Seven wins. An Elite 8 appearance. Four wrestlers leaving everything on the mat. Matt Turner couldn’t ask for anything more from his WCHS wrestling team at the TSSAA state tournament. 

Caleb Mackie, Ike Gillentine, Noah O’Shields and Alan Esparza all had success representing the Pioneers in Franklin, combining for seven wins against the best competition in Tennessee.

“It was a great tournament, but bittersweet too,” said coach Matt Turner. “Three years ago when we took over, Warren County didn’t have a state representative. My first year, we didn’t either. Now we have four.

“The next step is to figure out how to get to Saturday again.”

Mackie was a standout in the 106-pound weight class Thursday, winning both of his matches to push into the Elite 8. The sophomore topped Kaleb Raaume (Arlington) 5-1 in his first match, then dominated Lucas Prewitt (Anderson County) 15-2. 

He cooled off Friday, falling to Franklin’s Owen Gobel and Blackman’s Grant Myers to end his run. Mackie finished the season 32-8, a banner year for one of the team’s youngest members.

“It hurt Caleb a lot not to qualify last year. He had some good battles,” said Turner.

In his second trip to the state tournament, Gillentine won three matches at 182 pounds. He pinned Connor Callahan in just 85 seconds Thursday, but fell 10-2 to Springfield senior Cooper Richards in the second match of the day. The Pioneer junior stayed alive late Thursday by pinning Bearden senior Samuel Hensley in the second round.  

Back on Friday, Gillentine started with a third-round pin of Chase Rozell, his 34th victory this season.

He narrowly missed No. 35.

In a slugfest with Walker Harper (Clarksville), Gillentine fell behind 4-0 before getting a late escape in the second round. A penalty and another escape in the third round got the score to 4-3, but Gillentine ran out of time in hopes of extending his time at the state tournament.

“A few more seconds and Ike may have taken over. He’s taken steps each year,” said Turner.

Esparza (132 pounds) lost to Heritage’s Hunter Davis by pinfall in his first match, then fell in the second round of the consolation bracket. He defeated Sevier County’s Ian McGrane before his elimination. 

Likewise, O’Shields was pinned early in his first match by Jared Harter, a senior from Science Hill who is one of the favorites in the 160-pound division. In his first consolation match, O’Shields defeated Aaron Pardo from Rossview 8-1, but fell to Wilson Central’s Anthony Pyron in the second round.

The good news for the Pioneers is three state qualifiers – Mackie, Gillentine and Esparza - will be back next season. It’s something he stressed to his team as they all traveled to Franklin and spent the weekend working on the mats.

“We brought 10 kids. I told them if they come and practice in the last weeks, you can come to state. Almost everybody we brought is back next year,” said Turner. “Our wrestling – the technical things – is up there with anybody. We have to continue to add strength.

“It was a good weekend for our program, but it’s all for naught if we don’t pick up and run with this success.”