Greeneville freshman, Brylan Rhodes, stood atop the podium Saturday night as a TSSAA state champion in the 106 pound weight class. This marked the 10th consecutive year that a Greene Devil wrestler has achieved this feat.
His championship road began with a runner-up finish in the region, followed by a sectional championship and a number 4 seed in the state tournament bracket. Three wins on Friday placed him in the championship match on Saturday against Jacob Stinnett, a fellow freshman from Upperman.
Two takedowns in the first period of the championship match gave him a 6-1 lead, which would establish the momentum needed to push on to the 10-4 decision and claim the TSSAA state title.
Day Brings Home 3rd
Greeneville senior, Derrick Day entered the tournament having won both the regional and sectional events and was seeded fourth in the 138 pound weight class. He cruised through the first two rounds of the tournament before falling to Signal Mountain’s Ethan Uhorchuk in the semi-finals of the winner’s bracket.
He rebounded by pinning Watertown’s Gunner Thompkins, placing him in the consolation bracket finals. There he collected a quick pin on Soddy Daisy’s Jake Laxton to secure the 3rd place finish.
Oakley Settles for 4th
Gabe Oakley, a GHS junior, won the regional tournament before finishing runner-up at the sectionals and ended up with a 5-seed heading into the 113 pound division of the TSSAA state wrestling tournament. After an opening round win, he would fall to Ryley Correll of Eagleville 11-1.
There he would battle back claiming 3 straight victories, setting up a rematch with Correll in the finals of the consolation bracket. Unfortunately, Correll would once again come out on top with an 8-0 decision and Oakley would settle for a 4th place finish.
