321A, 4A, 5A, 6A Team of the decade

i was just curious to see who you guys think these teams are for the team of the decade out of all classes

hmmm...
6A-Manhattan, Goddard
5A- Bishop Carrol, then Turner.. They had two really strong yrs
4A- Definatley Clay Center, but after that Abilene

Looking at the past results for 321A it is up in the air.

ACCHS won it in 2000 and 2001
Hoxie won it in 2002 and 2003
Norton won it in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2010
Smith Center 2007, 2008, and 2009

So Norton has 4, Smith Center 3, ACCHS and Hoxie twice.

Clay for sure since they won 5 titles this decade, but Abilene only won one title this decade so not sure they are the next best?

idk but for 5A Emporia should probably be in the mix they are geared up to win the state championships every year!

It's really not that big of a tossup. Norton had two of the most dominate titles of any school in the past decade with the victories of their 2006 and 2010 teams. They also have consistently finished in the top 5 of the state every year. Heck they even wrestled 4A for a season and still were a top 5 team. Norton is the only 321A program that has annually went head to head against the top programs in the state and had success.

While Hoxie was good for the first 5 or 6 years of the 2000's they have fallen off quite a bit. There was one season Hoxie failed to even qualify a wrestler to the "big dance".

Almost the exact opposite thing happened with Smith Center. They weren't a relevant factor at state for the first 5 years or so of the 2000s. This is almost in direct correlation to their football success that they have dominated the state tournament.

ACCHS hasn't had consistent success at Hays. Those two title years were just a huge blip on the radar. They've only had a handful of top ten finishes since then.

Norton in my opinion has been the hands down best program in 321A. I think the argument should be which Norton championship team is better. I would put my money on the 2006 team. They ran away with the Newton Tournament that year and had 4 state champions to go along with a host of other medalist.

I would be more interested in seeing an all decade team made up of the best wrestlers in each class at each weight.

That would be very interesting to see for sure. But who could put together such a list? It would require a great deal of research. Also, wouldn't 2010 be considered part of the new decade?

2010 should be apart of a new decade.

Colby had a pretty good decade also.

I think that Colby might be the only 4a team in the last ten years to place in the top 8 every year, with two championships.

321A All Decade Team (Off the top of my head)

103: Fransisco Antillion, Scott City
112: Nash Burtin, Eureka
119: Clay Madden, Norton
125: James Annon, Norton
130: Colt Rogers, Smith Center
135: Levi Younkin, Oakley
140: Matt Gilland, Hoxie
145: Jason Pyle, Sabetha
152: Brett Hille, WaKeeny-Trego
160: Lance Roe, Norton
171: Chris Purcel, Effingham ACCHS
189: Noah Clous, Effingham ACCHS
215: Jeff Horinek, Atwood/TJ Staab, Plainville
285: Duane Zlatnik, Rossville/Andrew Ubben Phillipsburg

At first glance I would say this is a very good start. I'd consider moving Burtin and Madden down a weight class and squeezing in Tyler Baker of Hoxie at 119. He had three state titles and a fourth place finish. Antillion only wrestled in 321A two seasons and both of the 103 weight classes he wrestled in were quite weak when viewing future state results of those state placers. Antillion's a good wrestler but if you were to put him in the bracket that Madden and Burtin wrestled in freshman year I think Antillion has a hard time placing. It had 4 state champions in it and a 3 time runner-up. Neither of Antillion's titles were that difficult. Only one of his 103 brackets had a state champion besides him and that was Troy Bainter of Norton.

Shawn Drennan of Minneapolis is another wrestler worth taking a look at. He had to wrestle in some pretty tough weight classes with wrestlers like Eric Johnson of Norton, Matt Pyle of Sabetha, Matt Engelbert of Beloit, and Jeremy Morris of Beloit. All of these guys won state titles except Engelbert, who I believe was a runner-up, in their careers making it even more difficult for Drennan to win 2 titles.

what do you think about the 4a all decade team

I think Danny Floyd out to be included on that list

Yes, Floyd is another wrestler who could be included on this list. I was just trying to add wrestlers from earlier in the decade or I'd have mentioned him.

