“We didn’t accomplish what we came out here to do. We still have a lot of work to do. Over the break we are going to look at fixing some technical things and having our challenge matches to see what our semester lineup is going to be,” stated Morris after the tournament.
Walker Valley faced off against Dalton, Ga., in the tournament’s third-place match and ran away with a 45-27 victory.
The Mustangs came out of the gate fast with second-ranked, 138-man Caleb Langford posting a pin at the three and a half minute mark.
In total five Walker Valley grapplers put their opponents shoulders on the mat.
Lawrence Cotton (152) posted a pin in 49 seconds, Chase Gregory (170) pinned his opponent in three minutes and 54 seconds, Billy Raulston (195) notched a pin in two minutes and 27 seconds and sixth-ranked Hunter Davis (132) finished the match strong with a 59 second pin.
Tyrus Hamrick (126), Micah Langford (160) and Sam Dworak (285) all won their match-up by decision.
Mustangs 50, Stone Memorial 12
To kick off the tournament, Walker Valley squared off against Stone Memorial and ran away with a strong victory.
Avrie Bramlett (106), C. Langford, M. Langford, Gregory and Dworak all posted wins by pinning their opponent.
Mustangs winning by decision were Austin Gregory (113), Hamrick, Davis, Cotton, Raulston and Zach Miller (220).
Purple Pounders 38, Mustangs 25
Walker Valley hit a slight roadblock when it faced the Chattanooga Central Purple Pounders in its second contest.
Miller was the only Mustang to put his opponent’s shoulders on the mat for a pin.
M. Langford was able to take his opponent the distance and win by decision, while Cotton was able to put up a technical fall in his match.
Mustangs 69, Eagles 9
The Mustangs rebounded in their third match as they took the mat against the Signal Mountain Eagles in their last match, before facing Dalton for third.
It was a ‘pin-fest’ for Walker Valley as nine different Mustang wrestlers found their way on the scoreboard by pinning their opponent.
Gregory, Hamrick, Davis, C. Langford, Damien Monroy (145), Cotton, M. Langford, Tristan Maro (170) and Miller all pinned their opponents. Six of those pins all occurred in less than a minute.
Raulston and Dworak also won their matches by decision.
Morris said he feels the holiday break might have been on the wrestlers’ minds and caused some momentary lapses in focus throughout the tournament.
Things don’t get any easier for the Mustangs as they face off against the third-ranked defending state duals champion and county rival the Bradley Bears on Jan. 5.
