name as a sophomore. His drive to be great is there. You can see how badly he wants to win.

With his junior and senior years still awaiting, that first-place medal at state is without a doubt in the cards.