Halls High School wrestling won the 2023 Class A traditional TSSAA state championship on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Picture: Halls Wrestling/Twitter).
BY JESSE SMITHEY
An already historic season for the Halls High School wrestling program got even better on Saturday in Franklin, Tenn.
The Red Devils added a traditional TSSAA Class A team championship to the state duals title it won in early February, posting 151.5 total points in the state meet, Feb. 23-25, at the Williamson County Ag Exposition Arena in Franklin, Tenn.
Those 151.5 points the Red Devils amassed edged Signal Mountain’s 136 total and Pigeon Forge’s 124. Greeneville was fourth at 121.5. Gibbs finished seventh.
All told, eighth wrestlers from Halls finished sixth place or better in their respective weight classes.
This traditional state title is the program’s first, as was the state duals Halls won on Feb. 4.
Leading the way for Halls coach Shannon Sayne, a former Red Devils great, was sophomore Harlen Hunley. At the state duals, Hunley wrestled in the 145 weight class and got the championship-clinching points with a pin in the final match.
But in the traditional tournament this week, Hunley did his work in the 138 bracket. He won that with a fall at the 1:49 mark to claim the Class A 138 individual championship. Hunley was 35-1 this season.
Halls senior Sam Hutchison was runner-up in the 132 class to Signal Mountain’s standout Caleb Uhorchuk (55-3).
Halls junior Briar Whaley (160) claimed third-place in his class.
ALSO in CLASS A
Greeneville had four wrestlers win individual titles.
Seniors Hunter Mason (145), Carson Dupill (120) and Morgan Lowery (195) all won gold in their respective weight classes. Dupill won his by major decision (12-4). Lowery topped junior Aidan Howard of Pigeon Forge in his finale.
Greeneville sophomore Carson Dupill won the 120 weight class with a 16-5 major decision.
Pigeon Forge had four wrestlers reach championship matches. Tigers senior Caleb Wolfe (44-1 on the season) won the 285-pound championship in Class A.
Howard (195), Andy Cable (senior, 126), and Aiden Littles (senior, 170) all finished as state runners-up.
Seymour freshman Samuel Comes (49-1) won the 106 weight class.
In Class AA
The Maryville Rebels was the 5Star Preps area’s best team finisher, as they claimed seventh. Cleveland won, per normal, with 190 points. Maryville had 76.
Maryville senior Hayden McDonald, who was 52-1 on the season, won the Class AA 285-pound division with a 5-4 ultimate tiebreaker win over Keimel Redford, a senior from Science Hill.
Other notable Maryville finishes include: Thomas Stadel (195, third place), Michael Colligan (170, fourth place) and Peyton Cooper (220, fourth place)
Girls Wrestling
While Cleveland also took the girls team wrestling title based on total points, the 5Star Preps area had plenty of top finishers in the girls’ wrestling division.
Ella Murphey of Hardin Valley completed her undefeated season (18-0). The junior defeated Madelin Zunin of Cleveland to win the 185 class.
Haley Redmond, a sophomore at Gibbs, finished runner up in 132, as injury brought an end to her match at 4:49.
Aliya Whaley, a sophomore at Maryville, was runner-up in 165 to undefeated Cleveland wrestler Piper Fowler.
Jenna Baines (Greeneville, 107), Trinity Roberts (Heritage, 145), Kiera Blevins (Bearden, 152) and Trinity Lynn (Gibbs, 185) each finished third place in their respective classes.
Alcoa junior Emma Young took fourth place in 235.