Getting the pin... Elizabethton's Morton, Thomas collect TSWA All-State wrestling honors - www.elizabethton.com

Getting the pin… Elizabethton’s Morton, Thomas collect TSWA All-State wrestling honors

Published 2:39 pm Thursday, April 23, 2020

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File Photo/Ivan Sanders Tyesha Thomas dominated in a regular-season match against her opponent from Knox Gibbs.

File Photo/Ivan Sanders Tyesha Thomas has her opponent in a very compromised position during her match with the Gibbs wrestler in an match in regular season.

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton High School's Deuce Morton was named to the TSWA All-State team for the 195-pound weight class in Class A-AA.

File Photo/Ivan Sanders Deuce Morton gains the upper hand on his opponent during the 2020 state wrestling tournament.

File Photo/ Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Deuce Morton has his hand raised in victory in his first round match in the 2020 state tournament.

File Photo/ Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Tyesha Thomas flashes a big grin after winning a match at the state tournament. Thomas was selected to the TSWA All-State team.

BY IVAN SANDERS

STAR SPORTS EDITOR

ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com

The Elizabethton Cyclone wrestling program continues to get stronger year after year and the main reason for that is the consistency of two of the program’s dominant wrestlers for the last three years in Jonathan “Deuce” Morton and Tyesha Thomas.

Morton picked up his second consecutive state title this past season in the 195-pound weight class in Class A-AA while Thomas collected a runner-up finish in the 119-pound girl’s weight class in the 2020 state tournament held in Williamson County.

The two wrestlers were rewarded for their efforts as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association recognized them as All-State performers in their respective weight classes.

Morton was simply a beast on the mat all season for the Cyclones as he won a total of 50 matches while suffering only two defeats. The two defeats came to wrestlers in a higher classification from private schools.

Many of Morton’s matches didn’t proceed past the first two-minute round as Morton has become a strategist at evaluating his opponents and taking care of business quickly.

“Deuce had an exemplary season,” said Cyclone head coach Eddie Morrell. “The kid worked hard every day and developed into a role model and leader for the rest of our team.

“I haven’t seen a dominant run as Deuce had in quite some time. We are going to fine-tune our athletic points heading into next season and work on him being on the mat for six full minutes and take some pressure off him thinking he has to get it done in the first two minutes.”

Thomas continues to impress her coach with the way she has consistently performed and looks for the physical grappler to accomplish something in her senior year that he hasn’t seen on the girl’s side of competition.

“Tyesha had a really great season,” Morrell said. “She had one loss at a tournament in Nashville and the other came in the state final and won 29 matches overall.

“I couldn’t ask for a better work ethic or consistency. We are going to really focus on the mental aspects of her matches in the upcoming season and just continuing to stay consistent.

“Physically, she has all the traits to wrestle at the college level while mentally she continues to grow as a wrestler,” Morrell continued. “She may win 100 matches before the end of her career and I never thought I would see the day a girl could get 100 matches.

“I couldn’t ask for more out of either Deuce or Tyesha. I know the TSWA doesn’t take it lightly when naming All-State performers.”

The two seniors look to help lead their team to another strong finish in the final year on the mats in 2021.

A complete list of wrestlers who made the TSWA Class A-AA and Class AAA are listed below with Northeast Tennessee performers highlighted.

GIRLS
103
Avery Kibelbek, David Crockett, So.
Elizabeth Raper, Cookeville, So.
Ella-lina Gonzalez, West Creek, Fr.
Anna Fisher, Alcoa, Jr.

112
Kerra Strevel, Heritage, Jr.
Verena Pate, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee, Fr.
Savanah Barefield, Rossview, Sr.
Jesmarie Negron, Forrest, Sr.

119
Annalynn Rakett, Clarksville Academy, So.
Tyesha Thomas, Elizabethton, Jr.
Divine Desilets, Tullahoma, Jr.
Emma Wallen, Science Hill, Jr.

125
Robbin Yunis, Rossview, Sr.
Taylor Howell, Clarksville, Sr.
Morgan Sacharczyk, Blackman, Fr.
Kaylee Hayes, Gibbs, Sr.

132
Emma Walker, Rossview, Sr.
Rontaysia Payne, Dickson County, Jr.
Lilly Pendleton, Cheatham County, Sr.
Jaelyn Patton, Stone Memorial, Fr.

140
Saqara Buchanan, Rossview, Sr.
Genesis Gilmore, Montgomery Central, Fr.
Leann Worley, Jefferson County, Jr.
Iliana Pate, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee, So.

150
Vivian Hurn, Montgomery Central, Sr.
Elizabeth Champion, Tullahoma, Jr.
Brette Spink, Clarksville Northwest, So.
Nena Brown, Blackman, So.

160
Maggie Graham, Bartlett, Fr.
Brielle Bissonette, Rossview, Jr.
Taylor Rickley, Northwest, Sr.
Brianna Thompson, Heritage, So.

170
Shelby Zacharias, Creek Wood, Jr.
Rose Gailan, Nashville Overton, Sr.
Mazzy Wilson, Stone Memorial, So.
Lilly Chantler of Clarksville Northwest, Fr.

190
Ariyanna Anderson, Creek Wood, So.
Jamya Brewer, Rossview, Jr.
Kaevon Burney, Clarksville, Sr.
Korrine Abston, Stone Memorial, Jr.

215
Valerie Smith, McGavock Comprehensive, So.
Jayla Washington, Cordova, Sr.
Taylor Davis, Heritage, Sr.
Trinaty Robinson, Columbia Central, Jr.

BOYS

Class A-AA
106
Caleb Uhorchuk, Signal Mountain, Fr.
Cole Dorsett, Nolensville, Fr.
Marcus Smith, Gibbs, Fr.
Hunter Gentry, Pigeon Forge, So.

