FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The Bradley Bears have won more state duals titles than anyone and they added another one after going four years without being in the championship round.
It’s been a remarkable season for the Bears, who beat region-rival Soddy Daisy by a 52-21 margin for their latest state title.
Saturday night’s match was never really close as the Bears had a 43-12 lead after they had strung together seven wins in a row at one point.
“We felt like if we all did our job and wrestled the way we’ve practiced all year that the chips would fall into place,” said Bradley coach Ben Smith, who celebrated his first state title after five years as the head man.
“I’m happy for the kids and everyone associated with this program. We’ve worked hard to get back to this point and this is a memory that will last forever. Hats off to Soddy Daisy as they wrestled tough, but we got the ball rolling and just kept it going.
“I was feeling really good while we warmed up and we knew that Soddy Daisy would have to get some big upsets to beat us. Now I can shake Steve Logsdon’s hand and look him in the eye, knowing that I’ve accomplished at least one thing that he did as Bradley’s coach,” Smith smiled.
Soddy Daisy coach Jim Higgins was just happy that his kids won three big matches to earn that spot in the finals.
“I feel good right now and nobody can bring me down. There’s nothing for us to hang our head about as we took it as far as we could. Right now there’s a large gap between first and second place, but tonight’s score was about par for the course.
“I’m proud of our effort and I’m not the least bit upset,” Higgins added.
As was the case during Friday’s opening rounds, Bradley and Soddy Daisy kept winning in Saturday’s semifinals. The Bears improved to 24-2 with a methodical 42-34 win over Science Hill while the Trojans had to dig a little deeper and work a little harder and longer before defeating Wilson Central by a 45-39 final in a battle that wasn’t decided until the final match.
“All I can say is we’re there,” said Soddy Daisy’s Higgins after his team had improved to 17-3 with its third straight win in this tournament.
“We had some tough breaks early, but we fought hard across the board. We knew it would be a tight match and it was, but we knew what they were going to do after they bumped guys in the first two matches.
“It seems like we’ve been the underdog all year long. That makes me a little bit mad, but it does a good job of motivating our kids and that’s all that counts,” Higgins added after the win over Wilson Central.
The Wildcats, who were runner-up to Cleveland last year and have finished second to the Blue Raiders in each of the last three seasons, won five of the first seven matches and were ahead 20-9 following an 8-1 decision by Nick King at 132.
Emory Holcomb then posted a technical fall at 138 and Connor Stiles made it 20-17 with a 6-5 verdict at 145.
Senior Hunter Rogers then turned the tide with a third-period pin at 152 to give the Trojans the lead for the first at 23-20.
It was a pivotal match as Rogers was trailing 5-2 when the match ended.
A decision for Damon Smith at 160 tied the score once more at 23 before each team received a forfeit.
Then with the outcome and the berth in the finals on the line, sophomore Ty Boeck bumped up a weight class and pinned Daniel Hills in the second period to seal the deal for the Trojans.
Bradley’s match with the Hilltoppers wasn’t nearly as interesting or close.
Hunter Bagley posted a 13-1 major decision in the first match at 220 to give Science Hill a 4-0 lead, but Bradley came storming back to win the next eight for a 42-4 lead after Austin Matthews’ pin at 145.
Then for the third straight match in this tournament, the Bears forfeited the final five weights after the match had been decided.
“This is nothing personal against Science Hill or anyone associated with their program, but it’s all about surviving and advancing,” Bradley coach Ben Smith said when asked about all the forfeits at the end.
“It’s a good spot for us to be in when we have that luxury, but we’re still working toward that ultimate goal of winning a state title. We reversed a match at 126 from one we had lost earlier, but other than that, we did about what I was expecting,” he said after improving to 24-2.
CLASS AAA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
BRADLEY 52, SODDY DAISY 21
(Match began at 285 Pounds)
106 – Landon Wheaton (SD) pinned Bryson Bishop, 1:17;
113 – D. J. Hicks (Brad) pinned Chase Payne, 2:32;
120 – Ryan McElhaney (Brad) pinned Jacob Kilgore, :30;
126 – Joshua LaCoe (Brad) major dec. Slater Daniel, 9-1;
132 – Hunter Parker (Brad) dec. Tony Wilson, 10-8;
138 – Knox Fuller (Brad) won by forfeit;
145 – Andre Gatlin (SD) pinned Austin Matthews, 2:32;
152 – Donnie Beyer (Brad) pinned Connor Stiles, :30;
160 – Caleb Adkins (Brad) pinned Brent Settles, 2:32;
170 – Tucker Russo (SD) pinned Henley Headrick, 2:51;
182 – Ed Elkins (Brad) dec. Ty Boeck, 9-5;
195 – Brett Brown (Brad) pinned Dylan Ashlinger, 3:17;
220 – Dakota Ables (SD) dec. D.J. Gibson, 3-2;
285 – D. J. Adams (Brad) pinned Trace McNew, 3:20.
BRADLEY 42, SCIENCE HILL 34
(Match began at 220 Pounds)
106 – Bryson Bishop (Brad) major dec. Garrett Stiltner, 14-3;
113 – D.J. Hicks (Brad) pinned Dorian Butler, 1:22;
120 – Ryan McElhaney (Brad) won by technical fall over Cooper Williams, 3:55;
126 – Joshua LaCoe (Brad) dec. Luke Story, 6-0;
132 – Hunter Parker (Brad) pinned William Pridemore, 3:46;
138 – Knox Fuller (Brad) pinned William Diehl, 1:12;
145 – Austin Matthews (Brad) pinned Joseph Morrell, 5:08;
152 – Arthur Jones (SH) won by forfeit;
160 – Alexander Hise (SH) won by forfeit;
170 – Denzel Medina (SH) won by forfeit;
182 – Weston Brown (SH) won by forfeit;
195 – Alden Bailey (SH) won by forfeit;
220 – Hunter Bagley (SH) major dec. D.J. Gibson, 13-1;
285 – D.J. Adams (Brad) pinned Austin Taylor, :21.
SODDY DAISY 35, WILSON CENTRAL 29
(Match started at 220 Pounds)
106 – Landon Wheaton (SD) pinned Gage Backus, :44;
113 – Alex Pergande (WC) dec. Chase Payne, 7-3;
120 – Simon Pergande (WC) major dec. Jacob Kilgore, 9-1;
126 – Slater Daniels (SD) dec. Cullen Belcher, 7-4;
132 – Nick King (WC) dec. Tony Wilson, 8-1;
138 – Emory Holcomb (SD) won by technical fall over Caleb Berta, 6:00;
145 – Connor Stiles (SD) dec. Sinjin Noga, 6-5;
152 – Hunter Rogers (SD) pinned Niko Noga, 5:33;
160 – Damon Smith (WC) dec. Brent Settles, 12-7;
170 – Tucker Russo (SD) won by forfeit;
182 – Zach Linton (WC) won by forfeit;
195 – Ty Boeck (SD) pinned Daniel Hills, 2:42.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)