The Blackman Wrestling team finished an all-time best fourth place this past weekend at the Bradley Invitational in Cleveland, TN. The Bradley tournament is known for being one of the toughest individual tournaments in the state to win. Like last year, the tournament fielded teams from Alabama, Georgia, & Tennessee and many ranked kids were ready to see who would be on top of the podium on Saturday night.
Similar to last year, Georgia brought the horsepower once again. Georgia teams took three of the top 5 spots. Commerce High School won the tournament with 198 points. Bradley (TN) took second with 187 and Alexander (GA) took third with 174.5 points. The Blaze ended up in fourth with 137 and Mountain View (GA) rounded out the top 5 with 134 points.
The tournament started on Friday afternoon and the Blackman grapplers gave a solid and championship caliber effort! Blackman ended up with six wrestlers in the semi-finals and several fighting back for position in the consolation rounds. That effort put the Blaze in 1st place at the end of day one. (First Time Ever) Blackman ended the day on cloud nine with 107 points and leading host Bradley Central (99) by 8 points.
The Blaze could only bask in the glory for so long however. As someone once said, “The Wrestling Gods giveth and the Wrestling Gods taketh away”. On the second day of the tournament, the Blaze couldn’t get anything going and lost three matches in a row in the consolation rounds. The semi-finals matches were cursed as well and Blackman just couldn’t get anything to fall their way. The Blaze were edged out in five of six semi-final match-ups. Freshman Jeremiah Savage (120) lost an overtime bout to Southside Gadsden (AL), Junior Daniel Bradford (138) lost a very close 4-5 decision to Bearden’s State medalist Kyle Burns. At 152, Jalen Brown lost a 3-1 heart-breaker to 3rd place State Medalist Steven Weist. At 160, Sophomore Brooks Sacharczyk lost in overtime to Mt. Juliet’s Dylan Quinn. Jamil Hughes lost the heavyweight matchup with GA state Champ Cade Ridley from Commerce(GA). The only Blackman Wrestler to win was Junior 170 pounder Landon Fowler who cruised to a six point decision over state runner-up Max Grayson from Bearden.
Getting beat at the Bradley tournament is not good. The consolation bracket is filled with hungry competitors who have nothing to lose so winning your way back to third is extremely difficult. At the end of the day, Blackman settled for 6 medalists. Landown Fowler ended up in 2nd place after losing his only match in the finals to two-time Alabama state champ Chase Forrester. Fowler was mounting an impressive charge late in the third period and seemed to have Forrester worn down but time ran out. At 152, Jalen Brown battled back all the way to a 3rd place finish with a second victory over TN state medalist Josh Teaster. Brooks Sacharczyk finished 4th, Jamil Hughes finished 5th, Daniel Bradford and Jeremiah Savage finished 6th.
Pictures from the Bradley tournament will be uploaded soon.
FINAL TEAM SCORES: 1. Commerce 198; 2. Bradley 187; 3. Alexander 174.5; 4. Blackman 137; 5. Mountain View 134; 6. Gilmer County and Heritage tied with 128; 8. Knoxville Halls 99.5; 9. East Hamilton 96; 10. Bearden 80; 11. North Gwinnett 79; 12. Etowah 78.5; 13. Mt. Juliet 77; 14. Greeneville and Oakland tied with 74; 16. Jefferson Co. 70; 17. Hixson 65.5; 18. Huntsville 64.5; 19. Gadsden Southside 61; 20. Athens 59.5; 21. Smyrna 50.5; 22. Signal Mountain 48.5; 23. Stewarts Creek 33.5; 24. Siegel 33; 25. Hardin Valley 30; 26. Ooltewah 19.5; 27. Greenback 19; 28. Central 18; 29. Union Co. 16; 30. Sevier Co. 14; 31. St. George’s 0.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