Here is my best attempt at a 4A All-Decade Team while just taking a brief look over past state championships. I'm sure I could add some more wrestlers into this ranking, like Taylor Moder, Brett Bahe, Jacob Marrs, Chris Saferite, Scott Elliot, Blake Fisher, Chris Watson, and Trent Cox. I tried to base this list off of success at the collegiate level as much as what has been done in high school. I also tried to compensate for those wrestlers who did not finish their career at a 4A school that explains the lack of Bahe, Elliot, Watson, and Cox. Disney was included because there was no clear cut 285 besides him. I could have opted to bump Bedore to 285 since he won one of his three state titles there. This would have opened up a hole that I could have bumped Jacob Marrs into.

103: Jake Kreigbaum-Abilene
112: Earl Jones-Coffeyville
119: Austin DeVoe-Columbus
125:Matt Murray-Colby
130: CJ Naiper-Columbus
135: Cole Garcia-Colby
140: Danny Grater-Clay Center
145: Eric Luedke-Colby
152: Ryne Coekley-St. James Academy
160: Ross Taplin-Abilene
171: Neil Erisman-DeSoto
189: Jesse Strawn-Holton
215: Jordan Bedore-Goodland
285: Atticus Disney-Andover Central

Matt Schippers from Hoxie might be a 152 to consider in 321A. 2x NJCAA All American

I'm going off a one year team, not the best over the last decade.

321A Team of the Decade, 2003 Hoxie Indians aka Baker's Dozen
As far as tough top to bottom, this team is probably it. 11 out of 13 qualifiers placed, as well as the team setting a State Record for points scored in a state tournament at 218.0 points. This is pure domination on their part considering this is a state tournament.

3 Champions
3 Runner-Ups
1 3rd
2 4ths
1 5th
1 6th

2003 Results
103- Cale Farber 2nd
112- Michael Schamberger 3rd
119- Tyler Baker 1st
125- Tyrel Spillman 2nd
130- Mat Gilliland 1st
135- Matt Schippers 1st
140- Jason Schippers 2nd
145- Curt Schamberger 6th
152- Jay Lewis 4th
160- Doug Campbell DNP
171- Ryan Shipley 4th
189- Justin Cooper DNP
215- Fred Pratt 5th
285- No Qualifier

You know it's a pretty salty list Ricky when guys like Trevor Charbonneau, Gerrard Speer, and Jacob Strait do not make it.

Don't forget about Skinny Benny!

Those were several of names that weren't able to crack the list due to multiple state championship by other wrestlers or All-American honors by others.

171: Chris Pursel - ACCHS (1,1,1)
189: Branden Clouse - ACCHS (1,2,3,4)
215: Noah Clouse - ACCHS (1,1,1,6)

Here is a short list of wrestlers who I think deserve a look at the 321A All-Decade Team:

(Note my info is mostly off memory so correct me if I'm wrong)

Ben Orozco-Ellsworth (2 time state champion, 2 time runner-up)(State medalist in cross country and track)(I believe he went to Harvard, so he was obviously smart)(Graduated in 2000)

Clint Freeman-Ellsworth (2 time state champion)(Senior Nationals All-American, 8th Place)(Wrestled at Missouri)(Graduated in 2000)

Derrick Jones-Hoxie (2 time state champion, 2 time runner-up)(He lost head to head with Orozco for one state championship)(All-American at Colby CC)(Graduated in 2000)

Bryan Miller-Oberlin (State Champion)(Senior Nationals All-American, 5th place)(2 time All-American at Colby CC)(National qualifier for DII at UNC-Penbroke)(Graduated in 2001)

Dylan Campbell-Oakley (2 time State Champion)(Wrestled at Colby CC)(Graduated in 2001)

Michael Sprigg-Norton (2 time State Champion, 1 time Runner-up)(Senior Nationals All-American, 4th Place)(Wrestled at Army)(Graduated in 2004)

Chris Pursel and Noah Clouse should definitely be included in the conversation. I'm not so sure on Braden Clouse though. There are a lot of multiple state champions that could be put in before him.

STA Had a nice run in the middle of the decade. Those teams would have matched up pretty decent with other teams acrossed the state during that time period.

2004 4th in 6A
2005 1st in 6A
2006 4th in 5A
2007 1st in 5A

Ricky Bobby,

Mat Gilliland and Andrew Ubben should probably be on your list.

collin hase silver lake
05 103 2nd
06 103 1st
07 112 3rd
08 119 1st

They are on the original 321A list that was compiled earlier in page one. I was just making suggestions for wrestlers who might have been overlooked.