113
LeAndre Dabney Jr., Greeneville, So.
Gregory Gomez, Martin Luther King, Fr.
Andy Cable, Pigeon Forge, Fr.
Seth McCoy, Forrest, 8th grade

120
Daniel Uhorchuk, Signal Mountain, Jr.
Trevor Lewis, Hixson, Jr.
Caleb Gumlick, Pigeon Forge, Fr.
Logan Heckert, Sycamore, Fr.

126
Hunter Mason, Greeneville, Fr.
Riley Lippincott, Nolensville, Jr.
Cole McCartney, Greenbrier, Sr.
Noah Dyer, Pigeon Forge, So.

132
Josh Parton, Pigeon Forge, So.
Dalen Kimble, Sycamore, So.
Hunter Johnson, Greeneville, Jr.
Jeremiah Shackleford, Hixson, Sr.

138
Garrett Foreman, Pigeon Forge, So.
Riley Bennett, Fairview, Jr.
Jacob Vogelpohl, Nolensville, Sr.
Christian Moore, Gibbs, Sr.

145
Kodiak Cannedy, Greeneville, So.
Kevin Muschel, Signal Mountain, Jr.
Malachi Bennett, Fairview, Fr.
Alex Overbay, Sullivan South, Jr.

152
Colby Dalon, Pigeon Forge, So.
Ryan Wimbley, Alcoa, Sr.
Gavin Channell, Nolensville, Sr.
Ken Curtis, Fairview, Fr.

160
Wyatt McLemore, Eagleville, Jr.
Preston Worley, Signal Mountain, Jr.
Antonio Washington, Bolton, Sr.
Anthony Jones, Alcoa, Sr.

170
Nick McClendon, Forrest, Sr.
Matthew Trotter, Creek Wood, Sr.
Caden Cline, Red Bank, Sr.
William Carter, Alcoa, Sr.

182
Noah Hill, Forrest, Jr.
Joseph Skidmore, Pigeon Forge, Jr.
Jason Dennis, Eagleville, Jr.
Cody DeLano, Fairview, Sr.

195
Jonathan Morton, Elizabethton, Jr.
Caleb Wolfe, Pigeon Forge, Fr.
Kambell Brown, Alcoa, Sr.
McKinley Wagner, Nolensville, Sr.

220
Parrish Pacetti, Hixson, Jr.
Elliott Grinder, Hume-Fogg, Sr.
Ethan Sutton, Pigeon Forge, Jr.
Cameron Hensley, Greeneville, Sr.

285
Lance Williams, Alcoa, Fr.
Garrison Albino, Gibbs, Sr.
Devotis McCurdy, Hixson, Sr.
James Headrick, Whitwell, Sr.

AAA
106
Bentley Ellison, Cleveland, Fr.
Ethan Wilson, Bradley Central, Sr.
Keegan Schulz, Munford, Sr.
Nicholas Mercante, Wilson Central, Fr.

113
Thomas Borders, Wilson Central, Jr.
Justin Bradford, Blackman, So.
Arlo Laxton, Cleveland, So.
Chris Calvin, McGavock Comprehensive, Jr.

120
Trey Bates, Beech, Jr.
Jackson Bradford, Cleveland, Jr.
Andrew Artiles, Collierville, Sr.
Grant Fetters, Wilson Central, Sr.

126
Trae McDaniel, Cleveland, Jr.
Brennan Watkins, Dobyns Bennett, Jr.
Samuel Shires, Rossview, So.
Mason Sells, Blackman, Fr.

132
Tyler Seeley, Science Hill, Sr.
Ethan Moore, Rossview, Sr.
Gavin Hughes, Bradley Central, Sr.
Franky Medina, Riverdale, Sr.

138
Christian Isbell, Clarksville, Sr.
Alan Fort, Wilson Central, Jr.
Braxton Mann, Science Hill, Jr.
Landon Fisher, Jefferson County, Jr.

145
Jackson Hurst, Dobyns Bennett, Jr.
Thomas Williams, Rossview, Sr.
Alex Ables, Centennial, Jr.
Dylan Cockman, Arlington, So.

152
Mason Smith, Beech, Jr.
Levi Stone, Wilson Central, Sr.
Robert Laxton, Cleveland, Jr.
Derrick Bannister, Kenwood, Sr.

160
Tre Morrisette, Dobyns Bennett, Jr.
Dejon Glaster, Oakland, Sr.
Jared Harter, Science Hill, Sr.
Nate Schilling, Cleveland, Sr.

170
Gabriel Smith, Clarksville, Sr.
Josh Pietarila, Hardin Valley, Sr.
Anthony Gomez, Blackman, Sr.
Zach Brezna, Cleveland, Sr.

182
Brooks Sacharczyk, Blackman, Sr.
Hayden Maynor, Soddy Daisy, Sr.
Cooper Richards, Springfield, Sr.
Tyrone McDonald, Bradley Central, Sr.

195
Johnny Mac Feldhacker, Brentwood, Sr.
Jason Brumlow, East Hamilton, Jr.
Joshua Cummins, Anderson County, Jr.
Kallum Lowe, Walker Valley, Jr.

220
Ashton Davis, Cleveland, So.
Brandon Elkins, Knox Halls, Sr.
Bowdy Boyce, Blackman, Sr.
Ryver Shelton of Jefferson County, Jr.

285
Skylar Coffey, Brentwood, Sr.
Jadon Langford, Walker Valley, Jr.
Jared Dawson, Collierville, Sr.
Gabrille Fletcher, McGavock Comprehensive, Sr.

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