Forrest grapplers Jeff Gross (126 pounds), Drew Carlisle (182), and Wesley McCoy (195) advanced to the Class A/AA state finals, while Cole Geeting (145), Bryton Spitzley (152), Austin Geeting (160), and Nick McClendon (170) are hoping to fight their way through the consolation round in hopes of wrestling for third place.

The three Rocket finalists wrestle tonight at 4:45 p.m. and the four others are on the mat this morning at the Franklin Expo Center.

Gross (25-0), the defending state champion at 113-pounds, won by a pair of technical falls in the first two rounds before pinning Ryan Wimbley from Alcoa in the semifinals with 1:54 remaining in the first round.

Gross faces Fairview freshman Riley Bennett in the championship match.

Carlisle (25-3), who finished in third place last year, pinned his first-round opponent before coming away with a last second 6-5 win in round two, advanced to the title bout with a second round semifinal pin over defending state champion Trent Knight (170) from Greeneville.

McCoy (10-1) dominated with pins in round one and two before defeating Elijah Lawson from Gibbs 6-4 in the semis. McCoy took home third place last season at 160 and he wrestles Alcoa’s Noah Evans, who finished in second place in 2016-2017 in the 182-pound weight class.

Consolation Bouts Results:

145-pounds: Cole Geeting (20-5) loses on a second round pin to fellow freshman Preston Worley from Signal Mountain. Wrestles Bransen O`Dell from Greeneville in fifth place match.

152: Bryton Spitzley (23-7) falls 17-2 in a major decision to Kilroy Hill, junior (Elizabethton). Wrestles Michael Bowser from Memphis East in fifth place match.

160: Austin Geeting (19-4) wins 8-2 over Garrett Wright from Greeneville. Wrestles Daniel Hodges from East Ridge in 3rd place match.

170: Nick McClendon (26-2) pins returning state medalist Allen Ashworth from Whitwell in the second round. Wrestles Jacob Kieta from Pigeon Ford in third place match.