Tennessee 2A Fan's Guide
Never read one of our Fan’s Guides before? Here is what to know …
Favorite - that is the wrestler that I consider to be the favorite to win (it is my opinion … for everyone not on the favorite line - please go prove me wrong).
Contenders - are those wrestlers that could easily win the whole thing.
Darkhorse - A wrestler that finished 3rd or 4th in regionals/sectionals, but has demonstrated that they have the ability (and might have the best path) to make a run for spot high on the podium.
Best 1st round matchup - a match I would be watching.
NOTE: This is a Fan’s Guide … remember the purpose is to give the average person an idea of the upcoming state tournament. It is not a prediction, but I do attempt to give you my thoughts regarding how it might play out. Past is prologue … meaning that past results do inform, but only in a simple way in my opinion. Meaning if a wrestler placed a year ago that demonstrates to me that they were 1) competitive at the state tournament and 2) found a way to win a few matches. It doesn’t predict future success. Please keep that in mind as you read the Guide. I hope you enjoy.
How to Read the Bracket:
The top 4 from each of the 4 Regions or Sections make-up the bracket.
The Region or Section Champions are on the top line, line #8, line #9, and the last line of the bracket.
The #2 and #3 from the other side of the bracket are away from their Region Champ. In the bracket below - for example - Peyton Angell is the Region 2 champ … she is on the top line, that means the wrestler that finished 2nd in Region 2 (Mylee Goodwin) and the wrestler that finished 3rd in Region 2 (Lilly Hill) are on the bottom side of the bracket.
Schedule:
106
Favorite: Chase Walker (Cleveland)
Contenders:
Colby Baltz (Houston)
James Hicks (Wilson Central)
Stiles Miller (Science Hill)
Sebron Colson (Blackman)
Darkhorse: Chase Creque (Siegel)
Best 1st round Matchup: Chase Creque vs. Kainen Kyle
What to Expect: Walker is one of the bets freshmen in the Southeast and has been a mainstay for Cleveland at the 106 spot this season. He does have returning State Placer Colby Baltz in the bracket and shares the same side with Stiles Miller of Science Hill. James Hicks of Wilson Central is the other section champ (sharing the top side with Baltz). Walker has a win over Baltz this season, but hasn’t wrestled Miller or Hicks (from what I can find). Hicks and Colson could cross paths again (they met earlier in the season) in the quarters. Chase Creque is a freshman to keep an eye on - although he gets a tough Kainen Kyle to kick things off.
113
Favorite: Bryson Terrell (Bradley Central)
Contenders:
Russell Ford (Independence)
Trenton Houston (Cookeville)
Owen Gobel (Franklin)
Paul Johnson (Wilson Central)
Darkhorse: Aslan Nadeau (Blackman)
Best 1st round Matchup: Trenton Houston vs. Zach Ordonez
What to Expect: Terrell is the returning runner-up and Ford was 3rd a year ago at 106. They are on opposite sides of the bracket and it would be a surprise to not see them in the finals. Bosken is tough and could give Ford some trouble in the quarters. Houston got the worst draw getting Ordonez in the first round … Ordonez was 4th in Section 4, but also finished on the podium a year ago. Terrell is unbeaten on the season and looks locked in and ready to make a run at the top step … he could get 2x State Placer Owen Gobel in the quarters … can’t afford for anyone to look ahead to “possible” matchups.
120
Favorite: Bentley Ellison (Cleveland)
Contenders:
Jarvis Little (Summit)
Wyatt James (Bradley Central)
Nicholas Mercante (Wilson Central)
Gavin Armstrong (Dobyns Bennett)
Darkhorse: Brayden Bouma (Oakland)
Best 1st round Matchup: Brayden Bouma vs. Hunter Heflin
What to Expect: Fireworks. Ellison has been outstanding this season with his only losses coming to Justin Bradford and then out of state at the Beast of the East (where he lost to Consiglio and national #1 Marc-Anthony McGowan). Ellison has beaten James and Mercante, but hasn’t faced Little this season. Little has wins over James, Heflin, and others and his only loss came to Calvin Eason of Father Ryan. James vs. Mercante is going to be a tough quarter, but the 3rd quarter of the bracket with Bouma, Heflin, Armstrong, and McAlpin could be the one to watch in terms of close matches.
126
Favorite: Easton Lipsey (Bradley Central)
Contenders:
Logan Fowler (Cleveland)
Steven Dindl (Bartlett)
Connor Warnock (Wilson Central)
Dylan Winters (Science Hill)
Darkhorse: Justin Bradford (Blackman)
Best 1st round Matchup: Blake Palmer vs. Arash Yazdani
What to Expect: Super tough weight … including 3 hammers from Section 2. Easton Lipsey, the only one of the 3 to have not won a state title previously, beat Logan Fowler (last year’s 106 lb. Champ) 3-0 in the Section 2 finals. Fowler downed Bradford 3-1 in sudden victory in the semis … Bradford was the 113 lb. State Champ last year. That means the bottom side is brutal. Add in 3x State Placer Steven Dindl as well as Wilson Central hammer Connor Warnock and you have one of the toughest sides of the bracket in Franklin this weekend. Lipsey sits up top with Region 1 Champ Dylan Winters, Brayden Leach, Blake Palmer, and others, but he should be able to push through and wait on the winner of the battles from the bottom. Justin Bradford is the easiest darkhorse to pick in 2A … he will have to battle through a tough bottom, but he has the ability to beat anyone in the bracket and take home another title.
