Mike Garcia, Junior Director
Ed Edison, Women's Director
Tom Peterman, Cadet Director
Jason Blanding
Brooke Bogren
Shawn Bunch
Dennis Charbonneau
Austin DeVoe
Richard Fergola
Russ Hermreck
Jacob Marquardt
Jarrod Ogden
Jason Ogden
Chad Parks
Scott Rieck
Kenny Taylor, Jr.
Chas Thompson
Beau Vest

It was a pleasure to be able to work with the kids and coaches at this year's championships. Also, I'd like to recognize the work performed by our Kansas officials at Fargo. On the mat were Mark Anderson and Charles Knox, and working at the pairings table were Sheryl Anderson, Marcie Altman, and Cherie Elvin  Without these volunteers, and hundreds of others from around the country, this event would not be possible.

Sheryl Anderson reached the top level for U.S. pairings officials, receiving her P1E certification.  Sheryl also undertook the duties of supervising the pairings officials at the National Championships.  Congratulations, Sheryl!

The medal round for the Juniors will be starting shortly.  With this post, I am closing up the computer (which is the only thing currently not packed), and getting ready for the trip home after the conclusion of the Junior medal matches.  Hopefully, we'll have victories from Joseph Cornejo and Neil Erisman, along with a good match from Nick Shumate and Donny Altman when they meet each other in the 5th place match.  Sometime after I get home (and catch up on lots of sleep), I will post a final report; in the meantime, you can get all of the tournament news from themat.com - or just look on the Wrestling Talk forum for Richard Salyer's posts!!

Altman #2203
It was Donny Altman's turn in the barrel for his match against a foe from Minnesota.  And such as Shumate, Donny found the competition pretty stiff.  Altman ends up losing by a score of 0-10.

Cornejo #2218
In a match up of undefeated wrestlers, Joseph Cornejo would battle Matt Dragon of Pennsylvania, and this battle would be a war.  Both wrestlers were battling for position and Coach Martin of the Granby school was watching from the wings.  Suddenly, Joseph did a granby roll and held Dragon in peril for a 2+1 takedown.  Dragon did fight off his back and gained the reversal.  In neutral, Dragon scored one on a takedown to close out the period.  Cornejo was ahead, 3-2.  The second period began and Dragon scored a takedown and scored again on a 2+1 trapped arm.  This time it was Joseph's turn to scored the reversal and he was wrenching on the arm when the referee stopped the action as potentially dangerous.  In the final 20 seconds it was Dragon securing the takedown before giving up the reversal.  Cornejo suffers a loss in this bout, 5-7.

In the medal round later today, Joseph Cornejo will compete for the 3rd place finish in the 145 lb division, while Neil Erisman will try to win his 7th place match at 160 lbs.  The 5th place match in the 112 lb division will feature an all-Kansas slate, as Nick Shumate will wrestle Donny Altman in what is sure to be a tough duel between the two teammates.

Caylor #1687
Cole Caylor had wrestled well in this tournament so far but found himself trailing a foe from Ohio early. The Buckeye scored another takedown when Cole reversed him to his back and stuck him! A dramatic, come from behind win for Cole Caylor.

Shumate #1765
An opponent from California would offer little threat to Nick Shumate. Nick opened with a single point takedown and used 3 consecutive trapped-arm-guts and three hold in peril for the tech fall.

Altman #1773
The competitor from Wisconsin was very feisty, as twice he was in deep on the leg. The Badger nearly had exposed Donny Altman’s back while attempting to secure the takedown but Donny weaseled his was out of peril and scored points of his own. From the upper position, there was little the Badger would do to prevent the turn. Altman wins by a 12-1 tech fall.

DeShazer #1811
An opponent from Maryland did a great job early avoiding Tristen DeShazer’s bread-and-butter move. In fact the Terrapin held the lead 1-6 in the first when Tristen hit his head-and-arm. DeShazer won by fall with 0.06 seconds left in the first period.

Cornejo #1848
It truly is amazing how many times Joseph Cornejo has faced Brandon Sitch. Sitch a few years ago beat Joseph in his first Greco match of this tournament. Joseph then won 18 matches in a row, to finish Greco and into the finals of Freestyle, where he met, and defeated, Brandon Sitch. This year, Joseph lost to Sitch in Greco and is facing him in Freestyle in this match. In the early going, it looked like Sitch had Joseph figured out. He used the takedown and 2-point gut to take the 0-3 first period lead. In the second stanza, Sitch scored a 3-point takedown to start pulling away. Sitch was in again on the shot but this time, Cornejo applied the Snake and put Sitch to his back. After taking a few adjustments to get it tight, Cornejo secured the fall in 4.35. It was a truly amazing and dramatic victory.

Chenoweth #1885
The opponent was from Florida but he was far from a fish as he earned a technical superiority fall over Curtis Chenoweth. A bit of a rib injury seemed to slow Curtis down in this bout and he lost, 1-11.

