Join in on this week’s TNUSAW Power Hour podcast as Chairman Mike Hatcher and National Champ Co-Host Kenya Sloan recap last weekend’s Division 1 State Tournaments and Tennessee’s National Prep results! This week’s show will feature Soddy Daisy Head Coach Ulric Winesburgh, Soddy Daisy State Champ Elijah Turner, 2X State Champ and Prep Nationals All-American from Christian Brothers Drake Bowers, 3X State Champ Rob Atwood and 4X State Champ Ella Murphy! Be sure to tune in for a great show!
All right here we go here we go Fe February 27th Edition welcome everyone it’s February 27th edition of the Tennessee USA Wrestling Power Hour podcast this is uh your host State chairman Mike Hatcher um this is my co-host um wow almost like world famous coach now here in Tennessee I thought
You about to yes very very very professional looking um in the finals last weekend and and one of the um I don’t know one of the big new names and young um women’s coaching here in Tennessee so about how’s that for intro Kenya there we go now we go so uh yeah
Welcome everyone thanks so much for joining in we got a great great great great show ahead of us um actually I’m gonna try really hard not to um keep yapping and chatting it up and all that type of stuff got a lot of good stuff
Today a lot good stuff we got we got a lot of good information very very proud of our state of Tennessee for last weekend not only on the state level but National level and we have Man four four really good oh let me see let me count
It one two three four five five guests so I don’t know well real quick Kenya you good I’m doing good you good you’re doing good yeah I’m doing good um and yesterday um according to someone yesterday was Kenya’s 24th birthday holy cow oh there you
Go we we if we if we you want us we can send you happy birthday Canya absolutely okay all right I guess we won’t we’ll we’ll table that one then for later um but happy birthday Kenya 24 that’s awesome wow that’s cool I mean somebody that announced that they should
Have just said it’s Kenya’s birthday because then we couldn’t have uh deducted who said it was 24th birthday happy Union’s Wedding by trusty notary oh that’s Britney and Junior oh okay Britney and Junior 24 is that right 24 yeah they have to out me out thank you
Junior I appreciate you um bringing to everyone’s attention that I’m twice Kenya’s age that’s cool real cool love it thank you Junior appreciate it no it’s awesome awesome so we’re so thankful and so blessed to have Kenya as a part of our show here and part of our
Organization and happy birthday to you thank you that was so without F further Ado let’s just let’s just get into it we we got too much it yeah yeah we we get CH chopping it up chatting away it’s just it’s it’s not good yeah so girls uh
Kind of a big tournament last weekend I don’t know yeah yeah probably maybe the biggest one in the state like all year well good what happen our um this is our pre or our post state tournament uh review and we have guests um based off their performance at the state tournament and
Other things so everything is twaa State review today so that’ll be super fun sir um on the girl side I’m gonna go ahead with the results so we can get our awesome guest on here and we don’t a power hour and a half podcast again there you go throw that in there
Yeah so we’ll just go over who all made it in the into the finals match for each weight class and then we’ll hear our Champions and I’ll I’ll review some team results at the end so starting out of whopping 100 pounds for the girls division um in the finals match we had
Uh Riley sergel who’s a freshman so this is the start of a grand journey to potentially do something that our guest today has also done you guys will see later when I plug that um so Riley Sturgill won in the finals match over Vivian she’s from B sorry Riley Sturgill
From Baylor won over Vivian Marcal from John Overton um in a five to zero decision um it was a pretty dominant exciting match that was fun to watch yeah but that’s you know I tell you what I was actually really curious interested in that one not to jump in on you but
Because I um so I ran a practice last week or was it last week last week um yeah before the state tournament um for you know just some Area Middle Tennessee kids and and um Vivian was in there she was in the practice and I tell you what she’s she’s
Tough I mean she’s yeah it was a good matchup yeah I mean she’s she’s she’s she’s she’s really tough she’s gonna do really well in college for sure she’s a worker I mean she’s I tell you what it was one of those things where and I know
How good Riley Riley is I’ve watched her wrestle multiple times me she’s she’s Riley’s a real deal but that just tells you like that that was not an easy out for Riley as a freshman wrestling you know Vian as a senior I mean that’s I
Mean and and for her to you know control the match pretty well like that that’s that was pretty impressive because I’m telling you Viv Vivian she’s tough man she’s good yeah it’s almost hard to watch a match up that way when both athletes you know clearly and obviously
Deserve to win I mean I guess that’s probably everybody class you know to the finals both of those kids probably are pretty well deserving and so it’s almost hard to choose sides when you’re watching but it makes for good entertainment and it was a good match to watch so
Absolutely uh so the girls 107 match we had Jaden Evans uh of York Institute she um is a junior and she beat pton agnell of T um in a third period uh fall that was another match that I mean man it could have gone either way any day of
The week so it was a good match I I’m not gonna make it a Hab it this is the last one I’m sorry but this was this was actually really cool too because um so I had a so I had Cody Cleveland in to do a president state camp okay yeah last week
Well the week of the state tournament and these girls from they were from York showed up and I was like oh okay wow I had no idea where York was um and then I ran into them at State and they’re like you know thank you very much for the
Camp you know we learned a lot all that type of stuff so I started asking them where they’re from it’s like literally in the middle of literally in the middle of nowhere so you know and she came up and after she won I was like hey that’s awesome
Congratulations I just figured she’d be wrestling for a while well then I’m looking up information on one of our guests tonight and I come across this Jaden Evans wins by pin five minutes over T’s pton agnell um not only a First State title um but the first wrestling
Championship for York Institute um her title came in her second year of wrestling this girl’s only been wrestling for two years yeah you know I met her mom this weekend and she told me that she she plays another combat sport maybe it was obviously yeah I mean dang that’s crazy
Yeah that is didn’t Advance she said did she didn’t qualify for State last year in 2023 and now comes back and and win the title yeah that’s amazing that’s awesome yeah sounds like we should make a movie about her yeah yeah maybe someday at least have the podcast that’s a close consolation right
Yeah you know movie podcast yeah you know World premier movie Tennessee USA Wrestling podcast it’s you know give an award yeah that would actually be a great guess but I I saw that I just kind of just stumbled across ac across that so I thought it was super super
Interesting that was cool all right that’s it I’m not I’m not jumping okay you’re good hey um so at the girls 114 bracket in the finals we had Melanie Val of St Andrew Swan um she was a senior and she won on decision 10 10 to two over Santa Grassman of
Cleveland uh at 120 we had Natalie Shane from Bradley Central um we had her coach on here a few weeks ago I think she was be the only girlfri from her team to qualify um she won she’s a senior she won over Lexi dean of West Creek in a 9
To6 decision w at 126 we had desna barefield from West Creek um she’s a junior she went over Abigail vanderhyden of seagull um in a first period fall uh the 132 bracket we had Haley Cox with mcgavic she’s a junior she won over Sophia saterfield of Knox Halls 6
To1 uh and 138 we had Mariana Bowen who took home her state championship over Delila Queen Mariana is a senior over Delila queen of Knox Catholic um and a fall at24 saw that one up close and personal I heard a little bit but it happened uh at 145 we had Audrey
Levenduski of Montgomery Central um she is a senior and she won her state championship over Sou Johnson of Northwest with a two to two to zero decision uh 152 we had Cricket Jones of KS this is another super cool story hatch uh cricket had this is she’s a
Senior this year um I think she’s been to State all four years that she’s wrestled she’s never she had never placed at the state tournament until this year she wrestled in the finals and won the state tournament at 152 um again saw your award of Science Hill uh she
Won by fall in the second period so that was also really good matchup I mean seeing Cricket I I can’t really say grow because I didn’t see her the years before but I just knew from stats I’m kind of where she stood in the state and then to watch her dominate our region
Tournament which she did and then wrestle all the way through the bracket and and win was super super cool her first time on the podium she’s at the very top so congrats congrat congrats um at 165 we had Piper Fowler of Cleveland she’s a junior uh this was her third
State championship that she won she beat Rebecca Deo of Knox Catholic um well fall in the first period those nasty head and arms she got man those yeah uh 185 we had Ella Murphy of Harden Valley um she’s a senior she won her state championship over Carter Gom of
Riverdale um in a second period fall um this was Ella’s fourth state championship which is really cool I feel like I’m giving some stuff away from later on the podcast we got one um but I think she’s maybe the fifth girl in the state to win four consecutive state champ state
Championships so I mean she’s now on a very small like Elite group of people who can say she’s done that so that’s super cool um and then a girls 235 we had meline znen of Cleveland she’s Junior and she wenton over Shania weinger of Clarksville um with a four to
One decision wow so yeah lots of good matches a lot of things that were like I mean maybe some people could say predictable but then a lot of things that were absolutely not predictable and surprising so it was super cool tournament to be a part of and watch as
Far as the team scores go um in fifth place we had Gibbs with 62 points in fourth we had Montgomery Central at 72 Clarksville at third place with 100 um at second we had West Creek with 113 and then in first place surprise surprise we had Cleveland with 178 so I mean pretty
Dominant they were like maybe 10 points um apart between like fifth fourth third and then second and then we jumped to to like a 50o lead from between the first and second place team so congratulations to all five of those teams but especially to Cleveland who just had I
Mean we’ve had coach bosin on this uh show at least once since I’ve been on here but um the way they really coach Morris oh and we’ve had coach Morris yeah we had both of those coaches on there but the way that they’ve really created and Built This Girls program up
From I mean the absolute dust over the past few years is like a crazy phenomenon to get to watch and see so it was awesome to see um see there team together this past weekend so those are all our results for the state tournament and then without further Ado patch do
