by: Kenzie Hagood
Posted: Dec 14, 2024
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WJHL) – The first Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association (TMSAA) Girls Wrestling State Championship was held in Cleveland on Saturday. 41 schools from across the state competed in the tournament, including four teams from the Tri-Cities.
Wrestlers from Liberty Bell, Church Hill, John Sevier and Sullivan East all sent competitors to the mat.
Church Hill’s Brooklynn Templeton claimed a state championship via pin in the 180lb class. Teammate Abby Ragle finished third in the 155lb class, while Madison Christian went 1-2 for the day.
Ragle and Templeton went into the tournament already seeded after both girls earned first-place finishes last weekend in the TMSAA Section 1 tournament.
Jeron Waye, head coach of the Church Hill Middle School Girls’ Wrestling team, said the three girls worked hard to reach Cleveland.
“I’m very proud of the team,” Waye said. “I am also very proud of the girls; I feel honored to be the head coach for the first year in Church Hill’s history for girl’s wrestling and to especially come out with such a big win and third place.”
As a team, Church Hill placed ninth with 37 total points.
Liberty Bell secured eighth place in the team competition with a score of 39.5. Jade Hill finished third in the 100lb class, while Elin Mattison (107lb), and Mia Snyder (84lb) finished third and fourth, respectively.
John Sevier’s Evelyn Norman earned a second-place finish in the 114lb class.
Sullivan East’s Pyper Cosby finished fourth in the 128lb class.
Photo courtesy of Parker Estes
