This will be my final report.  I want to congratulate all of the boys who had the spirit to test their skills against the very best in the nation.  I would also like to thank and acknowledge the coaching staffs for a tremendous job:

  Cadet Coaches
        Richard Frakes, Cadet Director
        Bobby Bovaird
        Richard Fergola
        Kit Harris
        Harry LaMar

  Junior Coaches
        Billy Johnson, Junior Director
        Corey Burton
        Dennis Charbonneau
        Ryan Karjala
        Kevin Klemm
        Scott Rieck

All-American Cody Garcia found himself in a deep hole early in his match against Brandon Hardy from Virginia.  Hardy hit an early fireman's carry, catching Garcia on his back for 3 + 1 back pt, then tipped him for another 2 pt back exposure.  He then scored a 1 pt gut out of bounds, followed by another 2 pt gut wrench.  With the score at 9-0, Garcia was one point away from a technical fall defeat, when he went on the attack.  Scoring 2 pts from a single leg, he scored the final point of the period on a 1 pt tilt.  Hardy showed his proficiency with the fireman's carry when he hit another at the start of the second period, this time only scoring the takedown.  However, he used his top position to score a 2 pt gut before Garcia reversed him, cutting his lead to 12-4.  Garcia was able to hold Harding in a gut wrench long enough for a 2 + 1 back pt, getting within 5 pts of Harding.  This was the closest he could come however, as his final attack missed and Hardy took advantage of a takedown to turn Garcia for a final 2 pt gut.  The final score was 15-7 in favor of Hardy, giving Garcia a 6th place finish.

For those of you who believe that cutting weight, along with the food binging that follows, is the only way to be successful at the top levels of our sport, Cody Garcia is proof that you are wrong.  On the morning of the second weigh-in (the tougher of the two), Garcia ate breakfast before weigh-in, and was still almost two pounds under.  Instead of focusing on weight cutting, he eats sensibly all the time and devotes his energy to training for wrestling.  Several times I observed Garcia putting in extra workouts this past week, beyond the sessions scheduled by the coaches.  This is an example that all of our wrestlers should try to emulate.

Aaron Bingham did not have to wrestle in this session, and will compete for 7th place in the medal rounds at 88 lbs.

Jason Butler fell behind early in bout #1285, giving up a 3 pt throw + 1 back pt. as he was caught on his back for nearly one minute before finally fighting back to his belly.  Butler scored the final three points of the match, but still lost by fall with 1 minute remaining.

Aaron Bingham used a series of high crotch takedowns, guts and crotch throws to dominate bout #1357 with a 12-1 technical fall.

Jake Kriegbaum was ahead of his opponent 9-1 with 40 seconds remaining in their match.  He was ahead 9-7 with 20 seconds remaining, and was in serious danger of being turned again.  Kriegbaum held tough though, and finished with an 11-7 victory.

Eric Luedke ran into a tough, physical opponent in bout #1401.  Although he fought valiantly, his opponent used several takedowns, as well as a gut and ankle lace, to secure a 10-0 technical fall over Luedke.

Ross Taplin came out firing against Zachary Shanaman of New Jersey in bout #1453, running up a 9-1 advantage before Shanaman elected to injury default with 2 seconds remaining in the first period.

Aaron Bingham had a close match against Jacob Stanley of Texas in bout # 1553.  They were tied at 3-3 after the first period, and Bingham was down late in the match, when he gain the lead on a 3 pt throw.  His one point lead was in jeopardy until the finish, however, and he spent the final 15 seconds fighting Stanley's attempt at a gut wrench.  Bingham ultimately won the match 9-8.

Andrew Carrillo's match against Steven Juarez of California looked more like a folkstyle match early on, as Juarez used a cradle to take a 6-0 lead.  He then reverted to more specialized freestyle moves, winning a 10-0 technical fall over Carrillo with the use of a gut wrench and ankle lace.

Ross Taplin gave his best in bout #1617 against Chris Jones of Oklahoma, but couldn't overcome an early 7-0 deficit.  Taplin cut Jones' lead to 7-2, but couldn't get past Jones' defenses, giving up a final takedown as his aggressive shots were countered.

Aaron Bingham fell behind 5-0 in bout #1672 after a couple of guts.  Bingham scored next on a back exposure, but his opponent used a monkey roll to keep his five point lead.  A trapped arm gut and a double chicken wing were employed by his opponent for an addition 6 points, ending the match with Bingham losing by a 13-2 technical fall.

Jake Kriegbaum met the Cadet Greco-Roman runner-up in bout #1694.  Although Jake gave this top ranked opponent a tough battle, he ultimately came up short in his 1-8 loss.

Cody Garcia lost his first match of the tournament in bout #1695 against an opponent who seemed to be able to power out of everything Garcia could throw at him.  The final score 7-0.

Aaron Bingham, wrestling still a little addled from a slight concussion he received in the prior match (Bingham was cleared by medical personnel before being allowed to compete), took the initial lead, but was caught and pinned in bout #1769.

Cody Garcia wrestled the final Kansas match of the session, going out in style with a 7-1 victory.

Charles Knox, Jr. had the first match for Team Kansas in the tournament, when he met Eric Nartker of Michigan.  Knox scored first when he stopped Nartker's single leg with an underhook lift for 3 + 1 back point.  When Knox attempt another lift, Nartker countered with a single leg, scoring 2 + 1 back point.  He then turned Knox, taking a 5-4 lead.  Back on their feet, Nartker hit a deep single leg, which Knox countered with a 2 pt crotch lift.  Nartker stayed in good  position, however, and was able to catch Knox on his back after the list.  A final back exposure against Knox gave Nartker a 9-6 lead at the end of the period.  Knox regained the momentum in the second period, scoring a takedown from a duck-under, followed by three consecutive back bows, for a 13-9 lead.  Another duck-under gave Knox an additional point, before Nartker caught an attempted throw by Knox, taking him to the mat for 3 pts, and following that with a 2 pt gut.  Knox caught Nartker on his back during the gut, then lifted him for a terrific 5 pt throw, sealing a 21-14 victory.

