High School Wrestling State Championship Recap

Tate is joined by Charles Pulliam, sports editor for the Williamson Herald and host of the High School Power Hour, to discuss the 2026 Tennessee high school wrestling state championships. They highlight several key matches and athletes from the Williamson County area:

Notable Matchups and Athletes


138 lbs (2A): Reed Lawfull (Brentwood) vs. Tristan Collier (Green Hill). Lawfull, the 7th seed, reached the finals after a stunning comeback victory in the quarterfinals where he was down 9-1 with only 84 seconds left. Collier is the defending state champion.


144 lbs (2A): JD Longley (Ravenwood) vs. Landon McLean (Blackman). This is one of three finalists for Ravenwood, despite the team not qualifying for the duals.


150 lbs (2A): Ryan Dietrich (Ravenwood) vs. Kellen Sanders (Cleveland). Sanders is the defending state champion, while Dietrich has placed 3rd in back-to-back years.


157 lbs (2A): Zachary Little (Summit) vs. Luke Lozinski (Kirkwood). Little is a returning state champion and a multi-year medalist.


165 lbs (2A): Matt Anderson (Ravenwood) vs. Jonah Hill (Houston). Anderson, a standout football player, is a returning state finalist looking to end his high school career with a title.


175 lbs (2A): Brody Melzoni (Nolensville) vs. Barrett Waley (Knox Halls). Melzoni is a defending state champion with an impressive academic record (4.69 GPA, 35 ACT).


175 lbs (1A): Cole Neil (Fairview) vs. Lavelle (Anderson County). Neil reached the finals after a hard-fought overtime victory in the semifinals.

Additional Highlights


High School Power Hour: Pulliam mentions the show's move to Wednesday nights (8-9 PM) on 104.5 The Zone, featuring recaps of wrestling, basketball, and girls' flag football.


Girls' Flag Football: The sport was recently named an emerging sport by the NCAA and will be included in the 2028 Olympics. Tennessee is the 10th state to sanction the sport.


Surprises: Pulliam notes several upsets in the tournament, including the loss of both top-seeded 215 lb wrestlers (Henry Drazic and Jake Sentell) in the semifinals.

High School Wrestling State Championship Recap
Tate is joined by Charles Pulliam, sports editor for the Williamson Herald and host of the High School Power Hour, to discuss the 2026 Tennessee high school wrestling state championships. They highlight several key matches and athletes from the Williamson County area:
Notable Matchups and Athletes
<ul data-path-to-node="3">
<li>
138 lbs (2A): Reed Lawfull (Brentwood) vs. Tristan Collier (Green Hill). Lawfull, the 7th seed, reached the finals after a stunning comeback victory in the quarterfinals where he was down 9-1 with only 84 seconds left. Collier is the defending state champion.
</li>
<li>
144 lbs (2A): JD Longley (Ravenwood) vs. Landon McLean (Blackman). This is one of three finalists for Ravenwood, despite the team not qualifying for the duals.
</li>
<li>
150 lbs (2A): Ryan Dietrich (Ravenwood) vs. Kellen Sanders (Cleveland). Sanders is the defending state champion, while Dietrich has placed 3rd in back-to-back years.
</li>
<li>
157 lbs (2A): Zachary Little (Summit) vs. Luke Lozinski (Kirkwood). Little is a returning state champion and a multi-year medalist.
</li>
<li>
165 lbs (2A): Matt Anderson (Ravenwood) vs. Jonah Hill (Houston). Anderson, a standout football player, is a returning state finalist looking to end his high school career with a title.
</li>
<li>
175 lbs (2A): Brody Melzoni (Nolensville) vs. Barrett Waley (Knox Halls). Melzoni is a defending state champion with an impressive academic record (4.69 GPA, 35 ACT).
</li>
<li>
175 lbs (1A): Cole Neil (Fairview) vs. Lavelle (Anderson County). Neil reached the finals after a hard-fought overtime victory in the semifinals.
</li>
</ul>
Additional Highlights
<ul data-path-to-node="5">
<li>
High School Power Hour: Pulliam mentions the show's move to Wednesday nights (8-9 PM) on 104.5 The Zone, featuring recaps of wrestling, basketball, and girls' flag football.
</li>
<li>
Girls' Flag Football: The sport was recently named an emerging sport by the NCAA and will be included in the 2028 Olympics. Tennessee is the 10th state to sanction the sport.
</li>
<li>
Surprises: Pulliam notes several upsets in the tournament, including the loss of both top-seeded 215 lb wrestlers (Henry Drazic and Jake Sentell) in the semifinals.
</li>
</ul>

Growing up in a coaching family and now the owner of Mathews Team Sports, Tate Mathews brings a unique perspective to High School Sports Saturday.

With over fifteen years in the sporting goods industry in Middle Tennessee working with and for high school administrators and coaches, Tate’s relationships provide insight into middle Tennessee high school athletics.

High School Sports Saturday covers each sport during their respective competitive seasons.  Coaches, administrators, TSSAA officials and student-athletes are interviewed each week at 8 AM on 104-5 The Zone.