You remember that that four-timer that I mentioned at one I do oh hey there she is wa welcome hi Ella how are you Ella how good how are you good um to everyone viewing this is the Ella Murphy we’ve had the joy of having her on our podcast
Before but this is the first time we’ve had her on our podcast as a four time state champion how does it feel um it’s bittersweet I’m really happy I’m really happy that I achieved the goal that I originally set out to um get and I’m also excited that it’s over yeah I’m
Sure was this a goal that you had in mind like as soon as you started wrestling or whenever you started wrestling in high school or you were just kind of like hey I won one I won two might as well win four um I actually remember when I was
In sixth grade wanting to just be on the wrestling team that was my huge goal was just to be on the wrestling team and then one of my coaches pulled me out and put me on the high school team because he thought that I was going to win a
State championship and then after I won my first we kind of just decided that I should win all four watch you yeah so another cool piece of this which I know already said this earlier so hatch knows but Ella and I wrestled at the same well she’s I mean
I guess you still wrestle Harden Valley but we wrestled at the same school in West Knoxville which is so which is kind of like strangely surprising because this is not a school that has a girls wrestling program they never have whenever I was on the team I was the
Only girl on the team and Ella you’ve pretty much been the only consistent female athlete on your team for the four years you’ve been there is that true yes yeah so what was it like or has a has a pretty good pretty good state championship winning percentage if
You like two girls and both of them are four time state champs I tell you what I’ll trade in my I’ll trade I’ll trade in my whatever 30 years of coaching for that any day of the week yeah they got a pretty they’ve got a pretty good draw with those
Two that’s pretty impressive it is it is um so Ella what was I about to ask you oh I was gonna say I know I know because I’ve been through this but could you tell like all of us what it’s like to be the only female on your team like how is
It different than what you’ve seen the dynamic of like other girls in our state who maybe wrestle on an all girls team like what’s it mean for your training what’s it mean socially what does it mean for like your go goal setting and travel and competition like all of those
Things it it really wears on you a lot of times I at first I wasn’t really accepted by all of the guys but as I started to like kind of understand them more I did get more accepted and they became my friends um wow couldn’t hear myself there for a second
Um the only wrestling Partners I’ve ever had were guys except like the few years that they were girls um but they kind of just like started treating me like a man yeah um but it it’s just it’s just sometimes harder because when all the guys are
Like grouped up in a hotel room like I’m by myself with my mom yeah um or like you can’t do everything that the guys are doing because you’re a girl and that’s always been a little hard but also I can beat them up up if it comes to it so
That’s I’m sure they know that too not just you right yes good that’s cool um so whenever you traveled because I mean I got to see you a few times as I was coaching in the state um you’re you were kind of traveling by yourself maybe you had a
Different coach in your corner depending on if the boys had a different competition So to that play a role in you know like how you planned or prepared for a tournament um it really depended on the tournament um coach Bates is my head coach and then
We don’t have an assistant coach so if I did have to be in like another gym or a different School uh coach Ferman would come with me who is actually a great wrestling coach I love for him to be in my corner um and then I also will train
With Junior obviously when it’s not when I’m not at practice and I have time yeah so that be kind that’d be kind of cool like being that assistant coach like okay well I gotta I’ll go over here with Ella no problem just know the fact
That ah you know what I’m just gonna sit in the corner let her do a thing let her do a thing really yeah you take all those guys you take all whatever those guys I I got her I got her yeah well this was the reason I kind
Of asked that question is because I learned hatch like I saw Ella and Coach fman I guess I mean I’d saw them together at a few tournaments throughout the year and I knew or I thought he wasn’t coaching the wrestling team and I knew him because I went to school there
And he coached my brother when my brother played football and so at the Regent tournament we finally had enough downtime and I sat next to him and I was like so are you like helping coach the wrestling team and he was like No And I
Like wait I was like well then why are you always like coaching Ella everywhere and he’s like well they didn’t have an assisant coach and she pretty much knows what she’s doing but they just need someone to you know be in her corner and like have someone to hang out with and
So if they ever need and he I think he he coached like wrestling in his past but he’s now he’s a football coach and also Ella’s personal like buddy and Corner mate whenever she needs to and whenever she needs a coach so I just thought it was a super cool Dynamic that
I mean a it’s true that like ell Murphy’s goingon to go be Ella Murphy and do what she’s going to do on the mat no matter who’s in her Corner whether it be a wrestling coach or a football coach um but it just adds to like another part
Of your very unique experience and the fact that like you didn’t probably have the picture perfect situation that all the boys on your team had like you kind of just had to take with you who you could take with you and hope for the best also sometimes I won’t even be able
To find my own coach so I’m very used to just running around grabbing the first coach that I see and saying hey can you please be in my corner and a lot of them will say yes and I don’t think I’ve had anybody say no yet um who would I wouldn’t
Say yeah like I know I’m gonna look good that’s awesome well um even though your high school career has come to I mean the best end that it could possibly come to but it is you know coming to an end for your like high school folk style
Season um you have made a decision to continue your wrestling career maybe in college yes would you like to tell us where you’re going to be uh continuing your career uh I aded to Oklahoma City University wow such an amazing program man I’m I have a good relationship with the head
Coach Nicole Tyson she actually recruited me hatch for oh yeah at CU I mean she followed me from the time I was young recruited me for CU and then left the next year and tried to recruit me to U and I was like like it here but she’s
An amazing coach when I heard that she got you I mean I was so happy for her in the program and also for you um but I know for a fact that that was not the only School interested in you or that you maybe spoken to what other programs
Were hoping to get L Murphy on their lineup um see you try recruited me I actually did go on a visit there um King College what were the other ones I think Emanuel yeah and then some some other ones some other ones didn’t get to visit yeah yeah so
What I just really narrowed it down for myself best way to do it so what were your final two that you were choosing between uh CU in Oklahoma City University so and I chose ocu yeah what drove you what drove you to uh City University I’m curious
Um CU is like really close to my home and that is a very good way for my dad D showing up to my to my campus unannounced yeah if I’m across the country it’s harder for that to [Laughter] happen was that Tru was that Tru the determining
Factor no there were there were a bunch of different factors um but it was it was one of them it was one of the factor yeah what were some of the other things that made ocu stand out um Tyson definitely her brother when I was at a different tournament actually
Came up to me and tried to recruit me and I did like how it was sounding and I kept hearing about this coach Tyson and then when I saw her in person not at all like what I was envisioning in my head oh hat she weighs about 105 pounds he’s
Like 410 like maybe 110 pounds wow tiny and very iy and had a very successful wrestling career oh wow is that what caught you off guard Ella yes I was expecting like I don’t know I had I had this very like distinct image in my head of what
Coach Tyson was I think it was just um just not that one wrestler name You’re Expecting Mike Vibes yes just just as a lady with like undercut ponytail and then she’s like this feisty little yes very po elegant and yeah I know exactly what you mean
Well I know for a fact that she’s that you guys are gonna make a good pair I mean she’s an amazing coach and an amazing technician and you’re an amazingly hard worker and obviously you’ve got plenty of talent for as far as you’ve come in our stage so um
Congratulations on signing to OC you I’m so excited to I’m sure our whole state is excited to watch you continue to represent us and kick butt on the college level before we let you go do you have any coaches family members friends or anything you want to shout
Out for you know give them thanks for helping you make all the success throughout your high school career um obviously Junior Hernandez yeah um just always coaching me pushing me even when I’m doubting myself or like right before the biggest tournaments he’s always there going
You’re G to be you’re going to be fine we came here to win so just keep pushing um my brother Marshall much as I hate it he he pushed me a lot to to get here fighting me bullying me yeah brother whatever it took yeah that’s awesome well that’s awesome stuff
Junior there you are boy all right Ella well we have lots yeah we have so many things in common we were both Junior trained we were both wrestled to harden Valley both won four both were coached by Nicole Tyson at some point I mean we might as well be
One person so congrats Ella we’re so proud thanks for joining us today do you have anything for Let Her Go hatch no hey congratulations like I said four times state champ that’s a that’s a that’s just an amazing feat so we’re very very proud of you and I know we’ll
Know you’ll represent Tennessee to the highest level when you get on the college level so appreciate you by see you next time thanks Ella Dy we’re getting all kinds of girls going in college ranks huh Kenya tell you what what it’s gonna be awesome I mean shoot every year I think we’re just
GNA probably just keep mad him on yeah I’m super super excited to just like watch college women’s wrestling for fun and be like oh yeah I know her she wrestled in Tennessee oh yeah I know her she wrestled in Tennessee all right crazy that the two
Of you are went the same high school to two I mean literally I mean probably I mean the way you guys are making it sound I mean you guys literally have had like Ella had I don’t know did she have like five teammates throughout her whole four years
Maybe like girl teammates maybe less I think I know of two or three outside of her but they would all like wrestle for a year and then leave okay so let’s just say that let’s just say there was 10 10 like maybe she had there’s 10 10 year
Total you two and then eight others so this coach literally has like eight state championships amongst 10 kids and like 20% of them are fortim yeah that’s true it’s very true and the coaches there have been I mean there’s been a different coach there almost every other year since my senior
