Cleveland High School wrestler Austin Stevison, right, struggles against a pin attempt by Soddy-Daisy's Emory Holcomb during their bout at the Region 4-AAA wrestling tournament finals Saturday at Walker Valley High School in Cleveland, Tenn.

There's no question that Chattanooga area wrestlers will be able to compete in Tennessee's Class AAA state tournament that begins tonight at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo in Franklin.

They bested the snow and ice by departing Tuesday -- with the blessing of their respective school system administrators.

When told Wednesday of the weather situation here, Cleveland coach Jake Yost replied, "I'm so glad we came up last night."

There didn't seem to be any problem about what to do with the day Wednesday.

"I think we're going to go help them set mats up at the Ag Center. We're here to serve," Yost said with a laugh. "We'll get some lunch after that and then go work out."

Although his Hixson team won't begin competition in the A/AA state until Friday, Wildcats coach Garrick Hall took his team to Franklin early Wednesday morning.

"We've already done the Wal-Mart walkthrough, and now we're at Dick's Sporting Goods so one of the kids can pick up a knee brace," he said yesterday morning. "The rooms aren't yet ready, so we'll probably go sit in the lobby until we can get settled in."

While Hall's team will be one of the A/AA favorites, AAA pick Cleveland will find out much sooner if it deserved the pre-tournament favorite's role. AAA wrestling begins at 4 EST this afternoon.

"I guess you'd have to consider us one of the favorites," Yost said. "We won the state duals, and that has to say something. We don't have the most guys coming, but I would bet we have close to the most points-producers from last year's tournament."

The Blue Raiders are one of six teams with 11 qualifiers, a list that includes Walker Valley. Bradley Central -- the Region 4 runner-up to Cleveland -- and Maryville Heritage, the Region 3 runner-up, have 13. Jefferson County, Maryville and Wilson Central have 12. Soddy-Daisy, the only other Chattanooga area team with a title shot, has 10.

"Cleveland is the team everyone's chasing," Walker Valley coach Alan Morris said. "Then there's Wilson Central. We might be in the hunt."

Bradley Central, once the sport's most dominating team, is still in the midst of reconstruction from its kids club up.

"I don't think you can overlook us but we have fit well into the underdog role and like it. No one is looking at us as a favorite and they haven't for a couple of years but I think it's going to be hard to ignore us," Bears coach Ben Smith said.

He agreed with the majority that Cleveland and Wilson Central are the two obvious favorites. Cleveland had seven champions among its nine region finalists and Wilson Central had six region winners and a runner-up.

"Ravenwood, Bradley and Walker Valley have to fall in right behind those two," Smith said. "You can't overlook Soddy-Daisy but they have two kids I think were automatic point-scorers that are not in the tournament."

Those two failed to make weight for the region last week.

"That's past and we can't go back and do anything about it. We don't have time to dwell on it. This is the individual tournament, and that's the main focus," Soddy-Daisy coach Jim Higgins said.

While the Class AAA tournament starts this afternoon, Division II and the first A/AA tournaments begin Friday. Championship finals in all classifications are scheduled for 6 p.m. EST Saturday.

Contact Ward Gossett wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him Twitter.com/wardgossett.