It's a legacy of champions that now spans four decades.
The Father Ryan Class of 1969 played a major role in establishing our school as a local, regional and state-wide power in the sport of wrestling.
In fact, the wrestling program began as we came to Father Ryan as freshman in the fall of 1965. Four years later, our team was state champions! Even forty years later, that remains quite a remarkable feat and perhaps our class' greatest legacy to the school.
It's a legacy that continues to this day, as FRHS, just this past weekend (February 20-21), returned to Chattanooga, where Ryan won its first championship to claim the school's 17th state crown (both team & dual competitions), shocking top-seeded Baylor to win, much as the 1969 squad bested favored Chattanooga Notre Dame to win 40 years ago...
Several of our classmates, seen in the photo above, were key performers from 1965-1969 as Father Ryan won its first Nashville Interscholastic League (NIL) titles along with Region championships. Then, finally, during our undefeated senior season Ryan won its first state championship in wrestling. Prior to that no school outside the Chattanooga area had ever won a state title...
No wonder Coach Joe Drennan, the man, who more than anyone else, helped build the Ryan program into excellence, seemed to have tears in his eyes as he held the state championship trophy.Senior Jimmy Wilson seemed to have similar emotions as Class of '69 team member Mike Rourke joined him in savoring the moment of winning a championship....
One key to Ryan's victory 40 years ago was the team's overall excellence. While Notre Dame had more individual champions, the Irish had 10 of its 12 wrestlers place in the competition. That included two state champions (Scott Burnette and Bubba Donnelly),
two who finished second in their weight divisions (Mike Carter and Gregg Garr) and several others who finished either 3rd or
4th in their consolation competitions.
It all added up to Ryan clinching the championship before the final matches.
Reflecting back on that championship weekend in a recent TENNESSEAN article,Scott Brunette said; "We carried Joe Drennan aound the mat we were so excited. The 12 of us on the team were best friends. We could finally say that a Midstate school won a state championship in wrestling."
And, for Father Ryan its a championship legacy that continues on.
Here's the dominating record of that undefeated 16-0 season that included winning four tournaments:
Ryan 33 Red Bank 11
Ryan 34 BGA 6
Ryan 35 Maplewood 3
Ryan 54 Donelson 0
Ryan 43 Two Rivers 5
Ryan 43 Franklin 5
Ryan 36 TSB 6
Ryan 52 Overton 0
Ryan 43 Hillwood 3
Ryan 41 Glencliff 5
Ryan 28 MBA 12
Ryan 20 Notre Dame 19
Champions---Middle Tennessee Invitational--Ryan 99 points
Champions---Red Bank Invitational----------Ryan 85 points
Champions---Regional Tournament------------Ryan 143 points
Champions---State Tournament---------------Ryan 77 points
I love going back and reading all the articles about my Grandfather and the impact he had on Nashville wrestling. Proud to carry his name!
ReplyDeleteHi Joe, i just happened to come across this article and saw your post.I remember your grandfather well, and you should be proud. I remember him very well,he was always very kind to me as was your entire family. I grew up just a few houses down the street from where they lived in Nashville. I haven't had contact with any of them for many years, hope all is well. John
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