Baylor Wrestling Wins Division II Duals State Championship

Red Raiders Make It Back-To-Back With 11th Duals Title

  • Saturday, February 8, 2020
  • Kevin Llewallyn

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The Baylor wrestling team didn’t just defend their state duals wrestling title, they did it with dominance.

 

The Red Raiders brought home their 11th TSSAA Division II State Duals Wrestling championship Saturday with a 46-22 victory over Christian Brothers at the Williamson County Ag Expo in Franklin. The win gives Baylor back-to-back titles, and four in the past seven years.

 

“We’re finishing our business and looking forward to the next job,” said Baylor coach Ben Nelson, who has encouraged his team to have a workmanlike attitude throughout the tournament.

“I love the dual tournament; it’s my favorite one. I grew up in an area where the dual tournament was the only team tournament. I love winning this because all of the guys are together, one cohesive group, working for one common goal. I think this is awesome for them to win as a group.”

 

There was never much drama for the Red Raiders (17-3), who won nine of the 14 matches, six via a pin. Christian Brothers (18-2) did hold a brief lead after a tough opening match loss by Baylor’s Ronald Garriques (170), who was penalized for a hand to the face with just four seconds remaining in the match to lose by decision 6-5.

 

That was nearly the only thing that went wrong for Baylor in the first half of the match. The Red Raiders then proceeded to win five of the next six individual matches, with pins by Connor Duffy (182), Samuel Chritensen (285), Nick Cordey (106), and Jackson Bond (113), and a 14-1 major decision by David Harper mixed in. Midway through the match, Baylor led comfortably 28-6.

 

After a pin by Christian Brothers’ Dayne Dalrymple at 120 pounds, Baylor’s Ryan Tisdale and Noah Horst each won hard-fought decisions by three points each to set the Red Raiders up at the brink of finishing off the match.

 

Garrison Dendy (138) took care of business for Baylor, pinning his opponent late in the first period to clinch the championship for the Red Raiders. Omaury Alvarez (160) finished the day off in style with a pin in the third period of the final match to give his team the final margin of victory.

 

In most sports, a state championship is the ultimate ending to a team’s season, but not in wrestling. Next week, Baylor and the rest of the state’s wrestlers will battle in the individual region tournament in the hopes to qualify for the traditional state tournament in two weeks.

 

“We did this for the school, for the team and for all of the guys that weren’t able to make the travel squad,” Nelson said. “All of our individuals are motivated to reach their personal goals. If they reach their personal goals, it will all come together for the team again. Now it’s just about getting them ready individually.”

 

Consolation Bracket

 

McCallie (12-3) took home third place with a 46-22 win over Montgomery Bell Academy in the consolation finals. The Blue Tornado won nine matches – five by pin – on their way to a convincing victory. McCallie also defeated Father Ryan 31-27 in the consolation semifinals to reach the third place match.

 

“I think the boys did a great job today,” said McCallie coach Jake Yost. “In the first match (against Father Ryan) we even took two tough losses to two of our better kids and found a way to get the job done. We match up a little better with MBA. We took a tough loss last night, but it’s really nice to come to the state duals and get three big wins over good teams. We’re proud of them, but we still have a lot of room to improve, and we still have two more weeks to do that.”

 

After falling behind 6-0 after a loss in the opening match at the 195-pound weight class, McCallie rattled off six straight wins to take a commanding lead. Pins by Adam Smith (220), James Howard (285), Kenneth Haney (106), and Nicholas Ridings (113) were followed by major decisions by Jack Braman (120) and Emory Taylor (126).

 

MBA tried to fight back with four straight victories in the middle weight classes, pulling to within 32-22 with three matches left. James Whitworth (160) shut the door with a technical fall win, and Gavin Cagle (170), who won by a pin, and Riley Looper (182) closed out the match with wins for good measure.

 

The Blue Tornado had a little more trouble with Father Ryan in the earlier match. In a role reversal from Friday night’s one-point semifinal loss to Christian Brothers, McCallie actually won less matches against the Irish, but out-pinned their opponents 4-2 to come out with the victory.

 

Looper (182), Howard (285), Haney (106), and Whitworth (160) led the way for the Blue Tornado in the match with pins, while Ridings (113) and Taylor (132) also posted victories.

 

Chattanooga Christian (17-7) lost 50-16 to Brentwood Academy in the quarterfinals of the consolation bracket. The final score might be a little deceiving, as the Chargers held a brief 18-9 lead through six of the 14 matches.

 

Kaleb Cooper’s 17-10 win in the 182-pound class got the scoring started for CCS, and Sawyer White (220) got the only pin of the match for the Chargers a couple of matches later. Raymond McDevitt (285) followed with a 6-2 win, and a forfeit victory for Tyler Haga (106) gave CCS its nine-point lead.

 

It was downhill from there, as the Chargers did not win another match. Even more frustrating for CCS coach Josh Craft was that several of the losses resulted in late pins – either in the third period or late in a period – and some came with his wrestler in control of the match. The Chargers lost by a fall in either the third period or with less than 30 seconds to go in a period in four of the final eight matches.

 

“I felt like some responded and some didn’t,” Craft said of his challenge to his team to respond to yesterday’s loss with an attitude that they won’t let that happen again. “When you’re winning matches or really close in matches and you give up a pin, you can’t let that happen. But we have to get back up and find a way to get our mindset back to positive and get ready for Regions next week.”

