BLACKMAN MIDDLE FLAMES ROAR BACK TO CLAIM SECOND STRAIGHT REGION 5 CHAMPIONSHIP

Murfreesboro, TN — When the dust settled Wednesday night at Blackman Middle School, one thing was clear—the Flames were back-to-back Region champions  

In a Tri-meet packed with emotion, grit, and rival energy, the Blackman Middle School wrestling team overcame early adversity to defeat both Stewart’s Creek and Oakland, capturing the TMSAA Section 3 Region 5 Championship for the second straight year.

The Flames entered the night knowing the stakes. One win would secure a berth to the Section 3 Duals as no less than Region 5 Runner-s-up. Two wins would bring home the Region 5 championship.

They didn’t settle for just one.

BLACKMAN DOMINATES STEWART’S CREEK

The Flames opened the evening against a tough Stewart’s Creek squad, but from the opening whistle, Blackman showed why it’s one of the state’s premier programs.

Behind a wave of pins and bonus-point victories, the Flames rolled to a 64–24 win, with wrestlers like Bennett Green, Kenzie Grove, Zain Beasley, Kash Jackson, and Judah Vanderpool leading the charge.

The victory clinched Blackman’s spot in the postseason. But the team’s mission wasn’t complete—the Region 5 title still hung in the balance.

A CHAMPIONSHIP HANGING IN THE BALANCE

The final dual of the night pitted Blackman against county rival Oakland Middle.

The Chargers came out firing, building an early 22–12 lead after the 185lb match. The tension in the gym was thick—one more Oakland win could have shifted the championship.

“Oakland came out and hit us in the mouth early and took a pretty good lead,” said Assistant Coach Troy Steffy. “I’m proud of our kids. They didn’t give up and kept wrestling. It’s something we try to emphasize at practice. Be gritty. Be tough. They did just that.”

A 45-POINT BARRAGE

From the 75-pound match forward, the Flames flipped the momentum in a way that few teams could.

At 75 pounds, Jamir McBride battled to a hard-fought decision win that lit the spark. At 82, Aria Thephavong poured fuel on it with a technical fall to tie things up.

Moments later, Ava Westenbarger delivered one of the night’s defining moments—earning a redemption win over an opponent who had beaten her just days before by tech fall. Her hand raised, the gym erupted. Blackman had its first lead of the dual.

Then the fire became an inferno.

Gunnar Kenny (98), Jace Hawkins (106), Noah Flores (114), and Gabe Denton (122) rattled off four straight pins, one after another, sealing the victory and setting off a celebration worthy of a championship.

In total, the Flames scored 45 of the final 49 points, including 38 consecutive points, storming back from a 12-22 deficit for a 53–26 victory to claim the Region 5 crown.

CONTROL AND COMPOSURE

While the dramatic rally stole the spotlight, the Flames’ discipline in the face of adversity proved just as vital.

“We stress controlling what we can control,” said Head Coach Dalton Cantrell. “Always increase your points. If you’ve got a decision, work for the major. If you’ve got the major, work for the tech. If you can tech them, work for the pin. That’s the easy part. It’s tougher in a loss—don’t give up bonus points when you can avoid it. Several of our kids, specifically in the match against Oakland, controlled the damage in their loss. That’s huge.”

That resilience kept the dual within reach and set the stage for the team’s late surge.

BACK-TO-BACK GLORY

The win not only secured Blackman’s second consecutive Region 5 Championship, but also punched their ticket to the TMSAA Section 3 Duals, where they’ll face the Region 6 runner-up early next month.

It was the kind of night that defines a season—a night where determination outweighed fatigue, and belief fueled every takedown.

The Flames didn’t just win a title. They proved why they’re the team to beat in the Section.

Up next for the Flames is another quad match at Warren Co against two of the top four teams from the 2024 season in Warren Co and Cleveland, and Section 3 rival Gladeville. Wrestling will start at 10am. Following that will be the Rutherford County Championships held in December at Blackman Middle School before the Section Duals Championship and Girls Sectional Championship where Blackman as a team and individually for the girl wrestlers look to cement their place in the 2025 TMSAA State Championships.