Central's Todd, Green Hill's Stacey strike TSSAA wrestling gold

Feb. 28—FRANKLIN — Wilson Central added to its impressive list of state wrestling champions while Green Hill began expanding its list during the TSSAA Championships last weekend at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center.

Wildcat junior Noah Todd won the 220 pound Class AA title in sudden victory, wrestling's version of overtime. His is the 11th individual title won by Central since Austin Richard and John Kramer broke through in 2014. Thomas Borders won three titles and Michael Kramer two during their time in WCHS blue. Todd is the eighth Wildcat with an individual state championship. Mike Binns, Zach Linton and Calvin Martin also won state as Wildcats.

Green Hill 170-pound junior Jake Stacey became the second Hawk to win TSSAA gold, joining Dominic Love from the school's first year in 2021 to take a Class A title.

Green Hill competed in Class A its first three years based upon first-year enrollment numbers as a new school. It will be in AA next year joining Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, Wilson Central and Cookeville in District 9.

A look at Wilson County wrestlers by class and weight:

BOYS Class A106

Green Hill sophomore Justin Muniz finished runner up with an 18-1 technical fall at 5:28 of the first period to Seymour freshman Samuel Comes. Muniz pinned his first two opponents before winning a 10-1 major decision in the semifinals.

113

Watertown junior Gabe York lost his two matches by an 18-6 major decision and 11-6.

126

Watertown senior Kashis Redd won his first match 11-6 before losing an 11-4 decision and a 13-1 major decision.

132

Green Hill senior Jordan Gainey was edged 3-2 in his first match before winning his first consolation match 7-5. He was pinned in 1:41 by Eagleville's Jacob Pennington to end his day.

138

Green Hill sophomore Luke Athoe dropped an 11-0 major decision in his first match before winning 6-1 in the consolations. He was put out by Tullahoma's Cody Agnell 4-0.

160

Green Hill junior Andrew Berkon won his first match 6-2 before a 4-3 loss sent him to the consolations where he won an 11-2 major decision. A 17-3 major-decision loss to Fairview's Malachi Bennett ended his day.

170

Green Hill junior Jake Stacey, a third-place finisher at this weight last year, ran the table to win the Hawks' second state wrestling championship in the school's three seasons. He won his first three matches by technical falls 16-1, 18-3 and 16-1 before striking gold with a 16-7 major decision over Pigeon Forge's Aiden Littles in the championship match.

182

Green Hill junior Sabastain Cruz lost both of his matches by pin.

195

Green Hill senior Nathan Downey, a fifth-place finisher at 182 last year, took home fourth place this time around. He win an 11-6 decision in his first match and pinned his second opponent in 4:56 to reach the semifinals where he lost to eventual champion Morgan Lowery of Greeneville by fall in 3:32. In the consolation bracket, Downey downed Cascade's Isaac Chapa in an 8-0 major decision before he was defeated 4-2 by Fairview's Kendrick Curtis in the third-place match.

Class AA106

Wilson Central senior Chase Fisher won his first match by fall in 53 seconds and his second via a 16-5 major decision before dropping a 7-2 semifinal decision to eventual champion freshman Jose Cordero of Cleveland. In the consolations, Fisher pinned Brentwood freshman Reed Loeffel in 4:46 before finishing fourth with a 6-4 loss to Bradley Central sophomore Miguel Rincon.

Mt. Juliet freshman Bryce Buckwalter lost both his matches. He was pinned by Cordero in 1:01 and dropped a 13-9 decision in consolations.

113

Mt. Juliet sophomore Michael Johnson lost his first match by fall in 4:36. He got a forfeit win in consolations before dropping a 5-0 decision to Hardin Valley's Brock Connatser.

120

Wilson Central sophomore Vance Blake win his first match by fall in 1:12 before going down in the same manner in 3:33 to Science Hill freshman Chase Smalling. Blake forfeited his consolation match.

126

Wilson Central sophomore Nicholas Mercante collected his fourth top-five finish in his four-year career. He pinned his first two opponents in 49 seconds and 3:37 before dropping an 8-1 semifinal decision. In consolations, he pinned Blackman freshman Thomas Rubio in 2:39 before dropping the third-place match 10-0 to Dobyns Bennett freshman Titus Norman.

138

Wilson Central senior Connor Warnock rolled to the championship match with pins in 29 seconds and 1:59 and a 7-2 semifinal decision over Brentwood's Arash Yazdani. But his bid for the title fell with a pin to Summit's Landon Desselle in 3:41.

145

Lebanon senior Gage Estus won his first match 7-3 before losing a 16-0 technical fall. He won his first consolation match by pinning Gallatin's Jazarius Ellis in 2:06. Wilson Central senior Wendell Myers pinned his first opponent in 50 seconds before dropping a 5-2 decision. He won his first consolation match by pinning Bartlett's Jack Anderson in 4:38. Estus and Myers then faced each other with Myers winning 5-0. Myers then lost 5-0 to Summit's Brayden Leach to fall into the fifth-place match which the Wildcat won 3-1 over Clarksville's Seth Robles.

152

Following a pair of fourth-place finishes and a sixth in lighter weight classes, Wilson Central senior Riley Fort capped his career with a third-place finish with a 9-1 major decision over Brentwood's Clark Vaughn. Fort won his first two matches by pin at 3:33 and 5:12 before dropping a 5-3 semifinal decision to eventual champion Logan Fowler of Cleveland, who also won state two years ago as a 106-pound freshman. Fort recovered in the consolation with a 6-0 semifinal win over Beech's Coen Myers.

160

Wilson Central junior Camron Isabel won his first match 13-9 before falling in 3:30. Isabel recovered with a consolation pin in 2:39 and an 8-7 win over Hillsboro's Matthew Schutt. He was then pinned by Clarksville Jack Stein in 2:56 to drop to the fifth-place match where he finished sixth via a pin to Coffee County's Jacob Barlow in 2:05.

170

Wilson Central junior Samuel Griggs won his first two matches via a 13-2 major decision and a pin in 4:53. He dropped a 4-3 semifinal decision and a consolation semifinal loss by the same score to fall to the fifth-place match where he finished sixth with a 4-3 loss to Hendersonville's Scott Ehrlich.

182

Wilson Central senior Nolan Hudson lost his first match by fall in 37 seconds. In consolations, he pinned Stewarts Creek's Nicholas Mednicino in 3:32 before falling 4-3 to Dobyns Bennett's Nikolas Burke.

195

Mt. Juliet junior William Czerniak was pinned in his first match in 3:24. He won his first consolation 6-1 before losing 3-2 to Oakland's Hayven Jenkins.

220

After runner-up finishes at this weight in 2021 and '22, the third time was the charm for Wilson Central senior Noah Todd with a 4-2 sudden victory over Dobyns Bennett junior Garret Crowder, himself a third-place finisher here last year. Todd advanced through the bracket with an 11-2 major decision and a pair of 8-3 wins.

GIRLS145

Mt. Juliet sophomore Julia Jirka lost her first match 9-7 before winning her first two consolation matches by fall in 1:51 and 4:45. She was pinned in 2:07 by Stone Memorial's Jaelyn Patton.

185

Mt. Juliet sophomore Abigail Griffin lost her first match by fall in 58 seconds. She pinned her first consolation opponent in 4:27 before dropping a 10-5 decision to Forrest freshman Danika Mealer.