24 days till the 32nd annual Gardner Invitational. This year's tournament looks to be the toughest one yet!

Some out of state teams attending!

Iowa City West - 2011 Iowa Dual Team state champs - Three Division 1 commits - Five state placers return.

SE Polk, IA - 8 returning SQ's - 5 of them place winners - 2 champions - FIVE AA's!

Omaha Skutt Catholic, NE - Nebraska 2010-11 Class B State Champions - 4 state placers return.

Platte County, MO - Top 10 ranked in Class 3 - Two placers return including 3X state champion Skyler Wood.

These are estimated weights but look at 132!

1. Wood – PC – 3X Missouri state champion – Fargo AA
2. Hathaway - ICW - Iowa state champion - Oregon State commit.
3. Stokes – GE – KS state champ
4. Sackett – OSC – Nebraska state runner-up
5. Morgan – BAL – KS State placer – 37 wins in 2010-11.
6. Randolph – SME – KS State placer – 35 wins.
7. Blanco – ONW – KS State placer.
8. Buchheit – SEP – 32 wins in Iowa – SQ
9. Wools – PIT – KS SQ – 29 wins

That brackets a buzz saw Chief! I am looking forward to attending this tourney this year. Do you have time to give us a rundown of the other weight classes?

Actually, ICW has four D-1 commits. Reiland posted pics on his Facebook page today. Phillip Laux (Wisconsin), Justin Koethe (Wisconsin), Jack Hathaway (Oregon State) and Dakota Bauer (Iowa State).

SE Polk has three commits. Cory Clark (Iowa), Alex Meyer (Iowa) and Willie Micklus (Missouri).

Omaha Skutt has one right now with Thomas Gillman (Iowa).

SJA will now see Skutt, SE Polk, IC West twice. Ouch! Platte County and Pittsburg 3x. These are most likely the top five teams in this tournament. A little rough for a season opener.

Possible weights... I am still working on the preview!

106:
Cokeley - SJA - SQ - 41 wins. May be at 113.
Barmann - PC - SQ - 26 wins.
Kester - PT - SQ - 30 wins.
Meyer - SEP - Alex's freshman brother.

113:
Laux - ICW - IA state champion - Wisconsin commit.
Tolliver - PC - #3 ranked in MO - 1st at GE last year.
Hensley - SJA - Multiple kids placer. May be at 120.
Jones - PT - State placer in 2010.
Williams - SEP - 26 wins in Iowa.
Haug - ON - Kids placer in 2010.

120:
Wakefield - ICW - State runner-up in Iowa.
Jorns - SME - State placer.
Freislinger - WR - State placer.
Pittman - SEA - 2X SQ.
Fields - PIT - SQ in 2010.
Clark - BAL - SQ with 31 wins. Runner-up at GE in 2010.

126:
Gilman - OSC - NE State champion - Fargo AA - Iowa commit.
Clark - SEP - 3X Iowa State champion - Fargo AA - 133-0 career.
Shoemaker - BAL - KS state champion in 2010.
Cobb - PIT - SQ - 30 wins.
Hollingsworth - SME - SQ - 26 wins.

132:
Wood – PC – 3X Missouri state champion – Fargo AA
Hathaway - ICW - Iowa state champion - Oregon State commit.
Stokes – GE – KS state champ
Sackett – OSC – Nebraska state runner-up
Morgan – BAL – KS State placer – 37 wins.
Randolph – SME – KS State placer – 35 wins.
Blanco – ONW – KS State placer.
Buchheit – SEP – 32 wins in Iowa – SQ
Wools – PIT – KS SQ – 29 wins

138:
Bauer - ICW - Iowa state runner-up.
Poos - PC - MO state placer.
Shireman - GE - 2X SQ

145:
Seybold - PIT - KS state champion.
Williams - GE - State placer. 35 wins.
Ziegler - BC - State placer.
Wurtz - ON - State placer.
Miklus - ICW - IA SQ.

152:
Middleton - ONW - KS state champion - NHSCA AA.
Randall - NE state runner-up.
Keehn - GE - 2X SQ.

160:
Koethe - ICW - Fargo AA - Wisconsin commit.
Blackford - SEP - Fargo AA - State placer.
Guillen - SEA - 2X state placer.
Haug - SJA - State placer.
Hill - SME - State placer.
Long - GE - 2X SQ.

170:
Meyer - SEP - Fargo AA - National folkstyle champion.
Hill - SME - KS state runner-up.
Koehn - PIT - 2X state placer.
Cool - SEA - SQ

182:
Wilson - LFS - State runner-up - Fargo AA

195:
Miklus - SEP - IA state champion - Fargo AA - Commit to MU
Stockton - GE - SQ. 28 wins.
Stanley - SEA - SQ. 31 wins.

220:
Smith - SEP - Iowa state placer. Might switch with Miklus.

285:
Knopp - PC - GE champion last year - #5 ranked in MO.
Marnin - SEP - Schoolboy national champion last year.
Bennett - PIT - KS state placer - 37 wins.