Year of college so but I mean sorry since my senior year of high school but they’ve had a lot of numbers on their team and I mean obviously consistency shows to pay off and it also I thing goes to pay off whenever I think it’s no quincent that the two girls that had
Such success there were like finding were training in clubs and had private lessons and stuff like that that’s the stuff that really makes a difference so wow crazy it’s awesome good stuff all right without further Ado what happened to the what happened to our guys yeah
Yeah I’m gonna I’m gonna go over the um I’m gon save the uh we had two really big tournaments going on last weekend obviously the state tournament um here in Tennessee for public schools and then we also have the private schools are at um a national prep tournament in at Lehi
You interrupted me so I’m I’m GNA interrup you get back I forgot we Tennessee actually sent one female wrestler to prep Nationals and she’s from Catholic Aaliyah wayy took third place at prep congrats Aaliyah I sorry yes she’s the first girl from Tennessee to ever compete at prep Nationals so
That was actually a really big accomplishment we should have highlighted wow congrats aah wayy especially I mean third place that’s a that’s a joke good for her yeah yeah it was great that’s awesome congratulations yeah like I said I mean we’re getting a lot more interest on there so we we’ll
Go in the National prep stuff here and a second in a little bit after our first couple guests here but um yeah at the last weekend’s uh state tournament uh you know great tournaments I mean from a I’ll go down what I’m gonna do is I’ll go through the individual results um and
Then I’ll uh then I’ll go team results just same thing as you did um but uh so in the class doublea which is the bigger schools larger Schools starting out at 106 um 106 finals excuse me 106 finals where uh Jose Cordo Cleveland um he uh
Beed second State title he won last year obviously as a freshman beat a a knockout freshman that we have here in tennesses as well Andrew Workman Workman actually beat uh Jose I I believe it’s twice throughout the year and and Jose came back and beat him in the finals
Four nothing um last weekend 113 Cleveland won that one as well Chase Walker state champ over seon uh Coulson of Blackman uh 120 Mason Jacob who we had on the podcast before uh my favorite kids I love that kid’s awesome but Mason Jacob of Dobbins Bennett beat Chase
Smalling of Science Hill in the finals major decision 11-2 uh 126 Hunter Hein U of Arlington uh beat Zack bosin of Cleveland in sudden Victory 2-1 really um a tight match throughout the whole thing and actually controversy at the end um I I honestly didn’t see it and
Honestly I don’t really get into the controversy side I’m not sure what the call what like really what specifically what the call is I didn’t see it but um but again it’s really really hotly contested match it was one it was actually the last match of the night so
It was kind of wild ending there in the doublea’s U 132 Jarvis little won his third state championship for Summit he beat uh Andrew Donaldson of Brentwood in the finals by Fall um again Jarvis little one of our elite elite wrestlers in the state here um again three time
State champ placed at in multiple National tournaments going to aalishan state next year so really super proud of Jarvis I mean and and just a tireless worker I mean the kid has really really just taken his wrestling to another level last three years so very proud of
Him um 138 Thomas Rubio of Blackman beat rash yazdani uh Brentwood in the finals um 4-1 a good match I mean I mean two two really good kids obviously rash I known him really really well he’s one of my young GS kids um and Just Amazing
Just a great great great kid and love see in the finals and Rubio from Blackman’s dang tough boy for especially for a sophomore so look for a lot of good things out of him um it’s great match though um 144 landed to cell uh of won his second state championship over
Rck Romano of Independence um you know two two kids I’m also pretty close to landed I’m very very very proud of him I’m obviously one of our state Elite kids uh committed to Ohio State University uh to go to to continue on his career next year and and rck Romano
Man he I’m telling you what man what a worker that K is such a great kid from Independence um play for the first time last year as a sophomore and found his way to the finals against Landon you know is arguably you know I mean one of
If not the best kid that we have in the state so um had softer Ric as well um and it was another Willi all Williamson County final um which I’m I’ll probably have I’ll I’ll probably mention that a couple times year throughout to just to
Give my area a plug but but great stuff there at 144 150 Braden leech of summit another W Co kid beat Harlen Hunley of uh Knox Halls he pinned him in the finals and again like I said we had Bren on I think we had Braden on the very
First podcast after who’s number one and um I’m telling you kid just keeps getting better and better and better and better so look for great things for him uh in the future I mean he’s just uh I’m telling you he’s he’s he’s a special talent he’ll be we’re gonna be seeing
More of him for sure um 157 scy fer of Cleveland um one of three F state champs that we have here be Zachary little which is J Jarvis’s brother uh in the finals from Summit uh beat him five nothing got control the match but I tell
You what like I said Zachary is a sophomore I’m telling you he’s got a big big upside to him too Cy Fowler Juniors coming back next year hopefully defend that state championship so um you never know maybe we’ll see another rematch next year uh 165 uh Logan Fowler um won
By Major decision over Chase Mays from Nolensville um again you know Logan one of our best kids that we have in the state right now committed to go go to Air Force Academy uh look spectacular um great kid great family you know uh man really uh really looking forward to to
Watching him move on in college and you know Chase face Nolanville had a great season this year 40 and2 um another one of our Middle Tennessee kids that got in the finals really proud of him um 175 this was this was an interesting one um
This was this is this was in my opinion it was probably the most highly anticipated match of the of the um of of the doublea especially maybe of the whole tournament um so it was a it was between Trey mtor of Nolanville and Jake Stacy Green Hills um Jake obviously
Committed to Little Rock um fargoal Amic super 32 All-American I mean Rockstar of a kid in general I mean just yeah just I mean amazing kid um he him and Tre wrestled at the beginning of the year and I believe Jake majored him and it
Was it was when Trey was out of just coming out of football um not making excuses for him but I know that’s what that’s what the word was and then but they wrestled again in the sectional finals and Trey beat him in the sectional finals actually pinned him
Towards the end of the match a pretty close match and then pinned him at the end of the match so this was like people were really really looking forward to this match so sure enough it goes into overtime and I honestly couldn’t even see what happened but Jake was in on a
On a on on a leg maybe I mean who knows could have been the the winning takedown could have not been maybe Trey spins around I don’t who knows but all of a sudden his shoulder just like pops out and like it’s it’s a I mean like a horrible horrible dislocation they
Actually thought that his shoulder was fractured but I talked to Jake the other day he said it wasn’t just dislocated but um but you know it was I was hoping that that match would have just came just and just wrestled out because it was really a great match you know two
Two of our very best kids in our state really going head to-head and it was it was um yeah it was it was a great match and unfortunately just an unfortunate ending but hope you know hope Jake heals up really quick I’m very proud of Trey I
Mean Trey you know Victor one of those he’s a three-point sport athlete he’s really good in football really good in baseball he’s really good in wrestling so we know nobody’s ever really seen what he can do with 12 months of wrestling so if he goes to college and
Wrestles I’m telling you right now him being a senior he goes to and wrestles watch out because you know he’s he’s he’s really good on three four months of wrestling it yeah could you imagine how good he would be wrest yeah it’s gonna be he’s a 75
He’s a 75 pounder now but wow it shocked me if he he’s gonna be a 90 pounder or 97 pound before he gets out of college that’s work for you if he if he chooses to do that or maybe play football or baseball who knows what he’s to do but
He’s an amazing athlete but both great great great kids um I’m I’m I’m glad that they went went the weight class to wrestle each other sometimes a lot of people separate but um anyway 190 uh Lucas sori Cleveland uh beat Spencer Khan a pretty close match 3-1 in the
Finals um yeah great match um you know Spencer great great kid hard worker Lucas same thing um but yeah really good match 3-1 uh 215 Logan MCB Shelbyville County beat Garrett Crowder of Dobbin Bennett in the finals 8-2 and um look like a battle two seniors there so that
Kind of clears that weight class out for some other people next year and then at heavyweight Tyson Russell Cleveland um pin Peter Cino of uh Summit in the finals um two Juniors so they probably they’ll be back next year as well so um yeah doublea’s a lot of really great
Wrestle on a lot of really great matches um plugg for our Williamson County uh area um I thought I might as well do that huh we had the most finalist they’ve ever had in Williamson County congrats y I think we had two two all Williamson County finals maybe three I know at
Least two so um yeah shout out to like all the you know the um like I said the Williamson County coaches in here I mean we just you the wrestling in our area just keeps getting better and better and man it’s just uh yeah it’s great to be a
Part of it um far as from team score perspective fifth place brenwood uh fourth place Blackman uh it was like I said pretty tight race between those three for a while Nolanville was third they finished third um Victoria kind of put him up there but you know that his
Match get him the Third Place Summit wrestled really really well this year this weekend last weekend they have you know obviously a lot of horses and um finished second um you know pretty easily and then they finished about 60 points behind Cleveland who uh won pretty handily and everybody kind of
Knew they were going to be a little bit difficult to knock off they just have too many horses but um you know hats off to Joey Knox and his crew there I mean you know they just they just continue to crank him out and they just do a
Fantastic job there so um yeah congrats to them again but um another plug for Williams County we had three three of the top to five Blackman or not Blackman but Summit Nolanville and brenwood in all in top five Williamson County so when I when I told everybody that that
That that region was the toughest region and the toughest sectional I wasn’t lying he’s like now I’ve got the I wasn’t lying I told you I Told You So yeah so but no congratulations to all the state Place owners out there um huge accomplishment and it was a great tour
