12th Annual Metro Classic
by Randy Hinderliter

There was one team in this dual-wrestling event that received a real spanking. Too bad that it was the Kansas boys with the sore tushy!

The Metro Classic is one of my favorite events. “The main purpose of the Metro Classic is to provide the opportunity to showcase the BEST senior wrestlers in the Kansas City Metro area.” For the past several years, the event has been held on the campus of Kansas City Kansas Community College.

This year there were 15 matches between the two States. The first bout was at 112-pounds. Tim Munyan from St. Thomas Aquinas, a runner-up in the 2004, 6A State was pitted against, Caleb Dixon. Dixon attends Platte County High School and was a State Champ this year. It was Dixon taking the early lead on a knee pick. The Showme was working the “surfboard and power-half.” Munyan did a great job fighting from his back for 40 seconds until the buzzer ended the period. Dixon’s choice was to work from the neutral position and he from there he would extend his lead. Munyan was taking some shots and Dixon was working the “spin behind.” Dixon “cut” Tim after each takedown and built a 3-13 lead as the second period ended. Tim hadn’t been able to work in the advantage position yet but would have his chance as he elected top. Tim was working the crossbody and the surfboard, frantically trying for a turn. At 1.12 left Munyan earned a stall warning from Dixon and with 0.30 left earned 1-point. The match was over and Tim Munyan lost by a score of 4-13.

At 119-pounds, it would be Cody Bell from Basehor-Linwood against Mark Carey from Raytown South. Bell was a 4th place finisher at the 4A State tourney and Carey was a runner-up in Missouri. After the start of this match, it was clear to see that Carey had a decisive quickness edge. In this match one would also see what would be a theme for the night. Missouri would take us down and immediately cut us loose. Carey did that to perfection in a series of low singles and low doubles. When Bell managed to down block, it was peak outs. Final score, 6-16. Team score, 0-8.

Team Kansas needed to slow down the momentum built by the Showme’s and looked to Olathe South’s’ Daniel Elsrode to do that. Daniel’s opponent was Ben Oglesby from Oak Grove. I had to double-check what weight class this was, because Oglesby looked huge! But it was, in fact, 125-pounds. This match started with both wrestlers getting in deep on the other. Missouri finally scored the takedown, late in the period. Oglesby opted down and Elsrode picked up a stall warning for failing to return Oglesby after a standup. The Showme managed a reversal and cut Daniel. It was another takedown for Oglesby before the end of the 2nd period. With the score, 1-6, Chino decided to return to his feet. Elsrode was in deep on Oglesby a few times but could not gain the takedown. Late in the match it was Oglesby scoring and the match ended, 1-8. Team score, 0-11.

The next match was contest at 130-pounds. Dustin Crotinger from Santa Fe Trail was matched against Jon Gerhold from Oak Park. Gerhold was short and powerful and used those assets to his advantage. Crotinger attempted to shoot but it was Gerhold with the front headlock. Gerhold milked the FHL to the near ankle for the takedown and immediately cut Dustin. In examining Gerhold’s credentials a bit further, it seems as though he set a school record with 242 takedowns on the year. The Showme continued to work the Front headlock and threw in a nice double leg and a snap and spin to show his versatility. Missouri wins by tech fall. Team score, 0-16.

Team Kansas had a gaping hole and needed to stop the bleeding. Matt Middleton did just that. The State champ from Bonner Springs would be facing a 4th place finisher from Platte County, Steve Fisher. One had to wonder as this 135-pound bout opened, as Fisher scored the first takedown on a Front headlock, go behind. But Middleton quickly reversed the position. An escape for Fisher followed the Sunflower’s first takedown of the night was scored by Matthew to end the period. The Showme opted down to start the second but found Middleton very adept at his riding skills. Middleton exposed Fisher for two and after a brief blood timeout exposed him again. Kansas would elect down but Missouri cut his loose. Matthew scored again on a sweet double-leg. Final score, 11-3. Team score, 4-16.

Hopes, were starting to lift a bit, as Team Kansas finally was on the board. But hopes … were dashed in the next match at 140-pounds. Leavenworth’s Patrick Keane faced Stephen Zamora of Oak Park in this bout. Keane started out hot and was in deep on Zamora but the Showme countered out of the takedown. Twice more, it was Keane in deep with Zamora scrambling out. Finally Zamora’s scrambling paid off as was credited with a takedown with 0.14 left in the first. Keane chose bottom and attempted a switch but a beautiful float over earned Zamora three near fall points. The Kansan regained his belly but found himself giving back points again as the Showme hooked up a arm bar and picked wrist. Missouri earns the fall and the bandage over the wound on Team Kansas was ripped off. Team score, 4-22.