18 days to go!

Prediction: Stokes over Hathaway, setting up the finals with Wood!! Last yr Corado beat Stokes by 2 in the semis,@ Gardner lost to Wood by 1 in OT in the finals, Stokes avenges the loss to Corado @ State wins by 1 enroute to the state championship. Wood placed @ the Super 32 a couple weeks ago but I'll take Stokes in his last Trailblazer home tourney! Badbo, Chief, XGHSWC anyone care to elaborate??

Kevin Seybold

UPDATE! Anticipated weights!

106:
Cokeley - SJA - SQ - 41 wins.
Barmann - PC - SQ - 26 wins.
Kester - PT - SQ - 30 wins.
Meyer - SEP - Alex's freshman brother.

113:
Laux - ICW - IA state champion - Wisconsin commit.
Tolliver - PC - #3 ranked in MO - 1st at GE last year.
Hensley - SJA - Multiple kids placer.
Jones - PT - State placer in 2010.
Williams - SEP - 26 wins in Iowa.
Boucher - SEA - SQ
Haug - ON - Kids placer in 2010.

120:
Freislinger - WR - State placer.
Jorns - SME - State placer.
Willis - ICW - SQ
Pittman - SEA - 2X SQ.
Fields - PIT - SQ in 2010.
Clark - BAL - SQ with 31 wins. Runner-up at GE in 2010.

126:
Clark - SEP - 3X IA State champion - Fargo AA - 133-0 career.
Stokes - GE - KS state champion.
Hathaway - ICW - IA state champion.
Shoemaker - BAL - KS state champion in 2010.
Cobb - PIT - SQ - 30 wins.
Hollingsworth - SME - SQ - 26 wins.

132:
Wood – PC – 3X Missouri state champion – Fargo AA
Gilman - OSC - NE State champion - Fargo AA - Iowa commit.
Bauer - ICW - IA state runner-up.
Morgan – BAL – KS State placer – 37 wins.
Randolph – SME – KS State placer – 35 wins.
Blanco – ONW – KS State placer.
Buchheit – SEP – 32 wins in Iowa – SQ
Wools – PIT – KS SQ – 29 wins
Shireman - GE - 2X SQ

138:
Wakefield - ICW - Iowa state runner-up.
Poos - PC - MO state placer.

145:
Seybold - PIT - KS state champion.
Gambrall - ICW - IA state runner-up.
Williams - GE - State placer. 35 wins.
Ziegler - BC - State placer.
Wurtz - ON - State placer.
Miklus - ICW - IA SQ.
Mitchell - SME - SQ in 10.

152:
Middleton - ONW - KS state champion - NHSCA AA.
Randall - NE state runner-up.
Keehn - GE - 2X SQ.
Kadous - SEA - SQ

160:
Koethe - ICW - Fargo AA - Wisconsin commit.
Blackford - SEP - Fargo AA - State placer.
Hill - SME - State placer.
Long - GE - 2X SQ.

170:
Meyer - SEP - Fargo AA - National folkstyle champion.
Hill - SME - KS state runner-up.
Cool - SEA - SQ

182:
Wilson - LFS - State runner-up - Fargo AA
Koehn - PT - 2X State Placer

195:
Miklus - SEP - IA state champion - Fargo AA - Commit to MU
Pelfrey - ICW - SQ
Stockton - GE - SQ. 28 wins.
Stanley - SEA - SQ. 31 wins.
Nelson - SME - SQ.

220:
Smith - SEP - Iowa state placer. Might switch with Miklus.

285:
Knopp - PC - GE champion last year - #5 ranked in MO.
Marnin - SEP - Schoolboy national champion last year.
Bennett - PIT - KS state placer - 37 wins.
Hall - SEA - SQ

126 will be a party...

126:
Gilman - OSC - NE State champion - Fargo AA - Iowa commit.
Clark - SEP - 3X IA State champion - Fargo AA - 133-0 career.
Stokes - GE - KS state champion.
Hathaway - ICW - IA state champion.
Shoemaker - BAL - KS state champion in 2010.
Cobb - PIT - SQ - 30 wins.
Hollingsworth - SME - SQ - 26 wins.

Four Pools of 4 with the winner of each pool going to the Semi's for top four spots. 2nd place in each pool going for 5-8th place.

A state champion at 126 will not make it to the top bracket.

Really looking forward to the opening weekend, many quality wrestlers....as noted. Interested to see how The Purple Dragons will stack up. Top 5 as a team I think would be a good finish.

126:
Gilman - OSC - NE State champion - Fargo AA - Iowa commit.
Clark - SEP - 3X IA State champion - Fargo AA - 133-0 career.
Stokes - GE - KS state champion.
Hathaway - ICW - IA state champion.
Shoemaker - BAL - KS state champion in 2010.
Cobb - PIT - SQ - 30 wins.
Hollingsworth - SME - SQ - 26 wins.