Shumate #1910
Excellent par terre skills is my book on Nick Shumate. He demonstrated those skills in his bout with Indiana. Nick used a simple takedown and a series of high guts to open a commanding lead. Then to finish off the Hoosier, he turned and held him with a chicken wing.

DeShazer #1959
Sometimes, when a wrestler that has a lot of physical talents, competes against one that is a true technician, you can see the obvious differences. Tristen DeShazer is a fantastic wrestler and can be very explosive. But sometimes, your moves are not going to present themselves and one who has tons of tools can humble you. Such was the case when DeShazer faced Joe Slaton from Iowa. One is always on the edge of their seat when Tristen is wrestling but Joe Slaton would control the bout. Slaton wins, 0-11.

Cornejo #1985
While I’m speaking of controlling a match that is exactly what Joseph Cornejo did in his bout with a competitor from Iowa. Joseph was in complete control when he sank the Snake and earned the pin.

Erisman #2005
I’m sure the level of competition had something to do with Neil Erisman’s performance today. We have grown accustomed or maybe it’s spoiled by Erisman dominance. Neil opened up a 7-1 lead on a wrestler from Idaho but after that the match got a bit dicey for the local. The Spud closed with 3 consecutive takedowns. Erisman wins, 7-4.

Shumate #2041
Texas would be the home state of Nick Shumate’s next foe. Shumate sent the Texan packing for home as he earned the first period tech fall.

DeShazer #2061
In this match, Tristen DeShazer would need to battle back from a 0-3 deficit. Tristen would even the score but would trail by 1 at the intermission. DeShazer gave up a takedown and an ankle lace in the second, to his foe from Illinois, to trail 3-6. DeShazer was trying to toss the Illini but managed to score on a 1-point takedown. Unfortunately this loss means Tristen DeShazer is once again, one match short, of All American status.

Cornejo #2076
A flurry of activity occurred early in the match and Joseph Cornejo came out on the short end of a 3/2 exchange. But the lead for the Californian would be short lived. Cornejo used a 2-point takedown and a hold in peril before he earned the fall in 1.28.

Erisman #2088
People have been talking about this rematch for several weeks. Travis Hammond from Illinois is the 2005 high school national champ. Neil Erisman of Kansas defeated him twice in the 2005 Junior Dual Championships. The bout started with both trying to penetrate the defenses of the other. Twice, Neil was in deep on the single leg but couldn’t secure the takedown before the action went out-of-bounds. Erisman was charged with being passive first and in the complimentary call, Hammond was next. But the difference was Erisman scored on his opportunity. The second period began and Hammond showed real quickness in gaining a takedown. From neutral Erisman scored with a great snap and hustle for a takedown. But Hammond maneuvered for what would be a difference maker in the match, earning the reversal. The time was getting short and with 21 seconds to go in the match, it was Hammond earning the winning takedown. Erisman loses, 2-3.

Shumate #2120
Illinois would provide a stern test for Nick Shumate in this match up of undefeated wrestlers. It was looking dismal for Nick as he was trailing by a 0-8 count late in the first. Nick did score a deuce on a takedown before the intermission. After, Nick scored a single but Illini scored a triple on a takedown. Nick managed a bit of offense but could not get the defense going. Shumate loses, 6-12.

Erisman #2154
Neil Erisman jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first period to take control in this match but it was early. Neil was in deep twice and gave up the spin behind each time. Neil shot again and this time gave up the 2-point crotch lift to tie the score. With 15 seconds in the match Erisman gave up another takedown and lost by the score of 4-5.

Cadets

Furches
5th place match - 98 lbs
New Jersey would provide the competition for Nathan Furches. It was the Jersey boy earning the first point as Nathan was charged with fleeing under attack. Earning his feet with good gut defense Furches scored a deuce on one crotch lift and several seconds later, scored another two. The lead was 4-2 going into the next frame and Furches scored a 2-pointer to make the final score, 6-2. I’m sure Derby High is looking forward to this incoming Freshman this next school year. He exhibits top notch wrestling skills and even better skills as a person. Nathan Furches is our first double All-American this year.

Ely
5th place match - 112 lbs
Our second double All-American of the 2005 National Championships is Aaron Ely. This young man is also a class act; his parents, Leavenworth, and the State of Kansas can be proud. Aaron Ely truly had to earn this victory against a competitor from Wisconsin. This match was in doubt until a takedown by Ely with less than 20 seconds left in the match. Aaron Ely earns 5th place in Greco and in Freestyle!

Women

Mercer #24
In her opening bout of the tournament Emma Mercer faced a gal from Texas. The Texas gal did not treat her too kindly as she pinned Emma at 2.16.

Engel #46
Chandra Engel was performing well against an opponent from Montana. Engel secured a 3-point takedown and later scored a single but then the gal from Big Sky country opened up. Engel’s opponent scored a deuce on a takedown and a single on hand-to-hand gut to pull close. This match seesawed to close the first and to start the second. But suddenly Chandra was on her back, fighting. She gave up the fall at 4.58.