So um but yeah this a single a uh single a results real quick um and then we’ll get to our next guest uh 106 um Luke Mayan from uh Sai Daisy beat Dolton Lopez from Millington Central in the finals by Major decision um 113 Samuel Colmes from Seymour uh beat Aiden
Jenkins from s Daisy in the finals by Major decision 120 uh you’ll probably recognize this name uh JoJo yurchuk of Signal Mountain beat Tyson flaven of St Daisy uh by a major in that one as well I believe that’s Joe Joe’s I want to say is the second state title who know I
Mean your Chuck’s got like third I mean 36 state championships between the four of them or or 15 of them or how many yourchucks there are who knows but uh yeah another state another State title coming home the year Chuck family um 26 Carson depill another one of our elite
Elite wrestlers in the State uh from Greenville uh won by Major decision over Landon Turner of Harpeth um 132 of course Ethan Uruk Signal Mountain um beat Andress Hamilton t in the finals by technical fall um that one I believe is Ethan’s fourth State title he’s going
For his fifth next year if I’m not mistaken again just I lose I lose track on which year Chuck’s a four five six 18 times yeah I mean every year since birth probably get their own little like state championship room in their your yeah like who’s who’s the real champion of
The Champions realate champ of the so 138 Andrew Lewis of s Daisy um beat Riley Napier of Heritage uh 144 pound state champion was Kaden uh Kaden MIRS of Taha who beat brilin cosper 3-1 from in the finals from Saudi Daisy uh 150 was Brody mammore from Eagleville uh
Beat Corbin avens of t uh in the finals five to2 uh 157 final Elijah Turner from Sai Daisy um beat Dylan dport from Sycamore 3-2 in the finals a pretty uh pretty tightly hotly contested match there uh 165 um Damian uh lavl of Clinton High School beat Wyatt Howard of
Pigeot Forge in the finals in a sudden Victory overtime match 3-1 175 Jackson Davis of Signal Mountain beat Logan Rison of Saudi Daisy major decision the finals 190 was uh Conor avans of T beat Isaac Choppa of of cascade 4-2 in the finals uh 215 Robert Rob Atwood of
Trusdale uh County won his third state championship over John G of Livington Academy 7even nothing and last but certainly not least the 285s Jonathan Davis Assad Daisy uh beat Christopher Flockhart of Cook County uh 4-3 in the finals so pretty exciting ending right there um if you paid attention to those
Results whatsoever I mean it was probably pretty easy to figure out who uh who the State team champion was but in fifth place Eagleville was at 83 and a half Pigeon Forge 98 T was in there third 111 111 and a half Signal Mountain just edged him by eight with 919 and a
Half and Sai Daisy just yeah basically doubled everybody I mean they just rolled everybody up so like I said they put a ton of guys in the finals and um and yeah so great great performance from Sai last weekend so um yeah just I mean
We might as well get into it right now we got this guy waiting right here actually we got two two representing the Saudi Daisy team there they are what’s up what’s going on o Rick I’m much man how are you I’m good I’m good I just got
The hard part out of the way man I mean all these results I’m not a results man you know I just I I don’t I don’t like I like just chopping it up with people people I know I know I’ve known ol forever Kenya Kenya this is Ol weinburg
Daisy this is Elijah Turner uh one of his one of his many state champions that he had this past weekend and um joining us on the podcast and talk a little Sai Daisy wrestling and and the state of the the program the dynasty we’re we’re working on it that’s
For sure that’s right but yeah this my this my co-host Kenya um and uh we’re we’re here to see what’s going on there in s yeah we’re uh I mean ever since I took over during that Co year we’ve just been rebuilding and now we’re starting to see
The fruits of our labor so we had eight in the finals we had 12 State placers this year took off 14 guys so and we had our four Champs and pretty nice oh yeah well I mean they’ve been this is this is one of those programs I think and um it’s just
You know I mean that in my opinion has to be relevant in Tennessee wrestling there’s so much history at Saudi Daisy High School from your Steve Henry era to all the really great teams that he had and the ones that came afterwards ol rck side of Daisy grad wrestled at UTC this
Is kind of a come in Full Circle right here I actually coached El R my first year my first year at UT yeah yeah yeah I coached El at UTC and um yeah he was such a hard worker I we Wrestled a couple times and he’s so dang strong man
It’s like I can normally get guys RIS I back then not now I can barely get my three old nieces wris but um back then I could actually you know when I was a little bit younger and I just I couldn’t get ‘s WR he’s too strong but uh yeah comeing back little
Circle though now he’s a coach there he you know he started out he’s coaching at Red Bank here before then right I was at Red Bank with Shane like 2014 and then through 2016 when we won a state du Championship there and then he stepped away to go to Boyd and I took
Over for one year there and had a state champion and then left there went to Hixon for three years and then then found my way back home back home yep so like I said before this is one of those programs that really in my opinion just
Needs to be it needs to be relevant you know to have you know some down years at Saudi just it’s just not that’s just not Saudi Daisy wrestling but now he’s got he you know ‘s back Shane’s back there you know as as as basically his
Associate head coach so to speak I would think I think that’s the title and so now you got two just great great coaches there that are leading this program to back to you know to sa Saudi Daisy prominence so um what was the um I mean
When you first got there and kind of took it back over what was like some of the first things that you implemented as far as getting the I guess getting the train back on the tracks well a lot of it was when I first got here they were putting a roof on it
On the on our Gym ah that was like 25 years in the making remember remember wrestling in high school and we’re like just putting trash cans out in the middle of the matap to make sure wet but uh we were getting the gym ready we had to restructure our kids
Club we had to get the middle schools back in line with you know building a system and it really started to kick off when I got Shane Turner back here and he helped he really helped me align it back to where it needed to be and we’re still
Kind of working on some things but our our club’s doing pretty well our middle schools did pretty good in their hcac championships and I mean of course our high school did really well this year yeah no absolutely it’s been a lot of work and you know how our gym is we we
Are uh have our Standalone wrestling Arena and since I’ve been here we had the roof put on we’ve got new bleachers got the floors redone bought us a new competition mat you know we’ve been fundraising like crazy to try to not just you know fix the wrestling but also fix our our uh
Our gym too so right right I mean I don’t know have you been to Saudi Daisy’s uh wrestling Arena Kenya I think when I was a kid like a little I would always tournaments there you know everybody likes these like new and whatever modern and really cool featured wrestling I tell you what
That might be NB NB is pretty cool I’ll say that but man I tell you what that s Daisy wrestling arena is just awesome it’s just like an old school like bigger version of a hooer gym that’s just all dedicated to wrestling and it’s just I I
Love it I love the layout I just love yeah I love everything about it and when you guys were starting to redo that thing kind of revamp it all that just uh I was that really made me happy hope you guys weren’t going to change the the order of
Though we’re g to keep it where it’s super hot in the Summers and come in oh absolutely so who you got with you who’s this guy by you c ha champ Elijah Turner yeah yes sir he has been instrumental in changing the aspect of the wrestling room and and
The kind of the intensity that we we got to change in our program and he was part of that yeah yeah so um so so tell us a little bit about that I mean you’re OB you’re a senior now just won a state championship um since this whole
Resurgence of the Saudi program I mean considering that you’re one of the you know the guys that really you know because it all comes back to practice obviously you know what you’re doing in the practice room is obviously gonna you know set the tone for what you do from a
Competitive standpoint but what do you what do you think has been like the biggest changes in the in the The Daily practice uh let’s just call it practice culture at Sai I think the discipline that we have have has brought us really far and our toughness throughout the
Workouts have been a really a big thing just pushing hard getting in the room doing the work day in day out yeah that’s that’s that’s pretty good uh it’s pretty good rules to live by I think if you’re gonna be a wrestler is it you want to be a good one you want
To be a good one that’s a good one so now did you have to get um I guess being I would I would assume that you know one of the leaders on the team did you have to really take part in like really more the recruiting the recruiting part of it
As far as getting the right get getting some more kids in the room getting some maybe some tougher kids in the room maybe get your guys’ type of Sai Daisy you know um just Grinders into the room and and getting them all together you kind of spearhead that yes sir I think
Like recruiting wise we didn’t really but the kids that we brought in I didn’t mean like recruiting like from other I meant like recruiting the Saudi Daisy halls and getting guys back get getting some oh oh um yeah I mean the kids we they just they
Got tough that was a big thing this year we we got our kids that we had in previous years and they just got tough yeah the start of the middle like the kids that just came up the ninth graders are part of the club when I when I took
Over and and then I implemented and got some my club coaching there and they’ve been a part of that most of them wrestle eight nine 10 months out of the year so so oh wow that’s been pretty instrumental yeah so now who’s doing the club there now I have David cing time
He’s doing it right now uh Andrew strain he’s helping but those two and then we all kind of do the freestyle and GRE go yeah no that’s great that’s great um so now Elijah um what was it like I mean you got you obviously seen this ear thing you know
Being this is your fourth year you know in in the program Ian you seen it kind of come full circle I mean describe like this year you guys had just an incredible year um you know dual meet state champs traditional state champs um what’s it feel like right now to sit
Here like wow that was really you know that looking back your four years what are you thinking Prett pretty awesome I mean it I my first years of wrestling like were in start D singlet when I was 35 pounds little tiny thing and it’s just awesome to start here and finish
Here it’s just amazing yeah that’s great that’s great yeah my wife posted a picture on Facebook where it’s me and Shane and Elijah’s Corner when he was probably three four years old it end me and Shane in his Corner when he’s you know a senior in high
School so I thought that was pretty cool oh that’s awesome that’s awesome good well R so what’s so now what’s moving forward here moving forward for Daisy wrestling what’s the um you know what’s next fiveyear plan uh fivey year you know we’re we’ll take it you