Danny Grater met a good California wrestler named Dev Solis in bout #142.  In a very fast paced match, Grater took Solis to his back with a headlock, although Solis rolled through the hold, exposing Grater and resulting in an initial 3-2 score in Grater's favor.  Before the end of the period, Solis tied the match with a takedown.  Grater fell behind for the first time at the start of the second period when Solis used a double leg to lift and turn Grater to his back for 3 +  1 back pt.  He then used an ankle lace for an additional point, taking an 8-3 lead.  Grater fought back valiantly, scoring a takedown and a 2 pt back bow, but with only 10 seconds left and still down by 2 pts, Grater's desperation attempt at a headlock failed, giving him a 6-9 loss.

Brock Jardine of Virginia wasted little time attacking Luke Halford in bout #229.  Starting with a headlock for which he gained 3 + 1 back pt, Jarding added a 3 pt crotch throw and a 3 point Whizzer toss to earn a 10-0 technical fall over Halford

Jake Kriegbaum met John Payne of New York in bout #419, starting the action with a single leg takedown, followed by a drag-by takedown.  After the second takedown, Kriegbaum hit a 2 pt back bow for a 4-0 lead.  A final drag-by takedown added to his lead before the end of the period.  Kriegbaum began the second period as he did the first, with another takedown, after which he used a lock on Payne's legs to obtain a 2 pt tilt + 1 back pt.  One final tilt gave Kriegbaum an 11-0 technical fall.

A slow start by Austin Killinger put him into a hole that he was not able to fight his way out of.  His attempt to use a front headlock while being aggressively attacked out of bounds resulted in a fleeing the mat charge.  Once down, his opponent, Brian Kendall from Texas, used a 2 pt gut followed by three successful bulldog flips, to take a sudden 9-0 lead.  The match almost ended after they returned to their feet, when Kendall hit a single leg taking Killinger to his back; however, Killinger was able to continue the motion with a head pinch, taking Kendall to his back for 2 + 1 back pt.  In the second period, Kendall scored a final takedown and back pt, giving Killinger a 3-15 loss due to technical fall.

A special thanks to Randy Hinderliter for his assistance during the Greco-Roman competition.  Randy came to Fargo as part of his obligations as Kansas Director of Coaching Development, and I think he found the trip to be very useful.  Randy did not want to be idle during his time in Fargo, and was very willing to help me report on the matches.  I hope everyone enjoyed Randy's reports.  Randy left on a bus at midnight last night to head home where he will be involved in hosting the Sunflower Games wrestling tournaments this weekend in Lawrence.

Joe Johnston started his match for 7th place in good fashion as he picked up the early lead.  Arttem Krylov from Northgate, CA, defended the gut wrench to be put back on their feet.  For 15 seconds, they battled for position, when Arttem caught Joe in a head and arm … and it was tight.  Joe fought valiantly, but with 57 seconds left in the period, the fall was recorded.  Clearly an 8th place finish was not what was expected but it is apparent the Joe Johnston is one of the best in the nation.  The future is bright for Joe as at the conclusion of this tournament he is off to wrestle for the national powerhouse, Iowa Hawkeyes.  Joe Johnston … All-American!  - Hinderliter

The 191.5 lb division 7th place match featured Justin Dyer vs. Jared Terrell from Perth Amboy, NJ.  Justin quickly established a 2 on 1 wrist control that he used frequently throughout the match.  The first attack occurred when Terrell pummeled into a double underhook.  Justin countered with a double overhook, and when Jared drove him backwards, Justin kept the overhook and successfully executed a back arch, driving back and turning Jared to his back.  Inexplicably, the mat official felt that Terrell should be awarded a 3 pt throw, although Justin clearly controlled the move.  When the judge confirmed the 3 pts, it seemed like a repeat of the previous session's fiasco.  However, in a pleasant surprise, the mat chairman called for a conference, after which the points were negated.  With the score still tied 0-0, Justin was called for passivity at 1:15 into the match.  From the bottom position, Justin showed the kind of high intensity that should be exhibited, but oftentimes is not.  Despite Justin's excellent defense, Jared was still successful in performing a 1 pt lift (with no back exposure), then gained another point on a leg foul by Justin at 1:50 in the match.  Because of Justin's aggressiveness on bottom, they were returned to their feet fairly quickly.  With only 14 seconds to go in the period, Justin used his 2 on 1 wrist control to his a short arm throw, earning 3 points plus a 1 pt back exposure.  If thert had been more time, Justin would have had a fall.  In the second period, Jared used a body lock to drive Justin to his back, earning 3 pts.  Justin was able to arch through the hold, turning Jared to his back and earning 2+1 pts.  Jared countered with a reversal, closing Justin's lead to 7-6.  At 1:55 in the match, Justin seemed to be tiring as Jared scored an easy takedown and tied the score, but Justin saved just enough energy to execute a final short arm throw from his 2 on 1 wrist control with 2 seconds remaining in the match, winning by a score of 10-7.  - Juby

Ian Bork concluded this Greco tournament with a 7th place finish.  He started the scoring in his match with Angelo Caponi of Uniontown, OH, with a takedown from front headlock go behind.  He then worked the high gut for a 2-point tilt.  He spun out front and was working a head pinch when they were blown back to their feet. I an quickly secured a front headlock for another spin behind and 1-point.  Ian nearly scored on a beautiful throw but they were just stepped out of bounds as the first period ended. Angelo scored a takedown but was unable to work the turn.  Back to their feet Ian scored a sweet 3 + 1 throw as his opponent was pushing.  This closed out the scoring as Ian secured the win.  A great tournament for Ian Bork.  The future is only bright for Ian.  Ian Bork … All-American.  - Hinderliter

Luke Metzler started the action for Kansas, when he met Justin Pearch from Oregon City, OR in the 123 lb. match to determine 7th place.  After 48 seconds of furious pummeling and hand fighting, Luke drew a passivity call.  Justin capitalized on the top position by locking up on a gut wrench and executing a lift and throw for 3+1 pts.  He then followed that with another lift and throw, this time for 5+1 pts and the 10-0 technical fall.  - Juby

