Tyler Caldwell. 4x Kansas high school state champ. Lost to Andrew Howe in the semis his freshman year in college. Lost to Jordan Burroughs in the finals his sophmore year. Lost to Kyle Dake in the semis his junior year. Lost to David Taylor in the finals his senior year. Im thinking that would probably make him a 4x AA but not 100% sure. Im trying to think of any other wrestler from Kansas has wrestled that caliber with the same results. You probably cant point to one person and say they were the best wrestler ever in Kansas. You might be able to point out a guy and say that person was the best at his weight in kansas history.

Tristan Deshazer and Reece Wright-Conklin both come to my mind in the conversation. Tristan a multiple kids state champion and High school champion, wrestled at Northern Illinois. Reece multiple kids state champion and High school champion, wrestled at Newman University. Reece beat current D1 All-Americans Reece had his college career cut short by a motorcycle accident.

Both Tristan and Reece should at or near the top of any list.

Sorry, if I have any misspellings

Deshazer won Kids State 9 times I believe. RWC won kids 7 times and won 6A three times. The big question is how do we define this? Are we talking about the most dominate Kansas wrestler while he was here in school or the most dominate Kansas wrestler after he left or both?? Certainly names like Roberson and Caldwell come to mind because what they did from age 5-25 and maybe beyond. But if we are just talking about dominance within the state from youth wrestling through JH and high school, it opens up the discussion. Great thread to open a discussion.

1974 1 (3A) Oeser, Roy Kapaun Mount Carmel 155
1975 1 (3A) Oeser, Roy Kapaun Mount Carmel 155
1976 1 (3A) Oeser, Roy Kapaun Mount Carmel 167
1976 1 (All) Oeser, Roy Kapaun Mount Carmel 167
1977 1 (3A) Oeser, Roy Kapaun Mount Carmel 167

Roy wrestled at a weight near the middle of the bell curve his four years and had just one loss at a state tournament to Bill Boyle at the 1975 Grand State tournament (Bill was a 167 senior and Roy a soph). I wouldn't put a high school HWT in the argument ever. Thats just not really wrestling. Sorry Norton dudes. Roy was coached by a D1 National Champ his entire hs wrestling career and was on one of, if not, the most dominating HS teams in KS HS wrestling history. They wrestled a tough schedule and dominated their KS opponents. I argue this is THE BEST high school career by a Kansas wrestler, ever.

correct me if im wrong on this. I think Todd Layton from Independence was a 4 timer with 1 loss. I think that loss was from an illegal slam. Nothing against the older generation but the competition and training back then wasnt what it is today. I dont recall the kids wrestling club even during my time of wrestling as intense as it is today. I dont think they traveled the country like the kids in todays age. So someone that had a good record back in the day may not be as good as a kid that has several losses in todays age due to the out of state tournaments of today. Im taking nothing away from Roy as i have heard from many people he was a stud. Im not sure they wrestled tournaments like the Stampede, Allen texas, Garden city in those days. I will still put Tyler Caldwell and maybe Clay Lautt against many, many others from my day of wrestling and earlier.

We don't have Grand State today so that works against who is the most dominant in the state today. KMC went to Perry OK which was super tough back in that time. Yes, on Todd Layton. Went to Notre Dame and I believe was their last captain before they dropped wrestling. Clay got 6th at state his FR year at 138.

Todd was dominant but started out at a "boy's weight" and I know Independence didn't wrestle a super tough schedule, neither did BVNW or Salina Central...

1984 1 (5A) Layton, Todd Independence 119
1985 1 (5A) Layton, Todd Independence 132
1986 1 (5A) Layton, Todd Independence 138
1987 1 (5A) Layton, Todd Independence 145



Roy was at a man's weight all four years. I am not backing down!

Im going to throw 2 more names out there. Not sure what weight they started at but Romero Cotton was a 4 timer from Hutch. Boaz Beard was a 4 timer with Tyler Caldwell. Not sure what his weight was his freshman year either.

I am going to throw another name out there as well. Preston Weigel. Multi time kids champion. 3 time 5A Champion 4 time finalist, all in the middle to upper weights. Division 1 all American this year at OK State and has 2 more years eligibility.

Put Bo Maynes on the list...

Never taken down in HS, 130-0 record, 4x 5A champ.

Fargo champion & 5x AA.

Wrestled for Coach Bob Warkentine of Salina South.

