The Archer wrestling team has a goal of winning five tournaments in five states this season, culminating with the Georgia AAAAAA state championship in February.
Saturday night, they made it three straight in out of state events by claiming the first place plaque at the 32nd annual McCallie Invitational Wrestling Tournament.
“We have won in South Carolina (42-team Southern Slam, Greenville ) and Florida (Osceola Duals) and now Tennessee (McCallie),” said Archer coach Tom Beuglas who led Parkview to the McCallie title in 2006.
“We head to Illinois (Granite City Invite) next weekend to see if we can go four for four in December.”
Archer’s four champions were Chris Diaz (132), Thomas Bullard (145), 2012 state champ Ernest Alexander (195) and M.J. Couzan (285).
The Tigers had 254 points, followed by runner-up Cleveland (218.5) with three champions and third place Soddy Daisy (179.5) with one champ in the19-team field.
“I am pleased with our performance, we wrestled well for two days and had three champions,” said Cleveland coach Jake Yost who won this tournament three times at Soddy Daisy under then head coach Steve Henry.
Finishing Strong: Coach Yost pointed out that Cleveland closed out the tournament on a high note, winning eight of nine medal matches ... The Blue Raiders had three champions, two taking third place medals and three in fifth place, plus one second.
Best Match: 126 – No.1 Brock Ervin (Union County) dec. Jake Adcock (Carrollton), 12-8 in overtime … Ervin took Adcock to his back for a 4-point move in the extra period.
Outstanding Wrestler: Sophomore Taylor Lujan (Carrollton) was the Outstanding Wrestler … The top-seeded Lujan opened with two falls on Friday, followed by major decisions in the semifinals and finals, including a 17-4 triumph in the finals against Baylor’s Bryson Popp … Lujan is 15-1 this season and was 59-0 and state champ in AAAA in 2012 … he traveled to The Ukraine as an eighth grader with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and placed third in an age-division tournament.
Retired, But Still Mat Side … a trio of Chattanooga area retired coaches were seen sitting mat side coaching throughout the tournament; Steve Henry (Soddy Daisy), Eric Phillips (Cleveland) and Schaack Van Deusen (Baylor)
Last Second Win … In the 120-pound championship final, Cleveland state champ Austin Stevison used a reverse followed by a 2-point near fall at the buzzer to defeat top seed Jacob Stevens (Soddy Daisy), 5-3. Stevens led 3-0 late in the third period, but gave up a point as he was hit for his second warning for stalling to make it 3-1 … Stevison then reversed and scored the 2-point near fall to win … Stevens had beaten Stevison, 8-4, in the dual meet earlier this month.
Brothers Medal … The Bullards from Archer placed first (Thomas, 145), second (Daniel, 138) and fourth Sam, 120) … Sam is a sophomore and Thomas and Daniel are twin freshmen.
Top Seeds Win: Eleven No.1 seeds won their weight class, while a pair of No.3 seeds were on the top of the medal stand along with a No.2 seed.
Jamey Smith Tribute: Former McCallie wrestler and longtime administrator and assistant coach for the Tornado Wrestling Club was honored before the Friday night quarterfinals … Smith has decided to step down from his duties with the TWC after 17 years of working with TWC head coach Will Gilbert… he has had two sons wrestle at McCallie and was a member of the 1976 McCallie state championship team.
Good Report Card: Five-time Tennessee state champion T.J. Duncan (McCallie) was at the Saturday finals after earning a 4.0 grade point average this semester at Shorter College (Ga.).
Kudos:The McCallie booster club provided excellent food in the hospitality room for coaches and officials, while tournament director Tom Herring and former director Luther Killian kept the results updated in a timely fashion on trackwrestling.com.