I would seed this:
1 - Gilman
2 - Clark
3 - Hathaway
4-5 Shoey/Stokes (Both state champs, Shoey a 2x Gardner champ)

All of the top three have National competition credentials. Backintheday is right. Someone with a State Title Medal will not be making the top four this weekend.

Hathaway's credentials:
10/29/2011 USA Wrestling Presea High School DNP (results)
10/16/2011 Grappler Fall Classi High School 1st (results)
05/20/2011 2011 FILA Junior Wor FS 55 KG DNP (results)
04/23/2011 2011 ASICS FILA Cade Men 58 KG / 6th (results)
04/23/2011 2011 ASICS FILA Cade FILA Cadet M 5th (results)
04/11/2011 2011 ASICS FILA Jr N FILA Jr. - M 2nd (results)
04/11/2011 2011 ASICS FILA Jr N FILA Jr 55 K 4th (results)
03/26/2011 Central College Free Juniors J3 1st (results)
03/25/2011 Central College Grec Juniors J4 1st (results)
01/29/2011 MVC Wrestling Super 125 1st (results)
10/30/2010 USA Wrestling Presea High School 1st (results)
10/16/2010 Grappler Fall Classi High School 1st (results)
07/23/2010 USAW Cadet Freestyle Cadet 112 2nd (results)
07/19/2010 USAW Cadet Greco-Rom Cadet 112 1st (results)
06/28/2010 2010 USAW Junior Dua 125 (results)
06/28/2010 2010 USAW Junior Dua 119 (results)
06/19/2010 2010 USAW Cadet Dual 119 (results)
06/19/2010 2010 USAW Cadet Dual 119 (results)
05/23/2010 USAW Central Reg-PW/ Cadet 119 3rd (results)
05/23/2010 USAW Central - Cadet Cadet 119 2nd (results)
05/15/2010 USAW N. Plains Regio Junior 119 l 1st (results)
05/15/2010 USAW N. Plains Regio Junior 119 l 1st (results)
05/09/2010 Iowa Kids/Cadets Gre Cadet 119 1st (results)
05/08/2010 Iowa Kids/Cadets Fre Cadet 119 1st (results)
04/11/2010 FILA Cadet Nationals FILA Cadet & DNP (results)
04/11/2010 FILA Cadet Nationals FILA Cadet G 5th (results)
03/27/2010 Central College Free Cadet FS C4 1st (results)
03/26/2010 Central College Grec Cadet Greco 1st (results)
03/13/2010 Mick Pickford Freest Juniors 123 1st (results)
10/31/2009 USA Wrestling Pre Se High School 2nd (results)
10/17/2009 Blue Chip Fall Brawl High School 2nd (results)
07/25/2009 2009 USAW Junior Fre Junior 105 2nd (results)
07/21/2009 2009 USAW Junior Gre Junior 105 5th (results)
07/20/2009 2009 USAW Cadet Grec Cadet 105 DNP (results)
06/28/2009 2009 USAW Junior FS 105 (results)
06/21/2009 2009 USAW Cadet FS N 105 (results)
06/19/2009 2009 USAW Cadet GR N 105 (results)
06/13/2009 Northern Plains Kids Cadet 105 1st (results)
06/13/2009 Northern Plains Kids Cadet 105 2nd (results)
05/10/2009 Iowa USA Kids/Cadets Cadet 105 1st (results)
05/10/2009 Iowa USA Kids/Cadets Cadet 105 1st (results)
04/26/2009 FILA Cadet Freestyle FILA Cadet 4 4th (results)
04/18/2009 Lewie Massey Memoria Cadet 119 1st (results)
04/18/2009 Lewie Massey Memoria Cadet 119 1st (results)
04/10/2009 Western Junior Frees Junior 105 2nd (results)
03/28/2009 Pella Freestyle Cadets C2 1st (results)
03/22/2009 Rocky Mountain Natio 18 & Under 1 1st (results)
01/03/2009 The Clash VII 103 (results

A bit off the subject, but what is the best way to get to Gardner from Pittsburg? I've been told 69 to exit @ 223rd street is a good way. Also, I've been told 69 to exit @ 175th street will go straight into Gardner & then west to a "Y" with a turn at the Baldwin exit goes right to the school. Any advice?
Thanks...

Chief is Guillen from Seaman not wrestling this weekend you had him in the first preview but not in the update? Also i believe Koehn is gonna be @ 182 this weekend. See ya Saturday.


Kevin Seybold

Guillen will miss this weekend.

I am re-posting this question. It may have got lost in the discussion. What is the best way to Gardner from Pittsburg? Thanks...

Either way -

175 will take you past an adult natured bar. so 223rd might be better. BUT make sure you speed. Johnson County needs more revenue to pay for our lavish lifestyles!

Once in town go West on 56. bend to the right at small y in road to Waverly. North on waverly and you should see the school and future "Blue" Turf field. (rumor)

cant wait!

Thanks for the reply, and for the "landmark" to look for .

4 days... I can hear the whistle blowin!

Amen. Getting excited.