The next bout was at 145-pounds where Ft. Scotts State Champ, Alvin Metcalf was slated against Raymore-Peculiar State Champ, Leremie Shaffer. In the early stages of this bout, both wrestlers were displaying the skills that made them champions. Each, countering and scrambling. The edge however went to Shaffer. The first period ended with Shaffer holding the lead, 2-4. Missouri elected to try his skills in the bottom position. Shaffer gained the reversal and then cut Metcalf loose. Metcalf gave up the takedown and two back points at the close of the second. Alvin opted down and a scramble led them out-of-bounds. After the re-start, Shaffer hooked up the ¾ nelson and quickly stacked Metcalf on the mat. Team score, 4-28.

It was a bad dream that you couldn’t wake up from and the hits kept coming. The lineup card didn’t offer any relief as Derek Lang from Baldwin was matched against Blake Peterson of St. Joseph Central. Lang finished 3rd this year in 4A State but Peterson was a State Champ with a 49-0 record. This match at 152-pounds was an impressive victory for Peterson. The final score of the bout was 2-14. Team score, 4-32.

Meeting at 160-pounds were Turner’s Mike Steinmetz and Oak Park’s D.L. Gleason. Both were runner-ups in their respective State tourneys. Both of these wrestlers start off very cautiously with no one scoring in the first period. Steinmetz was cut to go up, 1-0 at the start of the 2nd. Gleason was beginning to figure Steinmetz out and earned a takedown. For good measure, Mike was cut again and was taken down again as the period ended. Missouri worked the escape and then it was Gleason protecting the lead he had built. Steinmetz tried to summon up some magic but to no avail. Final score, 2-5. Team score, 4-35.

Also at 160 we would have a match between Conner Fitzgerald of Olathe South and Ryan Berry of Ray-Pec. Again, both of these wrestlers were runner-ups in their State. The early action had Fitz attempting a throw but Berry countered it to earn the first takedown. The second period began and Missouri earned the reversal. In the final period, Fitzgerald elected neutral. It was Fitz in on the single leg but Berry whipped him with a Front headlock to score a takedown with 3 near fall. Behind by a 0-9 count Conner did manage an escape and then caught Berry in a sudden head-and-arm. The ref awarded a 2-point near fall and Berry managed a reversal. A valiant effort but not enough, final, 5-11. Team score, 4-38.

At 171 we would find State champ versus State champ. In this bout, Paola’s Nathan Payne would have a go with Ray-Pec’s Cody Newman. If this match looked close on paper, it was even closer on the mat. In the final period it was all tied at 3’s. Nate had elected bottom and earned the lead with an escape. But Newman fought back and took the lead with a nice double-leg at 0.33. With 18 seconds left it was Payne again earning the escape. Overtime? Maybe … until the never-say-die … Nathan Payne scored a takedown with 1 second left. Bout score, 7-5, team score, 7-38.

In the second 171-pound match we would have Kyle Flory of Baldwin matched up with Robert Shadrach of Kearney. Shadrach was in control of this match throughout. He used a nice shuck to gain the first takedown and in the second-period earned a takedown with a 3-point nearfall. Flory tried to come back but a late takedown scored the victory for Missouri. Final score 3-9. Final score, 7-41.

Bradley Page from Paola was pitted against Stephen Murray from Kearney is this match at 189-pounds. Page was a late replacement for a scratch in the Kansas lineup. He fought hard but could not overcome the Showme. Final score, 3-10. Team score, 7-44.

Again we had State Champs facing each other as Shawnee-Mission North’s Raymond Carrera would meet Derek Lampkin of Lawson. And again, it looked to be a good match on paper but the paper was wrong. Early, Lampkin showed his dominance of his feet building a 3-8 lead with 4 takedowns. In the second, Lampkin earned two more takedowns but Carrera did reverse the last one. Raymond opted to wrestle from bottom and again earned a reversal. But Lampkin had a safe lead and cruised out clock to win 9-14. Team score, 7-47.

