BRISTOL – Six local wrestlers finished on top of the podium on Saturday afternoon at the Region 1-A Wrestling Tournament on Saturday at Tennessee High School.
Greeneville’s Carson Dupil (120), Hunter Mason (145), Colin Dupil (152), Morgan Lowery (195) and Christian Feltner (285), and West Greene’s Roger Marshall (220) all captured individual region championships.
“I thought we wrestled really well today,” Greeneville coach Randy Shelton said. “There was a lot of good effort and a lot of winning today. Winning that region championship makes life a whole lot easier going into sectionals. Winning today is a really good way to set your self up for success next week.”
In total 15 local wrestlers advanced to next week’s state sectionals and will have a chance to earn trips to the Class A State Tournament.
“We saw a lot of winning today, a lot of guys finished first and third,” Shelton said. “We are not going to change a lot going into next week. We’ll work on some little mistakes we saw today. Then it’s about getting mentally fresh and ready to go.”
Mason and Colin Dupil also earned top honors at the tournament by claiming the Most Outstanding Wrestler awards. Mason only spent 33 seconds on the mat on Saturday to win the award for the lower weight classes. He pinned David Crockett’s Ethan Greer to win his region championship.
Dupil used two pins on Saturday to win the Most Outstanding Wrestler award for the upper weight classes. He first pinned Lukas Roberts of Sullivan East in the semifinals. Then he only needed 41 seconds to down Tennessee’ Kalel Honaker in the finals.
Carson Dupil was dominant in his championship match. Elizabethton’s Gabe Miller forced it to go to the third period, but Dupil finished with a 24-8 technical fall.
Lowery fell behind early in his championship bout with Marshall Jones of Sullivan East, but after gaining a 4-2 advantage in the second period he was able to get a quick turn on a restart and earn the pin in 2:39.
Feltner pinned his way to the championship, finishing the day by putting David Crockett’s Brayden Vance on his back in 1:07.
Marshall had to battle to the finish with Tennessee’s Mason Campbell. After one period he held a 4-1 advantage and after two periods it was 6-4. In the third period Marshal was able to start with a quick reversal to build a cushion, and then a late take down sealed the 10-5 decision.
Greeneville’s Hunter Shelton (113) and Josue Castillo (126), and West Greene Jeffery Hawk (138) and Hunter Gregg (170) earned second place finishes on Saturday.
Greeneville’s Gabe Oakley (106) and Angus Herrell (160) both finished in third place, as did West Greene’s Zachary Carroll (285). West Greene’s Drew Pursley (106) came in fourth place, as did Danny Tubberville of Chuckey-Doak (113).
All nine wrestlers kept their seasons alive as well and will compete in the sectionals next week at T.A. Dugger Middle School.
As a team Greeneville placed third on Saturday with 156.5 points. David Crockett was first with 182.5 points and Tennessee was second with 165 points. West Greene was fifth with 72 points.
The individual state tournament will be held February 24-26 in Franklin.
