By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
Cherokee High School played host to the Smoky Mountain Conference High School and Middle School Wrestling Tournament, and two of its varsity wrestlers walked away with championship medals around their necks. Caden Pheasant (170lb.) and Masih Catolster (285lb.) won their respective divisions at the event held at the Charles George Memorial Arena on Saturday, Feb. 1.
Cherokee’s Caden Pheasant, left, wrestles Robbinsville’s Jaret Panama during the Smoky Mountain Conference Wrestling Tournament at the Charles George Memorial Arena on Saturday, Feb. 1. Pheasant won by fall over Panama to claim the 170lb varsity conference title. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
“It feels pretty good, especially in the environment we’re in,” said Pheasant moments after winning the championship. “I love this sport because it’s like a brotherhood. Everyone is here to watch you – your family and others. I just love the environment.”
Pheasant, who won by fall over Jaret Panama (Robbinsville) in the championship match, said his main goal for the season was to improve along the way. “There were little things I needed to work on, and I figured them out as the year progressed. We’re still working on stuff now, always improving, always moving forward.”
When asked his thoughts on the upcoming regional and state tournaments, Pheasant noted simply, “It’s grind time.”
Catolster, who won by fall over Nick Graham (Andrews) in the championship match, said after winning the title, “I feel like I’ve accomplished something. This is my first year back in wrestling, and it has gone really well. All I can do is continue moving forward.”
Cherokee’s Masih Catolster wrestles Andrews’ Nick Graham in the 285lb varsity championship match. Catolster won by fall at the 52-second mark in the first period.
He is also looking towards the future tournaments, “All I have to do is keep on succeeding and keep on grinding until I get there.”
It was announced at the end of the tournament that Pheasant’s pin (49 seconds) in the championship match was the fastest pin of the tournament.
Several other members of the Braves varsity wrestling team placed at the event including: Jacob Norton, second place, 113lb.; Braden Taylor, second place, 160lb.; and Ian Crowe, fourth place, 182lb.
Robbinsville won the team varsity title with a score of 226.5 followed by Swain County 159, Andrews 107, Hayesville 90, Cherokee 78, Murphy 52, and Rosman 14.
Cherokee’s Kellen Ensley, left, wrestles Swain County’s Carter Hayes in the championship match of the 138lb middle school division.
Several members of the Cherokee Middle School Braves placed in their tournament including: Josh Philips, second place, 106lb.; Elija Lineberry, third place, 126lb.; Kellen Ensley, second place, 138lb.; Julius Pepion, third place, 152lb.; Jaron Lineberry, second place, 160lb.; and Chase Calhoun, first place, 170lb.
Swain County won the middle school team title with a score of 246 followed by Robbinsville 236, Cherokee 86.5, Rosman 61, Andrews 58, Murphy 52, and Hayesville 45.
Several members of the CHS Varsity Wrestling team placed at the SMC Wrestling Tournament including, left to right: Braden Taylor, second place, 160lb; Masih Catolster, first place, 285lb; Caden Pheasant, first place, 170lb; Ian Crowe, fourth place, 182lb; and Jacob Norton, second place, 113lb.
Full results, per trackwrestling.com, are as follows:
High School
106lb.
1 – Micah Smith, Robbinsville
2 – Logan Hyde, Murphy
3 – Brandon Ropp, Rosman
113lb.
1 – Kevin Cook, Hayesville
2 – Jacob Norton, Cherokee
3 – Luke Wilson, Robbinsville
4 – Josh Parton, Swain County
120lb.
1 – Mason Cook, Hayesville
2 – Case Beasley, Robbinsville
3 – Sean Padgett, Andrews
126lb.
1 – Jayden Nowell, Robbinsville
2 – Jonas Trejo, Swain County
3 – Zane Lucksavage, Hayesville
4 – Jeremiah Miller, Andrews
132lb.
1 – Dhruv Senghani, Swain County
2 – Cade Vaughn, Andrews
3 – Nick Anderson, Robbinsville
4 – Marcus Kephart, Murphy
138lb.
1 – Nathan Fisher, Robbinsville
2 – Nathan Brock, Swain County
3 – Reid Dockery, Murphy
145lb.