Ward #110
Regina Ward’s trip to Fargo may not have been too pleasant but we all hope she takes the trip as a learning experience. Regina was pinned by her opponent from Illinois.

Bowser #148
Illinois provided the next combatant for Libby Bowser. Bowser was taken down twice before she was victimized the barbed wire. Libby was pinned in 1.13.

Engel #191
Chandra Engel obviously has some offensive skills but may need to improve her counter wrestling to take the next step. Chandra battles but loses by the score of 2-13.

Leak #201
Cherasa Leak had moments of brilliance but also had moments where her lack of mat time was very evident. Leak scores several but gives up several as she loses, 7-14.

For many of the ladies on the 2005 team, Fargo is perhaps only the second, real mat experience they’ve had. The team shows signs that they are working hard, learning technique, and showing signs of the necessary aggressiveness. Their biggest hurdle is getting mat time. They need practice and competition time. And to that end, I swear that I will do my part to get more of our young ladies involved.

There are four Juniors still in competition, all of whom should end up as All-Americans.  Neil Erisman suffered two close, tough decisions.  It looks like he will place 4th in his pool, and will wrestle tomorrow in the 7th place match.  Still undefeated is Joseph Cornejo, who will have at least one more match tomorrow to determine his place in the pool.  Donny Altman and Nick Shumate each have one loss, but appear to have locked up a spot on the awards stand.

We will post more information later after the Cadet medal round.

Andrus #1975
If Stephen Andrus won this match, he would be guaranteed a second All American status. But as I said previously, just because you’ve taken a loss, doesn’t mean you won’t draw the defending National Champion and that is exactly who Stephen drew. Andrus could do little to slow down the Buckeye’s offense. Stephen takes the 0-10 loss.

Furches #1997
This would be a tight battle for Nathan Furches and his match up with Pennsylvania. In the first period, Nathan was charged with passivity but fended off any attempts. The period ended scoreless so it was on to the clinch. Pennsylvania won the flip and locked first. After both received an attention warning they finally were locked up. Nathan exploited the position for the first takedown and quickly locked up a 2-point gut. A takedown in the last 15 seconds would narrow the lead but Furches wins, 3-1.

Ely #2004
I would arrive at this match in progress to find Aaron Ely in a great deal of trouble in his match against Colorado. He was behind at the break, 0-8 and as the 2nd started Ely quickly gave up the winning, 0-11 margin.

Furches #2047
This would be a dramatic and close match for Nathan Furches. Nathan scored on the Buckeye with an early takedown. After a good battle the Buckeye scored a single to even things. The second frame began with a supreme battle … neither of the competitors willing to give an inch. The clock was winding down and it appeared the match would go to overtime where I really liked our odds. With less than 15 seconds to go, Nathan had a crossface and a whizzer and was trying to step over an ankle. Finally he did capture the ankle and was moving behind his opponent, when suddenly the Buckeye transitioned Nathan’s move into his own scoring move. He caught Furches on his back and held him there to gain a 2+1 and the final score was, 1-4.

Erisman #916
It would take all of 40 seconds for Neil Erisman to score 10 points and shut out his Georgia opponent.

Caylor #938
Cole Caylor would match his abilities with a foe from South Dakota. Caylor would use a 3-point crotch life, a 2+1 gut, an ankle lace for 2, and a trapped arm gut for a 2+1 to earn the 13-3 decision.

Chenoweth #939
The takedown artist, Curtis Chenoweth, painted a true masterpiece in this bout against a spud from Idaho. Curtis even threw in a 5-pointer for the crowd.

Bartlett #968
Dustin Bartlett would find the hospitality of Illinois to be contrary to his liking. Bartlett did score a reversal but ended up getting pinned in 2.10.

Shumate  #1091
It took Nick Shumate, 1 minute and 11 seconds to earn the technical superiority call on a foe from Nebraska.

Flynn #1261
Notching the winning column would be Sean Flynn in his bout with Alaska. Sean gave up a few points but scored a bunch before he earned the fall with 20 seconds left in the first period.

Cornejo #1302
Continuing his march would be Joseph Cornejo as he was pitted against Illinois. True domination would best describe Cornejo’s efforts in this match as he earned the fall in 1.14.

Mahan #1320
Ohio provided the competition in this bout with Matt Mahan. And the competition would be a bit tough for Mahan. Matt lost the match, 0-11.

Erisman #1372
If you thought it might serve Neil Erisman well to get a close match in today, your wishes came true! New Jersey provided a pretty stern test and it was the Jersey boy taking the early, 0-1, lead. In fact after several near scoring maneuvers on each of their parts, the score sheet still showed, 0-1, as the first drew to a close. As the whistle blew to start the second, both wrestlers were attacking and countering the other. Then suddenly Erisman hit a lateral drop for a 3+1 technique. Later, the Jersey boy was trying valiantly to score and slipped on a throw attempt. Neil capitalized on this picking up two for a trapped arm gut. With about 10 seconds to go, Neil was in on a shot but decided to give up 1-point. Erisman wins, 6-2!