The bout for 7th place in the 132 lb division had Shawn Bunch rebound from two earlier losses.  Facing Marco Lara from Lakewood, CA, Shawn looked impressive in this win.  It started suddenly as about 20 seconds in Bunch setup the head and arm and secured it for 3+1.  Returning to their feet the Californian slipped on a throw to be bull rushed by Bunch for a 2-point exposure.  The match was over quickly as Shawn scored a 3+1 gut wrench for the technical superiority.  A 7th place finish was not what Bunch wanted … but it will do.  One has to wonder, except for the freestyle matches, if we have seen the last of Shawn in a Kansas uniform as this fall he is off to wrestle for Edinboro University in Pennsylvania.  No matter what happens with Shawn in the future, Kansas is proud of him. Shawn Bunch … All-American!  - Hinderliter

The Kansas Junior Greco-Roman All Americans are:
     Luke Metzler (123)
     Shawn Bunch (132)
     Matt Murray (143)
     Joe Johnston (154)
     Justin Dyer (191.5)
     Ian Bork (220)

Two of the Kansas wrestlers wrestled matches in this session to determine their pool placement.  Randy Hinderliter's analysis of their matches follows:

I’m not sure what to say about Bout #1482 in the Junior division of this Greco tournament other than Shawn Bunch lost by technical superiority to Harry Lester of Ohio.  He probably lost to the better wrestler but the manner in which he lost left many around the mat, many of which were not Kansas faithful, shaking their heads.

The match began with the combatants looking for the position in which to score.  That position combined a lot of hand fighting and countering the others grips.  In one such melee, Bunch was charged with fleeing the mat, resulting in a point and Bunch being placed in the bottom position.  Lester quickly moved for standing gut and was awarded 3-points for the exposure and 1 for the lift.  This closed out the period. The bout ended in confusion and a flurry.  Shawn gave up the takedown and was quickly lifted near the edge of the mat.  I clearly don’t know how but a 3-point exposure and an additional one for the lift.

As I said Shawn probably lost to the better man and I surely don’t want to take anything away from Lester but he needs no help in winning a match.  Shawn represented Kansas well.

In Bout #1485 Matt Murray faced an opponent from Iowa. Matt is one of best Kansas has to offer and but could not challenge the Iowan as he lost by technical superiority. Matt will be going for 5th place later in the day.

Ian Bork found himself in a tight match, starting out with a three point deficit after he gave up a headlock.  Ian immediately came out of the headlock to earn a one point reversal, then added 3 pts on a high gut lift.  However, he found the headlock hard to avoid, getting caught again for another 3 pt loss.  At this point, Ian began aggressively attacking his opponent, while maintaing good position to counter the repeated attempts at another headlock.  After he ducked under one headlock, his opponent reacted by running out of bounds, giving Ian 1 pt for fleeing the mat, and cutting his opponents lead to 6-5.  In the second period, Ian tied the match when he converted a front headlock into a takedown, then took the lead when he once again forced his opponent to flee the mat.  He held that lead until the end, winning a close 7-6 decision.  - Juby

Bout #1365 pitted Shawn Bunch against an opponent from California.  I usually am not one to mention referees but it was clear from the beginning that this mat official did not appreciated Shawn’s style.  The mat official warned Shawn for not engaging and clearly this took Shawn off his game.  Bunch was called for passivity and the Californian quickly took advantage scoring a nice 2-point gut.  Back to their feet where the Californian was charged with passivity but Bunch was unable to capitalize.  The second period saw Bunch gain 1-point when his opponent fled the mat while under attack.  Shawn decided to put his opponent in par terre where he scored a gorgeous two-point gut.  In a flurry of moves the match ended tied 4 – 4.  Overtime began with both looking to seal the match.  Bunch threw a hard head and arm but his opponent braced himself causing him to slip off, I was stunned to see the mat official offering a 1-point takedown and it was confirmed by the chair.  Clearly in my mind, a somewhat biased observer, it was a slip and they should have been allowed to decided the match among themselves, but the officials ruled, and such as life … as rotten as it can be at times.  Shawn now with one loss has his work cut out for him.  - Hinderliter

I joined Bout #1398 in progress and found Justin Dyer ahead 5 – 3 of his opponent from Iowa.  Early in the second period Dyer was called for passivity and a 1-point gut closed the gap.  Back to their feet where both were looking for the advantage.  Justin gave up a point as he fled the mat while under attack from the Iowan.  Now tied at 5’s Dyer attempted his arm throw but it was whistled as the Iowan’s arm was in a dangerous position.  That was the end of the period.  Justin needed this win to remain undefeated for the tournament.  The second period began with the Iowan attempting an arm throw but a slip was called.  Justin was unable to turn him so they were back up where again the Iowan tried a throw but slipped.  Back to their feet where this time it was Dyer who tried and succeeded in throwing his opponent for three.  With about 20 seconds left, the Iowan had created a good angle on Dyer.  It looked to me like instead of fighting it and possibly giving up three points, Justin simply conceded the one and went down to his base.  It looked like a masterful plan until Justin also gave up a 2-point gut to tie the score.  To overtime we go and both of the combatants looking to gain the win.  As they battled for position they neared the out-of-bounds line.  Justin set his feet and launched the Iowan.  In a moment I was cheering as the mat official held up 3 for Justin.  That moment quickly changed to agony as both the chair and judge were awarding 2 for the Iowan.  What followed next might be better served, coming from the hands of a diplomat, because I frankly, think Justin got screwed.  Truly, a disappointing loss!  - Hinderliter

The evening session was not going well for Kansas and that trend continued with Bout #1432.  Luke Metzler was matched up with a competitor from Hawaii.  Twice in the first period when working and battling for ties, the Hawaiian scored on an arm drag for the 1-point takedown.  Both times Luke did a great job defending the reverse lift to keep the score 0 – 2 to end the period.  As the second period started the Hawaiian caught Metzler in a headlock for a 3 + 1.  He followed that up with a 1-point arm drag.  A tilt for 3 brought Luke his second loss in the tournament.  At least this one had no controversy.  We will have to wait and see if this loss put Luke out of the tourney.  - Hinderliter