Best All Time:

Melvin Douglas (nobody else comes close)

6x world team member / 4x World medal winner 1,2,3,3 / 2x Olympian / 2x D1 Champ 4x AA OU / 3x KS High School State Champion

Best in high school:

Zach Roberson (backed it up at the next level)

Undefeated 4x KS Champ 153-0 109 pins / Fargo Junior Freestyle Champ OW / #1 recruit @ 125lbs / 1st team Asics AA

Kendrick Maple won a national championship at 141 for OU and Recorded a 154-9 overall record competing at Wichita Heights High School under head coach Mike Church ... Was a four-year letterman ... Was a two-time Kansas state champion ... Was Co-Wrestler of the Year ... Was a Brute national champion.

THOUGHTS ON Kendric Maple: Add to that Resume - 3rd at NHSCA Virginia Beach Nationals, 4 X College NCAA Div 1 Qualifier, 3 X All-American, 1 X National Champion, Univiversity Freesyle National Champ, U.S. Open Senior Level Runner Up, 4th at World Team Trials and all around good dude. By all means on of the greats...(Heck..I named my first born after him) but........

I would have to agree with Klein.
#1 Melvin Douglass
#2 Zac Roberson/Kendric Maple
**If we are talking about full body of work until career completion.

Have a great day

P.S. And some careers are not over. Daniel Deshazer and Chase Nelson still seeking greatness

If we are going to talk dominant seasons I am going to throw Taylor Moeder's senior year into the mix.

2010/11
Fargo Jr National Champ GR
Fargo Jr All American 4th FS
49-0 State Champ for St. James Academy
NHSCA Runner Up

He lost one match in his last two years (bs dq call on collar tie) and he did that wrestling a very tough schedule with lots of out of state competition.

There are a lot of great names on this list and I enjoy reading about all of their success in this great sport. I hope we continue to see our wrestlers shine at the state and national level.

Many great names thrown out but i've already said this and agree with klein melvin douglass #1 in a landslide and zach roberson #2. Also a huge kendric maple fan he is high on my list. Eric Akin a close 3rd only a tb ot loss to sammy henson 2x national champ and olympic silver medalist kept eric from a national championship. He was a 4x all american and i think he and zach are close. This is a fun almost impossible debate.

I believe cotton was 145 state champ as a freshman and beard i believe was 152. Cotton was one of the states most dominant high school wrestlers as well winning 3 ncaa's div.2 national championships and 1 national runnerup as a freshman to go with 4 kansas state high school state titles.

top 10:

1- Melvin Douglas
2- Eric Akin - 2x Olympic alternate / 4x AA 2x runner up
3- Shawn Bunch - Qualified Olympic weight / Olympic alternate / national Runner-Up Edinboro
4- Zach Roberson - Iowa State National Champ 3x AA
5- Tyler Caldwell - 2x Runner-Up 4x AA
6- Kendrick Maple - OU National Champ
7- Joe Johnson - Iowa National Runner-Up
8- Temoer Terry - 3x AA Nebraska highest is 3rd
9- Matt Murray - National Runner-Up Nebraska
10- Eric Luedke - 2x AA Iowa - highest 3rd

Jeremy Long: he can’t compete with post high school success wrestlers, but if we are talking high school stats, his are very impressive, and some I think unmatched, but I could be wrong.

4X State Champ, 143-4. Of his 16 matches at the state tournament, he had 1 decision(pretty sure 7-2), 3 major decisions, 1 tech fall, and 11 pins. Does anyone have less career mat time at State?
He has wins over 2 Kansas 4X state champs, and one 3X’er that would have been a 4X’er (and a Colorado 4Xer, the CO kid was in Greco and Freestyle after his sophomore year, the others all during high school season). Does anyone have more wins than this over 4Xers (while in high school)?

He also beat all 4 opponents that beat him within a few weeks after his loss, except one, who he beat a year later (and I think it was a takedown tourney, but still).
Does this make him the best? I’m not saying it does, but I do think it throws him name in the mix, of at least “4 years of high school wrestling” category.

I like Klein's top 10 list for post season accomplishments, and bet there will be another one to add soon (Weigel).

top kansas wrestlers all time
1. Melvin Douglass
2. Zach Roberson
3. Eric Akin
4. Kendric Maple
5. Tyler Caldwell
6. Shawn Bunch
7. Temoer Terry
8. David Ray 4x ks champ goddard carroll 3rd div.1 nat edinboro
9. Romero Cotton
10. Joe Johnston
11.Matt Murray
12. Eric Luedke
A little rushed but all had great high school, college and some post high school careers. I thought 4 and 5 could go either way.

I realize this is from a different era, here are two more of the all time greats........

Peter Mehringer "The Kansas Whirlwhind" from Kinsley, Kansas

Accomplishments: 1932 NCAA Runner Up at KU
1932 Olympic Freestyle Champion

Myron Roderick from Winfield, Kansas

Accomplishments: 1951 and 1952 State Champion

3X NCAA Champion at Oklahoma State
Finished 4th at the 1956 Olympic Games