Edison #1383
We saw a spark of the true talent Jarrett Edison has in this match with a Hoosier. Edison showed explosiveness and quickness as he built a 12-1 victory.

Leroy #1468
I has impressed with Ethan Leroy and his next bout with Idaho. He jockeyed for the position on his opponent and hit with a fantastic lateral. He gained a 3+1 for his efforts before he earned the fall, 0.46 seconds into the match.

The 2005 edition of the Juniors Freestyle tourney opened with 1,149 competitors representing 46, Puerto Rico, and this year, Okinawa.

Price #35
First up for the Sunflowers was Nathan Price. In his match up with Montana, Nathan might have been a bit starry eyed. The Montana lad scored the first period tech fall.

DeShazer #122
Nevada would throw the dice and try their luck with Tristen DeShazer. But for Nevada, the dice would show goose eggs as Tristen DeShazer scored the second period pin.

Flynn #209
Early on in this match Sean Flynn did hold a lead over his opponent from New Jersey. Unfortunately, that one point was the last point Sean would score. The boy from Jersey went on to score 14 unanswered points.

Cornejo #249
This match would pit Joseph Cornejo against one of the Gutches boys from Oregon. This was a closely contested match with Cornejo scoring a single in both periods. Not having the necessary 3 tallies for the win, it was onto the “clinch.” Oregon locked first but Joseph Cornejo expertly exploited the position for a takedown and the 3-0 win.

Erisman #332
I know that some of you follow the national chat pages and in fact a few of you are frequent contributors. For the last few weeks, the name, Neil Erisman, has been touted as the man to watch in this classification. Neil flashed the form that has many people talking in his tech fall of a wrestler from Florida.

Chenoweth #360
Curtis Chenoweth would place his skills in the circle against a chap from Missouri. Chenoweth’s takedown skills are known as far North as Chapman, Kansas but maybe Fargo, North Dakota will learn of his prowess. Curtis scored with a variety of moves including a monkey roll and a monkey flip to build the victorious score of 16-5.

Edison #422
I joined Jarrett Edison’s match in progress at the intermission. Jarrett was trailing a foe from Washington, 2-3. Those of us, who have watched Jarrett wrestle, recognize him as potentially one of the most talented wrestlers in the State. But, potential doesn’t score points. It was Washington scoring late on a sweet inside trip, putting Edison on his back. Jarrett loses, 2-8.

Hardy #466
I also joined this match in progress with Jesse Hardy trailing a Jersey boy at the break, by the score of 1-2. But the score wouldn’t be close much longer. The Jersey boy opened up a can on Jesse and put the match away, 1-12.

Leroy #491
Trailing early in the match to a wrestler from Washington, Ethan Leroy would need to make a sterling comeback. Ethan Leroy was pure silver as he did come back! In fact he came back and won this bout by fall.

Rein #518
Sometimes you don’t get the chance to spend much time on the mat and that was the case as Matt Rein wrestled an opponent from Oregon. Unfortunately, Matt found himself looking at the lights but it was over in 21 seconds.

Shumate #548
Not spending much more time on the mat was Nick Shumate. Fortunately, it was Nick gaining the tech fall against New Jersey.

Bahe #613
Brett Bahe needed a win to stay alive in his 2005 trip to Fargo. He was in the ring with a Buckeye. Late in the second period the match was still in doubt with Brett holding the slight, 4-3 lead. With about 30 seconds left in the match it was the Buckeye nearly scoring on the lateral but Bahe turned into a move for him. Bahe earned 3+1 and secured the fall!

Nothern #661
Scoring on a slick fireman’s carry, it was Nick Nothern taking the early 3 point lead against an opponent from Colorado. Again it was Nick scoring a takedown but in scoring on that move, Nick banged his ear and had to require a bit of medical attention. All patched up, Nick again was back to the offense, scoring 2 on the bow-and-arrow. The second period began with Nothern scoring a deuce of the takedown but this time Nick needed the Medic for a wound to the forehead. Good to go, Nick returned to his all-ahead style. The Colorado lad did manage to score on a crotch lift but all that did was make the final score somewhat respectable. Nothern wins, 8-2!

Baker #723
It’s been a while since I’ve expounded on just how tough this tournament is. I figure now, in Tyler Baker’s loss, it would be an excellent time to get out the soapbox. In this tourney, as well as several National level events, a local wrestler can go 0-2 or 0-4 and be sent packing for home. Only in Freestyle or Greco tourneys can you lose one match and have a tougher match, perhaps against the National champ, the next round.

Sometimes we get in our own little world, within the borders of Kansas, and really have no clue how truly tough the outside wrestling world is.

Yes, at times I toot the Kansas Wrestling horn but I don’t toot it too loud, for fear of waking the beast. I know this; the Kansas boys have to get to have their Triple A game to compete at this level (it doesn’t help when some of our top wrestlers stayed home, but that’s a different discussion).