2012 McCallie Invitational Finals
106 1st – (1) Michael Murphy (Baylor) def. (2) Vinny Artigues (Archer), 4-1
3rd - Addison Cornell (McCallie) def. (3) Alex Roberts (Hillcrest), 5-3
5th - Brian Johnson (Carrollton) def. Bryce Sheffer (Union County), 5-3
113 1st - (1) Chris DeBien (Cleve) def. (2) Caleb Mariakas (LaF), 6-2
3rd - (2) James Westbrooks (McCallie) def. (4) DaQuan Olbert (Archer), 7-3
5th - Robbie Dezember (Union County) pinned Trae Green (Alex), 3:42
120 1st - (3) Austin Stevison (Cleve) def. (1) Jacob Stevens (SD), 5-3
3rd - (2) Trae Blackwell (Union County) major dec. Sam Bullard (Archer), 12-2
5th - (4) Alex Elsea (McC) pinned Cameron Westerman (Hillgrovr), 1:21
126 - 1st (1)Brock Ervin (Union County) def. (2) Jake Adcock (Carrollton), 12-8 OT
3rd - (4) Tucker Russo (SD) dec. Andrew Webb (Parkview), 9-2
5th - Austin Frye (Heritage) def. Jeremy Higgin (Hillcrest), 7-5
132 - 1st (2) Chris Diaz (Archer) def. (1) Brandon Brunner (Bay), 4-2
3rd - (2) Adam Connell (McCallie) def. Sam Lemons (LaF), 7-2
5th - (4) Ezra Taylor (Cleve) def. Lee Deckelman (SD), 3-0
138 1st - (1) Jayce Carr (Union County) dec. (2) Daniel Bullard (Archer), 3-2
3rd -Brock Jacobson (Thomas A. Edison) dec. Britton Gilbert (LaF), 4-0
5th - Griffin Davis (McCallie) dec. Jacob Stanko (Hillgrove), 4-1
145 1st - (3) Thomas Bullard (Archer) pinned (1) Logan Richmond (SD), 3:18
3rd - (2) Blake Southerland (Baylor) dec. Alex Reynolds (NWW), 4-0
5th - Ed Lindsey (Parkview) dec. Luke Hamilton (Brentwood), 14-12, OT
152 1st (1) Turbo Smith (SD) dec. Turner Martin (Carroll), 9-4
3rd - Josh Hamilton (Cleve) dec. Cody Dickerson (Alex), 3-2
5th - Chad Gahafer (Union County) major dec. Zach Wright (Archer), 10-2
160 - 1st (1)Taylor Lujan (Carroll) major dec. (3) Bryson Popp (Baylor), 17-4
3rd - (2) Aaron Lopez (Cleve) pinned (4) Khali Shakur (Parkview), 2:02
5t-h - Orlando Nawade (Archer) major dec. Dmitry Searle (Brentwood), 14-4
170 1st - (1) Deandre Sims (Alex) dec. (2) Ellison Sanders (Hillcrest), 8-6 OT
3rd - Ryan Parker (Baylor) pinned Robby Kwarteng (Archer), 2:14
5th - Garrett Alexander (SD) dec. Dan Harris (Carroll), 1-0
182 1st - (1) Ethan West (Cleve) dec. (2) Blaike Henry (SD), 6-4
3rd - (4) Travis Joyce (Carrollton) def. Nathan Hoodenpyle (McCallie), 5-1
5th - (3) Michael Moore (Heritage) dec. Terrell Cliff (Brentwood), 1-0
195 1st - (1) Ernest Alexander (Archer) dec. (2) Harrison Schmid (Parkview), 8-3
3rd - (3) Landon Sayegh (Hillcrest) dec. (4) Murphy Hagen (Carrollton), 7-3
5th - Oleg Stukanov (Cleve) dec. Christia Dean (SD), 6-4
220 1st - (1) Casey Cook (McCallie) major dec. (3) Mark Randolph (Brentwood), 16-2
3rd - Barron Taylor (LaF) dec. William Brown(Alex), 5-2
5th - (4) John Gaither (Cleve) dec. Justin Locke (Heritage), 6-1
285 1st - (1) MJ Couzan (Archer) dec. (2) Koran Kennedy (Cleve), 1-0
3rd - (3) Maverick Way (Alex) dec. Raynel Brown (Union County), 5-1
5th - Sam Wells (Sonoraville) pinned Cole Glommen (Carroll), :33
32nd Annual McCallie Invitational
Final Team Standings
1. Archer ... 254
2. Cleveland ... 218.5
3. Soddy Daisy ... 179.5
4. Union County (Ky.) ... 151.5
5. Carrollton (Ga.) ... 145.5
6. Baylor ... 139.5
7. McCallie ... 138
8. Alexander ...117
9. Hillcrest ... 109.5
10. Lafayette ... 96.5
11. Brentwood ... 71
12. Parkview ... 69.5
13. Sonoraville ... 49
14. Heritage ... 46
15. Northwest Whitfield ... 39
16. Hillgrove... 29.5
17. Ringgold ... 29
18. Thomas A. Edison ... 21
19. Knox Webb ... 11
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net