Shawn Bunch needed a win in Bout #1434, and came out firing to get  it.  A takedown was quickly followed by a gut out of bounds, followed by another gut, to take a 5-0 lead.  He gave up a point when his attempt at an arm spin was countered, but he was able to get his five point lead back by scoring another takedown.  He finished the first half with a 2 pt gut, but gave up one of those points early in the second period when his attempt at a headlock was countered for the takedown.  While that point didn't seriously threaten his lead, the reverse lift & throw by his opponent gave him 3+1 pts, and cut Shawn's lead to two.  Another counter to a missed headlock made it a one point match, but Shawn then used his speed and technique to put the match away, scoring a takedown on a duck-under and getting a lift point in the closing seconds, to win the match 10-7.  - Juby

I was able to join Bout #1439 in progress and with Matt Murray leading 8 – 3.  A takedown and a 3-point gut followed by another takedown finally gave the locals something to cheer about in this round.  This win put Matt in medal contention but it will be later before the decided which medal he will be going for.  - Hinderliter

Clearly having to wrestle again 30 minutes after a devastating loss had Justin Dyer distracted in Bout #1457 against an Oregon opponent.  The Oregonian was charged with passivity and Justin quickly converted it into a 2-point gut wrench.  As he was attempting another, his hold loosened and he got caught on his back for two.  On there feet the Oregonian was not letting Justin get inside and was very aware of what Justin was trying to do.  As the period ended a 3 + 1 toss was scored by the Oregonian.  To their respective corners, where Olympic Silver medalist was coaching the Oregonian.  Back to the center for the lackluster finish.  Justin loses 2 – 9.  Will have to wait on this one too, either way Justin Dyer represented himself well.    - Hinderliter

Bout #700 saw Blake Trullinger facing an opponent from Oklahoma.  The Sooner was too tough to handle as he earned a Tech Fall. Trulinger was the victim of a 5-point throw, a 2-point gut, and another 3-point throw. - Hinderliter

Bout #899 pitted Chris McCormick against a foe from Georgia.  The match started slow as both men fought to gain control.  McCormick was the first of the board using a front headlock to snap his opponent down for the spin behind and a 1-point takedown.  Back on their feet the Georgia wrestler was charged with passivity.  Chris gained control of the match with a series of sweet gut wrenches to end the period with a 9 – 0 lead.  McCormick closed it out early with another snap down to a spin behind.  - Hinderliter

Blake Trullinger ran into a buzz saw in Bout #900.  When Blake tried to use a headlock, his opponent stepped behind Blake and launched him for a 5 pt throw.  From the mat, he then executed a 2 pt gut, followed by a 3 pt lift for the technical fall.  - Juby

As quick as Blake's match was, Luke Metzler's seemed to be the exact opposite, continuing almost indefinitely.  Luke gave up the first points after he was called early for passivity, and was turned for a 2 pt gut.  Luke returned the favor, as he stopped any further action by his opponent and executed his own 2 pt gut.  Back on their feet, a frantic scramble resulted in Luke scoring a takedown, followed by a 2+1 gut wrench and a second 2 pt gut.  The first period ended with Luke holding an 8-2 lead.  As in the first period, Luke started the second slow, giving up a 3 pt throw.  Luke fought hard to stop the gut, gave up 1 pt, but was able to counter with his own 2 pt gut.  During the gut wrench, however, he got caught on his back, giving up 2 pts and lowering his lead to 10-8.  The already heated action then picked up even more, as Luke was able to step behind his opponent and launch a 5 pt throw, followed by a 3 pt lift and throw.  Another attack by Luke was countered by his opponent, who received 2 pts for placing Luke into the danger position.  Although that left the score 18-10, the officials stopped the action for a conference and, in their infinite wisdom, changed the score to 17-11.  Sensing a momentum change, Luke's opponent scored a takedown and tried a gut wrench.  However, Luke used strong hips to counter the gut, getting 2 pts and, with only six seconds remaining, the fall.  At the conclusion of the match, Junior's Director Bill Johnson commented that "Every time - his heart will be on the mat when he's done."  I couldn't agree more. - Juby

Bout #938 was joined in progress and had Jared Vogel trailing at the end of the first period by the score of 6 – 10.  After the break Vogel began to come back.  Jared scored on a series of 3-point throws to win this come from behind match, 14 – 10.  A super win for Jared Vogel.  - Hinderliter

With 23 mats being wrestled at the same time, there is one mat that everyone wants to do particularly well on.  Mat #1 is isolated from all of the other mats, located on a raised platform at the 50 yard line.  Brad Riemann's moment on this high profile mat in Bout #968 didn't begin the way he wanted, as he gave up the first takedown point off of a slide-by.  Once he was back on his feet, though, Brad quickly redeemed himself, executing a very nice high dive and lifting his opponent from the mat directly to his back.  Later, he showed that he can defend as well as he can attack, when he used a headlock to counter his opponent's attempt at a high dive.  Brad tightened up on the headlock and secured the fall.  - Juby

Bout #1032 saw Ian Bork save energy and make quick work of has challenger from Wisconsin.  Ian started with a 1-point takedown and a 2-point gut for the lead.  Then in a masterful move, Bork spun out front and turned his foe with a front headlock for the pin.  Bork marches on.  - Hinderliter

Andy Breedlove made short work of his opponent in Bout #1047.  After spending a minute looking for an opening (and trying to ignore his opponent's interesting haircut - no hair at all except for a 12" ponytail), Andy hit a headlock and stuck his opponent.  - Juby

Although there are no easy opponents at the Junior Nationals, Shawn Bunch faced a truly tough test in Bout #1095 when he met National High School folkstyle champion Tommy Owen (Washington).  In an action-packed match, Shawn got the action started with a quick headlock for 3+1.  Tommy kept his poise and completed a roll-thru for 2 pts, then tied the match 4-4 with a gut.  During the ensuing scramble, Shawn regained the lead by using a front headlock to set-up a reversal.  He then secured a good high gut, which he held for 2+1, then repeated the high gut for another 2 pts.  Back on the feet, Shawn increased his lead to 11-4 with a takedown from an arm spin.  Shawn used his position following the takedown for a far arm tilt, then secured the technical fall with a 1 pt gut for a 14-4 finish.  Although he was wrestling an opponent who was declared a national champion less than four months ago, Shawn made it seem almost easy!  - Juby

