The 10th Annual Metro Classic Wrestling Dual
by Randy Hinderliter

The Tenth Annual Metro Classic was a dominant performance for Team Kansas. By now, you are all familiar with the concept of this event. This year was a bit special for me as my nephew Chad was on the team. But before I get to report the wrestling action, I have another announcement. My daughter and son-in-law are the proud parents of a baby boy and I am a Grandfather! That event took place in Mountain Home, Arkansas where I was until late Tuesday morning!

On to the action! As you’ve read, there were many highly anticipated match ups and even a bonus match. Kansas started strong … waned a bit in the middleweights … and returned to form to finish with a 33-19 team victory.

At 103 it was Missouri’s Brett Rolofson facing the Kansan, James Ball. On paper, this appeared to be a tough match up as Rolofson was a two-time and defending State Champ and Ball was coming off a 5th place finish for Blue Valley Northwest in the Kansas meet. The whistle blew to start the match! Ball fell behind early; slipping off an attempted throw, but quickly regained his feet to trail 2 to 1. Ball corrected his mistake and hit a beautiful lateral drop with a 2-point near fall to take the lead. Rolofson escaped but was taken down with another throw with a 3-point near fall. The score … 11 to 4. The second period found Ball electing to wrestle from the bottom. Ball executed the standup escape, then hooked up the cradle for another 5 points. James Ball secured the technical fall, turning his opponent for a 2-pointer.

On to 112, where Ottawa’s Chad Hinderliter, who placed 3rd in the Kansas tourney, wrestled Manuel Gonzalez, Missouri’s State Champ. This match saw two contrasting body types, as Gonzalez was short and stocky and Hinderliter, tall and lean. The first period opened with a takedown by Gonzalez. But a reversal followed by another reversal followed by an escape found Hinderliter trailing 4 to 3. The second period began with the Showme choosing bottom. Hinderliter had Gonzalez dodging bullets as he attempted to turn him with the barbed wire. About halfway through the period, Gonzalez picked up a warning for stalling. The period ended with the score unchanged. Chad elected to wrestle from bottom and gained the reversal to take his first lead in the match. With about 30 seconds left, Hinderliter was warned for covering the hips a bit too much. It was back to the center with Chad nodding his head in acknowledgement of the refs warning. Changing tactics, Hinderliter stuck the leg in and turned his opponent for a 3-point near fall. Hinderliter wins … 8 to 4 to end his wrestling career.

This put the Kansans up in the team score … 8 to 0. On to 119 where Jamie Myers of Mizzou put his sterling 124-6 career record on the line against Shawnee-Mission Northwest’s Blake Trullinger, a State Champ with a 37-1 record for the year. This match was wrestled almost entirely on their feet, with Myers scoring on a nice deep double leg about halfway through the period. Trullinger quickly escaped and the attempts for a takedown continued. But one thing became clear; the Showme was utilizing the edge of the mat. Blake’s attempts to score led to the action going out-of-bounds. The second period started with Trullinger gaining the quick escape but returned to the edge where he couldn’t score. Myers did pickup a warning for stalling late in this period. The 3rd period saw Myers down but scoring the escape with 1:37 left on the clock to take the 3-2 lead. Evidently the tactic for the Showme worked as he did just enough in the referee’s eyes to secure the win. Kansas still leading …. 8 to 3.

On to 125-pounds, where Missouri’s takedown artist, Adam West, with 201 takedowns for the year, put his 46-2 season record on the line against Bishop Meige’s Brian Strohm, who came with a 38-3 season record. Strohm was able to successfully counter West’s attempts for the takedown and scored one of his own with a sweet near arm, far leg. Then with his knee securing the near arm, Strohm worked the grasshopper (under hook of the far arm) to expose the Missourian’s back for a 3-pointer. The Kansan elected to take bottom to open the next period and gained his feet for a 6-0 lead. West repeatedly came up with a head inside single, which Strohm masterfully fought off. The 3rd opened with West gaining an escape. Brian Strohm scored again on a nice single leg, which he switched to a double to score a takedown. The Showme managed an escape to make the final score 8-2.

With Kansas ahead 11-3 we went to the mat at 130. This match pitted Billy Chisholm of Missouri against Effinghams' Kurtis Springstead. The opening period started cautiously with Springstead scoring a takedown late. The next started with the Missourian gaining an escape only to be taken down again to make the score 4 to 1, for the Kansan. The final frame had Springstead gaining a reversal and locking up a far side cradle for 3-points. Late in the period, Chisolm managed a reversal but it was too little, too late, as Kurtis Springstead won by decision.

