Clinch Gear Prep Slam Tournament Showcases Top Wresting Programs

The Clinch Gear Prep Slam III wrestling tournament is gaining a reputation as a premier event for some of the top private school wrestling programs in the country. Unfortunately for wrestling teams around Georgia, it’s the out-of-state programs that are collecting most of the hardware.

In each of the three editions of Prep Slam, Baylor (Chattanooga) has won the team title.
Baylor scored 252 points to outlast cross-town rival McCallie (223 points) in this year's tournament. Rounding out the top five were Arch Bishop Rummel (LA), Bergen Catholic (NJ) and The Kiski School (PA). In all, the third edition of Prep Slam featured 44 teams from 11 states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California.

Lovett edged Woodward Academy by two points (120-118) as the top Georgia team and claimed eighth place. Host school Holy Innocents' claimed the 16th most points, 66.5.

Two Georgia wrestlers made it all the way to the tournament finals and claimed runner-up medals, Spencer Jones of Darlington (at 145 pounds) and Lovett’s Hunter Rich (285).

Caleb Greer (103) took third place for Landmark Christian in the meets lightest weight division. At the opposite end of the training table, Kevin Brou of Westminster (285) also took a bronze medal home.

Fourth-place finishers in state were Woodward Academy’s Chad Pike (125), Andy Khair of Woodward (135), Patrick Emerson of Lovett (189) and Chris Johnson of Landmark Christian (285).

Host team Holy Innocents' put two wrestlers at the fifth place step on the podium, Jason Grimes (152) and Lee Davis (160). Other fifth-place finishers were Lovett’s Rick Niehaus (112) and Woodward’s Max Willsey (285).

Sixth place honors went to Chandler Pike (112) of Woodward, Robbie Martin (125) of St. Pius X, Chris Gainey (145) also from Woodward and Julian Houk (189) from Westminster.

Former 1992 and 1996 Olympic Greco Roman wrestler and world-ranked MMA fighter Dan Henderson, owner of Clinch Gear Wrestling Apparel, presented the winners’ medals.

Team Scores
1.Baylor252.0
2.McCallie223.0
3.Archbishop Rummel177.0
4.Bergen Catholic176.5
5.Kiski School170.5
6.Calvary Chapel161.0
7.Bishop Lynch131.5
8.Lovett120.0
9.Woodward Academy118.5
10.St. Paul`s105.0
11.Jesuit101.0
12.Montgomery Bell Academy100.0
13.Northside Christian - Florida97.5
14.St. Benedict at Auburndale73.5
15.Cardinal Newman School73.0
16.Holy Innocents66.5
17.Benedictine Military64.0
18.St. Francis64.0
19.Marist61.0
20.Greater Atlanta Christian59.0
21.Cardinal Gibbons54.5
22.Darlington53.0
23.Wesleyan53.0
24.Landmark Christian51.0
25.Providence Day School45.5
26.University Heights Academy43.0
27.Northside Christian - N Carolina39.5
28.Westminster39.0
29.Knoxville Catholic37.0
30.St. Pius X33.0
31.Episcopal School32.5
32.Athens Christian School29.0
33.Berkley Prep29.0
34.Walker28.5
35.Franklin Road Academy28.0
36.Forsyth Country Day27.0
37.Riverside Military23.0
38.Christ School22.0
39.Eagles Landing Christian18.0
40.Whitefield Academy18.0
41.Pace Academy17.0
42.Charlotte Christian School9.0
43.Christ Church Episcopal School9.0
44.Fellowship Christian Academy6.0