Bout #1097 saw Tyler McCormick lose his first match of the tournament to a challenger from Washington.  Actually, Tyler got schooled much as he had done to earlier foes.  There is not much to say with this one, but a great performance by the Washington wrestler.  - Hinderliter

I joined bout #1127 in progress where Matt Murray was trailing 4 – 6 at the end of the first period.  After the intermission Matt scored two points unfortunately it was while his opponent was scoring three.  Murray then secured a 1-point takedown and a 2-point gut to tie it up at 9’s.  His opponent then opened up the scoring and shut Matt down.  He executed a nice throw for 3 + 1, another 3 where Matt was charged with a leg foul, and finally scored a 2-point gut for technical fall.  Murray will have to regain his form if he is to challenge for a placing.  - Hinderliter

Bout #1184 was an absolute domination for Olathe’s Justin Dyer.  Initially Justin scored on a sweet Russian two-on-one.  He worked an elbow inside and then tilted has Idaho opponent. He then worked the front headlock for some nice tilts.  Dyer never needed to go behind his opponent as the tilts were enough to earn a technical fall in less than one-minute.  Dyer rolls!  - Hinderliter

When Ian Bork's opponent in Bout #1197 refused to let him secure a takedown, Ian was satisfied to accept the top position in par terre that the passivity call provided him.  From that position, he spun to a front headlock and whipped his opponent to his back for 2+1.  He added to his lead with a tilt, giving his a 5-0 advantage.  Back on their feet, Ian scored a takedown, then used a headlock to obtain a fall victory.  - Juby

Witt Hinton had a tough draw in Bout #1203, when he faced a Pennsylvania opponent that has been named one of ASICS honorable mention All-Americans.  His opponent was every bit as tough as expected, scoring first a takedown then a 2+1 tight-arm gut wrench.  After going out of bounds, they returned to par terre, where his opponent scored another 2 pt gut.  Witt was not conceding anything, and managed to fight back to his feet, whereupon he was whipped to his back and pinned.  - Juby

Bout #1275 saw Matt Murray regain his winning ways in a dramatic overhaul of his competition from California.  First, Matt hit a beautiful toss and held his opponent in exposure for a 3 + 1.  Next came a devastating gut wrench for a 2 + 1 and then, another 2 + 1.  A 10-point technical fall for Matt Murray as he returns to the winning way.  Murray rocks on!  - Hinderliter

Bout #1272 pitted Joe Johnston against a foe from Montana.  Early, Joe did a great job fighting off a front headlock but eventually was charges with passivity.  No points here as Johnston fought of the attempts to turn him.  Back to their feet where the Montanian hit a nice 3-point throw.  A bit of a hole for Joe as he began to chip away.  He scored a 1-point takedown before the intermission and another after.  An attempted throw that his opponent slipped during, sealed the beginning to the end as Johnston opened up with a series on gut wrenches.  When the smoke had cleared, Joe Johnston had wrapped up a win by the score of 12 – 3.  - Hinderliter

Bout #1310 saw Justin Dyer remain undefeated.  Justin has really begun to open up a can of you know what on his opponents.  A 1-point takedown led to a series of gut wrenches.  Justin Dyer seems to have a full arsenal and is using all of it.  Another technical fall for Justin.  - Hinderliter

Bout #19 - Tyler McCormick started the first session of the Juniors Greco competition on a winning note with his dominant win over a Delaware opponent.  His competition attempted a throw but slipped down to the mat.  This is where the young McCormick showed his toughness scoring on a series of 2-point gut wrenches holding his opponent for the extra point during each for a 9-point lead.  A takedown and a penalty point brought his opponent a bit closer but Tyler reversed his with exposure to take his 9-point lead into the 2nd period.  A beautiful 3-point throw ended the bout with the technical fall being awarded to Tyler McCormick. -  Hinderliter

Bout #38 saw Luke Metzler in action.  The Newton native started the scoring with a 1-point takedown.  He hit a gorgeous 2 + 1 gut followed by a 2-point gut to take a 6 – 0 lead.  Back on their feet, Metzler made things interesting giving up 4-points on a head and arm.  His opponent scored a one-point takedown but his quickly reversed by Metzler who decided he had had enough of this and put the match away with a series of high guts, holding his opponent for the extra point. -  Hinderliter

I arrived at Bout #49 with the action already underway.  Nick Ashpole held a slight lead over his Louisiana opponent.  As the second period got underway Nick scored with a one-point takedown and followed that up with a 2-point gut wrench.  Another slick gut put Ashpole ahead 9 – 2.  A takedown by the Cajun proved only to delay the inevitable as a throw for a fall by Ashpole sealed the win. -  Hinderliter

Bout #81 was next on the slate and it was a barn-burner.  Chad White was pitted a competitor from the Lone Star state.  The Texan scored a 1-point takedown for the early lead. Chad took the lead with a 3-point throw and a 2-point gut wrench another 2-point gut followed by a reversal for the Texan. Now on top the Texan scored with a couple of gut wrenches to close the gap the frenzy as a flurry of moves got the Texan close at 13 – 12. But Chad White grew tired of this and opened up with a 3-point throw, a 1-point takedown, and a 2 + 1 gut to win this one going away. Final score, 20 – 12. -  Hinderliter

Bout #98 our returning champion, Shawn Bunch, started the action quickly against his opponent from the Minnesota Storm. But the storm looked to belong to Bunch as we scored with a chain of rapidly executed throws and guts for the quick 10 – 0 win. -  Hinderliter

Bout #158 saw Joe Johnston school his opponent from the Minnesota Storm. A single point takedown lead to a 2 + 1 gut wrench. As is often the case in Greco competition the end is just a heartbeat away. A nice high gut to a backbridge left Joe’s opponent with his shoulders flat on the mat. Joe Johnson wins by fall. -  Hinderliter