In the final match at 275-pounds, we had Garrett Jones of Blue Valley Northwest matched against Mike Gunselman of Park Hill. Hill would take the early advantage scoring a takedown. But Jones would fight back at the end of the second to tie the match at 4-4. Gunselman earned the escape early in the third and sealed the victory with a takedown. Jones did escape to make the final score, 5-7.

The final team score was 7-50! Team Missouri was dominant on their feet, beating the Kansan’s in takedowns, 50 to 5. A lot has been make of the fact that the Showme’s had one-week longer since their State tourney. In my opinion, that is just an excuse. I don’t feel it has been an issue in the past and shouldn’t be one now! It seems that Missouri made a serious commitment to the event and we … sadly … did not! That argument only holds water if; we were loosing matches in the third period.

Putting that aside, Team Kansas was out-hustled and out-muscled, on the mat. The Showme’s were quicker, better technicians, and better wrestlers than we were. We gave up fifty (50) takedowns and only scored five (5). I am sorry, but that has nothing to do with conditioning. Team Missouri’s accomplishments were outlined in their bios, and they did not stop with folkstyle. The Showme’s had a breadth of experience in Freestyle and Greco. We had only a handful with the degree of experience Missouri had.

The bad news … we need to get better … in every aspect of our wrestling. The good news … we CAN get better. But it takes dedication of wrestlers and coaches alike.

 

 

12th Annual Metro Classic
 Results
 

Wt.

Kansas Wrestler School   Missouri Wrestler   School  Match   Team 
112 Tim Munyan St. Thomas Aquinas vs Caleb Dixon Platte County 0-13 0-4
119 Cody Bell Basehor/Linwood vs Mark Carey Raytown South 6-16 0-8
125 Daniel Elsrode Olathe South vs Ben Oglesby Oak Grove 1-8 0-11
130 Dustin Crotinger Santa Fe Trail vs Jon Gerhold Oak Park 6-21 0-16
135 Matt Middleton Bonner Springs vs Steve Fisher Platte County 11-3 4-16
140 Patrick Keane Leavenworth vs Stephen Zamora Oak Park Fall 4-22
145 Alvin Metcalf Ft. Scott vs Laramie Shaffer Raymore-Peculiar Fall 4-28
152 Derek Lang Baldwin vs Blake Peterson S.J. Central 2-14 4-32
160 Mike Steinmetz Turner vs D.L. Gleason Oak Park 2-5 4-35
160 Conner Fitzgerald Olathe South vs Ryan Berry Raymore-Peculiar 5-11 4-38
171 Nathan Payne Paola vs Cody Newman Raymore-Peculiar 7-5 7-38
171 Kyle Flory Baldwin vs Robert Shadrach Kearney 3-9 7-41
189 Brad Page Paola vs Stephan Murray Kearney 3-10 7-44
215 Raymond Carrera Shawnee Mission North vs Derrick Lampkin Lawson 9-14 7-47
275 Garrett Jones Blue Valley Northwest vs Mike Gunselman Park Hill 5-7 7-50

 

  Kansas Coaches:
John Flores-Atchison County Community High School
Regan Erickson-Santa Fe Trail High School
Peter Sierant-Turner High School
Lorne Parks-St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Missouri Coaches:
Bob Glasgow-Oak Grove High School
Eric Marshall- Kearney High School
Gary Mayabb-Oak Park High School
     

12th Annual Metro Classic Preview

The Metro Classic Wrestling Dual will celebrate 12 years of wrestling excellence on Tuesday, March 9th at 7:00 p.m. at Kansas City Kansas Community College. This year’s dual meet will feature 15 matches. Matches will range from the 112 lb. weight class to the 275 lb. weight class. There will be 2 matches at 160 and 171 lbs. this year. This dual is limited to area senior wrestlers and will feature 9 state champions from the just completed season, 5 from Missouri and 4 from Kansas. Several of the key matches are as follows:

At the 145 lb. weight class, Missouri will feature Laramie Shaffer from Raymore-Peculiar who won a State Championship this season. Laramie finished the season with a mark of 44-4. He will face Alvin Metcalf from Fort Scott who won a State title of his own this season, and has a record of 35-0. Alvin also has placed 3rd and 5th in previous state appearances.

