By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The cherry on top of the special season for Millington Trojan Wrestling came Saturday in Franklin when Dalton Lopez was awarded the silver medal in the 106-pound division in Franklin.
He was joined by Trojan teammate Derrick Bolden that night on the medal stand representing Millington Central, the city of Millington and Trojan Wrestling.
The 2023-24 campaign was already one for the record books with the Trojans winning the district, Region and Sectional dual team championships and advancing to the State Tournament for duals for the first time in 30 years.
Then later in the month of February, Millington wrestlers turned their focus to the individual tournaments with the Trojans taking the district, Region and added their first Sectional individual title on Feb. 17 at Harpeth.
Millington sent 10 wrestlers to the State Tournament in Franklin (106) Dalton Lopez, (113) Derrick Bolden, (120) Cole Hawkins, (126) Will Howard, (132) Dylan Chapman, (144) Alejandro Gutierrez, (145-G) Morgan Gilley, (157) James Tuepker, (165) Ryan Ritter, (190) Aiden Flaugher, and (285) Rylenn Keme. With Lady Trojan grappler Morgan Gilley, Millington had 11 overall at State.
“What a great year,” Trojan Head Wrestling Coach Jeremy Haley said. “District champs, Region champs, Sectional champs, 11 State qualifiers and to top it off, two State medalists with one being the State runner-up. These kids from Millington not only became champions this year, they became legends.
“Congratulations to Dalton Lopez and Derrick Bolden for making it to the medal stand at this year’s TSSAA State Championships,” he continued. “Derrick placed fourth and Dalton took second making him one of only five Trojan Wrestlers in history to make it to the State Finals. Words cannot express how proud I am of these guys and this team. All this time I thought I was changing their lives. I never realized how much they were changing mine.”
Other notable facts in this historic season are the boys’ tying a single-season record of State representatives previously set three times in 1990, 1991 and 1994.
The Trojans had a record number of people participating in wrestling this season and it has turned into a very special year thanks to coaches Jeremy Haley, Jake Haley, Mike Iannaco, Christy Withers and Diego Reyes along with numerous parents and boosters
The 11 Millington wrestlers arrived at the Williamson County Expo Center at the Williamson County Agricultural Exposition Park this past weekend and picked up four victories in four matches during the first session.
Boys (106) Dalton Lopez won by decision 6-0
Boys (113) Derrick Bolden won by pin (223)
Boys (120) Cole Hawkins won by pin (248)
Boys (126) Will Howard won by decision 8-3
As the rounds continued, the competition got tougher at the TSSAA State Championships. When the smoke settled, all the Trojans still had a chance to reach the medal stand.
Boys (132) Dylan Chapman lost by TF 18-2
Boys (144) Alejandro Gutierrez lost by TF 15-0
Girls (145) Morgan Gilley lost by pin (155)
Boys (157) James Tuepker won by pin (358)
Boys (165) Ryan Ritter lost by pin (153)
Boys (190) Aiden Flaugher lost by pin (14)
Boys (285) Rylenn Keme lost by pin (359)
As Day One came to a conclusion, the Trojans had one wrestler in Dalton Lopez that would have a shot at a State championship the following day.
Boys (106) Dalton Lopez won by pin (124)
Boys (113) Derrick Bolden lost by MD 16-4
Boys (120) Cole Hawkins lost by pin (149)
Boys (126) Will Howard lost by TF 21-6
Boys (157) James Tuepker lost by decision 5-2
The Class A 106 Championship went the way of Soddy Daisy’s Luke Myhan. The freshman standout outlasted Lopez to take the crown as State champion.