Clint Slyter showed flashes of the dominant wrestler he is in Bout #199, but he also demonstrated that the wrestling ain't over 'till the referee says so.  Clint started the match clearly on the attack, scoring a 3 pt throw followed by a 2 pt gut wrench.  Returning to the par terre position, Clint scored again with a trapped-arm gut to take a commanding 7-0 lead.  At this point, Clint seemed to relax a little bit, and was caught in a 3 pt hip toss, which was followed by a 2 pt gut.  Clint was able to catch himself as he rolled through the gut, and scored a reversal, followed by 2 + 1 for exposing the back.  Clint continued to press his advantage by exposing his opponent, and ended the first period with a 14-5 lead, only one point away from a technical fall.  There was only one scoring move in the second period, and it wasn't done by Clint.  His opponent caught Clint in a toss to his back, where he held Clint until he secured a fall.  - Juby

Returning Junior All-American Luke Metzler is showing that last year's accomplishment was no fluke.  While he started a little slow in Bout #271, giving up a 1 pt takedown on his opponent's counter, he quickly gained the lead when he showed his own ability to counter moves by capitalizing on his opponent's attempt at an arm spin.  Luke used a half nelson to catch and turn his opponent, taking a 2-1 lead.  He then turn his opponent again, this time holding him for the fall.  - Juby

Bout #341 was a battle between Chris McCormick and a grappler from Texas. The match started with McCormick gaining the upper hand and finished early with McCormick earning a first period technical fall. Chris showed his prowess taking his opponent to school with a series of very sweet gut wrenches, both regular and trapped arm. -  Hinderliter

Shawn Bunch used a nice combination of speed and technique to claim the victory in Bout #357.  His first points came from a gator roll, which he later augmented by countering his opponent's attack into a 2 pt back exposure.  From the top position, he scored a 2 pt gut followed by a 3 pt high gut lift.  Shawn finished the match with an 11-0 technical fall victory by scoring on a final 2 pt gut.  - Juby

Bout #363 had Chad White going down to defeat at the hands of a very tough opponent. The action started off in favor of Chad scoring off a 3-point throw but his competitor countered for two. The opposition showed his reverse gut twice for a 3 + 1 and a 3-point lead. A takedown and a 2-point tilt gave the victory to the opposition, a tough loss for White. -  Hinderliter

Matt Murray showed a high level of proficiency in the gut wrench in Bout # 443, which he began by scoring a takedown using a short drag from a front headlock.  Once on top, he scored a 2 pt gut, followed by a 2 + 1 trapped-arm gut.  He then earned 2 pts with a high gut, and finished with a 3 pt high gut lift, winning an 11-0 technical fall.  - Juby

Bout #561 saw Justin Dyer in action against an opponent from Maryland. This match started cautiously with both looking to gain a position of control. Dyer was called for passivity but was masterful in his par terre defense. Justin saw his opening and scored 3 + 1 on a nicely executed arm throw. A 2-point gut wrench closed out the first period. Dyer continued to score as he sealed the victory with a 3-point throw and a 1-point gut wrench. Dyer’s quest continues. -  Hinderliter

Bout 661 saw Shawn Bunch return to action. Shawn continued his dominant style as he gained a point for his opponent fleeing the mat under attack. His opponent attempted a throw but slipped and Bunch quickly scored a 2-point gut. The competitors traded takedowns and then Shawn scored 2 points off of a front headlock turn to end the first period. Bunch opened the second with a takedown and later another. His opponent did manage a late takedown but it was too little too late. Bunch wins. -  Hinderliter

Bout #666 was again a dominant victory for Chris McCormick. A couple of takedowns and a series of masterful gut wrenches earned McCormick the win. Chris keeps rolling but the matches are getting tougher. -  Hinderliter

I joined bout #726 in progress where Joe Johnston was ahead of Bobby Fisher from Missouri, 4 – 0. But Fisher, an equally seasoned veteran, came back to score a 3-point throw to close the gap as the first period ended. The second started with both digging for control and fighting for position. Joe looked to be in great position as he started a throw but Fisher changed it quickly to his advantage for a 3 + 1 throw of his own. Unable to gain a turn they were back on their feet where Joe gained a takedown and 1-point. Behind 5 – 7 with the clock winding down Johnston went for broke. Fisher countered and scored two. Johnston losses a tough match to a tough opponent. Joe had a long hard fight to stay in this tourney. -  Hinderliter

Bout #825 pitted Justin Dyer against an opponent from Iowa. Justin truly looked impressive as he scored a 3-point throw, turned a front headlock for two, and a 3 + 1 arm throw before he secured the fall with 15 seconds left. A great win for Dyer. -  Hinderliter

Match 1301 - Ross Taplin stayed alive in his quest for a medal with a victory in this match.  The action in the first period ended with the combatants deadlocked at 4.  Both looked to take control in the second period as they countered each others attempts.  Ross gained the win with a nice 3+1 toss and a fall with 13 seconds in the match.  Taplin marches on.  - Hinderliter

At the end of this round, Team Kansas has two wrestlers remaining.  Eric Luedke is undefeated with six wins, and Ross Taplin has a record of 5-1.

Match 1163 - Collby’s Eric Luedke continued his march in the tournament.  A hard fought battle, with each countering the others attempts to score, seemed to be the nature of this one.  Luedke gained a penalty point as his opponent was charged with using an illegal headlock.  Choosing to try his luck in the par terre position,  Eric scored a 1-point gut wrench to close out the first period.  The struggle continued with Luedke appearing to be the aggressor.  That aggression earned him a passivity call against his opponent with 21 seconds left in the bout.  Eric took any suspense concerning the victory out of the picture as he scored on a gorgeous gut wrench for the 4 – 0 win.  Luedke says he’s not happy yet as he continues his undefeated quest.  - Hinderliter

Match #927 - The second session of the Cadets Greco action started with a bang as Topekan Tanner Gardner was up early. Facing an Indiana opponent Tanner had to dodge an early attempt to score fighting a front headlock.  It looked like Tanner was going to score with a head and arm but the Hoosier fought hard to keep things knotted at zero.   Gardner picked up a passivity call and gave up a 2-point gut.  A reversal cut the score in half but with Gardner in control he quickly showed his prowess with a 2-point gut of his own.  The first period ended at 3 – 2 for the Kansan.  Things picked up in the second with Gardner earning a quick 2-pointer. The Indiana opponent scored a reversal and Tanner did the same. He ended the match in dramatic fashion with a fall. Gardner is still undefeated.  - Hinderliter