The 152 lb. weight class has undefeated Missouri State Champion Blake Peterson, of St. Joe Central, wrestling Derek Lang of Baldwin. Blake sports a 49-0 record and has 2 State titles and a 3rd to his credit. Derek is coming off a 3rd place finish at State and his record for the season was 46-4. Derek also has a 6th place finish at the State tournament.

At the 160 lb. weight class we find two wrestlers squaring off who have 5 2nd place finishes and 1 State Championship between them. Mike Steinmetz of Turner has a record of 30-5 while placing 2nd this season. He also has 1 State Championship and 2 more 2nd place finishes in his career. He will be wrestling D.L. Gleason from Oak Park who finished the season with a 41-4 record and a 2nd place finish at State. D.L. also placed 2nd in 2003.

2 State Champs face off at the 171 lb. weight class. 3 time Kansas State Champ Nathan Payne from Paola will wrestle Missouri State Champ Cody Newman from Raymore-Peculiar. Nathan enters the match with a 33-3 mark while Cody has a 43-3 record. Nathan also has a 4th place finish during his career and Cody has two 3rd place titles to his credit.

The other 171 lb. match will feature wrestlers who both have won State titles during their career. Kyle Flory from Baldwin finished 2nd this season and was a State Champ in 2003 and a runner-up in 2002. His opponent, Robert Shadrach from Kearney, placed 3rd this year and also won a State title in 2003. Robert also has two 6th place finishes at State and a record of 39-2 for this season. Kyle has a record of 42-4 for the 2004 season.

At the 215 lb. weight class 2 State Champions will again wrestle. Raymond Carrera from Shawnee Mission North will meet Derrick Lampkin of Lawson. Raymond ended the season with a 34-3 record while Derrick ended a perfect 41-0. Derrick also won a title in 2003 and finished 2nd in 2002.

Missouri won the “battle of the border” last year by a score of 39-21. That victory gave Missouri a 7-4 lead over Kansas. Kansas had won the previous two duals and this year once again promises to be a great evening for area wrestling fans. Proceeds from this dual go to scholarships for the wrestling programs at Fort Hays State and Central Missouri State. The Wicina award and Scholarships will be awarded after the 2nd 160 lb. match. The coaches for the teams are as follows. Bob Glasgow-Oak Grove, Eric Marshall-Kearney, and Gary Mayabb-Oak Park. The Kansas coaches will be John Flores-Atchison Co. Comm H.S., Regan Erickson-Santa Fe Trail, Peter Sierant-Turner, and Lorne Parks-St. Thomas Aquinas.

 

12th Annual Metro Classic
 Team Rosters
 

 Wt.  Kansas Wrestler Record State
Place
 School  Missouri Wrestler Record State Place  School
112 Tim Munyan 39-7  2nd St. Thomas Aquinas Caleb Dixon 37-3  1st Platte County
119 Cody Bell 38-7  4th Basehor/Linwood Mark Carey 43-3  2nd Raytown South
125 Daniel Elsrode 34-5  SQ Olathe South Ben Oglesby 31-5  4th Oak Grove
130 Dustin Crotinger 28-8  SQ Santa Fe Trail Jon Gerhold 44-1  3rd Oak Park
135 Matt Middleton 40-3  1st Bonner Springs Steve Fisher 38-8  4th Platte County
140 Patrick Keane 33-8  3rd Leavenworth Stephen Zamora 37-8  3rd Oak Park
145 Alvin Metcalf 35-0  1st Ft. Scott Laramie Shaffer 44-4  1st Raymore-Peculiar
152 Derek Lang 46-4  3rd Baldwin Blake Peterson 49-0  1st St. Joe Central
160 Mike Steinmetz 30-5  2nd Turner D.L. Gleason 41-4  2nd Oak Park
160 Conner Fitzgerald 38-3  2nd Olathe South Ryan Berry 32-8  2nd Raymore-Peculiar
171 Nathan Payne 33-3  1st Paola Cody Newman 43-3  1st Raymore-Peculiar
171 Kyle Flory 42-4  2nd Baldwin Robert Shadrach 39-2  3rd Kearney
189 Brad Page 30-5  5th Gardner-Edgerton Stephan Murray 37-3  3rd Kearney
215 Raymond Carrera 34-3  1st Shawnee Mission So. Derrick Lampkin 41-0  1st Lawson
275 Garrett Jones 40-2  2nd Blue Valley Nw. Mike Gunselman 45-1  2nd Park Hill