A-AA State Preview (25/26 Season)
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Quarterfinal Gauntlet Matchups:
Graham, the defending state champion, has spent the entire year at the #1 ranking and is the odds-on favorite on paper to take home the title again. But even the #1 overall seed isn’t immune to the quirks of TSSAA’s seeding structure; his quarterfinal matchup will most likely be against Luke Higdon, a former two-time state medalist who hasn’t dropped below #3 all season.
This was a semifinal last year, with Avans winning a (5–3) decision. Avans, a two-time state finalist chasing that elusive state title, is looking to reach his third straight state final, and he’ll have to get through Cope to do it. This feels like a one-takedown match, but per my predictions, until I see Avans lose before the state finals, I’ll side with him again in this matchup
Just two weeks ago, these two were ranked #1 and #2. But then Leaveall announced he was moving up, and Ian Voh Loh was able to flip the result against Shaw in the section finals. Now, this week, Neal and Shaw are set to meet in the quarterfinals. This should be an outstanding matchup. One that many wrestling fans would have predicted could have been a state finals matchup less than a month ago.
Bracket Busters(3rd or 4th Section placers with podium potential):
120lbs- Sayvion Surles (Tullahoma)- Surles is the epitome of a bracket buster. He’s spent time inside the top six rankings at 120lbs but finished fourth last weekend at the Section 3-AA tournament. That puts him in a loaded first-round matchup with 2nd seed Gabriel Oakley, a former state medalist. However, the two met a couple weeks ago at the State Duals, where Surles won by fall. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if Surles is able to flip this bracket upside down.
144lbs- Colton Relation (Samuel Everrett)- Relation, who took 3rd at the Section 2 A–AA tournament, is also a former state medalist. If you thought 157 lbs was vaunted, then 144 lbs is a whole different animal. This weight features SEVEN former state medalists, and that doesn’t even include Hayden Harrel, who is currently ranked #2 at the weight. From the first round all the way through the finals, and deep into the backside. This bracket is pure chaos. Relation is a perfect example of a non-typical 3rd-place section finisher, and I expect to see him close out his high school career back on the medal stand.
157lbs- Jake Laxton (Soddy Daisy)- Laxton, who placed 4th last year at 138 lbs, took 3rd last weekend at the Section 2-AA tournament and now finds himself in the vaunted A–AA 157 lbs bracket. A weight that features five former state medalists. Even more daunting, four of those five medalists sit on the same half of the bracket. Still, Laxton is more than capable of navigating the chaos and making a serious run to the podium.
HWT- Hunter Lange (Fairview)- Lange, currently ranked #6, should not be taken lightly. The Fairview senior already owns multiple wins over ranked opponents this season, and most of his losses have come in tight matches. Don’t be surprised if he puts together his best wrestling this weekend in Franklin.
Can't Miss State Final Matchups:
If we get this matchup again, it would be a state finals rematch from last year an instant classic that Graham won in sudden victory. And for those who were lucky enough to catch their state duals battle, you know it was an absolute war, with Graham prevailing again in sudden victory, 17–14. As previously mentioned, Graham will first have to get through a very tough Luke Higdon in the quarters, but if chalk holds, this is the finals matchup we should see at 113lbs.
This is a matchup I had circled early in the year when Rhodes moved up to 126 lbs and Spring Hill dropped a classification. Nielsen is a returning AA state finalist, while Rhodes brought home the 106 lbs title last year. The caveat with this matchup is the number of landmines both wrestlers will have to navigate just to make the finals. Rhodes’ path likely features going through Brodie Jaeckel and Ian McCallie, while Nielsen will likely face last year’s returning 126 lbs champion, Grady Phelps. Needless to say, A–AA 126 lbs is insane from top to bottom. While I do predict Nielsen to take home the title this year, this weight is the furthest thing from a sure thing.
150lbs (semifinal)-#1 Max Cable (Pigeon Forge) vs #2 Tamarion Johnson (Montgomery Central)
While this matchup will most likely happen in the semifinals, it’s too good not to highlight. Tamarion has been on a heater the last two weekends, facing #3 Tanner Aldridge both times and increasing his margin of victory each match, including a tech fall last weekend. Cable, who recently dropped to 150 lbs, has also had an impressive season. For my money, the winner of this potential semifinal will end up being the A–AA 150 lbs state champion.
Other Storylines News:
132 lbs – Jojo Uhorchuck : Ranked 7th nationally(flo) Uhorchuck, who is committed to wrestle at Army next season, enters this weekend chasing his fourth state title in what would be his fifth state finals appearance. Barring a monumental upset, we’re likely witnessing the closing chapter of one of the all-time great careers in Tennessee high school wrestling. A fourth title would firmly cement his place among one of the very best in the history of Tennessee Wrestling.
157lbs- Braylan Cosper – The returning state champion has been utterly dominant this season. Cosper is not only undefeated, but he has TECHED or PINNED every single opponent he’s faced. Which is truly absurd at this level. The question now is whether he can carry that same bonus-point dominance through the state tournament.
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