Forrest takes 2nd at region duals

The Forrest Rockets took 2nd place at the region tournament on Thursday at Summit High School. Kneeling from left: Keith Hatten, Spenser McGuiggan, Zach McCoy, Cody Pigg, Cage Hargrove, Payton Sisk, and CJ Monce. Standing from left: Tyler McClendon, Dontay Baugh, Logan Wright, Clay Watson, Bryan Clanton, Jerry Jordan, Hank Eddins, Andrew Dyer, Cooper McNair, Nick McGuiggan, Tyler Hart, Candace Boyce, Savanna Ragsdale, Jamie Boyce, and Cole Jordan. Photos submitted

[Order this photo]

"The loss to Eagleville was tough, but I'm proud of the fact that we put ourselves in the situation to win the region championship," said Forrest head coach Kyle Stacey. "Eagleville has a very good wrestling team and I wish them the best of luck in the state duals. They will do a good job of representing our region."

The Rockets made easy work of Creekwood in the first round, crushing the Red Hawk wrestlers 60-24.

10 straight wins

After a loss in the opening match, Forrest won 10 consecutive bouts, beginning with a Bryan Clanton pin over Chance Decker in the 152-pound weight class and ending with a pin by Cage Hargrove over Brandon Santos in the 120-pound division.

Forrest turned around and took on Montgomery Central in round two and the Rockets responded with a big 58-24 win over the Indians.

Forrest went up 36-0 with six consecutive pins to begin the match as Clanton, Jerry Jordan, Jamie Boyce, Tyler McClendon and Zach McCoy all won in succession.

Forrest's Spenser McGuiggan went 3-0 at the region dual tournament and will take a sparkling 28-1 record to the Region 5 A/AA Individual Tournament in Cookeville on Feb. 8.

[Order this photo]

Region final

The Rockets jumped out to another quick start, winning four out the first five matches on pins by Jordan, McClendon, McCoy and McGuiggan before the Eagles stormed back with four wins in a row to go up 30-24.

Hargrove righted the Rockets' ship with a pin over Jacob McCoy, but from there, the Eagles won three consecutive matches to capture the title.

Only the first place team moves on to the state tournament duals.

Forrest will have two weeks to prepare for the Class A/AA Region 5 Tournament, beginning on Feb. 8 in Cookeville.

"We are proud of our accomplishments this year and I believe the kids did an outstanding job of buying into our team philosophy," said Stacey. "We will continue to do the same things in practice throughout the next two weeks because I am a big believer in repetition. Sometimes we might get tired of doing the same things, but we also need to understand that those same things got us where we are now."

State hopes

The Rockets have several grapplers capable of qualifying for the state tournament this year, slated to begin on Thursday Feb. 14 at the Williamson County Agricultural Exposition Arena in Franklin.

Hargrove and McGuiggan will be attempting for a return trip to the state and Stacey is hopeful the bus to Franklin will be full of qualifiers.

"I think we have a good chance of sending several kids to the state this year. It's not going to be an easy road, but I believe our kids are up to the challenge."

Forrest 60 Creekwood 24

145 Jonathan Reda (Creek Wood) won by pin over Ivan Wentzel

152 Bryan Clanton (Forrest) won by pin over Chance Decker

160 Jerry Jordan (Forrest) won by pin over Mikale Gardner

170 Jamie Boyce (Forrest) won by pin over Hayden Pinnix

182 Tyler McClendon (Forrest) won by forfeit

195 Keith Hatten (Forrest) won by forfeit

220 Spenser McGuiggan (Forrest) won by pin over Kevin Davenport

285 Logan Wright (Forrest) won by pin over David Western

106 CJ Monce (Forrest) won by forfeit

113 Peyton Sisk (Forrest) won by forfeit

120 Cage Hargrove (Forrest) won by pin over Brandon Santos

Zach McCoy gets ready to pin Montgomery Central's Luis Reyes.

[Order this photo]

132 Luke Mitchell (Creek Wood) won by pin over Andrew Dyer

138 Jordon Harp (Creek Wood) won by pin over Clepper Watson

Forrest 58 Montgomery Central 24

152 Bryan Clanton (Forrest) won by pin over Conner Wild

160 Jerry Jordan (Forrest) won by pin over Bryce Goff

170 Jamie Boyce (Forrest) won by pin over Russell Littlejohn

182 Tyler McClendon (Forrest) won by pin over Seth Wild

195 Zach McCoy (Forrest) won by pin over Luis Reyes

220 Spenser McGuiggan (Forrest) won by pin over Jordan Wagner

285 Taren Welch (Montgomery Central) won by pin over Logan Wright

106 CJ Monce (Forrest) won by forfeit

113 Peyton Sisk (Forrest) won by major decision over Matthew Patterson

120 Cage Hargrove (Forrest) won by pin over Joseph Redman

126 Cooper McNair (Forrest) won by pin over Austin Littlejohn

132 Thomas Barrett (MC) won by pin over Andrew Dyer (3-5)

138 Joshua Jackson (Montgomery Central) won by forfeit

145 Tristen Page (Montgomery Central) won by forfeit

Region Final

Eagleville 45 Forrest 36

160 Jerry Jordan (15-7) (Forrest) won by pin over Don Sharp

170 Steven Solomon (Eagleville) won by pin over Jamie Boyce (21-4)

182 Tyler McClendon (21-2) (Forrest) won by pin over Griffin Dodd

195 Zach McCoy (13-7) (Forrest) won by pin over Tristen Bartell

220 Spenser McGuiggan (28-1) (Forrest) won by pin over Damon Francis

285 Tanner Smith (Eagleville) won by pin over Logan Wright (8-15)

106 Hayden Hammonds (Eagleville) won by pin over CJ Monce (17-11)

113 Ellis Dodson (Eagleville) won by pin over Alex Jordan (13-7)

120 Casey Dodson (Eagleville) won by pin over Peyton Sisk (11-14)

126 Cage Hargrove (20-8) (Forrest) won by pin over Jacob McCoy

132 Jacob Alverez (Eagleville) won by decision over Cooper McNair (11-16)

138 Gabe Burleson (Eagleville) won by pin over Clepper Watson (3-23)

145 Andrew Solomon (Eagleville) won by pin over Ivan Wentzel (14-10)

152 Bryan Clanton (14-8) (Forrest) won by forfeit