FRANKLIN – The Greeneville wrestling team returned to the Class A State Duals Tournament on Saturday for the first time since 2022, and they scrapped a clawed their way to a fourth-place finish at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center.
“We came out here with two seniors, and a lot going on. We were missing our head coach, and it was tough day. We started by getting smacked around, but we turned this day around with a bunch of guys that wrestled hard. It wasn’t what we wanted at the end, but we placed at the state tournament. I’m really proud of where we finished up,” Greeneville assistant coach Jason Shelton said.
The Greene Devils started the by day taking a tough loss to the two-time defending state champs Soddy-Daisy, who did three-peat later in the day, but they were undeterred and picked up two hard-earned wins in the consolation bracket. After defeating Mongomery Central and Tullahoma Greeneville came up one match short of capturing the third-place trophy in the last dual of the night.
Greeneville was without head coach Randy Shelton on Saturday after a death in his family on Friday required him to stay in Greeneville. Middle school coach Jason Shelton and assistant coach Malik Harris led the squad instead.
Third-Place Match: Station Camp 41, Greeneville 34
Greeneville finished the night ever so close to claiming the third-place trophy on Saturday night, but Station Camp was able to clinch a 41-34 victory on the very last match of the night in Franklin.
“I think these guys are a little disappointed today, but I think after today they will realize we are a young team and this was a day of growth,” Shelton said. “The goal isn’t only to get back next year, but to do better. I think this will inspire them to work, and with hard work this might lead to a state championship next year.”
The Bison went in front early at 19-6 through five matches. Greeneville’s only points came from Brylan Rhodes (126) who built a 14-6 lead on Brodie Jaeckle before pinning him to the mat with 22 seconds left in the second period.
Things began to go Greeneville’s way when Hunter Shelton (150) grinded his way to a 16-7 major decision over Thomas York. Mack Hall (157) then picked up a much-needed pin of Memphis McCullough to close the team score gap to 19-16.
Things then turned in the favor of Station Camp again as the Bisons’ Lincoln Rich (165) and Alex Anez (190) earned pins and Treyson Pettis (175) beat James Treptow 9-0 in a major decision.
The Devils made the choice to bump Hayden Moore (215) and Hayden Matthews (285) up weight classes, and like they had done all day both turned in momentum shifting performances.
“Those guys had great days, and at the end of the day we bumped them up to give us a shot to win,” Shelton said. “They did exactly what we needed and because of that we had a chance to win it. They kept us in it. We had confidence that they could beat guys that were bigger and maybe stronger.”
Moore got into a knock-down-drag out battle with Jammer Alexander where after one period he found himself in a 9-5 hole. In the second period he put Alexander on the mat and quickly had him on his back for a pin in 2:49.
Matthews, who bumped to heavyweight, was at a noticeable size disadvantage to Derian Dotson, but he clearly held the skill advantage. Matthews built a 14-3 lead before pinning Dotson.
With just two matches left Greeneville was within striking distance, trailing 35-28. Christian Tomas-Padilla (106) picked up a first period pin of Alejandro Espinales to close the gap to 35-34.
The Bison clinched the third-place trophy when Nate Graham (113) pinned Carson Hurst.
“Getting back here this week was the first step in winning a state championship,” Shelton said. “If we come back next year we will come in seeded. We were probably two matches away from a state championship, and we just set that as the goal for next year.”
Greeneville 40, Tullahoma 40
In the consolation bracket semifinals the Greeneville traded blows with Tullahoma the whole way and when the 14th and final match was complete the score was tied 40-40.
The match was decided by the ninth tie-breaking criteria and came down to first points earned in match. Greeneville having more first take downs, held that advantage at 24-16 and earned the win.
“It was great to see so many guys step up today. In every match today somebody stepped up and got us some needed points. That is what is great about duals wrestling, somebody has to rise to the occasion, and we had guys do it,” Shelton said.
Reflective of a remarkable season it was Greeneville’s 42nd dual win of the year, further extending their program record that was previously set in 2017 at 35. It was also just Tullahoma’s third dual loss of the season after they came into the state tournament with a 31-1 mark.
Like in the third-place bout Greeneville found itself in an early hole, trailing 22-6 through five matches. The only bright spot was a pin by Rhodes (125).
Cameron Sneed (144) came out of the gate aggressive and quickly pinned Tullahoma’s Neyland Dalton. Next Greeneville’s Shelton (150) dominated Noah Gerad on his way to a 19-4 technical fall.
Greeneville kept rolling with a Gideon Ellenburg (165) earning a 21-1 tech fall, before Treptow (175), Moore (190) and Matthews (215) all earned pins. That put the Greene Devils on top 40-28 with two matches left.
Tullahoma had to get pins in the final two matches to have a chance, and it got them from Elijah Horton (285) and Chandler Minor (106), but the Devils prevailed on the tiebreaker.
Greeneville 36, Montgomery Central 34
In its second match of the day Greeneville picked up its first win at the state duals since 2022 by taking down Montgomery Central 36-34.
In the early going the Greene Devils got a 16-8 major decision from Gabriel Oakley (120) and a 17-1 technical fall from Rhodes (125). Still the Devils were in a 20-9, team-score hole.
Sneed (144) and Hall (157) each earned pins for Greeneville. Ellenburg (165) won by decision, 8-3, but the Devils found themselves down 28-24.
Moore (190) gave Greeneville the lead with a tough pin of Sylas McGowen in 1:18. Matthews then clinched the win by pinning Knox Grimes in the second period.
Soddy Daisy 42, Greeneville 33
Ice storms across the mid-state prevented a handful of sectionals from being completed until Friday, and because of that the state tournament brackets were not released until Friday evening, just hours before the state tournament began Saturday morning.
With late notice Greeneville received bad news that its state tournament would begin with back-to-back state champion Soddy-Daisy. The Trojans were too much for Greeneville and started the day with a 42-33 win.
“We knew it was a difficult matchup, but we also knew that if we faced them we wanted to see them first when we were at our best,” Shelton said. “I hoped we would come out a little bit better. But after that match we wrestled like we are capable of.”
Greeneville’s Rhodes (125) pinned Brody Castolin as part of his 4-0 day. Shelton (150) earned a 9-5 decision over Collin Bull.
Soddy Daisy built a 42-9 lead to clinch the dual and forfeited the final four matches.
The season is not over the for the Greene Devils, but now things shift from a team to sport to an individual sport. Greeneville will host the Region 1-A regionals next week as they look to bring as many guys as they can back to the individual state tournament on February 20.
