Krickett Jones (far right) won a TSSAA girls wrestling championship Feb. 22-24, 2024, in Franklin, Tenn. (Photo by Karns Athletics on X)
The trophy haul might not have been as golden as it was in 2023, but wrestlers from the 5Star Preps area still represented this month in the TSSAA State Championships.
And some even reached the top spot on the podium.
A year ago, Halls won both the state duals and traditional team championships in Class A.
This time, the Red Devils were in Class AA and claimed seventh in a deep field at the traditional wrestling tournament Feb. 22-24 in Franklin, Tenn. Three weeks prior, Halls (18-7) finished state runner-up in the duals, losing by just two points to state-power Cleveland.
The Pigeon Forge wrestling team owns a deep history of wrestling success and finished fourth in the Class A traditional meet after placing as a semifinalist in the duals on Feb. 3.
The Gibbs girls’ wrestling team placed fourth overall.
In Division II-A, the Lakeway Christian boys’ wrestling team won the state duals on Feb. 3 with a 42-30 point margin over Boyd-Buchanan. The Division II traditional wrestling state meet was held Feb. 16-17, and Lakeway took fifth overall in that.
INDIVIDUAL TITLE WINNERS
Seymour sophomore Samuel Comes (57-2) defeated Soddy-Daisy freshman Ayden Jenkins via major decision, 19-5, to win the Class A state championship in the 113 weight class.
Greeneville junior Carson Dupill (30-4) won the Class A championship (126 weight) with a 16-5 major decision over Harpeth senior Landon Turner. He won the 2023 championship in the 120 weight class.
Clinton sophomore Deameion Leavell (32-4) defeated Pigeon Forge junior Wyatt Howard in sudden victory period one, 3-1, to claim the Class A state championship in the 165 weight ranks.
Jay Eversole, a junior at Lakeway Christian, won the Division II championship in the 190-weight class with an 11-0 major decision victory over McCallie senior Ja’Von McMahan.
And two area female wrestlers won individual titles: Krickett Jones of Karns and Ella Murphey of Hardin Valley.
Jones (18-8), a senior at Karns, defeated Science Hill sophomore Sawyer Ward (42-2) with a fall (3:31) in the girls 152-pound weight class.
Murphey won her fourth state championship and went undefeated on the season (32-0), claiming the girls 185 championship with a fall (2:34) over Riverdale senior Carter Grissom.
STATE RUNNER-UP STANDOUTS
Cocke County senior Christopher Flockhart claimed second in Class A (285), falling with a 4-3 decision to Soddy-Daisy junior Jonathan Davis.
Harlen Hunley, a hero of Halls’ Class A championships in 2023, claimed second place individually in Class AA (150 weight). He finished 37-1 on the season.
Lakeway Christian senior Spencer Reep (35-4) took runner-up in Division II’s 132 weight class.
In girls wrestling, Knoxville Halls’ Sophia Satterfield (29-1, weight 132), Catholic freshman Delilah Queen (31-2, weight 138) and Catholic senior Rebecca Deyo (27-3, weight 165) took home the silver in their respective brackets.
MORE TOP FINISHERS
Pigeon Forge freshman Max Cable (Class A 144), sophomore Ayden Hood (Class A 150), and Jaden Jones (Class A 175) won third-place matches to help the team finish fourth overall.
Brock Connatser, a junior from Hardin Valley who amassed 58 wins this season, placed third in Class AA (113 weight), with a 7-0 decision over Blaise Masi of Summit.
Tyson Click of SESI in Blount County claimed third place in Class A (215).
Halls sophomore Barrett Whaley (38-2) posted a 3-2 decision in the Class AA 157 bracket to claim third place.
And Lakeway juniors Cole Gumlick (Division II, 126) and Brody Casto (Division II, 175) also snagged third-place victories for the Lions.
Gibbs had junior Ezra Finstad (Class A 126) and junior Brody Ford (Class A 132) each finish in fourth place. The Lady Eagles had Cora Finstad (freshman, girls 100) and Delaney Nichols (junior, girls 126) post wins in the third-place matches.
Heritage sophomore Trinity Roberts (40-1) took third in the girls 145 weight class via a 7-1 decision over Cleveland’s Adelyn Vanoy.
Heritage senior Riley Napier was fourth in the boys Class A 138 weight class.
Maryville senior Daniel Holcomb placed fourth in boys Class AA 132.