LETS NOT FORGET GOODLAND FROM 1997 THRU 2005 THEY BROUGHT HOME 1ST, 2ND, OR 3RD, EACH OF THOSE YEARS, WHILE BEING IN 4A.

Whoops wrong decade.

Im stepping a year outside the decade. 1999 321a Jack Dennis 215lb I think might be the most dominant 215lber kansas has ever had.

How about a couple of names from the past?

Boyle from Norton!

Rechtfertig from Wellsville!

... and of course, some cat named Treaster from Beloit!

This list is for an All-Decade team from 2000-2009.

My bad!

No problem.

Who is Rechtfertig from Wellsville I'm unfamiliar with that name?

jeremy long from sante fe trail and tillman from pratt would be good choices

I believe Tillman graduated in 1999. He'd have a hard time making the list just because of the criteria of college success. Tillman did All-American at K-State in NWCA. The 3 state championships are impressive. However, he failed to make the varsity lineup while at Labette CC and this was before the Cardinals were National Championship contenders year in and out. The lightweights in front of him are All-Americans and National Qualifiers in D1, D2, and JUCO.

As for Long, I'm unsure if he wrestled in college. He won two titles at 130 I believe which is impressive, but he's contending with CJ Naiper for a spot on the roster who is a D1 varsity wrestler, 3X state champion, and Senior National Champion.

I think this roster is pretty legit with D1 and D2 wrestlers throughout. With a few JUCO All-Americans turned transfers to boot.

There are only 2 people who were or are not wrestling at the collegiate level. One is Ryne Coekley, who likely will wrestle collegiately just give him one more year of high school. The other was Jordan Bedore, he played college football at K-State, but was a 3X state champion in wrestling.

Ricky Bobby's All-Decade 4A Team (2000-2009)
103: Jake Kreigbaum-Abilene
112: Earl Jones-Coffeyville
119: Austin DeVoe-Columbus
125:Matt Murray-Colby
130: CJ Naiper-Columbus
135: Cole Garcia-Colby
140: Danny Grater-Clay Center
145: Eric Luedke-Colby
152: Ryne Coekley-St. James Academy
160: Ross Taplin-Abilene
171: Neil Erisman-DeSoto
189: Jesse Strawn-Holton
215: Jordan Bedore-Goodland
285: Atticus Disney-Andover Central

Charbonneau gratr marrs clay murray d1 finalist 2x luedke erisman napier maple nitcher moeder

Nitcher maple or moeder at 35 for sure maybe marrs or speer at 89

Mayb charboneau at 12 d 2 nat champ at unk or uno

I'm well aware of Trevor Charbonneau's success at the next level. However, those 3 third place medals and a single state championship don't quite matchup with Earl Jones in my opinion. Jones was a 3X state champion and 1X runner-up in high school. He was a 2X JUCO national champion while at LCC and was a key member of the National Championship team. The one knock on Jones was that he didn't have the same success while at UCO. He had to deal with arguably the most adversity of any of the wrestlers on the Ricky Bobby All-Decade 4A Team (2000-2009).

Maple doesn't make this list because it is for 4A, he wrestled in 6A with Wichita Heights.

I'd consider Chase Nitcher and Cade Blair if most of their careers had been in 4A, but they only wrestled one year there, which was in the next decade (2010). The team is meant for 2000-2009.

Moder would likely make the next decade team of 2010-2019, because his upperclassman years will be used then. If he was a possible 4X state champion like Ryne Coekley I would have given him consideration.

Jesse Strawn gets the nod for me over Marrs because of the more consistent success while in high school. Strawn lost in the state finals as a freshman and sophomore to Ross Taplin. He then won back to back titles and was a Senior Nationals All-American. Strawn wrestles for D1, Old Dominion, where he has qualified for Nationals.

Jacob Marrs is tearing it up at UNO, but he didn't quite have the same success in high school. He won one title in his junior year and lost in the finals his senior year when he was the favorite. Marrs took 4th as a sophomore and went 1-2 at state his freshman year. Marrs was also a Senior Nationals All-American.

As for the other wrestlers listed I think I've addressed criteria or they are already on the team.

Jermy Long was a 4 time State Champ. 2 pr 3 of those were in the 90s. A tough kid with lots of technique and skill. Had the typical SFT hard ass attitude, buts that's why they were so successful in the 90's. Hard to leave him off.