Know we want to continue on this success and keep building on it and you know we want to kind of do what Cleveland’s doing we want to continue to win year after year and you know if I can continue to get as many kids as I have
In the freestyle and Greco and we’re wrestling at least 10 months out of the Year it’ be kind of hard to to not do that so that’s that’s our that’s I mean since I’ve been here we’ve wrestled like I’ve had at least 10 kids wrestling year
Round wow you know we might take July off or you know August off and then we start back at pre-season there’s no real you know Deadtime so that’s been Su like our key um and then I got a lot of help that you know kind of helps me keep me
Al line and keep the this train moving in the right direction you know I have you know Shane Turner helping me I have Josh Edmonson helping me uh Jeremy Gooden those are my assistants High School I got kingsham and strain at the club I got my wife that kind of is the
Glue that holds everything together anyway so I got plenty of help and I got a lot of kids that are invested and want to be good so kind of makes my job a lot easier yeah that’s awesome that’s awesome Kenny you got anything for these two s Legends
No I just want to say congrats it’s I was uh standing with one of my girls because we were warming up before her finals match she leans over to me and she was like why is there so many Saudi Daisy kids down here I’m like they’re
All wrestling in the finals so I mean you guys are hard to miss like your success is just I mean it’s Immaculate so it was cool to watch you guys I’m sure it’s so fun to be a part of so congratulations to you both and your
Team yeah we had a my kids asking if this team was tougher than my team I was just oh that’s a hard question he my question my final question yeah I was Sor my senior year we only had five in the finals and only three
One and uh they’re like so are we better I was like H I’m par I’m a part of both team I was was waiting to see I was waiting to see what the response was for that one yeah I was like the only thing
I could say I like well we had four guys go wrestle division one so yeah that’s a good that’s a good and that’s a great way to answer it right there so yeah it was funny but you know I’m glad they they they think that way
And they want to try to be the best Sy Daisy team that there there has been so that’s good you got the right mindset that’s their goal I’m telling you what they got some great great great teams to to chase after that’s for sure so that’s
Right but R rck and uh and Elijah we really appreciate you guys’ time um thanks so much and and man just hat what you guys are doing there at Sai man and thanks for not even making that program you know really really relevant again but I mean just you know one of the
State’s best and and it needs to be like I said there’s just too much tradition there there for it not to be so we appreciate you guys hard work and we really appreciate your time tonight thank you man you got it take care guys yeah yeah that’s awesome yeah they they
Had heck of a year that’s for sure s Daisy I like I said I was telling you earlier I ask o if you wanted to get on there after they won that dual meet tournament he’s like wow I’d rather do it the state state tournament so out
Like wait a second no I could celebrate the one but I’d rather you know get on the podcast and celebrate two so that’s awesome you know it was you know obviously foregone conclusion I mean they pretty much dominated so that’s awesome but um yeah we’re gonna
Go we’re gonna move on to another uh guest we have in the state tournament and U bring him to the stage like right now there he is Rob Atwood what’s going I’m just here yeah well here’s you’re just here well we appreciate you joining us uh this is Kenya Sloan my co-host this
Is Rob Atwood right here newly Crown time state champ yes sir three time state champ from and help me with the pronun pronunciation I probably screwed up is it trusdale or is it trustdale charlesdale charlesdale okay I really screwed it up yeah I tried it I tried
Twice and didn’t get either one where is that uh we’re located uh right above Wilson County so we’re like 45 minutes Northeast of Nashville okay awesome there we go and see that was one of the really unique things I actually met Rob last last summer he decided to go to
Fargo so he um he decided yeah he’s like he never done it before and you know one of the things he wanted to get done so obviously you know he reached out and you know came down for training camp for a week and you know end up you know on
On our Fargo team and and really got to know him he’s a great great great great kid and um yeah I was looking you know through a lot of the results and I’m like yeah that’s right he was a three- timer but then I started to dig into it
A little bit more and it’s super super unique and that’s why I really wanted to have them on the podcast not because you get like after the state tournament you really could have the choice of I mean what 30 kids you know because they did something really spectacular but um but
But Rob’s a three-time state champ now after last weekend and he’s one of two kids on his team so that’s like so that’s so wild to me especially on the boy side on the girl side you know obviously you know get you get some you
Know I mean you and Ella were you know really the only girls that you had on your team and and not that happened that that you know that’s I mean it’s a lot more common on the girl side than is a guys the GU side usually they can get
Some people you know going so I I got a hold of Coach ham and and I was like is is this right I mean is it is he’s like one of two guys on his on his team he goes yeah he was literally the only kid in the team for the first two
Years oh my have to give us some like Insight so we’re giving you the floor now Rob through your high school GP so coming into my freshman year my we went in front of the board for three years going through Middle School just trying to push and get a team my parents went
In front of the board over and over again and they finally got it worked out my freshman year with the school board that we first tried to co-op with like Wilson Central and all these other schools and then my parents agreed that uh if it
If it came down to it that they would would fund everything so going into my freshman year my parents funded everything from 14 singlets because that’s all they could find to uh anything and everything that I need they pay all of my tournament fees the school
Pays for nothing wow I mean they pay for we don’t they don’t even pay for hydration tests I have to do that we have to pay for that even wow and uh I was for my first two years my freshman sophomore year we was uh a oneman show
As I call it and uh we get end of my sophomore year going into my junior year and Josh Martinez moved from he moved from Arizona and then the red bulling Springs which is about 30 minutes maybe away and he’s saying that we had a wrestling team
So-called and they moved here and he joined his parents had to go in front of the board and his parents had to do the same thing my parents and his parents they split all the entry fees they uh they pay for their own singlets uh travel Fair all that they
Had to pay for it and it’s been like that for the last two years my Junior and Senior year and uh it’s just uh they’ve always had to pay for it and that’s what was always the struggle is just trying to get time and get it there
So paying for everything and making sure everything’s taken care of wow so then who did you who did you practice with who coached you whenever you’re wrestling for high school okay so there’s I train with a lot of people I during the summer a lot of times I go
Down to Cleveland and I train with them with Coach Knox and Coach boson and all them I train with Tyson Russell and uh but my coming into my freshman year I grew up in the Wildcat the AA Wildcat wrestling club so I grew up training with Wilson Central my freshman in
Sophomore year and then after my going into my sophomore year I started practicing also with Green Hill me and Jake were practice Partners until I got way heavier and uh I started training with them and training with uh Next Level Jake uh Jake Williams he’s my main
Coach coach ham coached me freshman year at the state tournament and then from my sophomore year onto my senior year Jake Williams and my dad have been always been in my corner and this year I also started training a little bit with Station Camp as they were a new program
That was upcoming and they had they had some young talent that showed so they were the main people I trained with and I I gotta give credit to all them people because I wouldn’t be who I am without a Cleveland Green Hill Wilson Central even National Catholic if I they know I drive
Out there they’ve always been big supporters and everything so I gotta give credit to all them guys for always let me in the room to train so that that’s been pretty impressive like Yeah the more I mean the more I was like looking in and reading you know the
Writeups and stuff on you I mean just you know having just loving wrestling that much you know what I mean I mean yes sir you know I mean wanting to start a wrestling program first and foremost second of all finding just I mean you just named off four or five different
Rooms there that you just consistently just go and swap out do that’s just that’s impressive because a lot of kids and this we live in the day and age of excuse after excuse after excuse you know why kids can’t get good oh they got to go to this big program because
Because of all the partners and because of you know the the the what goes on there and they’re the they’re the premier team in the state or whatever the case may be I just I just highlighted one of my kids the other day when we did our our our state medalist
Celebration at our at our Young Guns Club um and I’ll give him a shout out right now but Kyle neelon I mean he goes to goes to Spring Hill and and nothing against their program they’re beginner program I mean they’re B me they’re just
A a brand new I mean a new school that went from small school public school to big school they were in the big School Division this year and he went from you know he got third in the small School Division last year he just started wrestling as a sixth grader that was his
First year wrestling and now he placed in the third he placed third last year for Spring Hill in the small School Division they bumped up to the big School Division and the kid that he beat for third place was a four-time state mist from uh I know he’s from Memphis
The balls kid from Memphis I can’t remember a specific I think he’s Arlington kid but when that kid when that kid placed in the state tournament his freshman year Kyle was sixth grader and just starting wrestling at a at a small like a small program that doesn’t
Have a whole lot of kids on the team but he just found a way to do it he found a way to go and find practice partners he found a way to make it to a Young Guns practice he never misses practice he’s always there I mean he’s always trying
To do things he went to all kinds of stuff in the offseason so you can do it and and guys like him like Rob Atwood I mean this kid right here that’s on our screen my God this kid’s the amount of of interest and the amount of love that
He has for the sport of wrestling is very very very motivational it should be everybody there is no excuse out there there is no excuse this guy is living proof of it so question I mean it’s a great great story I love it and with that with that being said what are you