Match #948 - Anyone who follows college wrestling will recognize the name of Ryan Park's opponent, Kyler Sanderson of Utah.  Kyler is the younger brother of Cael Sanderson, who holds the collegiate record for consecutive victories.  Ryan was caught in a good souplex, but was tough on bottom and refused to allow the gut.  After they returned to their fee, Kyler again locked up on Ryan, but Ryan stayed out of the danger position, conceding the 1 pt takedown.  This time, he couldn't stop the gut, which Kyler followed with a tilt, then finished the match with a front 1/4 nelson for a final score of 0-10.  - Juby

Match 983 - Eric Luedke kept the action hot as he battled a foe from Pennsylvania.  The scoring started with Eric countering a throw for a 2-point takedown.  Back to their feet where Luedke tried an arm-spin but was unsuccessful.  The competitor from the Keystone state ended the period strong with a 1-point takedown and a 2-point gut to take the 3 – 2 lead.  The match ended quickly as Eric countered a throw by securing a fall with a head and arm.  Luedke marches on in this second session of Cadet Greco.  - Hinderliter

Match 1003 - Ross Taplin began the match cautiously, feeling out his opponent for the first 30 seconds.  Then, he used what he'd learned to lock up on his opponent and throw him to his back for the fall.  - Juby

Match 1012 - The action began at a furious pace as Thomas “T-Bone” Rhodes took to the mat against an opponent from Florida.  After his opponent scored a 3-point throw Rhodes returned the favor one of his own, a nicely executed gut wrench had him up 5-3.  There is one certainty in the Greco competition and that is that a match can turn around at any moment.  Such was the case as the Floridian scored a takedown and ended the match by a fall with a sweet high gut back arch to quickly close Rhodes down in his pursuit of a Greco medal.  - Hinderliter

Match 1111 - I arrived at this match with 30 seconds remaining in the first period, and Aaron Bingham down 0-3.  Aaron had a chance to score before the end of the period, but wasn't able to get the turn.  Back on their feet with only a few seconds before the halfway mark, Aaron was tossed in a 5-point throw.  In the second period, he was caught off-guard as his opponent charged into him, knocking him back into the danger position to end the match 0-10.  - Juby

The following is a reporting of several individual matches.  Randy and I hope you enjoy them!

Matches #13 & #42 - The action started a little slow for the Sunflower wrestlers in Greco competition.  Nathan Deel from Baldwin and Brady Lamar of Silver Lake both lost their matches.  Deel by a Tech Fall and Lamar by fall.  - Hinderliter

Match #31 - Jacob Ashpole began in a tough position, as his opponent secured a front headlock early in the match.  Jacob stayed tough, however, and refused to be turned.  After he successfully fought back to his feet, he was then caught in a headlock, which he rolled though back to his feet, giving up 3 points.  He was then caught off-balance and driven backwards, giving up 3+1 pts.  Jacob ultimately lost in a 0-12 tech fall.  - Juby

Match #47 - Eric Luedke's match did not begin much better than Jacob's.  After a call of passivity, Eric's opponent turned him with a gut, taking a 2-0 lead.  After returning to his feet, Eric was able to end the first period with the lead, after he used a duck-under to score 3+1.  In the second period, Eric scored a takedown from a front headlock, then scored another takedown when he countered an arm-spin.  He then scored the final two points of the match when he drove his opponent's back towards the mat, winning 8-2.  - Juby

Match #76 - Things looked hopeful for Clay Centers’ Danny Grater as a trapped arm throw had him ahead of his Michigan opponent 3 – 0.  The Wolverine returned the favor to make it 3 – 3.  Now on top the Michigan youngster showed a command of gut wrenches to take an 11 – 3 lead as the first period came to a close.  Grater fought valiantly but to no avail as in the second period he loss by a fall.  - Hinderliter

Match #100 - Ross Taplin began the tournament with a solid victory.  His first points came from a counter to an arm-spin for a 1 pt takedown, which he tried to capitalize on with a gut wrench.  The gut was unsuccessful, but the action took them out-of-bounds.  From the par terre position, Ross tried the gut again, this time successfully.  The first period ended with Ross leading 3-0.  The second period continued the trend of the first, except that Ross was using attacks instead of counters.  A high dive was converted into a duck-under for a takedown, which he capitalized on with a gut wrench.  Ross aggressively attempted to hold his opponent in the danger position for the 5-second count, which led to his opponent's only point as he countered Ross for a reversal.  Twice near the end of the match, his opponent tried to cut into Ross' 6-1 lead with strong attempts at a headlock, but Ross held tough and refused to be turned.  - Juby

Match #177 - Luke Halford got off to a tough start in this match, giving up a takedown and subsequent gut wrench to go behind 0-3.  After fighting off any additional points from the mat, Luke retuned to his feet, but lost a point when he allowed himself to be driven out-of-bounds.  Since this put him back down in par terre, his opponent capitalized on the opportunity with a 2 pt gut wrench, followed by a 3 pt throw and additional back point, defeating Luke by a 10-0 tech fall.  - Juby

Match #181 - The first period of Adam Monk's match was very close, with only one point scored.  That point was earned by Adam's opponent due to a fleeing the mat call.  Unfortunately, Adam successfully hit a throw at the edge of the mat at the very instant that the call was being made.  The second period did not go Adam's way, either.  After allowing his opponent to get a position of advantage on the mat, Adam fought to avoid the takedown, but lost 3 pts after his opponent used the scramble to take Adam to the mat in the danger position.  Adam scored after that on a takedown, but lost the final 3 points in the match when he was unsuccessful in trying to use a whizzer counter to throw his opponent.  Final score 1-7.  - Juby

Match #298 - Aaron Bingham of Burlingame started of with a one-point takedown followed by another to close the 1st period with a 2 – 0 lead.  Bingham began to dominate the action with a 3rd takedown and then ended his mat time with 45 seconds left with a throw and a touch fall.  - Hinderliter

