Dragons rebuild
Kendall lone senior in Clinton wrestling lineup
Clinton wrestling Coach Channing McDonald will look to his lone senior, Dalton Kendall, for leadership as the Dragons look to rebuild in their 2024-25 season.
“We have a lot of new guys, and many of them are in the same weight classes, so we won’t fill a full lineup,” McDonald said. “It’s a rebuilding year for us. It’s tough, but there’s also a chance for some pleasant surprises, and I’m hoping we’ll have a few of those.”
Clinton has already faced Pigeon Forge and Northview Academy this season.
The Dragons lost to Northview due to forfeits, but won all but two of the matches they wrestled in.
Against Pigeon Forge, the Dragons fell 58-12, though two returning wrestlers secured victories by pin.
In the 132-pound weight class, Aaron Solberg pinned Bryce Dillon in 2 minutes, 28 seconds.
Senior heavyweight and team captain Dalton Kendall defeated Connor Breeden by fall in just 55 seconds.
Kendall leads the team as its only senior and is joined by key sophomore returners Solberg (expected to compete in the 126-pound division), Jordan Smith (175 pounds), Adam Gonzalez (165), and Bryson Bunch (150).
“These will be the four guys, as sophomores, who will step up for us,” McDonald said. “I don’t have any juniors, and Dalton is our captain and a senior.”
The Dragons’ newcomers include freshmen Bryson Breeden (expected to wrestle at 190 or 215), Jonah Hoskins (190), and Keenan Hoskins (120).
Expectations are modest for Clinton this season, but McDonald hopes to see progress and wins in dual meets.
“We just want to compete,” he said. “I don’t think we can beat the Anderson Counties, the Gibbses, or the Pigeon Forges of the world, but I would like to stay on top of some of the teams in our region.”
Lady Dragons Show Experience
The Lady Dragons enter the season with an experienced lineup, including senior Ace Johnson (185 pounds), junior Alyssa Gonzalez (116), junior Zira Feeney (126), and junior Maggie Lloyd (107).
