WOY

With the high school season almost complete. I was interested to hear everyone's thoughts on who they think are the front runners for wrestler of year in each classification (321a, 4a, 5a, & 6a)

Are Seniors the only ones eligible for Wrestler of the Year in each Class?

I think so. I belive it is called senior wrestler of the year. But I am not 100% sure.

I racked my brain for a bit on who I would pick, and honestly I do not know how I would decide on each of these classifications. Below is what I came up with.

321a:
Lambotte - 152
Humphrey - 138
Ball - 132 He is not a senior.
Or you could just go with the winner between Grater and Wuthnow.

4a:
Seaton - 113
Scott - 285

5a:
Weigel - 195
Olsen - 145
Salsbury - 182

6a:
Williams - 170

You may want to add Toelkes- 285 to the 5A list 29-0 26 pins!

I second that vote for Williams (6a - 170). I've seen him at JoCo Classic, Newton TOC, and our dual with GEHS. The guy has a great mix of aggression and execution on the mat and humility off. Wrestlers want to be him, coaches wish they could coach him, and fans like to watch him.

Great list. Can't argue much, just splitting hairs, but a couple observations.

321A:
I saw Olsen beat Lambotte so perhaps that gives Humphry or Ball a leg up.

5A
All three wrestlers are money. Olsen bounced around weights for a bit, Salsbury is super impressive and fun to watch but has a loss to an out-of-stater. Weigel seems to be Super Human, he gets my vote.

6A
Williams, great pick, I concur.

Again, I could get behind any of these great athletes and each of them have great accomplishments. But there can be only one.

I think Tillman has to be in the mix for 6A.

321a: Lambotte/Humphrey
4a: Mies/Regalado/Seaton
5a: Salsbury/Olsen
6a: Williams/Millsap
KWCA: Weigel

Good List, and I cant disagree with any of them. But in 321A I think that Ball has to be in the running I am not sure if he has been beat in 2 years. (not sure about last year). Also with Wuthnow and Grater in the same weight the state championship at 182 could be a battle and play a role in the 321A wrestler of the year.

I wasn't sure how it officially came down...whether Brandon was deemed to be a Senior or a Junior this year??

OH!!! I didnt think about that. I think he is only a junior.

So I guess cross him off of the list for senior wrestler of the year.

I buy that.

I think I have narrowed my choices down to one per classification. (not that my opinion matters) but it is fun to see everyones opinion.


321a: Lambotte
4a: Seaton
5a: Olsen
6a: Williams
KWCA: Weigel

I am lobbying for Trent Salsbury in 5A. He has dominated some very tough competition this year. No one in KS has been close to him. He might eclipse the single season pin record. Michael is solid but Trent is a 4 year starter with a solid career and more than 150 wins. Great kid, great student, solid leader on the team. I hope this helps him and doesn't hurt his chances.

His lone loss was to the Champion of the RTOC, one of the three toughest HS tournaments in the country. In fact Dylan Gabel won a 5A state title in CO this past weekend pinning his opponent in the finals.

321A - Grater
4A - Scott
5A - olson
6A - Williams

I enjoy watching Lambotte as a wrestler, but watching him lose his temper every match, because he isn't up by more points or that he should have pinned a kid...drives me CRAZY. I admit though, he is very skilled and I wish him the best.

I think Grater exemplifies great character on and off the mat. plus he is a 4x placer. 2nd in 4A and possible 2x 321A champion

Hoisingtons team page list Ball as 12th. Im not sure but I know my son, who has wrestled him in 4 finals this year and lost, hopes so! If so he should get it in 321A.

Yeah see I was under the impression that he was homeschooled for all of his Freshman year and didn't compete and since then he has been doing half and half at Hoisington.

No quibble with the folks mentioned in 3-2-1A. I would add one other name. Dylan Wiesner of P-ville at 170 has been pretty dominant. I think he is 33-2 and one of the losses was when he bumped up to get a match and wrestled Deterding from Hays at 182. I think he lost 2-1.

Weigel from Hays has been outstanding. Will be interesting to see how Chief finds a way to leave him off the Fabulous 5 but I am sure he will. He lives a little too far west for that list.

He is Chief's number 1. The best D1 prospect in the state from this class. NO ARGUMENT!

I am sure Chief is one of Weigels biggest fans, and he knows pound for pound Weigel is one of the best if not the best wrestler in the state of kansas this year.

As far as Wiesner being WOY, I think he is having a great season, but I do not think he is in the same class as the rest of the wrestlers listed above. He went 1-2 last year at kids state, and his behaviors on and off of the mat is also something to take notice of. I have only seen him wrestle once this year, and he did show some class during his match which is much better than in the years past. I wish him the best of luck at state.

I guess you missed the national article I wrote on our Senior class in KS for the premier college wrestling site, Intermat.

