New duals site popular
FRANKLIN — Both Maryville and Greenback seem comfortably bound for the second round of consolations here inside the mammoth Williamson County Expo Center.
And what a place it is. Ten mats on the arena floor make for plenty of space and lots of simultaneous action during the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association’s state dual wrestling tournament. Last night, Rebels coach Mark Humphrey told me moving the tournament from Clarksville High School was a good decision.
Wrestlers go at it in the TSSAA state dual wrestling tournament in Franklin
“There’s so much more space here,” Humphrey said. “In Clarksville we had to run from gym to gym. They got a lot of space. … The view is as good as Clarksville. I don’t think the seats are quite as good as Chattanooga just because they don’t go up very steep.
“It’s a little hard to see everything. There’s so much space. I’d say this arena is 100 yards long.”
That appears to be the general sentiment with the only complaints concerning some viewing angles. The sheer size of the arena makes it difficult to keep track of mats that aren’t adjacent. That will come into play more during the individual tournament, slated to start here in two weeks, which moved from UT-Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena.
For now, this place has the feel of a wrestling festival.