132
Favorite: Hunter Sturgill (Heritage)
Contenders:
Arlo Laxton (Cleveland)
Landon Desselle (Summit)
Grant Myers (Blackman)
Seth Robles (Clarksville)
Darkhorse: Tyler Harris (Bartlett)
Best 1st round Matchup: Noah Creque vs. Cameron Cain
What to Expect: Freshman Hunter Sturgill has looked superb this season … only losses coming to out of state competition (and top-level competition like Braden Basile at the Knockout, Ibrahim Ahmed of Blair Academy, etc.). Returning State Placer Landon Desselle only has one loss on the season - to Ethan Lipsey in sudden victory at the state duals. He has beaten Laxton and will definitely be a tough test for Sturgill in the bottom semis … although he will likely get Myers in the quarters. Desselle has arguably the toughest road to a title at 132. Laxton enjoys the top side with Section Champ Seth Robles, Damen Pullen, and others. Laxton was 2nd a year ago and 3rd in 2020 - he has the ability to beat anyone in the bracket and he should be in the finals waiting on the Sturgill/Desselle winner.
138
Favorite: Sammy Shires (Rossview)
Contenders:
Ethan Lipsey (Bradley Central)
Spencer Kon (Independence)
Mason Sells (Blackman)
Jake Dempsey (Dobyns Bennett)
Darkhorse: Charles Randall (Cleveland)
Best 1st round Matchup: Mason Sells vs. Dakota Pattee
What to Expect: Outstanding weight that is headlined by returning 3x State Placer Sammy Shires. Shires and 2021 State Placer Ethan Lipsey sit on opposite sides of the bracket after winning their sections. Spencer Kon joins Lipsey on the bottom, Dempsey joins Shires up top. Shires could have a tough road … getting the winner of Sells and Pattee and then perhaps 2021 State runner-up Charles Randall in the semis (although Randall will need to beat Vaughn and then Dempsey to even get to that point). Lipsey path isn’t significantly easier, but it is easier than the top side (partly due to the fact that he won the section that included both Sells and Randall).
145
Favorite: Riley Fort (Wilson Central)
Contenders:
Luke Belcher (Bradley Central)
Finley Jameson (Summit)
Max Norman (Dobyns Bennett)
Brock Wittman (Franklin)
Darkhorse: Coen Myers (Beech)
Best 1st round Matchup: Coen Myers vs. Brock Wittman
What to Expect: Fort is our favorite after taking the section title and having beaten Belcher earlier in the season. Belcher is the returning runner-up at 138 so you know he will be ready to make a run for the top step. Both Fort and Belcher will have to beat some hammers to even get to the finals. Belcher shares the top side with freshman hammer Max Norman of Dobyns Bennett and Fort shares the bottom with 2021 152 lb. State Placer Finley Jameson. Wittman vs. Myers is an excellent opening round match … it should be a rematch of Belcher and Fort, but don’t be surprised if we someone else in the finals.
152
Favorite: Cameron Cook (Collierville)
Contenders:
Tripp Miller (Science Hill)
James Strong (Cookeville)
Jacob Barlow (Coffee County)
Jacob Roaten (Arlington)
Darkhorse: Charles McTorry (Nolesville)
Best 1st round Matchup: Jacob Roaten vs. Cy Fowler
What to Expect: Wide open weight with Cameron Cook of Collierville as the only returning placer. Cook is the favorite, but this weight really could go a number of different directions. Miller, Strong, and Barlow each won their section and there are some very good wrestlers lurking in the quarters for each of these section champs. Roaten vs. Fowler is a exceptional first round matchup with the winner likely pulling Miller. This is a weight where a darkhorse, like Charles McTorry, could really surprise some people. Cook is the favorite, but none of the contenders can afford to look ahead to potential matchups further down the bracket.
160
Favorite: Aidan Brenot (Clarksville)
Contenders:
Dylan Cockman (Arlington)
Michael Colligan (Maryville)
Lucas Szymborski (Cleveland)
Wade Brooks (Bradley Central)
Darkhorse: Aiden Miller (Collierville)
Best 1st round Matchup: Aiden Miller vs. Isaiah Fagg
What to Expect: Looks like Brenot vs. Cockman. Brenot is the returning 152 lb. Runner-up and Cockman is a 2x State Placer (including last year at their weight when he finished 3rd). Returning medalist Brady Jarvis sits in a dangerous spot for Cockman in a potential quarterfinal. Both Brenot and Cockman have been impressive all season - so we expect they will both make the finals, but don’t be surprised to see someone else punch through. Section Champs Michael Colligan and Lucas Szymborski have proven themselves to be tough to beat.
