State of the Program ... Signal Mountain (TN)
Signal Mountain (TN)
Head Coach: Houston Clements (entering 1st season at Signal Mountain; was at Whitwell a year ago)
Staff: Dean Clements, Matthew Cate
The Houston Clements era begins at Signal Mountain. Clements takes over after spending the 20-21 season at Whitwell. Clements takes over a program that excelled in 2021 - finishing 2nd at the traditional state tournament in February. The Eagles lose a ton of hammers including multiple time State Champ, and current West Point wrestler, Daniel Uhorchuk. Signal Mountain lost 9 Seniors from the 20-21 squad that included 4 other State Placers (in addition to Uhorchuk). That means Coach Clements and his staff will have several new faces in the lineup in 2021-22.
Caleb and Ethan Uhorchuk, both 2021 State Champs, and State Placer Noah Shriner return and each will be hunting the top step on the podium in 2022. The Eagles also return State Qualifier Daniel Odom and will welcome Joe Joe Uhorchuk (and 8th grader who won NHSCA Middle National title this past spring) and freshmen KK Martin, Aiden McCall and Jackson Davis. The key for the Eagles will be the continued development of Jackson Owens, Ian Bryant, Cole Jenkins, Jaxson Quails, and Jacob Winchester. The Eagles have top end talent with the Uhorchuk’s, Shriner, and Odom, but that only makes up 5 of the 14 weights … some of the others will need to step up and make some noise if Signal Mountain is going to be back in the mix again in 2022.
“When I accepted the job as Signal Mountain’s new head coach in March, I knew how blessed I was to have the opportunity to lead these young men. Former head coach Joe Jellison and long-time assistant Casey Thompson built this program into a perennial power since the school’s inception in ‘08.
I am also excited by the staff we have assembled over the off-season. My dad, Dean, will join me again this year coming with me from Whitwell where he served as an assistant. We have added Matthew Cate - former Baylor teammate of mine who I know will help our guys win both on and off the mat.
Although we lost 9 starters from last year’s team that finished 2nd in the state, the goal and expectation has not changed—win the TN A/AA state tournament. I’ve been impressed with the way our guys have bought into our philosophy as a new staff in such a short time. On day 1, we circled 2/26/22 (state tournament) on our calendar and these guys have been grinding day in and day out all off-season.
We are very young and only have 1 senior, but with Caleb and Ethan back as returning champs, having proven winners in Shriner and Odom, and the additions of a MS national champ in Joe Joe [Uhorchuk] as well as potential standouts like Jenkins, Quails, and Winchester, we will be right there again this year. ”