Tyler Baker is a very accomplished wrestler! But this wasn’t his week.

Cornejo #817
Joseph Cornejo appears to be on top of his game as he dispatched a wrestler from Montana in fairly short order.

The Kansas Women's Junior Dual Team will be wrestling Wisconsin for 7th place in the first ever Women's Dual tournament.

Caldwell #61
I joined the match at the intermission and with Tyler Caldwell leading an opponent from Pennsylvania 6-5. In the second, he kept on the offense rolling, opening up a lead and a final score of 13-6.

Reeb #122
Zach Reeb scored first on a snap-and-spin and that was the only tally in the first period. He scored on a slide by and a 2-point gut to take a 4-0 lead. His opponent from Minnesota would finally mark the board with a takedown and received another point on a caution. The Gopher scored 2 more on a gut to tie the score and back in the neutral position; the Gopher secured the winning takedown for the 4-5 loss for Reeb.

Fisher #133
In his first match of this phase, Brent Fisher probably would have selected a different opponent that the lad who won this years Cadet Greco. But Brent didn’t have that choice as his foe was from Nebraska. Fisher looked up to the challenge in the early going, taking the lead on a nice single leg. But in the second period, Brent ended up on bottom in par terre and 3 consecutive trapped arm guts for 2+1. Final score, 1-12.

Noblet #170
Trailing an opponent from Florida by the score 0-5, Matt Noblet looked to be behind the eight ball. Time was running down and with less than 20 seconds Matt scored 3-points on a fireman’s carry and with 6 seconds to go gutted the Floridian and pressed his shoulders to the mat to gain the fall. A dramatic win for Matt Noblet.

Koehn #234
Derek Koehn would trail his foe from Idaho by 9. With about 15 seconds left he mounted a valiant charge, with a 2-point reversal and a 2-point gut, but came up short. Koehn loses, 4-9.

Edison #244
An opponent from Indiana was matched against Jordan Edison in this round of the tournament. Three times, Jordan was in deep on a double leg, but was victimized by a crotch lift each time. Edison loses, 4-9.

Elliott #331
Scott Elliott made very quick work of an opponent from Minnesota. Scott only took 44 seconds to score the necessary 10 points.

Cotton #354
Not to be outdone, Romero Cotton teched a wrestler from Washington in slightly more than a minute.

Squire #414
California would provide the competition for Artie Squire. Artie would have fight out of a hole as the West Coaster opened up an early 0-4 lead. Squire managed a takedown but was again the Coaster picking up 3 more points before Artie scored a single. This would be the way the entire match went and Squire loses, 5-13.

Newson #447
It was a heart breaking overtime loss for Derek Newson in his match with Oklahoma. The Sooner had a 5-8 lead going into the final 10 seconds of regulation but Derek scored a single and a deuce on a gut to tie it up. In overtime, both wrestlers fought of good attempts but finally it was scored for the Sooner.

Hase #517
Iowa would provide the opponent for Collin Hase and the competition would be formidable. An early Iowa takedown followed by a series of ankle laces and trapped arm guts would be all the Iowan needed to secure the 0-10 win.

Furches #539
It was short work for Nathan Furches as he was in the circle with a New Yorker. The time in the ring was slightly less than 1 ½ minutes before Nathan had won the match, 11-0!

Ely #608
It was Pennsylvania’s turn for Aaron Ely in this 112-pound match up. And it took roughly 112 minutes for Aaron to secure the tech fall with his final move being a real sweet ankle pick.

Tanenbaum #670
A spirited battle with a foe from Illinois would be next for Jake Tanenbaum. It was the Illini scoring first, tallying 3 point on an arm spin. But Jake quickly reversed that and scored a 2-point gut to knot the score. It was the Illini’s turn, managing a 2-point takedown to close out the first. Jake scored a single on a double leg to open the second and then scored with a 2-point gut. From neutral Tanenbaum was defending well, using a 3-point crotch lift and a 2-point monkey roll. The Illini did make it interesting using a 1-point takedown and a 3-point head-and-arm to make the final score, 11-9.

Fisher #701
It was short work for Brent Fisher is his match with Washington. Brent scored the 10-0 tech fall in 1.33.

Almaguer #751
Adam Almaguer was taken out of the match early as his foe from Alabama started off his a blast double off of the opening whistle, and never looked back. Alabama secured the tech fall, 0-10.

Hill #965
New Jersey would be the home of Joel Hill’s opponent, and Jersey would not be very hospitable. Joel didn’t score any points but did gain a wealth of experience. We look forward to Joel Hill being a team member next year.

Caldwell #1040
We travel to New York for Tyler Caldwell’s next opponent. Both wrestlers were battling for position early and the first passivity was charged to Tyler. The New Yorker didn’t score and found himself earning the next passivity. Caldwell couldn’t earn the tilt either and they were back on their feet with only seconds remaining in the first period. It appeared as though a clinch was imminent but a head-and-arm with 3 seconds gave the New Yorker the first period lead. As the second began, Tyler scored 2-points on the takedown and gained a single later in the period as his opponent fled the mat under attack. In overtime, Tyler again was victimized by the 3-point effort by New York.

