Oak Ridge begins new era on the mat
For the first time in recent memory — and perhaps ever — Oak Ridge High School will field its own wrestling team.
Bam Thomas, an Oak Ridge assistant football coach and former South-Doyle wrestler, is charged with building the program from the ground up. Until now, student-athletes in Oak Ridge participated in the sport through a co-op arrangement with Bearden. Thomas said it was time for the Wildcats to have a home of their own on the mat.
“That’s why we’re doing this,” he said. “We have about 40 kids out and we owe it to the community to have wrestling at the school.”
ORHS entered the week with 35 athletes in the new program, including 30 boys and five girls. For a school with one of Tennessee’s most tradition-rich athletic histories, Thomas said the goal is not just participation — it’s to build a contender.
“This is something that Oak Ridge has been wanting and that’s our expectation, to build a championship program,” he said. “We want to take kids to the state.
“We want to win state championships. We want to win region championships.”
Thomas believes several Wildcats can make noise early. Among the boys, he pointed to Nick Englehardt (113 pounds), Robert Rankin (144), AJ Englehardt (157), Gary Carlisle (175), Rances Almendavez (190) and Gabe Naudin (190). The upper weights, he added, should feature a heated battle for mat time.
For the Lady Wildcats, Thomas said 126-pounder Haley Rackleff and 132-pounder Saleh Smith have impressed during preseason training.
Oak Ridge opened its inaugural dual season Tuesday night at Clinton. Results were unavailable at press time, but Thomas said his wrestlers were eager for the debut — and to do it against a longtime rival.
“We’re excited, and I can’t think of a better way to get things started than with a match against a rival like Clinton,” Thomas said.
ORHS Sports Media
The Oak Ridge swim team has officially started its 2025 season. The Aqua Cats competed against Christian Academy of Knoxville on Tuesday, Nov. 10.