Doing next year you’re senior this year what are you doing next year uh next year I’ll be attending virgi M Virginia Military Institute to wrestle uh with Coach Gibson and them guys uh it and I’ll be attending for um I’ll be pursuing mechanical engineering at first
For right now unless I change my mind it’s very possible for me to change my mind because it’s very difficult but listen this kid right here found about five six or whatever how many shoot I don’t know how many wrestling rooms through his wrestling career was a oneman show for the two
Years last years he’s been a two-man show um and now he’s going in wrestling division one at VMI listen ladies and gentlemen boys and girls whoever is an interest in wrestling there are no excuses there just aren’t there are no excuses if you love the sport enough and
You are driven enough here’s a perfect example right here that’s awesome I tell you what and I love what BM I is doing with their program that facility that new facility they have there is legit ni it’s really nice I tell you what that VMI education man that’s a
Really great education that’s really awesome so I’m I’m I’m I’m really excited that to hear that you’re uh that you’re going there next year Rob that’s awesome thank you yeah so so engineering though that’s the thing huh that’s the plan right now if I you must be pretty
Smart I’m about to start being smart yeah if you’re not you better figure it out real quick huh yeah better figure something out yeah I tell you what because I think the because if I’m not mistaken the engineering schools pretty is pretty good it’s pretty tough they’re
Like number 13 in the nation for engineering yeah yeah yeah I was at calp we had a really good engineering program as well yes it was and it was diff it was really difficult like it was like kids that would come in for that that
Would wanted to go into our go down the engineering route I mean we just we couldn’t pull any punches man we’re like listen it’s just not easy it’s it’s really difficult it’s very difficult but I don’t know from what this guy’s been doing for the last oh yeah years you know
Pursuing I don’t know man this ain’t nothing you know they always say if you can wrestle you can do anything so I believe it Rob outwood as a mechanical engineer here in a few years yes sir good good so uh so moving forward here until you move you head off to VMI
What’s the what’s the plan here you wrestling in the spring summer or anything I’ll be training uh right now the only thing I have coming up right now is Border Wars Y which would be the 16th I have many people asking me to wrestle on the Virginia Beach DS and I
Got many people that want me to wrestle Virginia Beach uh individ uals but right now it ain’t really crossed my mind I don’t really have it uh it’s not something right now that I want to do but it’s not something that won’t come up next week that I want to do
So I I changed by the minute if you don’t know the truth so I could love it love it that’s awesome so good well like I said if you if I know if you choose to wrestle in it shoot man my money’s on you big dog right good Kenya you got anything else
From my man here nope I just want to say congratulations and uh I think like catch said you’re a perfect example to every I mean you had every excuse in the book and chose not to take a single one of them so uh yeah like K said you’re an
Inspiration and two Testament to what some hard work and dedication and a genuine true love for this sport can do so like it’s really refreshing to see someone who loves their sport that much so thanks thank you thank you all for having me on here you got it Rob we
Appreciate your time buddy thank you y’all have a good night he was well thanks buddy wow that’s crazy huh wrestling rooms that’s nuts because you were comparing it to even like how it’s kind of more common for girls but even so it’s like I mean there’s probably at least a boys program like
You at least have a place to go practice a few days a week it’s not perfect like this guy had to probably wake up and be like where am I going to drive to for practice where am I going today and easily could just not go do
You know how many practices I would missed if I didn’t have tell me you’re not practice you’re off the team like that’s there was weeks that’s probably the only reason I went to practice and this I mean he could just do whatever he wanted and he chose to
Show up every day so I mean that really is You Preach you preaching the choir there yeah found something else to do without question oh that’s awesome yeah no he’s what a great kid I got to know him a little bit less summer he’s a he’s
A great kid he really is so um all right well here I tell you what let’s do this I’m gonna go run down these uh now the um the national prep results a little bit different they didn’t really I didn’t see any team scores so I have to
Go down and kind of go by weight class but I can I can point out the Tennessee kids at that All-American I’ll do the best job I can here um 106 we had one we had one my boy Tanner Tran seventh place there at 106 All-American there from
Father Ryan Father Ryan had a great great great tournament I think if I’m not mistaken I believe they God I want to say they had five all Americans maybe six so we’ll see that I mean yeah we’ll see you you list can count them but anyway um
113 uh we had another one from Baylor uh Jacob Bond he’s a couple time state champ here at Baylor so he was he was also seventh at 113 120 I know we had one here as well yeah there it is right there Joseph Calvin from um Father Ryan was was six at 120
Like I said man father Ryan they they put it on uh 26 another father Ryan guy uh Brody Goble man congrats to him man he’s had he’s had a really really great couple weeks man I’m super proud of of Brody for for having a really super strong finish this
Year so uh fourth place National preps man congratulations that’s awesome um 132 case Roark another great tournament um he ended up third fighting all the way back for third place um had a great tournament there and also Spencer reap who we wrestled in the uh in the uh Tennessee um state championship finals
So uh we have two we had two all we had two prep all-americans going at it in our state finals for uh private schools this year so that’s that’s awesome and congratulations to Cas Roar from Father Ryan and Spencer re from Lakeway Christian academy uh for All-American at
132 at prep Nationals uh 138 what we have here didn’t look like we had anybody there at 38 44 Um nothing there 50 Father Ryan chance Reed Dean there he is eighth place knew they had another one coming through eth Place 150 chance to redeem great job congratulations to him he’s state champ here for us as well in Tennessee um 57 nope 65 Max Norman uh Baylor School sixth
Place um congratulations to Max I believe max if I’m not mistaken is at three times state champ now two or two time two or three times state champ yeah but got some ax another you know plac in another National Tournament so um seventh place at 175 uh Drake Bowers
Christian Brothers um super proud of that guy and we’ll we’ll have we’ll get to chat chat it up with him a little bit but uh he’s had an outstanding year so big congratulations to Drake um at 190 190 we had Lakeway we had Jay everol from Lakeway Christian State champaz all
Um place e congratulations to Jay he had a great season this year as well so man hats off to him um Chattanooga Christian School had another uh had another one of our all Americans here in Ryder Smith who was six at 215 and then and the heavyweight division um there he is
Carson jennel was fifth from mcau school so really good showing for for Tennessee I mean that’s quite a few all Americans rattled off I I should have counted them if I were a better if I were a better host and better at these results I would have counted few things to cover today
It’s I mean there’s like I don’t know like 12 or so I something like that it’s a lot it’s good it’s good number I mean we actually had a lot of participants this this used to be something that that the private schools here in Tennessee didn’t really take part in um they just
Didn’t go and then they what happened yeah because it used to be where the private schools and the public schools all would wrestle in the same tournament all same tournament you know on the same weekend so if if I’m not mistaken don’t quote me on it but I think it was Gordon
Conell who’s a really really big push from this from M col school just said Hey listen we need to get these guys to National prep so basically what they did they took the private school state tournament and moved it off that National preps weekend so now that’s
What the reason that that the two are swits are are split up so it gives um our private schools a you know a chance to go to the National preps which is really you know at the end of the day I mean if you’re if you’re in a a private
School um program I mean that should be your goal I mean Grant winning a state championship is is great and all I mean that’s there’s a lot of Pride to that but at the end of the day there’s another competition out there and I think that you know us moving forward as
A state I mean you could really tell Henry blue who’s um basically the the the main man here for our um um our representation here at the national prep tournament uh we were talking about this before that that week and we just have a lot more participation you know it’s now
It’s not just the the the traditional you know powers of Father Ryan and and mcau Baylor and Christian Brothers sending guys now I mean we had I know we had two two guys here from Middle Tennessee from brettwood Academy that went um Lakeway obviously with they started coming on the scene you know
When when Tony D’Angelo started that program they go every year now um Chattanooga Christian is another one you know that sent guys that’s starting to send guys now so we’re starting to make a a much bigger footprint on the national level which is really really cool because this this is the Premier
Private uh Private School uh tournament in the country I mean why why Mak s in Blair Academy and Lake Highland preer there I mean yeah I mean it doesn’t get any tougher than that you know and plus I mean that I’m just and I’m leaving a
Couple other ones out but but do you have those teams right there that are traditionally in the top five in all in just any type of rankings yeah I mean you want a test you go there yeah yeah so it’s awesome to see you know Tennessee really representing so I’m
Gonna bring on our next guest our last guest here and he’s uh had himself a pretty successful National preps but there he is my main man Drake Bowers up coach Save The Best For Last brother I’m sorry everybody else I’m a little biased me and Drake got a little
History so I I co I helped coach Drake a couple years ago that’s right so at at Christian Brothers had a great time and plus I’ve known him and his family for quite sometime so uh Drake what’s going on man everything good yes sir deal I
Tell you what man he um this guy right here man has been has had I’ve had I’ve really actually been really fortunate I mean first of all you know his head coach Derrick Harrison obviously as you will M Kenya you know him and I are are
Pretty tight he’s one of my you know really really really good friends and um so I got it chance to go coach with him what three years ago and I was just kind of on my nomadic Journey around the around the globe and I made a three-month stop in in