Flynn #1072
Nick Flynn had a real war on his hands as he faced a warrior from New York. The first period was scoreless and New York got to clinch first. Kansas won another clinch as the Yorker broke his lock. The score was 1-0 as Nick was booked for passivity. The New Yorker used a side headlock to score 3-points and with the clock ticking down to 8 seconds it looked bleak for Flynn. They were back on their feet and Nick had one chance and he capitalized. Nick tossed him for 3 and for good measure, scored 2 more on a gut. Flynn wins, 6-3.

Napier #1114
It was a Sooner scoring early on C.J. Napier. The Sooner scored on a variety of takedowns as C.J. looked about a step slower than the Okie. The score was 0-7 in the second and C.J. decided to make a charge. Napier scored the last 3 takedowns in the match but couldn’t earn any bonus points. Napier loses, 4-7.

Isenberg #1166
It was Aldon Isenberg all the way in this bout with a wrestler from Maine. Aldon hit a pair of 3+1 head-and-arms to build the victory, 14-3.

Elliott #1223
Scott Elliott would tally with a 2-point and a 3-point crotch lift on his foe from Illinois. Those maneuvers coupled with 4 takedowns would build a victory at 11-1.

McCormick #1312
The smallest guy on the team may have the biggest heart, and Nathan McCormick displayed that heart in his match up with Pennsylvania. In this match the competitors battled back and forth and neither had a substantial lead. Late in the match the score was 11-10 before Nathan reverse his foe and secured the fall!

Furches #1333
Iowa would not stand in the way of Nathan Furches and his march to double All American status. Nathan used a couple of takedowns and a few tilts and turns to earn the tech fall.

Henes #1402
A wrestler from Missouri would offer the competition for Phillip Henes in his next bout. Henes was controlled in this match from the beginning as the Showme won, 2-13. This was Phillip’s second loss of this tourney but Kansas was represented well by this fine young man.

Cotton #1486
Washington state would be the home of Romero Cotton’s next opponent. It would be all Washington in the early going, as he opened a 3-point lead. It would be all Romero late, as he knotted the score at 3. In overtime the competitors launched a superb battle and the war was finally earned on a great counter to Romero’s takedown attempt. Cotton loses, 3-4.

It was about 8:00 pm on Wednesday evening and the fortunes of the home state boys was about to take a turn for the worse. Including the loses by Henes and Cotton, I was present and had a write up on 8 straight loses! First off there were loses by Alex Thomas, Nathan McCormick, and Jake Tanenbaum. Then there were defeats for Matt Noblet, Derek Koehn, and Stephen Andrus.

Not only were these loses, but all the rest were substantial beatings, except for the overtime loss by Romero Cotton and Stephen Andrus. Though I don’t mind reporting on a couple of defeats, 8-in-a-row might be more than I can handle!

I’ve spent about 6 weeks around a lot of these young men and in that time, I’ve gained a great deal of admiration for them. They always wrestle with their hearts … and sometimes with their heads … but one can ever question their heart!

Cornejo #1520
We didn’t know it at the time but the Kansas fortunes in the Junior division were about to take a turn for the worse. Joseph Cornejo was matched up with a chap from California. Joe was charged with passivity but defended the position very well. The period ended with no score. The flip of the disc had Cornejo locking first. After the first minute, neither wrestler had scored and according to the rules 1 point was awarded to the Californian. Later in the period Cornejo was charged again with passivity but again, defended the position. Regulation ended and the Bear locked first in the clinch. After a battle for position, Joseph broke his lock and the Bear was given another point, making it 0-2. A huge conference amongst the officials occurred but finally we got back to wrestling. Joseph was getting desperate and had the Bear locked up in an over-and-under. The wrestlers were nearing the out-of-bounds line and Joe hit a throw. In executing the throw, Joe did hit his back out-of-bounds but quickly arched and came out on top. The mat official offered points for one wrestler and the judge offered them for the other. As expected this led to another conference and the results were 2 points for the Bear. Cornejo loses, 0-4.

Perez #1563
Perhaps a victory by Larry Perez would take the bad taste out of my mouth but that wasn’t going to happen. His opponent from Minnesota would get the first chance in par terre as Perez was charged with passivity. The Gopher went for the reverse lift and scored 2 with it. Back on their feet, Perez was given the next opportunity in par terre and lifted the Gopher twice, earning a 3+1 for each effort. Perez led 8-2 as the period ended. The second stanza opened with the Gopher earning a 1-point takedown and a 2-point gut, which led the wrestlers out-of-bounds. In the center another 2-point gut closed the score to 8-7. On their feet it was a takedown followed by a gut for the Gopher and Larry trailed 8-10. Perez was losing confidence and eventually lost the match, 8-17. Unfortunately, this loss eliminated Perez from the tourney.

