Just back to the hotel! Was a long day of wrestling with a lot of ups and downs but as always, I think there more positives then anything. The pace of the dual is definitely fast and furious. I about ran out air but caught my second wind and tried to update everyone with the blackberry. That's when I realized a wrestler ran off with my blackberry to call home and never brought it back! I tracked it down though and got to watch a good match in the process!

Observations on my first year at MS duals:

Simpson college is a nice campus

Vans are hard to navigate when you have 8 hungry wrestlers as passengers

Vollyball shouldn't have tournaments at the same time as wrestling tournaments

I still can't cheer for Missouri, even when they are pretty dominate

Lots of the top teams' wrestlers are pretty strong and appear to cut lots of weight

I know I'll always have a personal connection with some of the KS wrestlers and will keep up on them and cheer for them through their HS careers

Kansas still has the hotter moms!

Goodnite and I'll try to update again 2mrow!

Good luck today Team Kansas. I sure do wish I could have been there to watch. Finish strong, and wrestle hard and wrestle smart.

My daughter and I got back about 2AM this morning from Middle School Duals. Like Paratroop, I followed Team 3, the Kansas Barbarians. Although the team was 0-3 during the pool round yesterday morning, all the wrestlers showed a lot of guts and never gave in even when going up against a very tough Missouri Team during the first round of the 32 team bracket in the afternoon. And the day ended with the Kansas Barbarians winning decisively against the North Carolina team. That win gave the boys, who were really tired by this time, a lift and hopefully the momentum will carry them to a good day today.

I wish I could have stayed for today's matches, but my girls need Mom today too, so please keep us in the loop, Paratroop. How are the kids doing this morning?

BTW, I have a few hundred photos of yesterday's Team Barbarian action...who can I get them to so other parents can have a look?

In the bronze pool:

Team 3 Barbarians get a win over Team Iowa Hawks! They are just starting a semi final against ND Stars.

By the way, Mr. Howell, Parker gave me the thanks from you and I appreciate it. Parker put on a clinic in his last match and was very strong. I've learned he's a pretty funny kid too! You should be real proud of how he's performing in Iowa!

Team 4 Trojans fall to SD westide. They are starting against SD storm.

In the silver pool:

Team 2 Spartans fall to Iowa gold. They are starting against Michigan SE.

In the gold pool:

Team 1 Gladiators fall to Team PA West. They will have Team Minnesota.

In Round 2:

Team 3 Barbarians win in a tight battle to ND Star. They are on the finals of the bronze bracket and will have Team Indiana, who they were beat by in the 1st dual of the tourney. Hopefully it was because of 1st day jitters!

Team 4 Trojans win over SD storm and will go for 5th place in the Bronze bracket.

Team 2 Spartans fall to Michigan SE. They will take on SD blue for 7th place in the Silver bracket.

Team 1 Gladiators is down to Minnesota with a couple matches left.

This group of Middle Schoolers are studs. I had to make the trip up there yesterday to get a good look at the incoming freshman class. Having seen 5 duals, these guys are going to make a splash on HS rosters next year!

In the 3rd and final round:

Teams 2 Spartans falls to SD Blue to finish 8th in the silver bracket.

Team 3 Barbarians fall to Team Indiana to finish 2nd in the bronze pool. They improved from the last time they met.

Team 4 Trojans fall to Iowa Hawks to finish 6th in the bronze pool.

Team 1 Spartans are currently wrestling Team Michigan MYWA for 7th place in the Gold Bracket. It's a close match!

Dual of the tourney! Michigan MYWA heavyweight on top position, Team 3 Gladiator on bottom, MI up 2-1 and the team score tied 40-40. 3rd period and time running out. MI gets to high and KS Gladiator heavyweight pulls him over and pins him with about a second left! The whole gym erupts!

KS Team 1 Gladiators finish 7th in the gold pool.

Teams wrapping up and hopefully we'll be on the road soon!

Those are the type of duals that those kids will remember for a long long time..............

About what time will you be back in Lawrence? I assume we pick up our wrestler at the same place we dropped them off, right?

