Matching the state’s top two teams, No. 1 Cleveland rolled with dominance to a 52-12 win over No. 2 Wilson Central at the Pat Welsh Tullahoma Day of Duals Saturday.
The nationally-ranked Blue Raiders received a major spark from the 170-220 weight class range.
Freshman Ashton Davis, who won the Pan American championship this past summer, started a streak of four straight pin falls. He was followed by Zach Brezna, Dylan Jones and Isaiah Perez with pins.
Jackson Bradford landed an upset over defending state champion Hunter Borders with an 8-6 decision in the 120-pound match.
Grant Lundy flashed his own strength at 145, beating No. 4 Cole Fort in a decision.
While losing by a minor decision to reigning state champion Michael Kramer, CHS senior Wilson Benefield wrestled up at 285, and held his own. Kramer pinned his way to a heavyweight state championship last year in AAA.
The Blue Raiders’ lone individual state champion from last year, Austin Sweeney, took a win over a third-ranked wrestler as well.
Arlo Laxton, Garrett Stevenson and Logan Whiteside all won by decisions for Cleveland, while Trae McDaniel’s hand was raised via forfeit.
The Blue Raiders also ran away with victories over Lawrence County (59-10) and Clarksville (61-12).
Whiteside beat a pair of ranked wrestlers from both schools, while Davis landed the fastest pin of the day for CHS in 12 seconds.
Cleveland will have a busy upcoming week with a Alumni Match at the Jones Wrestling Center Friday followed by the prestigious Al Miller Cleveland Duals Saturday.
The Blue Raiders have won their home tournament the past two seasons over some of the state’s top public and private schools. They pinned the Bears in the last match for a win in 2017 and ran away with the Cleveland Duals last year by beating McCallie.
CHS currently has nine state-ranked wrestlers, which includes two top-ranked matmen along with four No. 2’s, a pair of No. 3’s and one No. 4.
Rankings can be found on pin-tn.com
CLEVELAND MIDDLE WINS RAIDER RUMBLE
A dominant performance on the mats over the weekend displayed success at all levels for the Blue Raiders, as the middle school team asserted its power.
In a championship matchup of undefeated teams, Cleveland defeated Trion, Ga., 57-27.
Head coach Eric Mountain’s program also shellacked Northwest Whitfield, Ga., (89-0), Dade County, Ga. (84-3) and Johnson City’s Liberty Bell (65-15).
