The 2003-04 varsity wrestling team wrapped up another outstanding season with a 13-5 regular-season record, a second-place finish at the Regional Dual Tournament, and a fourth straight berth to the State Dual Tournament in Clarksville. The team was led this year by two captains, Andrew Hooser and Matt Rutherford, who also happened to be the only seniors on this year’s team.
The team saw some ups and downs at the beginning of the season with early losses to Cordova, Briarcrest, and CBHS. Amidst the losses, the Owls did have an impressive win against powerhouse Houston, 39-34, as sophomore Grayson Sharpe pinned his opponent to secure the victory for the Owls.
Following the Christmas break, the team returned to win five straight dual meets heading into the Regional Dual Tournament. At the Regional, the team pulled out a close match against Briarcrest, getting key wins from junior Joey Friend, freshman Ken Haltom, and sophomore Cameron Ridgway. The team then advanced to the Regional Dual Championship match against CBHS but fell short to finish in second place. But with the runner-up finish, the team secured a berth in the State Dual Tournament. In Clarksville, the Owls battled two of the best teams in the state, The McCallie School and Montgomery Bell Academy. Although MUS lost both of these matches, the Owls took advantage of the great opportunity to compete against good wrestlers.
The team finished the season with a trip to the State Individual Tournament, which took place at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. MUS had a stellar showing from all the wrestlers, earning an eighth-place finish in the state tournament. The most notable performances were that of Mason George, a sophomore who finished in fifth place at the 189 lbs. weight class, and Hooser, who became the first MUS wrestler to win a state-championship title as he won the 275 lbs. weight class. In the final match, Hooser took the lead on points with mere seconds remaining in the match to win and claim the dramatic 6-5 victory.
Several underclassmen made an impact as well this season. Ben Stallworth won first place, and Will Aldridge placed second at the Freshman Championships. Aldridge also placed second at the JV Championships, only having lost to champion Andrew Gordon, a sophomore, in the final match. Sophomore Christopher Thomas also had a strong showing at this year’s JV Championships with a second-place finish.
Additionally, the Owls had several freshmen and sophomore starters on the varsity squad throughout the season that contributed to the team’s success, including freshmen John Carr, Harrison Hunt, Haltom, and Stallworth, and sophomores Doug Boyer, Johnny Duke, Frank Jemison, Christopher Williamson, George, Gordon, Ridgway, and Sharpe.
The following boys received awards at the season-ending banquet:
Team Award- Mason George
Most Improved Wrestler- Joey Friend, who had second-place finishes at both the Black Horse
Invitational and the Best of the West Tournament.
Spirit and Most Outstanding- Andrew Hooser
The Owls will be led next year by an outstanding group of rising seniors: Sloan Abernathy, Joey Friend, Josh Hall, Chris Levy, and Nelson Rainey. The coaching staff -- Coach Harrison, Coach Milnor, and Coach Gehres -- is excited for next season and the future success of the MUS wrestling team.