Cornejo #1577
Joseph Cornejo would be matched with a familiar foe in Brandon Sitch from Washington state. It’s not very often that I am critical of officials but it seemed as though the officiating was particularly suspect in this match. The trend of offering conflicting points continued throughout this match and even some neutral coaches in the area were stating their amazement at a few calls. Cornejo and Sitch are evenly matched opponents but Sitch won this battle, 3-8. This loss knocks Joseph Cornejo out.

98# Championship
This match would be a repeat of last year’s finals, as Nathan Furches would be pitted against Eric Grajales of Florida. It was Grajales on the board first scoring one point for the takedown. Grajales had the gut locked up but Furches stepped over for a 2-point reversal. Back in neutral, Grajales scored again with a takedown and this time secured the high gut for 2 and then 2 more. The period ended with Nathan trailing, 2-6. The second began and Grajales was still offensive, scoring a 1-point takedown and 2 on the trapped arm gut. Back to neutral and Furches was victimized by a head-and-arm for a 3+1. Nathan Furches loses the match, 2-13. But Nathan Furches is our first All American this year!

112# Fifth
In this bout we have Aaron Ely from Kansas and Chase Smith from Washington. The whistle sounded and while both wrestlers were battling neither was scoring. One of the goals of mat officials is to encourage scoring and they opted to give the first advantage of passivity to Ely. After Aaron couldn’t score the wrestlers were back to their feet and after a short time it was Smith receiving the opportunity. Smith capitalized on his chance, scoring 2 on the gut wrench. The second period found Ely securing a one-point takedown but couldn’t work the tilt. Regulation ended and Smith clinched first. Ely showed that practice breed’s confidence and quickly won the match with a 2-point takedown. Aaron Ely is an All American!

130# Fifth
This battle would pit the Kansan, Aldon Isenberg and a New Yorker, Donnie Vinson. A pair of head-and-arms and a couple of guts later and Aldon Isenberg would become the next Kansas All American!

135# Seventh
Derek Koehn would place his skills in the circle with Josh Roosa from Pennsylvania. In the early action, just as Roosa was about to be hit with a passivity, he scored a 1-point takedown on Koehn and quickly gutted him for 2. In the second, with Derek trailing 0-3, he would give another 1-point takedown but immediately scored a 2-point reversal. Koehn had lifted Roosa and was about to score when a leg foul occurred. The bout was tied at 4 and Koehn was trying for a turn but fell victim to Roosa’s reversal and a later takedown. Final score, 4-6. Derek Koehn is an All American, placing 8th.

152# 3rd
Iowa would have Grant Gambrall face Romero Cotton from Kansas. An early passivity call, during which Gambrall scored 2, would have Romero Cotton trailing. A takedown would close the bout as the period ended. With Cotton behind 1-2 he would manage another takedown for the tie. As regulation was about to end, Romero tried a throw and Gambrall ended up on top but fortunately, the throw was ruled a slip and it was on to overtime. Iowa clinched first but couldn’t capitalize on this advantage. Romero Cotton won the clinch, won the bout, won 3rd place, and won himself status as an All American!

215# 7th
Atticus Disney would have a match with Tyson Yoder from Oklahoma. Yoder took the early advantage in this bout with a 1-point takedown but when they got back to their feet it was Disney pulling ahead with a 3+1 head-and-arm. Atticus took the 4-1 lead into the second period. Yoder scored first but Disney reversed him for 2 to take the 6-2 lead. But Yoder’s 2-point reversal and a hand-to-hand gut closed the score to 6-5. With 0.16 seconds in regulation there was a flurry of action that led the wrestlers out-of-bounds. A conference at the table resulted in a 1-pont takedown for Yoder. Regulation ended and it was on to overtime. Disney tried the head-and-arm but slipped with no points awarded. Back to their feet, Atticus was charged with passivity but Yoder couldn’t turn him. On their feet again with 0.20 seconds remaining the Kansas coaches recognized that Atticus was not going to win this bout on criteria and communicated that info to him. Disney tried another head-and-arm and slipped. This time, however, Yoder was awarded 1-point for the takedown. Add the name, Atticus Disney, to the list of Kansas All Americans!

275# 7th
The match scheduled between Stephen Andrus and Andrew Peralta from Minnesota never occurred as Peralta had to injury default. Stephen Andrus wrestled well and earned his place as an All American!

The following is the first installment of all of today's action.  The second installment will be posted later:

Edison #1299
In this bout we have Jarrett Edison facing Louis Caputo from Missouri. Louis is the defending National Champion and is favored to win it again. This was a big hurdle for Jarrett and he was nearly up for the challenge. Caputo scored five points in the first period but would score no further. Edison did not score at all. Jarrett Edison loses, 0-5.