 

Division II Championship

 

Baylor 46, Christian Brothers 22

 

(Match Began At 170 Pounds)

 

106 – Nick Cordey (Baylor) pinned Alex Ropski, 3:21;

 

113 – Jackson Bond (Baylor) pinned Wills Bronson, 2:44;

 

120 – Dayne Dalrymple (Christian Brothers) pinned Kade Hartline, 1:53;

 

126 – Ryan Tisdale (Baylor) dec. Sam Lee, 6-3;

 

132 – Noah Horst (Baylor) dec. Aidan Bowers, 3-0;

 

138 – Garrison Dendy (Baylor) pinned Micah Douglass, 1:32;

 

145 – Evan Anthony (Christian Brothers) pinned Chase Radpour, 1:56;

 

152 – Garrett Bowers (Christian Brothers) major dec. Anthony Mannella, 10-1;

 

160 – Omaury Alvarez (Baylor) pinned Foster Salvaggio, 5:11;

 

170 – Gervacio Gonzalez (Christian Brothers) dec. Ronald Garriques, 6-5;

 

182 – Connor Duffy (Baylor) pinned Theo Sewell, 1:00;

 

195 – David Harper (Baylor) major dec. Connor Billingsley, 14-1;

 

220 – Al Wooten (Christian Brothers) dec. Barre Chambers, 9-2;

 

285 – Samuel Chritensen (Baylor) pinned Gabriel Croom, 5:06.

 

 

Division II Consolation Finals

 

McCallie 46, Montgomery Bell Academy 22

 

(Match Began At 195 Pounds)

 

106 – Kenneth Haney (McCallie) pinned Henry Ribble, 0:47;

 

113 – Nicholas Ridings (McCallie) pinned Josh Tan, 4:42;

 

120 – Jack Braman (McCallie) major dec. Mac Russ, 12-2;

 

126 – Emory Taylor (McCallie) major dec. Will Higgins, 16-4;

 

132 – Frank Perazzini (MBA) dec. Ian Herring, 4-2;

 

138 – Adam Garfinkel (MBA) pinned Clayton Kushman, 1:02;

 

145 – Robby Barnes (MBA) dec. Rand Holtzclaw, 6-3;

 

152 – Dan McGuire (MBA) major dec. Frankie Zahrobsky, 12-4;

 

160 – James Whitworth (McCallie) technical fall Eric Russ, 16-0;

 

170 – Gavin Cagle (McCallie) pinned Zach Ricciardelli, 3:15;

 

182 – Riley Looper (McCallie) dec. Mason Skeeters, 9-4;

 

195 – Gabe Fisher (MBA) pinned Coen Campbell, 2:42;

 

220 – Adam Smith (McCallie) pinned Eric George, 0:40;

 

285 – James Howard (McCallie) pinned Joseph Moore, 1:43.

 

 

Division II Consolation Semifinals

 

McCallie 31, Father Ryan 27

 

(Match Began At 182 Pounds)

 

106 – Kenneth Haney (McCallie) pinned Joseph Jones, 1:00;

 

113 – Nicholas Ridings (McCallie) dec. Matt Oberlander, 8-6;

 

120 – Thomas Wesnofske (Father Ryan) dec. Jack Braman, 3-2;

 

126 – Double Forfeit;

 

132 – Emory Taylor (McCallie) major dec. Dylan Keiner, 14-5;

 

138 – Sean Pitts (Father Ryan) pinned Lance Ward, 1:04;

 

145 – Benjami Marchetti (Father Ryan) dec. Rand Holtzclaw, 4-2;

 

152 – Lawrence Madson (Father Ryan dec. Frankie Zahrobsky, 9-3;

 

160 – James Whitworth (McCallie) pinned Tim Brunet, 0:58;

 

170 – JaCorey Miller (Father Ryan) dec. Gavin Cagle, 3-1 (Overtime);

 

182 – Riley Looper (McCallie) pinned Anthony Wright, 3:51;

 

195 – Parker Petersen (Father Ryan) pinned Harrison Millirons, 0:47;

 

220 – Antonio Wright (Father Ryan) dec. Adam Smith, 7-5;

 

285 – James Howard (McCallie) pinned Elijah Wilson, 1:19.

 

 

Division II Consolation Quarterfinals

 

Brentwood Academy 50, Chattanooga Christian 16

 

(Match Began At 170 Pounds)

 

106 – Tyler Haga (CCS) won by forfeit;

 

113 – Charles McTorry (Brentwood Academy) pinned AJ Jolly, 1:42;

 

120 – Jack Ward (Brentwood Academy) pinned Evan Rominger, 3:28;

 

126 – Carson Smith (Brentwood Academy) major dec. Eli Sutherland, 12-1;

 

132 – Riley Clark (Brentwood Academy) pinned Ryan Duble, 4:14;

 

138 – Taylor Wimsatt (Brentwood Academy) dec. Cooper Kay, 12-7;

 

145 – Quinn Rosenbough (Brentwood Academy) major dec. Josh Willing, 12-2;

 

152 – Manny Scott (Brentwood Academy) pinned Gabe Mejia, 1:57;

 

160 – Logan Spell (Brentwood Academy) pinned Kaleb Bonastia, 0:40;

 

170 – Aaron Lovins (Brentwood Academy) dec. Conrad Bamgarner, 10-7;

 

182 – Kaleb Cooper (CCS) dec. Russell Holbrook, 17-10;

 

195 – Ben Atchley (Brentwood Academy) pinned Preston Rudder, 2:33;

 

220 – Sawyer White (CCS) pinned Jackson Wells, 2:56;

 

285 – Raymond McDevitt (CCS) dec. Jake Weber, 6-2.

 

 

(E-mail Kevin Llewallyn at kevin.llewallyn@gmail.com)

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