Patrick Mazi of Missouri faced off with St. Thomas Aquinas’ Nolan Cisper in the 135-pound match up. With both coming off State Championship performances in 2002, this was one of the anticipated matches of the evening. The action began with a flurry and the period ended with the match tied at 2. Cisper deferred the choice to Mazi who selected down. Mazi gained the escape and secured a takedown late in the period to take a 5 to 2 lead. Cisper fought for the escape to open the scoring in the 3rd period. The match ended with Cisper fighting for a takedown to no avail. This brought the team score to 14-6.

Next it was Mark Macey of Missouri who put his 42-5 season record to the test against Spring Hills’ Josh Stirling, and his 36-4 season record. The opening period ends with the Missourian ahead 2 to 1. Macey deferred to Stirling who fought for an escape and a tie. But Macey opened up a bit, taking Stirling down to his back for the 5-pointer. The Kansan successfully worked an escape to end the period. The Showme chose down, gained the escape, the quickly worked a takedown and 2-point near fall. Another escape by Stirling and a takedown by Macey sealed the superior win for Macey.

The Kansas lead was shrinking as it closed to a 14-10 margin. Next to 145, where 2-time and defending Missouri State Champ Jake Fisher was pitted against Basehor-Linwood’s State Champ, Matt Dukes. The crowds from both sides of the Kansas City Community College gym were starting to get excited as the first period ended with Fisher scoring the takedown. Fisher, an accomplished Greco wrestler, was using that style to control the tie-ups. The second period opened with a reversal by Dukes followed by one for Fisher, another by Dukes led to Fisher’s reversal to the back for a 2-point near fall and a closing escape by Dukes to close the gap to 8-5. One had the feeling that both wrestlers were dangerous as the third period opened with Fisher taking bottom and Dukes looking for the turn. The Kansan was stopped a couple of times for a potentially dangerous hold, which fueled the fire from both wrestlers and fans. Suddenly, a reversal by Fisher put Dukes on his back where he scored the fall at 0:37. Dukes frustration was penalized by the ref to account to a 7-point swing in the team score. Kansas was now trailing by a 13-16 margin.

At 152 pounds, Missouri’s State Champ, Shane Griffin, his high school’s record holder for season takedowns at 212, would match up against Josh Johnston of Leavenworth. The first period ended scoreless with both fending off the others attempts. Griffin scored an escape but was taken down by Johnston, which lead to another escape by Griffin to close the period. The Kansan fought for the escape and scored another takedown at 1:06. Josh rode opponent out to score the decision. Kansas stopped the bleeding and tied it up, at 16-16.

At 160 pounds, Missouri’s Joe Williamson was to have met Gabe Conaghan, but a practice injury to Gabe led the Kansans to call on Spring Hills’ Aaron Pratt. Although Aaron wasn’t the first choice, he proved to be more than capable as the score at the end of one was 2-2. In the second, the Mizzou chose down and worked for the escape and subsequent takedown of Pratt. Pratt, foregoing hand control, found himself locked up in a cradle, but he expertly fought it off to score a reversal late in the period, trailing 5-4. Aaron started the period on bottom and again found himself dodging Williamson’s attempt to turn him with the cradle. Figuring if it worked once it would work twice, Pratt again reversed the Showme and caught him on his back for a 2-point near fall. Pratt wins … Kansas leads 19-16.

Carlos Torres of Missouri, a State Champ in 2002, looked to have an impressive wrestling resume but his academic prowess, a 4.1 gpa and a 34 on his ACT’s is what really stood out. But we were wrestling tonight and he matched up with Effinghams’ Derek Faught. The Missouri wrestler scored first, but Faught’s reversal and 2-point near fall put him on the board. An escape by Torres followed by Derek’s own takedown and near fall closed the action packed first by a score of 8-3. Torres elected bottom and gave up a 2-point near fall but gained a reversal to trail 10-5. Faught scored again with an escape while the fans caught their breath. But the scoring wasn’t done for this period as Faught rolled through on a head and arm attempt to lead 13-5. The Kansan selected bottom to take a safe 14-5 lead. The Kansas fans were a bit nervous as Faught gave up an easy takedown only a reversal and a cut loose for a 16-8 lead. Again, Torres scored on an easy shot and quickly cut Faught loose but a last second takedown by Faught secured the win by major decision, 19-10.