Another exceptional wrestler from that period: Josh Brown from Columbus (I think 1, 1 , 2, 1). Intense!! Intense!! Intense!! If you looked in his eyes you would turn and run.

Don'tthink either Long or Brown wrestled after HS. Both may have enrolled in a south KS CC, but droped out during the first year.

Jeremy wrestled for CMSU for a year, but things didn't work out for him there and he went back home.

Wow, I can't believe I overlooked a 4X state champion. I knew the name sounded familiar, I just couldn't place it. The most logical option I can come up with is making two spots on the roster at 130, this moves Naiper up to his weight he won 3 championships at and puts Garcia back where he wrestled is sophomore year.

I can't justify taking Garcia off the list because he had a win over 4X state champion Jake Kreigbaum the week of regionals, and was a 2X state champion with a runner-up finish to Kreigbaum. Garcia also placed at Senior Nationals and had a good career at Colby CC and has contributed at UNK. Long did have the four titles, but three came in the previous decade. He also didn't pan out in college, but this happens a lot after the freshman year. I'll still give him some props though and put him as co-130 with Garcia.

Ricky Bobby's All-Decade 4A Team (2000-2009)
103: Jake Kreigbaum-Abilene
112: Earl Jones-Coffeyville
119: Austin DeVoe-Columbus
125:Matt Murray-Colby
130: Cole Garcia-Colby and Jeremy Long-Santa Fe Trail
135: CJ Naiper-Columbus
140: Danny Grater-Clay Center
145: Eric Luedke-Colby
152: Ryne Coekley-St. James Academy
160: Ross Taplin-Abilene
171: Neil Erisman-DeSoto
189: Jesse Strawn-Holton
215: Jordan Bedore-Goodland
285: Atticus Disney-Andover Central


Now I challenge someone to compile a 6A and 5A list from the past decade. We already have a 321A and 4A list.

Smokey's Preliminary List - Draft

103 & 112 Keller Brothers and Paulie Hanson
119 Shawn Bunch, Cody Garcia, Tanner Gardner
125 Trent Cox, Kendric Maple
130 Josh Badlridge, Chris & Tyler McCormick, Trishten Deshzaer
135 Jared Vogel, Dusty Spaulding
140 & 145 Joe Johnston, Joe Cornejo
152 Jacob Klien
160 Ty Caldwell, Kyle Detmer
171 Gabe Conahagn, Neil Cisper, Romero Cotton, Parker Madl
189 Boaz Beard, Justin Dyer, Romero Cotton
215 Kyle Caylor, Joe Bach, Josh Carrol
HWT Atticus Disney - Shawnee Heights, Steve Andrus, Jeremiah Beltran

I need some help with this - it was my quick run through.

Pretty good list of guys

Smokey,

While I agree that that is a really good list of guys, I would submit that Trent Cox should be considered a 4A wrestler as he wrestled all but one year at Andale. His one year at Maize was at 130, not 125, I believe. He could very well replace one of Ricky's lower weights on the 4A if Ricky was so inclined.

I also think someone should split these guys into 5A and 6A lists so as to better compare each classification.

You can split it anyway you want. I just came up with a quick list of 5A & 6A.

Sorry, it can't be me, I get too confused on which schools are 5 and 6A. Too many Southeasts and Northsouths.

I'll take a shot at 5A just to get the conversation rolling. I'm going to need a lot of fillers though, and it will be clearly noticed that I'm from kc and don't know the rest of the state as well. Don't bash it! Just fill it in.

103- Keller bros...I can't keep em straight
112- Paul Hansen
119- Tanner Gardner
125- ???
130- Josh Baldridge
135- Dusty Spaulding

Cornejo definitely need to be in here somewhere...Did he finish at 145?

I remember Matt Bailes of Turner lost to the same kid in the finals a couple times, I think the kid was from Ark City...any body remember who that was? probably would be a pretty good pick..

skipping to some bigger weights...

171- Nathan Payne
189- Tyler Gonzales
215- Joe Bach
285- Caleb Payne/Atticus Disney

Jeremy Long would headlock Cole Carcia, This guy had the best headlock I have ever seen. 1999 state Jeremy was getting beat bad by like 8 points got to his feet hit the lock and pinned the kid. It took about 4 seconds for him to get back in the match.

