ONE FEATHER STAFF REPORT
The Cherokee Braves wrestling team, with a total of 179.5 points, took second place as they hosted the Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 4. Robbinsville took first place with 201.5 and Swain took third with 112. The rest of the results include: 4th place – Rosman with 108, 5th place (tie) – Murphy and Hayesville with 48.5, 6th place – Andrews 29 and 7th place – Hiwassee Dam 23.
CHS wrestler Colby Yanez (black suit) escapes from a hold by Swain's Daniel Allen. Yanez pinned Allen and went on to take first place in the 145lb. division at the SMC Tournament held at Cherokee on Saturday, Feb. 4. (Photos by Denise Walkingstick/One Feather contributor)
Numerous Cherokee wrestlers placed at the tournament, and four won conference championships including: Colby Yanez, Tavi Rivera, Raymond Taylor and Sam Wahnetah. Levi Swearengin, Cain Oocumma and Will Bird all took second place in their division and Wade Wolfe, Jaron Bradley and Taylor Davis took third place in their respective divisions.
Spencer McCoy, an EBCI tribal member at Robbinsville High School, won the conference in the 195lb. division.
Following are the full results for the Braves wrestlers:
113lb – Matthew Lee, 4th place
* pinned by Logan Beard (Andrews)
* lost by forfeit to Steven Bair (Hayesville)
120lb. – Austin Padilla
* pinned John Miller (Swain)
* lost decision (7-1) to Breyer Owen (Rosman)
* lost decision (8-4) to Ryan Dockery (Murphy)
Cherokee's Levi Swearengin (top) sits on top of Nick Morefield (Robbinsville) during Saturday's tournament. Morefield won the match on a decision and Swearengin went on to take second place in the 126lb. division.
126lb. – Levi Swearengin, 2nd place
* pinned Kyle Graves (Hayesville)
* lost decision (2-1) to Nick Morefield (Robbinsville)
132lb. – Cain Oocumma, 2nd place
* pinned Samuel McCoy (Murphy)
* lost by technical fall (22-7) to Sean Webb (Swain)
138lb. – Jaron Bradley, 3rd place
* pinned Noah Orr (Rosman)
* lost by technical fall (15-0) to Josh Davis (Robbinsville)
* pinned Graham Swain (Murphy)
* pinned Tannor Beldon (Swain)
145lb. – Colby Yanez, 1st place
* pinned Jason O’Shields (Rosman)
* pinned Daniel Allen (Swain)
152lb. – Wade Wolfe, 3rd place
* lost major decision (12-2) to Joey Cable (Robbinsville)
* won major decision (12-2) over Cale Maddox (Hayesville)
* won decision (8-2) over Robert Duplak (Swain)
160lb. – Tavi Rivera, 1st place
* won major decision (10-2) over John Garrett (Murphy)
* pinned Tyler Ellis (Swain)
* pinned Colby McAllister (Rosman)
Cherokee's Will Bird (yellow suit) and Robbinsville's Spencer McCoy, both EBCI tribal members, battle it out for first place in the 195lb. division. McCoy won the match by a decision.
182lb. – Taylor Davis, 3rd place
* lost technical fall (14-13) to Nathan Craig (Robbinsville)
* pinned Caleb Smith (Swain)
195lb. – Will Bird, 2nd place
* pinned Jared Turbyfill (Swain)
* pinned Brandon Stiles (Murphy)
* lost decision to Spencer McCoy (Robbinsville)
220lb. – Raymond Taylor, 1st place
* pinned Christian Davis (Rosman)
* won decision (3-2) over Will Ferguson (Swain)
* pinned Michael Garrison (Robbinsville)
285lb. – Sam Wahnetah, 1st place
* pinned Chris Craze (Murphy)
