’25 was big year on the mats and courts

January 7, 2026 by Ken Lay

The 2025 calendar year wrapped with major accomplishments for Anderson County’s high school athletes on the wrestling mats and basketball courts.

On the mats, Anderson County and Clinton both saw wrestlers place at the TSSAA state championships in Franklin.

It was a banner season for the Mavericks, who again qualified for the Class A state duals, and claimed a dramatic 33-32 victory over Millington in the second-round consolation match.

That momentum carried into the traditional (individual) state championships.

Senior Josh Bingham won the 215-pound state title, becoming just the second state champion in program history. Eli Bratton also reached the finals at 190 pounds and finished as the state runner-up.

Sophomore Zed Hulet took fourth place in the 120-pound weight class, becoming the first ACHS sophomore to place at state.

Other Maverick state qualifiers included Luke Baldwin (106), Aiden Reed (113), Tripp Haire (126) and Max Wolfley (138).

Lady Mavericks standout Danielle Connors capped her historic season with a fourth-place finish at state.

She ended the year 47-4, becoming the program’s first female sectional champion. Connors notched 31 wins by pin and seven by technical fall.

Clinton also had success on the state stage. Ace Johnson (185 pounds) and Dalton Kendall (215) both finished sixth in their respective divisions at the Class A state tournament. Johnson won her first three matches in the bracket.

The Dragons underwent a coaching change during the offseason, as Channing McDonald stepped down and was replaced by Carl Nielsen.

Meanwhile, Oak Ridge launched its wrestling program under Head Coach Bam Thomas, a former standout at South-Doyle High School. The Wildcats began competing in November.

On the hardwood, the Oak Ridge girls basketball team claimed its 10th-consecutive District 3-4A tournament title and went undefeated (10-0) in league play.

The Lady Wildcats finished 30-5 overall, added a Region 2-4A championship by beating Bearden on the road and knocked off Sevier County in the sectional to earn a state tournament berth. They were eliminated by Bartlett in the quarterfinals.

After the season, longtime Coach Paige Taylor stepped down and was succeeded by Kevin Tubbs, who previously led Seymour High School after a successful run coaching in Alabama. Ironically, Tubbs’ Seymour squad ended Anderson County’s season in the Region 2-AAA quarterfinals.

The Lady Mavericks earned a regional berth by finishing second to Scott in both the district and regional tournaments. They posted a 14-17 overall record but knocked off rival Clinton in the district semifinals.

Clinton went 13-17 and finished second in the regular-season district standings at 8-2. The Lady Dragons were eliminated by Northview Academy in the Region 2-AAA quarterfinals. This year’s squad, however, has started hot, winning 17 of its first 18 games.

On the boys side, Oak Ridge cemented its place as one of the state’s top teams. The Wildcats went 32-4 overall, swept their District 3-4A schedule (10-0), and won both the district and Region 2-4A tournament titles. They advanced to the Class 4A state championship game, finishing as state runner-up.

Anderson County, meanwhile, captured its third straight District 4-AAA tournament title after splitting the regular-season crown with crosstown rival Clinton.

The Dragons earned the top seed via tiebreaker, but the Mavericks avenged a prior loss by winning the championship game.

Clinton has now played for a district title in each of the past eight seasons.

Both the Dragons and Mavericks advanced to the regional semifinals.