Preston Weigel was ranked.......#1. Class 321A had three wrestlers in my Top 10. My heavyweight wrestler on my championship Liberty National dual team this last weekend, spent the night with his brother at my house the night before.....was from Oakley. The best dual team in Kansas is Garden City. On my All-Class Dual teams that compete in Denver, I annually choose wrestlers from all over Western Kansas to join my teams.

The truth be told and the evidence presented.... I love Western Kansas! WKT (Western Kansas Tough!)

After watching 321a championships tonight I think I may have to say Wuthnow or Humphreys would be my pick. Both were very dominan. Lambotte probably didn't wrestle his best match, but still got the win, which shows how good he is. But the way Wuthnow controlled the entire match against one of the best in the state in Grater If I had a choice for WOY I would probably go with him.

A big Congrats to both Lambotte and Humphreys on being 4Xers

I always thought Brandon Ball was a Senior, but the last couple of programs (including state) have listed his as a Junior. Does he wrestle high school again next season?

I believe they pic a senior from each classification but if we are talking about the BEST high school wrestler in Kansas this season it is hands down Preston Weigel. He had all the tools and a good head on his shoulders. His arm length and hand size are made to order for wrestling. He has riding down and turning guys is not a problem. He is the best D1 prospect I have watched. He is truly a man amoung boys. He will do well, I believe, right away in a college room.

Will,
I agree 100% with Preston being one of the best if not the best in Kansas this year. He is also a class act on and off of the mat. It has been great watching Preston grow through the years in the Russell program and then through the Hays wrestling programs.

In another thread on the forum I listed him as one of the most dominant wrestlers of all time in Kansas prep wrestling.

I think everyone will agree that Weigel is the best wrestler this year. He gave up only 1 point the entire tournament and that was only because he cut his opponent. He teched each opponent in the first period except for the final, and that was over within seconds of the second period. He was never in trouble and was the immediate aggressor from the whistle.

There wasn't a person in the entire building this weekend who would've been able to challenge him. Absolutely impressive.

Ball is deemed a junior this year.

I heard a Senior Academically but a Junior Athletically! He is something special that's for sure.

I know Weigel is hard to argue against, but take a look at Josiah Seaton. Probably the toughest state bracket of any A, 4A 113. he pinned everyone on his way to being an undefeated State Champion. Pretty impressive, and Congratulations!

Chief, Josiah Seaton no.1 All Class!

I would agree with Tyson. I have never seen anyone physically control my son on the way to pinning him the way Josiah did. I have not seen Prieto wrestle this year, but I can't imagine anyone from Kansas beating Seaton right now.

Prior to the state tounrament, at 3a with Ball being a junior (otherwise he would have been my choice), I was leaning toward Humphrey, but after watching the 3a tournament, my vote at 3a would be for Wuthnow. Wuthnow's dominance of Grater and Humphrey's 1 point win over J. Ball were what caused me to change my vote. Side note...Wuthnow's conditioning is incredible.

But Seaton didn't even have the best performance in 4A. Wasn't there another wrestler who didn't get scored on?

I have to go with Wuthnow as well. Wow.

Preston Weigel- the tilt master- gets my vote.

I am basing it off his ranked competition in that bracket, and his overall record.

They were impressive no doubt. I mean no disrespect to Seaton. But anytime I see a wrestler who wasn't scored on, that is the stuff of legends. That's almost Gablesk. I believe it was a 152 pounder but I'm not sure of his name.

Weigel took 2nd as a freshman at 152. And has done nothing but be dominant since then. Im sorry but its easier to be good at a lower weight than at a heavier weight due to the fact of the age group you wrestle against are mostly underclassmen. Weigel hands down is the second best wrestler i have EVER seen in Kansas, and should be WOY hands down.

if you were there you would know the Ball Humphrey match wasn't any where near that close.

Sorry, i'm so stupid! I thought this thread was about wrestler of the year, not high school career.

Tyson, if you want some ammo..... Seaton pinned a very good freshman in Erickson, two decorated juniors Jesse and Goldstein, and a senior Foreman. I like Weigle myself, but to underrate Seaton by his competition is not appropriate. He was and is very impressive. IMO

Weigel lost his freshman year to Bontz of Andover Central in the state finals at 145 certainly no shame in that, he did beat defending state champion Spencer Blew, and state runner up Brent Koehn on the way to the finals! Looks like he only had one more loss in his career after his freshman season. Impressive enough Esposito an assistant coach at Ok State was conversating extensively with him after the finals. Congrats and good luck at the next level.

Kevin Seybold

if you were there you would know the Ball Humphrey match wasn't any where near that close. [/quote]

To me the name is wrestler of the YEAR not best career. At least for me this year is all that should matter!!

You are correct it is Senior wrestler of the year. I would have to go with Weigel, I may not be 100% correct, but I think he tech falled or pinned all of his oppenents this year. Not to take anything away from Humphrey, Lambotte, or any of the other seniors. I watched Humphrey this weekend, and he is a beast, but I did not have the opportunity to watch him throughout the year like I did Preston. So like I have said before if I had a vote (which I dont) for Senior wrestler of the year it would be Preston Weigel.