For 4a, Maybe Shawn Silvis from Augusta? He was a 2000 grad if I am not mistaken. I know after high school he was a 3x DII finalist winning twice.

Also for 3a what about Norton's Eric Johnson...wasn't he a 4 time state finalist? I think one of the years was in 4a.

125 for 5a should probably be Doug Hoover from Kapaun

Blake Seiler - I believe he began wrestling his freshman year. Accomplished a ton with such limited mat time.

Mark Dugan

Where the DeVoe brothers in the 2000's? Wrestline at Missouri.

The Ulysses Heavyweight... Tony ?(Lewis maybe)

6A might include one of the Heinekers from Derby and you might have to mention Dusty May from Derby. Was it in 2000 or 01 when we crowned 3 4 timers at one time in the Kansas Collesium (Long, Stites, and Spaulding.) I edited this and I think I'm accurate this time. It's never good to do research that late.

Issac Wall from Andover in 4A.

6A has a couple of Maize kids you could through in there (Hentzen was pretty good) I know I'm missing several kids from the northeast... Manhattan had some tough kids and Josh Carrol was mentioned already.

Ian Bork as well.


Luke Metzler in 5A

Austin DeVoe didn't win the title his freshman year. He lost in the finals, but I don't know the opponent. Austin DeVoe did wrestle at the University of Missouri and I believe qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

Chris Saferite was another tough kid for Augusta he wrestled at uco one of his high school loses was to long in the finals i beleive. Long's sophmore he beat 2 undafeated wrestlers in the tournament Porter from Beloit and Tillman from pratt.

DeVoe lost to Tovar from Abilene in the finals his freshman year.

Norton Team Placings of Last Decade: 7 State Trophies in 10 years, never lower than 5th place in the decade. Plus 2010, start of next decade.
2000 Fourth 3-2-1A
2001 3rd 3-2-1A
2002 5th 4-A
2003 2nd 3-2-1A
2004 Champions 3-2-1A
2005 Champions 3-2-1A
2006 Champions 3-2-1A
2007 3rd 3-2-1A (only 1.5 pts. out of 1st)
2008 4th 3-2-1A
2009 3rd 3-2-1A
2010 Champions 3-2-1A

I just read that Tristen Deshazer has pinned Jake Kreigbaum in a college match. I do think Jake Kreigbaum is over rated but I can't seem to think of a better 103lb wrestler. Has anyone one compiled an all state team of the decade for all classes combine? That would be quite the amazing list. For 6A a few picks of mine would be:
Doug Hoover, Jacob Ashpole, Tristen Deshazer, Josh Baldridge, Mark Dugan, Jared Vogel, and Thomas Rhodes (He would have been a four timer and is probably one of the reasons alot of these guys wrestle at such an elite level of competition. He was an incredible wrestler,his presence and the Kansas kids program really increased the level of competition in the state.)

My 5A picks would be Josh Baldridge, Tristen Deshazer, Trison Graham, Luke Metler, Romero Cotton.

4A: Jeremy Long, Eric Luedke, Emery McRenoylds, Marcus Bowman, Earl Jones, Austin Devoe, Jordan Bedore

321A: Mat Gilliland, Josh Brown

I believe that Garcia should not make the list over Long. I'm sure I missed a few.. I have won matches over a lot of these guys and there were some that I left out because I have pinned them before.. and the comment about Jeremy Long pinning Garcia in a headlock posted by Lucas Baker.. so true. The only time I ever threw a head lock was against Garcia. Stuck him in twelve seconds. But never wrestled him again.. so I am biased. I'm sure there are a few greats from Kids wrestling who alot of the guys on this list would rep for.. Hightower from Wichita West/ Collegiate, Thomas Rhodes, etc... unfortunately they didn't continue on with wrestling, but IMO they would sit atop my all time decade greats list.

it's funny how a move like the headlock, is mostly bad, but some guys just have it. taplin, t. deshazer, and long were three of the best, in recent years.

Fred the Hammer Hightower and T-Bone Thomas Rhodes would have been as good as any two wrestlers to come from Kansas if they continued to wrestle through high school. (both TOHK products.) T-Bone was a powerful and athletic. The Hammer was as smooth and as fast as any wrestler I have ever seen.

We shouldn't forget about Micheal Bradley either! I think he got the best of Shawn Bunch a few times.