Dragon wrestlers return with high expectations
Ace Johnson is one of two newcomers joining the Lady Dragons wrestling team for 2023-24. (photo:Amy Strange )
Weigh-ins are at 5:30 p.m. at ACHS as the Dragons will wrestle against the Mavericks and the Tigers, two of its foes in a new region that also features another one of the state’s top Class A teams in Gibbs.
The Dragons have some high expectations under Head Coach Channing McDonald.
“I like to think that I have six kids who can make it to state,” McDonald said.
Clinton has four seniors back who made deep postseason runs in their respective weight classes last year.
They are: Riley Silk, a 152-pounder, who made it to the state championships in Franklin last season; Justice Snyder, who competes in the 120-pound division and made a run to the sectionals in 2022-23; Parker Sanchez, who qualified for the sectionals last season and will spend the campaign competing in the 138-pound weight class); and Caleb Kendall, a 132-pounder who also made an appearance in the sectionals.
Sophomore Hayden Harrell (145 pounds) and junior Dalton Kendall (Caleb’s brother), who will compete in the 215-pound weight class, also return for the 2023-24 campaign.
Key newcomers include sophomore 157-pounder Deameion Leavell, who joins the wrestling team after being named the Region 3-5A Returner of the Year in football, and sophomore 165-pounder Roman Hollifield.
While expectations are high for the coming season, McDonald is also looking toward the future.
“We tried to build some continuity with our youth program, and our youth wrestlers all wrestle in the same place, and practice at the same time, even though, we’re still working on getting a building,” McDonald said. “We also had some of our middle-schoolers wrestle in some exhibitions against other middle-school teams.
“We went to Norwood Middle and wrestled.”
Lady Dragons have high expectations
Clinton High continues to build its girls program, and McDonald said that he’s hoping to have eight Lady Dragons compete this season.
Clinton will have three returners, all sophomores.
Emma Murphy (165 pounds), Kayla Crutcher (126) and Alyssa Gonzales (120) are all back, and they’ll be joined by a pair of freshmen, who have committed to compete — Ace Johnson (185) and Maggie Lloyd (107).
The Lady Dragons will compete in the Knoxville Catholic Invitational JV and girls tournament on Friday, Dec. 1.
Anderson County will also have wrestlers in the field.
On Dec. 2, Clinton and Anderson County will compete in the boys’ varsity draw of the tournament, which is one of the top events before the Christmas break.