170
Favorite: Anthony Pyron (Mt Juliet)
Contenders:
Zander Ward (Morristown West)
Jax Ernest (Cleveland)
Luke Krepela (Arlington)
Wyatt Gibbs (Brentwood)
Darkhorse: Knox Watson (Bradley Central)
Best 1st round Matchup: John Campbell vs. Henry Tate
What to Expect: Anthony Pyron, like Cameron Cook at 152, is the only returning placer in the bracket. Pyron was 3rd a year ago at this weight and has had a tremendous season thus far - including winning Section 3 last weekend. Zander Ward, Jax Ernest, and Luke Krepela also enter having won their section last weekend. Pyron shares the top side with a tough Luke Krepela who claimed the Section 4 title over Brentwood’s Wyatt Gibbs. The bottom side features Gibbs, as well as Section Champs Jax Ernest and Zander Ward. On paper this looks like Pyron’s weight - he already has wins over Ernest and others - but titles aren’t won on paper.
182
Favorite: Zachary Duessler (Rossview)
Contenders:
Jashua Chew (Blackman)
Austin Cooley (McMinn County)
Jose Fernandez (Arlington)
James Robinson (Jefferson County)
Luke Justice (Summit)
Darkhorse: Sawyer Robinson (Franklin)
Best 1st round Matchup: Hayden Sinner vs. Jashua Chew
What to Expect: Very good weight class that is headlined by Zachary Duessler of Rossview. Duessler is the highest returning placer - taking 4th at this weight a year ago. He does draw a very good Luke Justice, also a returning placer, in his quarter after Justice finished 2nd to Jose Fernandez of Arlington. McMinn County’s Austin Cooley also shares the top side after taking 2nd to Blackman’s Jashua Chew last weekend. The reward for Chew winning last weekend? An opening round match against returning State Placer Hayden Sinner … who was 4th in Section 4. Duessler is the favorite, but don’t be surprised to see a number of different wrestlers make a run at the top step.
195
Favorite: Tetoe Boyd (Cleveland)
Contenders:
Connor Milhorn (Siegel)
Zach Sinner (Nolesville)
Devon Medina (Science Hill)
Jace Powell (Clarksville)
Darkhorse: Hayven Jenkins (Oakland)
Best 1st round Matchup: Hayven Jenkins vs. Ruben Avalos
What to Expect: Cleveland’s Tetoe Biyd has been superb this season and is the returning 182 lb. State Champ. Boyd is unbeaten and has wrestled against some top competition … beating Sinner, Duessler, as well as North Carolina’s Colby Mace and others. He is the heavy favorite coming in. Milhorn is also a returning placer and sits on the bottom side after losing to Boyd in the Section 2 finals last weekend. The bottom quarter with Milhorn and Sinner is tough … Sinner pinned Milhorn earlier this year so it will be interesting to see how that rematch (assuming both make the quarters) plays out. Medina and Powell are the other two region champs and Hayven Jenkins of Oakland is another to keep an eye on.
220
Favorite: Noah Todd (Wilson Central)
Contenders:
Hayden McDonald (Maryville)
Timothy Bosby (Cordova)
Brady Owen (Rockvale)
Hassan Mizoury (John Overton)
Darkhorse: Theron Gaines (Oakland)
Best 1st round Matchup: Hassan Mizoury vs. Theron Gaines
What to Expect: Noah Todd is the returning State Runner-up and after another stellar season has to be the favorite entering the weight. 2x State Placer Nathan Montpool comes in as the #4 out of Section 4 and draws Section 1 Champ Hayden McDonald right off the scale. That’s a tough opening match for anyone. The 220’s have several opening round matches that should be outstanding in addition to McDonald vs. Montpool - keep an eye on Mizoury vs. Gaines (who share that quarter) as well as Green vs. Crowder and Barrett vs. Workman. Section 4 Champ Timothy Bosby shares the bottom side of the bracket and has to be considered a threat to make a run to the finals. Section 3 Champ Brady Owen of Rockvale shares the top side with Todd. Todd has demonstrated he is amongst the best big men in Tennessee - he has a chance to state that emphatically this weekend by taking the 220 title.
285
Favorite: Ashton Davis (Cleveland)
Contenders:
Samuel Harness (Cookeville)
Keimel Redford (Science Hill)
Ryan Smith (Summit)
Elis Gardner (Smyrna)
Darkhorse: Austin McClure (Bradley Central)
Best 1st round Matchup: Adrian Gumm vs. Tanner Hansen
What to Expect: Really good weight that is headlined by Cornell signee and 2x State Champ Ashton Davis of Cleveland. Davis is on another level than most 285’s in the state and it will take a herculean effort from one of the contenders to stop him from claiming his 3rd title. Sam Harness and Keimel Redford are the Section Champs on the bottom side … a potential Redford vs. McClure quarter is outstanding. Ryan Smith draws Davis on the top side of the bracket.