Tribe Pins 'Toppers to Cultivate District Title (2025)

KINGSPORT – Luke Gardenhour worked by the second on Thursday. That’s 12 seconds, to be precise, the exact amount of time that it took the Dobyns-Bennett wrestler to pin his opponent in the Indians’ dual match against Science Hill.

Not only did Gardenhour post the fastest finish of the evening, but that result also mathematically clinched victory for the Tribe, who defeated the rival Hilltoppers by a 49-28 final score.

With the win, D-B earned the right to host the Region 1 duals, which will take place next Thursday in Kingsport. Regional champions earn the right to host their sectional duals, which will be held on Saturday, Jan. 25. And sectionals represent the last hurdle before reaching the state duals tournament.

Tribe coach Wesley Idlette described the match outcome against Science Hill as a “very impressive win. I feel like we made a statement. Couldn't be more proud of the effort our kids gave.

“Anytime we wrestle Science Hill, we know they’re a well-coached team and we know that we're going to get their best. We look forward to it on a yearly basis, because we know we're going to get some really good wrestling.

“They understood the assignment, that every single point during the match mattered. They took it to heart. They pushed each other. That's just the coaching that we try to bring: hold each other accountable, lift each other up like I thought we did tonight.”

Gardenhour, a sophomore, certainly was feeling it as he stepped onto the mats for his bout in the 175-pound weight class. In preparation for the match, he went into a back hallway to lock up with a teammate.

“I'm like, either I'm gonna kill him, or he's gonna kill me, and I know I'm not gonna die,” Gardenhour said.

It took work up and down the lineup to position Gardenhour to tally the clinching points. Science Hill built an early 16-6 lead after pins by Haiden Cox (285) and Saxon Mattison (113), followed by a major decision victory by Chase Smalling at 120 pounds.

D-B promptly got back into the match, reeling off five consecutive individual victories. Mason Jakob scored a victory by pin at 126 pounds, before Wyatt Rogers’ major decision at 132 leveled the overall team score at 16-all. Derek Winseman scored a technical fall victory at 138 to put the Tribe ahead 21-16. Momentum really seemed to shift in the Indians’ favor with the pin victory by Kennedy Watterson at 144 pounds. Watterson jumped out to a significant 9-2 lead on points through one period, got taken down to start the second period, then executed a reversal to put his foe down for the count.

“Kennedy is a phenomenal wrestler,” Idlette said. “He's electric, and he definitely set the tone with that big-time pin.”

Watterson fought through a stomach bug in the days leading up to Thursday’s dual:

“If you get taken down, the match is still not over until the final whistle blows. I was pretty calm throughout the match. I was clear-headed. When that happened, I knew how to defend it and was able to turn the guy on his back.”

Elliot Tate followed with a 13-3 major decision victory at 150 pounds. The win by Tate, the fifth straight division that D-B captured, staked the Tribe to a 31-16 advantage.

Science Hill coach Jimmy Miller said that he knew his team had a battle ahead. The challenge was compounded with starters in the 106 and 165 weight classes staying home due to sickness, handing the Indians 12 points via forfeit.

“We're just going to go back to the drawing board and hopefully we can put ourselves in position next week to get this match back,” Miller said. “Hopefully when we get healed up a little bit and not feel sick, hopefully we can put a little better product out on the map.”

Only the regional champion and runner-up advance to the sectional round.

Dobyns-Bennett 49, Science Hill 28
285: Haiden Cox (SH) pinned Brayson Fugate (D-B) in 1:34; 106: Noah Watkins (D-B) by forfeit; 113: Saxon Mattison (SH) pinned Bryson Church (D-B) in 4:35; 120: Chase Smalling (SH) major decision Vaughn Pulitzer (D-B), 11-2; 126: Mason Jakob (D-B) pinned Kaden Clopton (SH) in 2:23; 132: Wyatt Rogers (D-B) major decision Hunter James (SH), 10-2; 138: Derek Winseman (D-B) tech fall Bryson Wilhjelm (SH), 22-6 in 3:51; 144: Kennedy Watterson (D-B) pinned Braiden Parrish (SH) in 3:00; 150: Elliot Tate (D-B) major decision Keane Sood (SH), 13-3; 157: Andrew Kneisley (SH) pinned Rankin Burress (D-B) in 3:35; 165: Andrew Weaver (D-B) by forfeit; 175: Luke Gardenhour (D-B) pinned Auron Rodgers (SH) in 0:12; 190: Hudson Ascough (D-B) by forfeit; 215: David Reed (SH) pinned Charlie Wilson in 5:45.

Other Matches
126 Girls: Harmony McQueen (D-B) pinned Vanessa Villasenor Chavez (SH) in 3:38; 152 Girls: Sawyer Ward (SH) pinned Isabella Perez (D-B) in 0:30.

Tribe Pins 'Toppers to Cultivate District Title (2025)

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