Payton Holzhei on her way to a fall vs Layla Tackett from Gibbs.

FRANKLIN, TN | January 2026

The 2026 TSSAA State Duals brought mixed results for Blackman wrestling programs over the weekend, with the Blaze missing the boys’ bracket this year while the Blackman girls earned their way into the state field and battled through three intense rounds before being eliminated in the consolation bracket.

The Blackman girls program continues to cement itself as one of the state’s rising powers, making its second-ever trip to the TSSAA Girls State Duals and delivering a gritty, competitive performance in Franklin on Saturday. The Lady Blaze battled through three tough duals, earning a decisive win in the consolation round and coming within two points of advancing further before forfeits proved costly against Bartlett.

Despite being short-handed in several weight classes, Blackman tied for 5th place in the state, racked up impressive individual victories and demonstrated the depth of its young core — a promising sign with the individual postseason now approaching. The tournament was ultimately won by Cleveland, who captured the girls’ state dual championship, but Blackman’s performance firmly established the Lady Blaze as a program continuing to trend upward.

ROUND-BY-ROUND RESULTS

Round 1: Bradley Central 38, Blackman 27

Blackman opened the tournament against a powerful Bradley Central squad. The Blaze won five matches, highlighted by:

Joy Younan (100) – Fall (3:54)
Marena Saleb (114) – Decision, 2–0
Ali Bryant (138) – Forfeit
Skye Hancock (145) – Forfeit
Jonna Patterson (185) – Forfeit

Although the Blaze wrestled well on the mat, Bradley capitalized on Blackman’s thin roster and used multiple forfeits to stretch the final margin.

Joy Younan works to Pin Lainey Domangue from Bradley

Consolation Round 1: Blackman 39, Gibbs 28

Blackman responded with one of its most complete duals of the year, storming past Gibbs with seven match victories — including five falls. This was Blackman Girls’ first dual meet win at the state duals.

Notable performances:

Joy Younan (100) – Fall (1:03)
Payton Holzhei (120) – Fall (5:09)
Marian Saleb (126) – Decision, 8–1
Brooklyn Shacklett (132) – Forfeit
Ali Bryant (138) – Fall (1:03)
Kinzley Johnson (165) – Forfeit
Jonna Patterson (185) – Fall (0:37)

The victory advanced the Blaze deeper into the consolation bracket.

Consolation Round 2: Bartlett 35, Blackman 33

In one of the most dramatic duals of the entire girls tournament, Blackman captured seven individual matches but ultimately fell short due to forfeits at 165 and 235. The Blaze dominated the contested bouts but couldn’t overcome the automatic points awarded to Bartlett.

Blackman winners included:

Joy Younan (107) – Fall (0:14)
Payton Holzhei (114) – Fall (1:38)
Marian Saleb (126) – Fall (5:04)
Brooklyn Shacklett (132) – 11–5 decision
Ali Bryant (138) – Fall (2:42)
Jonna Patterson (185) – Fall (3:39)

The narrow loss ended Blackman’s dual run, but the performance underscored the strength and poise of a roster that continues to grow into a state-level contender.

Jonna Patterson works to Control Paige McKendry from Bartlett on her way to a Pin.

Boys Division I AA: Cleveland Claims Title, Bradley Falls Short

Cleveland once again asserted its dominance over the Division I AA field, cruising to the state championship with a decisive win over Dobyns-Bennett in the finals.

Bradley Central opened the State Duals with a solid win over Clarksville but was quickly overwhelmed in the next round, dropping a lopsided match to Dobyns-Bennett in which the Bears won only one contested bout before being mathematically eliminated. In the consolation round Bradley faced Page — a team Blackman beat earlier in the season — and a similar pattern followed, with Page locking up the dual early and accepting forfeits late as Bradley’s tournament run came to an abrupt end without a chance to place.

LOOKING AHEAD: INDIVIDUAL STATE ON DECK

With the team competition complete, Blackman now shifts focus to the TSSAA Individual State Championships, where many of the wrestlers who contributed in Franklin will aim for deep postseason runs.

The girls, fresh off their second straight state dual appearance, will look to carry that momentum onto the individual mats, while the boys aim to regroup and capitalize on their standout performers as the bracketed competition begins. The next few weeks will determine who can turn the lessons from the dual season into podium finishes when it matters most.

Go BLAZE!!

Boys Division I AA — Full Dual Results Summary

Game 1: Cleveland 42, Kirkwood 36
Game 2: Knoxville Halls 48, Page 21
Game 3: Bradley Central 37, Clarksville 32
Game 4: Dobyns-Bennett 37, Nolensville 36
Game 5: Cleveland 60, Knoxville Halls 12
Game 6: Page 38, Kirkwood 37
Game 7: Dobyns-Bennett 41, Bradley Central 33
Game 8: Nolensville 65, Clarksville 6
Game 9: Page 54, Bradley Central 17
Game 10: Nolensville 48, Knoxville Halls 17
Game 11: Cleveland 53, Dobyns-Bennett 18 (Championship)
Game 12: Nolensville 48, Page 30 (Consolation Final)