Fifty-eight years after Bill Emendorfer became the first TSSAA wrestling state champion for Cleveland High School, his grandson George Emendorfer closed his Baylor School career in the same sport this past weekend with a historic result that furthered the family legacy.
With a 4-1 win against rival McCallie's Billy Hamilton in the 144-pound final at the Division II state traditional tournament Saturday in Nashville, George completed a special feat as he and Bill became the first grandson-grandfather duo from Chattanooga-area schools to win TSSAA individual state titles on the mat.
Before going on to star in college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, Bill closed his prep wrestling career with a 4-2 decision over Notre Dame's Pez Whatley for the heavyweight state title on Feb. 17, 1968, also in Nashville.
"George is a great kid who has worked his tail off every day," said Bill, who helped the football Vols go 31-5 from 1970-72 as a two-way standout who earned All-America and All-Southeastern Conference recognition. "For him to completely tear his UCL in the first tournament he wrestled in this season and win a state title shows a lot about his heart.
"My family has been blessed with many athletic awards and abilities through the years. Our family has been blessed generationally."
(READ MORE: Baylor's George Emendorfer wrestles through injury to lead state's top team)
Indeed, the Emendorfer family has deep roots in athletics.
Bill's son and George's father, Brad, was a four-year letterman and team captain for the Clemson University men's tennis program from 1997-2001. George's older brother, John, was part of state championship teams in baseball and football for Baylor and is now a redshirt sophomore baseball player at Charleston Southern.
George has plans to wrestle in college and will compete this weekend in the National Prep Wrestling Championships in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
"I have looked up to my grandfather my whole life, and to follow in his footsteps means a lot," George said. "Me and him share the same name (William George Emendorfer), so I have always pushed myself to give our name a good image. Being able to share this with him means the world."
#WeAreBaylor