Cheryle Seaton

Great job wrestlers, coaches, drivers, supporters, volunteers, and especially to the people that made this happen. A special thanks to Will Cokeley (and anyone else) who came up with the idea of having the Kansas Middle School State Championship tournament to help determine who would be on Team Kansas. Although my son was invited to represent Team Kansas as an alternate, if it was not for his 5th place at this tournament, he may not have even been considered.

Garrett made the most of the invitation to compete as an alternate, and there is no doubt in my mind that this experience was the most important accomplishment that he has had in nine years of wrestling. I am proud of him, just as I am proud of every wrestler that competed the last two days for Team Kansas. Thanks for giving him a chance Will. My only regret, I was not able to be there to share in the experience.

Teams KS MS dual teams arrived safely at Will's Lawrence business (Auto Exchange, a place that has lots of cool cars and trucks with cool rims!). Had to give your business a plug Will since I feel you've done so much for a lot of wrestlers! I saw lots of hugs and thank you's and excited wrestlers telling their parents how it went. I am pretty fortunate because I live in Lawrence, but this trip isn't complete until everyone from Hutchinson, Garden City, Columbus or any where else in KS, gets home safely.

On my first MS National dual trip I have to say I am pretty smoked! Lots of ups and downs, the action fast and furious, and as another old wrestling dad told me, you will eat, sleep, and wrestle! Add in chase vollyball players around if ur a wrestler! But I'll do it in a heartbeat again next year!

Usawks I give you props on your updates for fargo and senior nationals and other big tourneys! You keep track of a lot going on and are able to send it out to keep all of us up to date. I enjoy reading your posts and thought I could try and update parents that couldn't make it. It was tough but I know if I have to miss one I would love to hear how it's going for my boy. I give you props, and maybe you can hold a special class on blog updates! . J/K.

I was impressed with not only the wrestlers I met and watched but those that made it happen. I want to give a special thanks to Matt Collins and Doug Vander Linden to giving me some guidance on how this whole dad driving a van thing went! These guys have done it for awhile and have it down! Also the other van drivers: Shannon Peters, Kenneth Bird, Duane Wuthnow, Jason Bates, Gerard Mies, Travis Stalford, and others I may have missed, sorry. In a convoy of 9 vans weaving through downtown KC, you have to have some skill! It was a pleasure to meet all of you. Also the parents and grand parents who were in the middle of the convoy!

Thanks to those college wrestlers who came along to coach and take care of our wrestlers. I met Danny Grater and he was a pretty solid young man. Team 3 coach Tyler Gonzales, I was very impressed with. He was very personable, positive, motivating and in the end, I think my boy would have jumped on a grenade if he told him to. Tyler, like I told you in the parking lot, if your at a camp and we can be there, we will! Also Lambotte, Luedke, Morningstar, and others, sorry if I missed your name, for all you did for our KS boys. You are giving back! My boys highlight of the trip, posing for a pic with Morningstar, who he's watched hours of on our DVR. Thank u. Also the other coaches matside giving up your time to guide our you wrestlers, thank you!

Thank you to those that have made this develop into the monster that it is today! Kansas wrestling is getting stronger and stronger from your hard work! And our children are becoming solid young men in the process!

Thank you!

Thank you for posting the updates Paratroop, I know everyone appreciates it! But in Round 2, Team 2 Spartans BEAT NB Huskerland White 57-36, (I was there). So I guess you could say Round 2 wasn't all bad.

Susan Baldwin

were results posted anywhere on the web?

If anyone knows Jared Tallent, please post the results of his westbound pinky finger on a northbound hand. He went to the hospital after out first dual on Sunday then headed back to Norton. I'm hoping he's okay.

Matt
Team 3

I think someone said it was broken.

Before he left for the hospital I took a look at it. It wasn't pretty, but couldn't tell if there was a break at the knuckle in the hand or severe dislocation in the second joint. He got up, and after shaking hands with his opponent, he looked at me and showed me his hand. Wasn't crying or acting like anything was wrong. He only showed pain when the medical team was acting like they were trying to push a marble through a straw while they were checking on him.

2010 Middle School Duals Results

i would like to see some of these team 3 pictures if possible just send to my email hunter4life96@hotmail.com

This was a great experience, had a good time.
Liked the coaches, Room mates were fun.
I was also weighing on the scale, I heard a kid yell "Hold that scale!" And all you see is kids sprinting and dropping their pants.