Next was the first of two 189-pound bouts. Jared Opp of Missouri faced Lawrence Free State’s Justin Stevens. Both wrestlers finished 2nd in their respective states and looked to end their high school careers with a win. A fairly cautious first ended with a scoreless tie. Stevens selected bottom and Opp selected an optional start to give up the lead. With 1:05 left, Stevens scored on a sudden double leg shot, taking a 3-0 lead as the action went out-of-bounds. Justin returned the favor, allowing the Showme to come to his feet as the action resumed. Justin was confident on his feet, as he scored another takedown and cut his opponent loose to take a 5-2 lead. The third period gained Opp a point off the optional start, but he was unable to penetrate Justin’s defense as the matched ended. Winner, Justin Stevens, 5-3, with Kansas now leading, 26-16.

The second match at 189 pitted Missouri State Champ Nick Cole against Olathe South’s, and Oklahoma signee, Justin Dyer. Justin is a 3-time and defending State Champ with a career record of 145-3 and a season record of 39-0. Justin completely dominated this match with a series of nice takedowns. The win would secure the team victory for Kansas. Dyer wins 9-2. Cole’s only points were given to him in optional starts by Justin.

On to 215 and the 3-time and defending State Champ from Missouri, Chase Verdoorn, against the 2-time Champ from Olathe North, Josh Carroll. Both of these wrestlers showed a great deal of respect and sportsmanship for each other. With 4 seconds left in the first period, the clocked stopped as Verdoorn accidentally cut Carroll, over his right eye. In the second, the escaping Josh Carroll scored the only point. The third opened with Verdoorn scoring an escape of his own but the action stopped to tend to Carroll’s eye. The winning takedown was scored by Verdoorn at 0:24 seconds in the period, an escape by Carroll, with 0:15, ended the scoring. Chase Verdoorn wins but one has to wonder if the injury hampered Carroll. But, take nothing away from Verdoorn, as he is an impressive athlete.

At 275, Missouri’s Keith Fillion faced Kevin Pulliam, Jr., the Kansas State Champ from J.C. Harmon high school. Pulliam dominated this match from whistle to whistle. Pulliam took his opponent down 3 times in the first period. The first two on body locks and inside trips, but the third was a sweet double leg that would have made Stephen Neal proud, and Pulliam held Fillion for the 2-point near fall. The following two periods were a bit hard to see as fans were pouring toward the doors. Pulliam, Jr. wins by superior decision 16-5.

Kansas wins 33-19. A few surprises, a few upsets, and a few dominating performances. One factor was that, for the first time in this event, Team Kansas was led by high school coaches. Hats off to the Kansas team.

10th Annual Metro Classic
 Results
 

103 

James Ball 

BVNW 

vs 

Brett Rolofson 

Platte Co. 

112 

Chad Hinderliter 

Ottawa 

vs 

Manuel Gonzalez 

Lexington 

119 

Blake Trullinger 

vs 

Jamie Myers 

Lawson 

125 

Brian Strohm 

Bishop Miege 

vs 

Adam West 

Lee's Summit No. 

130 

Kurtis Springstead 

Atchison Co. 

vs 

Billy Chisholm 

Oak Grove 

135 

Nolan Cisper 

S.T. Aquinas 

vs 

Patrick Mazi 

Liberty 

140 

Josh Stirling 

Spring Hill 

vs 

Marc Macey 

Richmond 

145 

Matt Dukes 

Basehor-Linwood 

vs 

Jake Fisher 

Platte County 

152 

Josh Johnston 

Leavenworth 

vs 

Shane Griffin 

Kearney 

160 

Aaron Pratt 

vs 

Joe Williamson 

Blue Springs So. 

171 

Derek Faught 

Atchison Co. 

vs 

Carlos Torres 

O'Hara 

189 

Justin Dyer 

Olathe South 

vs 

Nick Cole 

Liberty 

189 

Justin Stevens 

Lawrence Free St. 

vs 

Jared Opp 

Blue Springs So. 

215 

Josh Carroll 

Olathe North 

vs 

Chase Verdoorn 

Platte County 

275 

Kevin Pulliam 

Harmon 

vs 

Keith Fillion 

Savannah