Cody Quick Leads Strong Wildcat Showing at State Meet
by Dr. Hunter Norris [Photos] [Medal Winners]
Cody Quick receives a congratulatory hug from coach Otto after winning the state championshp at 215 pounds Saturday in Chattanooga. [Hunter Norris Photo]

The Tullahoma High School wrestling squad came to UTC for the 2008 TSSAA Wrestling Championships with 9 wrestlers which was 2 less than last year, but somehow they accomplished more with less. Not only did they improved two spots to 8th place in the team scores this year, but they set a record of 3 medalists. Tullahoma has never had more than 2 wrestlers finish in the top 6 places in one Tennessee State Tournament. Ziad Aboulmouna 130lbs came in 5th place and Sunny Knight 135lbs finished 4th, but it was Cody Quick 215lbs that stole the show for the near 100 Tullahoma fans that made the trip down to Chattanooga to watch the final championship matches.

The last two years Cody has fought through injuries and even a disqualification from the Region 5 Tournament to make this his senior year the most memorable. Most of this year Cody had been ranked first or second to Carter McPhee of Franklin until Cody had a quick pin on him at the Brentwood GPWest Tournament. He looked unstoppable and confident to win the state title.Then in practice toward the end of the season Cody gashed a 3 inch laceration across his left brow that later would open on him at a State Qualifier at Glenclif High School. This led to a surprising defeat in this match for Cody, but this would not end his aspirations for the 215lb title. After a week of healing he finished as the Region 5 Tournment's best upper weight wrestler along with 3 other THS wrestlers that also came in first.

One could see the confidence building again in Cody's smile as he started to prepare for the individual state tournament. These 3 seniors Ziad, Sunny, and Cody had only one more chance to medal and have their name inserted on the all important board at the Old West Wrestling Gym. All three of these medaling wrestlers have amazing stories with Ziad only starting to wrestle in 8th grade and Sunny taking a 2 year break from the sport. With the other 6 Tullahoma wrestlers that had also qualified for state Wesley Foutch, Will Norris, Trevor Schmit, Dillion Crouch, Brett Grergory, and Taylor Roper the team scored 18 wins against 14 loses and totaled 72 points.

In the end it was Cody Quick pinning Franklin's Carter McPhee with only 35 seconds left in the match sending the Tullahoma section into a wild frenzy. The win made Cody the third champion from Tullahoma ending a 7 year drought since Matt Sweeton had won the third of his three championships. It felt like the whole section of Tullahoma fans would lift Cody high above our heads for the win, but it was him and his huge smile that lifted us high, making us proud to be from Tullahoma.

Final Division 1 Team Scores:
1. Bradley Co 218
2. Cleveland 105
3. Brentwood 96
4. Franklin 95
5. Greenback 94
6. Soddy Daisy 80
7. Ooltewah 77
8. Tullahoma 72
9. Rhea Co 67
10. Blackman 64

Tullahoma Scores:
Foutch 2-2
Norris 1-2
Aboulmouna 4-3
Knight 5-2
Schmit 0-2
Crouch 0-1
Gregory 0-1
Quick 5-0
Roper 1-1