106 – Elijah Vance (East Hamilton) major dec. Josh Wallin (Greeneville), 16-7;
113 – Daniel Uhorchuk (Signal Mtn.) dec. Wes Devaney (Bradley), 8-5;
120 – Daniel Mroz (Bradley) dec. Jacob Dease (Southside), 8-2;
126 – Vinny Ferrara (Alexander) won by technical fall over Seth Carpenter (East Hamilton), 3:40;
132 – Cameron Henderson (Smyrna) dec. Rex McDaniel (North Gwinnett), 10-3;
138 – Tucker Flint (Commerce) dec. Kyle Burns (Bearden), 1-0;
145 – Cade Meeks (East Hamilton) dec. Andy Robinson, 2-1;
152 – Little Nelson (Alexander) pinned Steven Weist (Mt. Juliet), 2:54;
160 – Dylan Quinn (Mt. Juliet) major dec. Chase Standridge (Mtn. View), 12-2;
170 – Chase Forrester (Commerce) dec. Landon Fowler (Blackman), 9-6;
182 – Ryan Crump (Gilmer Co) dec. Christian Salter (Siegel), 2-1 in overtime;
195 – Knox Allen (Commerce) pinned D.J. Gibson (Bradley), 2:15;
220 – Javier Salvador (Heritage) pinned Jaeger Clark (Huntsville), 5:38;
285 – Cade Ridley (Commerce) dec. Anthony Zilke (Gilmer Co.), 7-0.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR THIRD PLACE
106 – R.J. Aguirre (Mtn View) won by forfeit over David Jackson-Dodd (Alexander);
113 – Dawson Legg (Commerce) dec. Rick Shores (Mtn View), 3-2;
120 – Kenny Harless (Stewarts Creek) dec. Lucas Lopez (Gilmer Co.), 7-5;
126 – Samaj Burton (Oakland) dec. Charles Burton (Hixson), 5-4;
132 – Ian Morgan (Halls) dec. Chandler Cadman (Alexander), 3-2;
138 – Blake Smith (Etowah) dec. Zayd Anseri (Alexander), 3-2;
145 – Dawson Mathews (Alexander) pinned Seth Brown (Greeneville), 4:28;
152 – Jalen Brown (Blackman) dec. Joshua Teaster (Heritage), 3-1;
160 – Nick Patrick (Commerce) dec. Brooks Sacharczyk (Blackman), 2-1;
170 – Max Grayson (Bearden) major dec. Garrett Spikes (Mtn View), 13-5;
182 – Trent Knight (Greeneville) won by medical forfeit over Thomas Carter (Athens);
195 – Brent Buckman (Halls) dec. Alex Pham (Etowah), 7-2;
220 – Kevin Gentry (Bradley) dec. Harrison Spikes (Mtn View), 3-1 in overtime;
285 – Elijah Morrow (Huntsville) pinned Brandon Elkins (Halls), :53.
CONSOLATION FINALS FOR FIFTH PLACE
106 – Ethan Wilson (Bradley) dec. Diana Holmes (North Gwinnett), 9-6;
113 – Andrew Smith (Southside) major dec. Grayson Patterson (Gilmer Co), 13-2;
120 – Dalton Tyuan (Union Co) pinned Jeremiah Savage (Blackman), 2:49;
126 – Gaven Hughes (Bradley) won by forfeit over Tristian Kendall (Gilmer Co);
132 – Vili Bussey (Heritage) pinned Logan Fisher (Jefferson Co.), 3:33;
138 – Chase Brown (Halls) dec. Daniel Bradford (Blackman), 4-3;
145 – James Ahern (Heritage) pinned Kole Burchett (Commerce), 2:30;
152 – Seth Bradford (North Gwinnett) won by forfeit over Cole Williams (Huntsville);
160 – Josh Pietarila (Hardin Valley) won by forfeit over Ross McDaniel (North Gwinnett);
170 – Henley Headrick (Bradley) pinned Gabriel Santiago (Alexander), 2:14;
182 – Skyler Shuman (Etowah) pinned Luke Hennebaul (Mtn View), 2:43;
195 – Chris Humphreys (Mt. Juliet) major dec. Taylor Brogdon (Gilmer Co), 15-5;
220 – Branson Boone (Oakland) pinned Elijah Burns (Commerce), 2:19;
285 – Jamil Hughes (Blackman) pinned Devotis McCurdy (Hixson), 1:49.