Memphis and Coach with Christian Brothers for three months and uh it was it was awesome and it was Drake sophomore year I know he placed his freshman year I believe but he barely places that right and then sophomore year he just you know I think it was a
Lot I think he probably jumped up about a couple weight classes really started growing and didn’t have a real good sophomore year I mean you know we he was struggling along we you know pushing him through and he end up you know not you know getting on the podium that year but
Man I from his sophomore year to his junior year it was like I saw a whole other different person this dude like found like not only found the weight room but I mean him him and his boy oh that’s whats to his boy Wills Bronson like literally I think they out there
Like for the all year I look look at these two dudes and it was likeing Hans and frons and um and he rolled through uh his junior year state Champion senior year I mean very very dominant year really I mean here in Tennessee and W A State title again and
Now National prep All-American man so I I couldn’t be prouder of a kid man I tell you what it’s been so cool to see this guy kind of grow up and and kind of get through these last two years and with as much success as he has so yeah
So what do you attribute to Drake Drake yeah you Pro probably part of it is he got rid of that that coach Hatcher guy your sophomore yeah learning a little bit about wrestling yeah that was that was really holding me back that was part of it so other other than that what what
What over the last two years like I said since I’ve seen this like just huge growth and in your wrestling what what do you kind of attribute that to I’m sure it’s a lot of things but I I think the main one was freshman and sophomore
Year you know I was just kind of going through the motions I didn’t really have have that passion or love for the for the sport of wrestling but I found it Junior and Senior year and I I knew what I had to do and I I love doing it you know and so
Got That Glory yeah yeah I mean you can really tell I mean you could just tell that you were that just your yeah I mean overall your attitude towards the sport was just you know was just better you you started really enjoying being in wrestling and it’s just I mean wrestling
Is just way too tough to not enjoy it it’s just if you’re not enjoying it your chance of success is not very good it’s just so yeah it’s just not but um yeah so talk to us a little bit about uh about last weekend you know I well I
Guess let’s let’s start back a couple weekends ago with State um you know you you had some Yes actually had some pretty you know some pretty decent competition there but it seemed to me like you really kind of went in there just kind of control everybody yeah uh I
Will I went in there with a lot of confidence you know I knew what I could do and I knew I was going to do it and so I didn’t really let nerves affect me in any way I went out there and treated it just like any other
Match yeah for sure for sure because like I said you you know pretty much handled everybody pretty easy so you know how about as far as like the national preps I if I’m not mistaken was this your first oh you went last year you went as Junior right okay so what
Was the experience like um from junior year to the senior year as far as how what propelled you to get on the podium this year um I would say my uh control and neutral is kind of what propelled me you know uh not many know this but uh I was actually
Going after um my oldest brother uh his his takedown record I kind I kind of like I kind of focused on neutral and you know just controlling neutral and that that’s kind of what propelled me did uh did you get it I did not what was the record I think it was
182 in one season oh wow yeah uh I don’t know that they don’t let me know the numbers but I’m not sure if I made it or not yeah yeah well I I would I knew better than that well I was an older brother in high school but my younger
Brother was was like really good he was a lot better than I was I would I wouldn’t chasing his takedown records that would happened yeah he he he probably twice as Bunch twice as many’s eyes so just for you to go and CH him it’s you know a little friendly
Brotherly competition I guess huh right so now you’re a senior senior year um obviously no more this is it you’re winding down your last few months here at Christian Brothers looking back at your last um four years I mean what uh um what’s it been like you know being
Part of that program with Coach Harrison and and just kind the people that you have been involved with there it’s great you know it’s it really has that that family feeling you know we’re all just a family we we try to bring out the best
In each other and it’s I know we we’re like super close and we all enjoy doing doing what we love together so yeah because you guys because you guys um I mean you guys have a pretty it’s a pretty you know intense I should say intense but I guess my word a
Better would be better word would be accountable program year I mean um you know Derek is in my in my opinion is is one not the best coach in Tennessee from a high school perspective I mean he’s he is on top of his kids like nothing else
I’m just on top of meaning that loves them tough loves them sometimes but just also super super accountable as far as they always have something they always have something going on and they’re always heavily involved in it so kind of like take us through like what what what
It is like all like your yearly schedule on what you guys have really kind of been been doing for the last four years and what’s kind of helped you really kind of catapult to these last two um our schedule like offseason in season everything oh okay so we we uh we’re
Pretty big year round you know we we always go freestyle Greco you know we go a lot of Coach Hatcher you know freestyle Greco camps yeah all throughout the summer and Fargo you know frean Greco state so I mean we’re we’re we never stop we’re always
Wrestling and so that that kind of helps us you know stay close yeah yeah even like like I said preseason you guys are preseason Nationals right I mean they’re they’re uh they’re high school schedule is is second n it’s it’s it’s it’s they travel a lot every weekend yeah yep
Every weekend so it’s fantastic yeah well um so what are you gonna do you gonna following your brother’s footsteps at wrestling College yep yeah uh I’m actually using this spring break to um visit some colleges yeah and then and then I’m gonna go uh to folks Nationals
Oh you are okay cool y so yeah I’ll kind of get an idea on what what the future is looking like with these uh college visits yeah yeah which ones you visiting I’m visiting um shenoa and then uh Liberty those two yeah okay excellent
Good I tell you what they get they got a diamond the rough because you don’t get a better kid than this guy this guy’s awesome yeah you got a Shiner yeah yeah yeah you there you go you have been wrestling National preps haven’t you yeah actually happened last match else you got huh
Hey it well you go yeah kid shot in I threw him to his back and he HT his ankle somehow and so he fell on the floor yelling and my face kind of just smacked onto his teeth and so split my forehead open and hit my my
Eye well hey man the price it takes it be National American you know what I’m love it love it Kenny what you got for my man here I can’t wait to have you on here to announce your uh where you’re going to college your signing commitment so congrats on your success this past
Few weekends we’re excited yo yo what’s that Drake you got to give us that soon as you soon as you commit i g have you have you on for a commitment show yes sir I’ll show you a text all right that sounds good all right anything else for
Us no sir all right me on oh of course man of course Okay and like I said man congratulations this guy right here is like literally the epitome of somebody that sticks with it I mean really honestly and man to to finish up his career as a national prep All-American
Nothing more fitting nothing more fitting I’m so proud of you bud proud of you thank you thanks coach awesome good deal all right my man well I’m sure I’ll see you here at some point in time soon yes sir see you than you yeah he’s a great kid yeah he’s
Awesome inel yeah he is he’s I mean man I tell you why because I was I was in there I was I was in the room the year he was he was struggling you know you just tell he just been just he’ been wrestling forever that’s that’s one of
The things you know it’s hard been wrestling a long time you know they him and his whole family it really started when they were young and and you could tell he was just kind like I was just you know he didn’t have he didn’t have the fire that he needed to to be
Successful then he must he just re refound the fire had a really really good uh yeah he’s had a great man he’s had a great last couple weeks that’s for sure doubled up on a state championship and and National prep all americ so big honor that something kind of in common
With all the guests that we had like I mean I think speaks a testament of what it means to be a wrestler is that no matter what like whether it be you know being the only girl on your team or not having a team or yes being on a program
That’s rebuilding and kind of building again from the ground up or just like facing burnout like if you’re going to wrestle and be successful at it absolutely you’re going to have adversity and absolutely there’s going to be times where it’s going to be easy to quit and make excuses but that’s what
Makes a difference between someone who wrestled and someone who’s a wrestler I guess is probably one way to look at it so I like that I might steal that from you you it just came out after I said I was like listen I might steal that from
My co-host I listening I might be listening to this tomorrow while I’m working out like fast forward to this to 121 but it’s you meet so many people as an adult like if you’re a wrestler you meet people and they’re like oh yeah I wrestled for like a year in high school
And I’m like okay but there’s a difference when you meet someone who wrestled and someone who’s a wrestler you know so or who was I love that but I think that all of our athletes today were a perfect example of that so I tell you what
You just gave me some inspiration when I talk to the kids tomorrow night so you’re either you’re you either wrestled or you’re a wrestler you choose they I mean drop the mic you choose yeah you choose so all right that was awesome I tell you what that was we had some we
Had we had some really great guests I knew this was gonna run we’re only at the one hour yeah good we’re doing good we yeah we crank through this pretty good but um yeah it’s awesome I tell you what here’s what I think and I’m just you know throwing this out here
And because it’s going to kind of go into another another segue I got but just the the the the kid the kids in our state now that I go in out and finding competition awesome I mean like the guests that are on here like Rob Atwood
Is from we didn’t nether one of us even knew where that we and I pronounce I still probably pronounce it wrong trustdale trale minutes north of here I guess you didn’t even know where it was you’ve been I didn’t know what part of the state it was but a guy like that you
Know goes and find finds wrestling rooms and shows up and and wants to go to Fargo you know Drake’s been competing and finding Talent all I mean all over the place Ella obviously I mean that goes without saying she’s been all over there wrestling the Saudi kids I mean
