Eighteen wrestlers from five Wilson County high schools are headed to the TSSAA state tournament, which kicks off February 20 at the Williamson County Ag-Expo Center. It’s a strong showing across the board, with five sectional champions and six more earning runner-up finishes-proof that Wilson County wrestling is not just holding its own, but thriving.
Let’s break down who’s heading to state and how they got there.
BOYS QUALIFIERS
Tristan Collier - Green Hill, Sophomore (138 lbs)
Collier continues to build an impressive resume.
After winning the Region 5-AA title, he followed it up with a Section 3-AA championship, defeating Brentwood senior Reed Loeffel 9-4 in the finals. The sophomore is showing poise beyond his years and enters state with real momentum.
Rocco Harmon - Green Hill, Senior (175 lbs)
Harmon’s path wasn’t easy.
After dropping his opening match to Nolensville’s Brodie Melzoni, he clawed his way back through the consolation bracket. Wins over Lebanon’s Roland Cooper and Centennial’s Marshall Lawhon sealed his fourth-place finish and the final qualifying spot.
That kind of grit is what postseason wrestling is all about.
Sam Massey - Green Hill, Junior (150 lbs)
Massey also took the long road, earning fourth place in the 150-pound class.
He picked up key consolation wins over Nolensville’s Cruz Pryor and Franklin’s Campbell Crowell. He’s proven he can battle through adversity-something that will serve him well in the state bracket.
Luka Nash - Green Hill, Senior (285 lbs)
Nash is peaking at the right time.
Already a Region 5-AA champ, he dominated Section 3-AA with a pin in the finals over Page’s Luke Lemaota. Along the way, he pinned Franklin’s Simon Sessions and delivered a major decision over Nolensville’s RJ Gibb.
Heavyweight matches often come down to power and positioning-Nash has both in spades.
Arvin Otoukesh - Green Hill, Senior (190 lbs)
Otoukesh made a strong run to the finals with back-to-back technical falls over James Lawson’s Franklin Wright and Centennial’s Owen Duck. Though he fell to Page’s Wyatt Elder in the championship bout, his runner-up finish secured him a well-earned trip to the Ag-Expo Center.
Ascen Petricca - Green Hill, Junior (144 lbs)
Petricca grabbed the final qualifying spot in his weight class by finishing fourth.
He opened with a 12-3 major decision over Summit’s Joaquin Apple and later pinned Beech’s Robert Thaler in a clutch consolation semifinal. He’s one of six Green Hill boys heading to state-a testament to the depth of this program.
Jacob Hawn - Lebanon, Sophomore (113 lbs)
Hawn was Lebanon’s lone boys qualifier, and he did it in style.
He pinned Franklin’s Pax Morgan and Page’s Zeke Bourgeois to reach the finals, where he narrowly lost a 4-2 decision to McGavock senior Emanuel Claybrooks. Still, a runner-up finish as a sophomore?
That’s a name to remember.
Herman Stephen - Mt. Juliet, Junior (215 lbs)
Stephen powered his way to a third-place finish with three pins in the Section 3-AA tournament. He’ll represent Mt.
Juliet as its only boys qualifier, and with that kind of finishing ability, he could surprise some folks next week.
Kellan Green - Watertown, Sophomore (132 lbs)
Green earned runner-up honors in the Section 3-A bracket.
He edged out a 7-6 decision in the quarters and pinned Station Camp’s Ryker Henth in the semis. Though he fell short in the final, he’s proven he can win tight matches-an invaluable trait at state.
Wesley Hamlet - Watertown, Senior (285 lbs)
Hamlet didn’t just win his bracket-he dominated it.
A 21-second pin to start the day and a 14-second pin to win the title? That’s not just efficient, it’s downright intimidating.
He’s heading to state as a Section 3-A champ and a serious threat in the heavyweight division.
Gunnar Tompkins - Watertown, Junior (144 lbs)
Tompkins put together a strong run through his bracket, earning pins in the quarters and semis before grinding out a 7-5 win over Station Camp’s Patrick York in the final. He’s one of three Purple Tigers heading to state and enters with a lot of confidence.
Hayden Tompkins - Watertown, Sophomore (106 lbs)
Tompkins made it to the finals with two straight pins, taking down Spring Hill’s Huxley Martin and Tullahoma’s Chandler Minor. He fell to Springfield senior Jaime Sanginez in the title match, but a second-place finish as a sophomore is nothing to scoff at.
Wyatt Nichols - Wilson Central, Junior (106 lbs)
Nichols battled to the finals with 10-3 and 14-9 decision wins in the quarters and semis.
Though he lost to Page’s Carson Gambill in the championship, his runner-up finish locks in his spot at state. He’ll be the lone boys representative for Wilson Central.
GIRLS QUALIFIERS
Susanna Duke - Green Hill, Senior (114 lbs)
Duke posted a pair of technical falls to reach the final, where she came up short against Summit’s Addison Borden. Still, a silver medal finish at sectionals sends her to state with plenty of momentum and experience.
Talea Rodriguez - Green Hill, Junior (120 lbs)
Rodriguez was dominant in her sectional title run.
A technical fall in the quarters, followed by a 13-3 major decision over Tullahoma’s Kacey Barecky in the final, showed she’s in top form. She’ll be one to watch in Franklin.
Keelie Brandt - Lebanon, Sophomore (107 lbs)
Brandt bounced back from a quarterfinal loss with two strong decision wins-14-2 and 9-2-to finish fourth and earn her spot at state. That kind of resilience is what postseason wrestling is all about.
Cayleigh Lea - Lebanon, Junior (165 lbs)
Lea secured third place with a pair of pins, taking down Glencliff’s Kin Mohamed and Siegel’s Serenity Sloan in the process. She’s heading to the Ag-Expo Center with a shot to make some noise in a wide-open bracket.
Addison Brown - Wilson Central, Sophomore (145 lbs)
Brown rebounded from a semifinal loss with a pin over Spring Hill’s Jillian Vaughn to finish fourth and qualify for state. She’s Wilson Central’s lone girls qualifier and brings some firepower to the mat.
Looking Ahead
With 18 wrestlers set to compete in Franklin, Wilson County will be well represented on the state stage. From dominant champions to gritty underdogs who fought through the back door, this group is loaded with talent, toughness, and storylines to follow. When the mats roll out at the Ag-Expo Center, keep an eye on these names-they’re not just showing up, they’re showing out.