Pigeon Forge wrestling poses with its 2020 region championship. (Photo: PFHS Wrestling on Twitter).
Two weeks after winning their third Class A/AA dual state championship in four years, the Pigeon Forge boys’ wrestling team put the proper punctuation on their 2019-20 season.
The Tigers took the traditional Class A/AA state championship on Saturday, Feb. 22, with 224 points. Runner-up Fairview was 80.5 points behind.
Garrett Foreman was named most outstanding wrestler in Class A/AA. The Pigeon Forge sophomore was the 138-pound champion, defeating Riley Bennett of Fairview, 56-4 (Fall 4:38).
DIVISION I A-AA – BEST MATCH
113 Championship – LeAndre Dabney (Greeneville) vs. Gregory Gomez (Martin Luther King)DIVISION I A-AA – OUTSTANDING WRESTLER
138 pound champion from Pigeon Forge, Garrett Foreman— TSSAA (@tssaa) February 23, 2020
Teammates Josh Parton (132) and Colby Dalon (152) won individual titles in their respective weight classes. Also placing fourth or better from Pigeon Forge were: Hunter Gentry (106, fourth), Andy Cable (113, third), Caleb Gumlick (120, third), Noah Dyer (126, fourth), Joseph Skidmore (182, runner-up), Caleb Wolfe (195, runner-up) and Ethan Sutton (220, third).
State-power Greeneville finished third in Class A/AA. Three of its wrestlers won individual titles, including: Hunter Mason (126), Kodiak Cannedy (145) and LeAndre Dabney Jr. (113) — the latter of which was named in the best A/AA match on Championship Saturday for his win over MLK’s Gregory Gomez.
Also placing fourth or better for Greeneville were Hunter Johnson (132, third) and Cameron Hensley (220, fourth).
The Alcoa Tornadoes showed well in Class A/AA, too.
Freshman Lance Williams won the 285-pound weight class, defeating Gibbs senior Garrison Albino, 32-7 (Dec. 1-0). Ryan Wimbley of Alcoa finished runner-up in 152. Others from Alcoa placing fourth or better were: Anthony Jones (160, fourth), William Carter (170, fourth) and Kambell Brown (195, third).
Lance Williams TSSAA State Champion 🌪 pic.twitter.com/VXTrSkF9Ph
— alcoasports (@alcoasports) February 23, 2020
Marcus Smith (106, third) and Christian Moore (138, fourth) joined Albino as Gibbs Eagles who placed fourth or better in the meet.
In Class AAA, five area athletes placed fourth or better. Josh Pietarila of Hardin Valley finished second in the 170 weight class. Stone Cummins of Anderson County was third in 195. Brandon Elkins of Halls was second in 220, which also featured Ryver Shelton of Jefferson County in fourth place. Landon Fisher of Jefferson County took fourth in 138.
In girls wrestling, nine area wrestlers placed fourth or better. Keira Strevel of Heritage won her third consecutive individual title in the 112 class.
Also placing were: Anna Fisher (Alcoa, fourth, 103), Kaylee Hayes (Gibbs, fourth, 125), Jaelyn Patton (Stone Memorial, fourth, 132), Leann Worley (Jefferson County, third, 140), Brianna Thompson (Heritage, fourth, 160), Mazzy Wilson (Stone Memorial, third, 170), Korrine Abston (Stone Memorial, fourth, 190) and Taylor Davis (Heritage, third, 215).