1 – Lucas Brown, Swain County
2 – Wade Hamilton, Robbinsville
3 – William Wimpey, Hayesville
4 – Asher Brinke, Murphy
152lb.
1 – Kamron McGuire, Robbinsville
2 – Hunter Craig, Swain County
3 – Anthony Woody, Murphy
4 – George Page, Andrews
160lb.
1 – Justin Stewart, Robbinsville
2 – Braden Taylor, Cherokee
3 – Damian Lossiah, Swain County
4 – Tyrell Luther, Murphy
170lb.
1 – Caden Pheasant, Cherokee
2 – Jaret Panama, Robbinsville
3 – Charlie Lambert, Swain County
4 – Gabriel Abernathy, Andrews
182lb.
1 – Cody Long, Swain County
2 – Samuel Wood, Andrews
3 – Ben Wachacha, Robbinsville
4 – Ian Crowe, Cherokee
195lb.
1 – Kyle Fink, Robbinsville
2 – Thomas Allen, Swain County
3 – Jimmy Miller, Andrews
4 – Joshua Whited, Rosman
220lb.
1 – Ethan Taylor, Hayesville
2 – Ethan Neal, Andrews
3 – Carlos Lopez, Robbinsville
4 – Kohlton “Tyce” Neadeau, Swain County
285lb.
1 – Masih Catolster, Cherokee
2 – Nick Graham, Andrews
3 – Lawson Robert, Robbinsville
4 – Kelton Crawford, Hayesville
Middle School
76lb.
1 – Kale Stephenson, Swain County
2 – Mason Phillips, Robbinsville
3 – Noah Carter, Hayesville
83lb.
1 – Jayden Reynaldo, Rosman
2 – Adair Panama, Robbinsville
3 – Jason Maffett, Swain County
4 – Jack Dockery, Murphy
90lb.
1 – Adam Cook, Hayesville
2 – Kreed Smith, Rosman
3 – Loxston Hooper, Robbinsville
4 – Dalton Farmer, Murphy
98lb.
1 – Owen Craig, Swain County
2 – Elvin Tigueros, Andrews
3 – Luke Hyde, Murphy
4 – Mason Galloway, Rosman
106lb.
1 – Shaun Durham, Swain County
2 – Josh Phillips, Cherokee
3 – Ethan Webster, Robbinsville
4 – Neiko Wiley, Andrews
113lb.
1 – Juan Rios, Robbinsville
2 – Clay Seagle, Swain County
120lb.
1 – Lawson Woodard, Swain County
2 – Ryelon Waldroup, Robbinsville
3 – Malachi Hines, Andrews
126lb.
1 – Isaac Picon, Robbinsville
2 – James Stroman, Swain County
3 – Elija Lineberry, Cherokee
4 – Jayden Sheffield, Rosman
132lb.
1 – Dalton Hill, Robbinsville
2 – Wayne Barter, Hayesville
3 – Kevin Jones, Swain County
4 – Leithan Stewart, Rosman
138lb.
1 – Carter Hayes, Swain County
2 – Kellen Ensley, Cherokee
3 – Grant Phillips, Andrews
4 – Murphy Shanahan, Robbinsville
145lb.
1 – Jamie Owle, Swain County
2 – Hunter Stalcup, Murphy
3 – Whelan Sellers, Robbinsville
152lb.
1 – Anjelo Fierro, Robbinsville
2 – Cole Wikle, Swain County
3 – Julius Pepion, Cherokee
160lb.
1 – Lucas Sutton, Swain County
2 – Jaron Lineberry, Cherokee
3 – Kyler Branham, Robbinsville
170lb.
1 – Chase Calhoun, Cherokee
2 – Gabe Chastain, Murphy
182lb.
1 – Nse Uffort, Swain County
2 – Owen Blevins, Robbinsville
3 – Brad Simmons, Murphy
4 – Vincent Owle, Cherokee
195lb.
1 – Kage Williams, Robbinsville
2 – Blaken Bateman, Andrews
220lb.
1 – Koleson Dooley, Robbinsville
2 – Matt Ferguson, Swain County
3 – Kurtis Cochran, Andrews
250lb.
1 – Kaylee Cox, Murphy