Match #307 - Andrew Carrillo found a tough opponent in this match against whom he was unable to score.  After giving up a 2 pt takedown, Andrew gave up another point on a leg foul.  His opponent capitalized on his position on the mat by scoring another 2 pts using a high gut.  Back on their feet, Andrew was hit with a big loss when he was caught with a head-lock for 3+1 pts.  The match was finished when his opponent again using a high gut for 2+1 pts, defeating Andrew by a 12-0 score.  - Juby

Match #320  - Topeka's Tanner Gardner opened his part of this Greco tourney with a dominant victory.  Two one-pointers and a gut wrench had Gardner ahead 4 – 0 at the end of the first period. A nice throw lead to a fall with 46 seconds left in the 2nd period.  - Hinderliter

Match #353 - An inability to recover from a little bad luck cost Charles Knox, Jr. the victory in this match.  Charles held a slim 2 pt. lead at the end of the first period, coming off of two takedowns scored from a duck-under.  He started out the second period with another successful takedown using that same duck-under, but an error by the officials and table workers resulted in the period being restarted.  Charles' opponent took advantage of the situation, scoring a 3+1 takedown, followed by a 2 pt back exposure.  Charles closed the lead with another takedown, but could not score any further points.  After giving up a final takedown in the closing seconds, Charles lost a tough 3-7 decision.  - Juby

Match #414  - Jacob Ashpole looked like he had an appointment to keep in this one as he made quick work of his opponent.  He began the scoring with a single-point takedown and followed that up with a gut wrench.  Ashpole secured the win with a nice turn to a pin.  - Hinderliter

Match #424 - Sometimes a match will end before you realize it's really started.  This was the case with Brady LaMar, as he was caught in the initial seconds of the match with an arm-spin.  Brady's quick attempt at a counter fizzled as he was caught on his back for a quick pin.  - Juby

Match #443 - Danny Grater began this match ahead of his opponent 4-0.  For the first takedown he sagged out of a head and arm for one point.  He moved quickly, scoring a two-point gut wrench.  Back to their feet, where Grater again sagged his way out of the head and arm for the takedown.  This time there was no turn.  But his competition was nothing but persistent.  Grater was unable to sag his way out, as his opponent got the fall with 27 seconds left.  - Hinderliter

Match #498 - Unhappy with his earlier loss, Thomas Rhodes schooled his opponent to the final score of 13-0.  He scored with a series of beautiful throws and gut wrenches, a truly dominant performance by “T-Bone.”  - Hinderliter

Match #639 - David Holloway got a slow start in this match, giving up 2 pts after being countered when trying a belly-to-belly throw from an double underhook.  He fell behind an additional 2+1 pts when his opponent used his position of advantage to score from a high gut.  After giving up a second high gut in the second period, David attempted a comeback with a 3 pt headlock throw, but was reversed as he tried to capitalize on his position.  Although he received the final point, via a leg foul, it wasn't enough to stop his 4-8 loss.  - Juby

Match #696 - Abeline's Jake Kriegbaum ended his competition in Greco with a 3 – 2 overtime loss.  Kreigbaum was ahead 2-0 to end the first period but his opponent came back to tie it up, sending the match to the clinch.  Jake looked to have the win but lost his grip giving his opponent the win.  - Hinderliter

Match #737 - I arrived at this match to find Charles Knox Jr. ahead, 6-3 at the end of the first period.  The second began with “Toast” scoring a nice duck-under and a nice trapped-arm gut. Final score of this match, 10-4.  - Hinderliter

Match #775 - Eric Luedke clearly was the better man in this bout.  He flat wore his competition out, with a series of very nice gut wrenches.  Final score, 10-0.  - Hinderliter

Match #821 - Although  it was a tough, physical match, Thomas Rhodes was clearly the dominant wrestler in this match.  Back on their feet after Thomas scored first with a takedown, he took advantage of his opponent's aggressiveness by locking up on his body while being bull rushed, then executing a nice back arch to score a 3 pt throw.  He added to his lead with a 2 pt gut, but gave up his first point when he opponent gained a reversal.  The score at the end  of the first period was 7-1 after Thomas scored a final takedown from a slide-by.  In the second period, Thomas gave up a second point on a fleeing the mat call, but regained the point with a takedown, followed by a 2 pt gut.  Thomas attempted to end in style when he executed a very pretty belly-to-belly souplex, but his opponent was able to turn enough to avoid giving up more than a 1 pt takedown.  Thomas then iced the match with a 2 pt gut, winning with a 13-2 tech fall.  - Juby

Match #889 - Kyle Hill learned a little more about gut wrenches during this match.  After losing a takedown, Kyle was gutted out-of-bounds.  Restarting in the par terre position, Kyle lost another 2 pt gut wrench, then gave up a point to a gut tilt.  After gaining the tilt point, his opponent executed a third successful gut wrench, ending the period with an 8-0 lead.  The second period ended at the first began, as Kyle lost 1 pt to a takedown and a final 2 pts to a (any guesses?) gut wrench.  - Juby

Match #907 - Ryan Parks kept his Greco-Roman dreams alive, and advanced to Session II, with a victory in this match.  Ryan scored first with a takedown, then increased his lead to 4-0 with a throw.  The points became moot, however, when his next throw resulted in a fall.  - Juby

Match #923 - Charles Knox, Jr. made this match, the final Kansas match of the session, way too interesting!  After losing 2 pts when his attempt at a headlock was countered, he really fell into a hole when he gave up a 3 pt throw.  He closed the gap before the end of the first period when he using a duck-under to attempt a throw, but had to settle for a 1 pt takedown.  In the second period, he gained the initiative with a takedown from a duck-under, followed by a 3 pt throw of  his own, to tie the match at 5 all.  It all seemed in vain, however, when he lost a 1 pt takedown and 2 pt high gut.  With only seconds remaining, and trailing by 3 pts, Charles countered his opponent's body attack with a snake, tossing him to his back and securing a fall.  - Juby

We’re actually staying on the campus of North Dakota State University and what a campus it is. The facilities are awesome! The Fargodome is ideally suited for this type of event but the amenities go well beyond anything that I would have predicted. Except for one minor thing … the dorms lack air-conditioning. But, were not up here on vacation, were here to wrestle. And in the words of Mills Lane … “let’s get it on!” - Hinderliter