Everybody’s getting into this you know they’re they’re all understanding that listen if I want be good at this I gotta go find really good practice Partners on a consistent basis and I gotta go to really good competitions I’ve got to get out of my comfort zone I have to get out
Of my comfort zone so I’m I’m proud of our whole state I mean this is obviously this is I guess you could call this quote unquote the wrap up for the high School season but man I tell you what I I just I couldn’t be more proud of the
Boys and the girls side um in Tennessee as far as like the level of wrestling in our state now I mean there was lit legitimately like we had a state we had an all we had two all-americans in one weight class going out at 132 in the in
The private school divisions this year I mean that’s impressive you know I mean and just a lot of like Marquee matchups throughout the year and of guys that are wrestling that made College commitments already it’s just it’s fantastic SE I can’t wait to see where we’re at in five years can’t
Waites that would be cool yeah yeah so with that being said here’s what I’m here’s what I’m doing okay and I talked to some some of our board members from Tennessee wrestling and I don’t know if it’s okay so you guys can either comment I don’t think we see these these streamyard
Comments like when you watch it on YouTube so comment on this podcast or email me if you don’t want to just throw it out there but I think you should throw it out there because I think we’d like to get a little discussion on there but I would like to set up
Some sort of I don’t know like super duel super super match so what what kind of matchups throughout the state would you guys want to see on the boys and the girls side I’m talking like I’m throwing out I want catchweight classes I’ve got the venue here in mid not even the
Middle Tennessee I’m talking downtown Nashville that we would be willing to really I got some together so I’m talking like if you want to see I just if you want to see teammates wrestle Jose Cordo 106 Chase Walker 113 from Cleveland at a catchweight of 110 or
Like maybe uh shoot I mean I’m just throwing a Max Norman and Trey MCT the two you know private school like one Whatever 60 something that uh that Max was and and Trey it one you guys tell me what what match up you or one like one
Of the EUR Chuck boys against I don’t know we already Mason Jacob already wrestled JoJo once who you want to see Ethan wrestle I don’t care who it is um Kenya I know from the girls end I mean how about ell Murphy and World Champion Piper
Fer listen I’ll tune in for that I think the drive that so you guys tell us what type of matchups you want to see and I would love to pick five of them and make them happen that’s at least five of them it maybe seven of them I don’t know and
Make them happen for one night put it all as a as an event and that’s that’s what I want to do I’m trying to be like the Dana White of of Tennessee wrestling as you should but this would be so cool I’m so happy that you brought it up and obviously
It’s gonna take a lot to organize the event but it’s gonna take a lot on the athletes perspec I you scared I know I know but like you would this is gonna be super cool I got plenty of time I mean you I mean they run a couple running a
Couple volunteer organizations and do would try to do two businesses and yeah I got plenty of time trust me for something like this I would 100% do it and I’m telling you I’m talking like catch weights I’m not talking I don’t want it like oh it’s got to be a 106
Over against a 13 no I don’t want that I’m talking let’s let’s let’s see who who would you like to see wrestle each other just let us know like no bad idea let us let us know I don’t there’s no bad ideas no bad ideas guys and girls so
I think that’d be cool I love it I think I love I mean I think it so we’ll see we’ll see if we have any response yeah we’ll see yeah so cool um next week I’m gonna throw this out there okay because right now okay so when we normally start
This normally start this we started at 7 o’clock Central Time s o’clock Central time is nine o’clock in the morning in Manila the [Laughter] Philippines yes I’m going on my trip next week so I will be gone the next three weeks um in Asia so um yeah I’m
Still planning on doing it but here’s the thing I don’t know I I mean I think let me look at my trip at hero quick and see where I’m at um hold on here hold on hold on here ladies and gentlemen we’re gonna catch you fresh from your
Like oh yeah right off a 20 hour flight let’s get it I scared if if I’m in the airport that’s the only that’s the only C caveat okay so all right okay you know what shoot okay I won’t be able I won’t be able to tune in right away so I don’t
Like I don’t land until 10 o’clock in the morning in Manila so that’d be an hour late so we it would be that would be like super late here I don’t want to do that okay so here’s the deal we we’ll do it we’ll make an announcement we’ll
We’ll probably have to do it a different evening and then throw it out there so next week is gonna be at a different evening on Tuesday because I still want to do it because because because because we’re gonna because um I’ve got uh eyes and
Ears and I’ll be there too at the aou youth state tournament yeah we’ll have some fun guests next week kindgarten through eighth grade you know it so we’re g to get a couple little guys couple little gals couple middle schoolers maybe a coach or two and um
Yeah and chop it up so I want to be on this one so um the following I mean here’s the thing it’s just it’s kind of crazy because it’s they’re literally like a day and a half ahead there so but yeah next week will be different if
You’re pay paying attention to all of our social media and stuff like that I’ll let you know which the live stream is gonna be and then of course you guys can watch the non- live stream so yeah but but our gu I don’t I don’t want to
Hold our guests up till like 10 o’clock at night 11 I know especially since they’ll probably be children little kids yeah I mean that mean that would mean it’d be like yeah and then you know because I be keeping you up Kenan you want be past your bedtime listen we’re we’re already pass
Up past my bedtime on Tuesday yeah so we don’t want to do that so yeah so we’ll we we’ll uh so tune in see what’s up um with the uh um with the time change next week the following week yeah I think I should be okay I
Think the following week I’ll be in uh yeah I’ll be in in uh yeah I’ll be in in Chang in Thailand so I’ll be good there dang my yeah I know where that is it’s pretty awesome can’t wait and then the only other one might be a little difficult I’m gonna be like
Literally in the middle of on an island in the middle of Thailand that’s okay we got loyal guests you guys just pay attention and watch the next three weeks are gonna be a little you know you be doing a little might doing a little skipping around
So but pay attention to the social media you know when we get on there I’ll make it convenient for the other guests convenient for for Kenya not really concerned about myself I’ll whatever I’ll I’ll sleep when I’m dead cool you got anything else no super
Great week it’s a good a good end to a high school season it was sweet to be a part actually no I want I want I want from the viewers I want you say to well how was your first experience with coaching in not only the state tournament but two
Finalists oh my goodness it was such a different perspective because I think I mean I’ve wrestled in that Arena on that floor I mean for four years and so like wasn’t a foreign it wasn’t a foreign environment at all but to be it in that role is such an emotional I mean roller
Coaster and weight as I manage my emotions and my athletes emot emotions and trying to be there for everything they need but it was so cool I mean I see by I see by people like coaching it was pretty great but it’s it’s so cool just to see like it’s inspiring to see
Your girls trust you and give you their all for day after day after day and then continue to trust you at the tournament and it’s you know you’re both in it we’re both in it together so it was really cool to be a part of it I just I
Was just like overwhelmed with pride for all my athletes I could tell when I when I was talk me all at the uh at the at the USA stand yeah you got to meet all my my three that were there and um yeah you don’t got any announcements of what’s
Going on what’s what’s in the future here do you ah I do so I’m give you the platform here you hear me always chat chirping Ching you know but what we got here Kenya jamess plug I formerly announced the start of Knoxville girls wrestling cup this past weekend we passed out some
Flyers at the state tournament so um it’ll be the first of its kind in East Tennessee for sure um but we’ll have a wrestling club uh we’ll we’re start we’re starting the beginning of April we we’ll have a full summer of freestyle training and wrestling um I had to
Relearn folk style wrestling so can teach High School which says something about how versed I am in Freestyle Wrestling so I’m so so excited to get back to I mean get back to my bread and butter what I’ve been wrestling for the past like six or seven years so um it’s
Just I’m super excited to provide this opportunity for girls in our state and in my hometown and in my part of the state um an opportunity that I never had and I wish I could have and something that a lot of girls all around the country don’t get the opportunity to
Have which is just a space to wrestle with other highle girls to learn Freestyle Wrestling from you know some of your home Talent um and yeah just to have something to call your own so have some Elite level coaching we hope to have different female guests coming in
And out um but I’ll always be there so yeah that’s what we’ll start you want anything yeah where’s it at yeah we’re hosting a Knoxville Catholic um so Knoxville Catholic High School pretty Central to like all Knox County Schools uh to make it but if you are far away
We’re still I mean I’ve been doing privates on the weekends and so if like weekdays it’s hard to make it to Knoxville um I’m here I just want to be able to be a sport for girls and advancing their wrestling um another thing I want to be super purposeful of
Is if you’ve got a senior on your team a female who thinks she might want to wrestle in college but has just not known where to go I would love to counsel her so that’s another part of what I’m gonna do is my club is just to
Help girls get to College if they want to our in college because there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to so I’m here for it so yeah Knoxville girls wrestling club coming to April 1 that’s a that’s awesome I’m seriously I think that’s all girls wrestling club and you
Running it look out Knoxville I tell you what you got any young lady whatsoever it’s gonna be awesome I I can’t wait to see the growth of that it’s gonna be it’s gonna be awesome thanks hatch for helping me put together too got a perfectly well versed Club gu teach me
How to do it so been shoot been doing it for 30 years better know something yeah all right ladies and gentlemen thanks so much um for joining in I know they’re a little bit longer tonight but not not too much longer power power hour and a half yeah
Had the state tournament so we had way cool stuff cover state tournament prep Nationals all good all right well thanks for tuning in next week um like I said just pay attention it’ be a little bit different time but we’ll uh we’ll still have it out there cool all right Kenya
Thanks so much bye everyone