Altman #1350
When I first noticed Donny Altman was wrestling, he was trailing a foe from Indiana, 3-11 but that was about to change. Altman waged a furious charge back to take the lead at intermission, 15-11. With 1.03 left in the third, Donny threw the head-and-arm and connected and secured the fall.

Cornejo #1408
Joseph Cornejo was matched up against an opponent from Colorado. Joe opened the scoring with a single point takedown and later extended the lead with a 3-point throw. The period ended with Cornejo in control, 4-0, one would not figure those would be the last points Joe would score. Joe would hold on however, for the 4-3 victory.

Altman #1481
Donny Altman continued his march with a fall over an opponent from Florida.

DeShazer #1491
Georgia would offer the next foe for Tristen DeShazer and the Peach was churned to butter. Tristen and his head-and-arm connected for a 3+1 and DeShazer earned the first period fall.

Ely #1556
The whistle blew and the competitors in this bout started very passive. The lad from Arizona was charged with passivity but quickly reversed Aaron Ely with a 2-point score. In the second period, Ely connected with a 3-point head-and-arm and later a 1-point takedown. In the closing seconds, Aaron countered a takedown attempt and ended up standing behind his foe. Ely then hit a “very sweet” back arching suplay for the 5+1 to close out the match.

Noblet #1558
Sometimes one is just left shaking their head in the sport of wrestling and such was the case in Matt Noblet’s match. Noblet was charged with passivity and the opponent from Florida worked the reverse lift. He accomplished the lift and the mat official awarded a 3+1 for the effort. However, the judge and the chair both confirmed a 5+1. In the second period, Matt made a noble charge. He gained a takedown and earned a 3 on a lift. Matt Noblet ends up losing, 4-6.

Cotton #1606
Romero Cotton suffered a heart-breaking loss to a foe from New York in this round of wrestling. Romero was charged with the first passivity and his opponent exploited the position with a 3+1 lift. In the second, New York was charged with passivity but still scored with a reverse. Final score, 0-5.

Seven Cadets has earned All-American status: Nathan Furches will compete for a national championship at 98 lbs, Romero Cotton will wrestle for 3rd at 152 lbs, going for 5th places will be Aaron Ely (112 lbs) and Aldon Isenberg (130 lbs), while Derek Koehn (135 lbs), Atticus Disney (215 lbs) and Stephen Andrus (275 lbs) will wrestle for 7th place.  The medal rounds will begin at 3:00 p.m.

Ely #1426
An opponent from Utah would give Aaron Ely all he could handle in this bout. The Ute opened with a 3-point toss and that lead he would never relinquish. The Ute did gain two more points on Ely’s leg foul to make the final score, 0-5.

Isenberg & Koehn #1446 & 1453
The evening session had not gone according to plan and is these two matches that trend continued. Aldon Isenberg ended up losing by tech fall to an opponent from Connecticut and Derek Koehn was pinned by one from Pennsylvania.

Andrus #1487
The Cadet team needed a reversal of fortunes and they found it in Stephen Andrus. He vied for advancement against a lad from Oregon. At the end of regulation, Andrus trailed 0-1. Again by rule, this led to the clinch, where Stephen gained the push out. Back to their feet, Andrus picked up a second passivity call on the Duck, which would be the difference in the match. At the end of overtime, the score was tied but Andrus gains the criteria on passivity’s.

Furches #1507
Remaining undefeated was a goal for Nathan Furches in this match up with Iowa. It was Furches remaining on the winning side of the ledger with a tech fall in 0.41.

Cotton #1545
This was a critical match if Romero Cotton wanted to keep his dreams alive. It appeared in the early going, that the foe from Washington state could care less about Romero’s dreams. The Apple led at the end of the first period by the score of 0-2. The Apple led at the end of regulation by the same score. You all should be familiar by now with “the clinch” and the fact that the Kansas boys are fairly skilled at the same. Romero won the clinch with his opponent breaking the hold. The score was now, 1-2. Time was winding down but Cotton was just winding up. Romero was in on the high dive, lifted his opponent, and slammed him to the mat. A dramatic victory by Romero Cotton.

Flynn #165
Sometimes, in Greco-Roman wrestling scoring is hard to come by. That was not the case in Sean Flynn’s match up with an opponent from California. The Bear opened up a 0-5 lead, which Sean quickly erased with a 5-point flurry of his own. A quick reversal and a 3-point toss closed out the period with California ahead, 5-9. The second began as the first ended, with scoring a plenty. After a single by the Bear, Sean scored on a 3-point throw but immediately gave up 3, on a reversal and 2-point gut. Points were occurring faster than I could write them down and in the end; Flynn is left holding the short end of the stick, losing 14-18.

Jenne #248
A newcomer to this reporter was Dylan Jenne. He was pitted against a wrestler from Texas. Dylan fought hard to maintain his position on his feet and gained a passivity call against the Longhorn. Jenne immediately went to the reverse lift and scored 3 using it. Then Jenne scored 2-points on a gut. It was back to the reverse lift and again to the gut and Dylan Jenne had scored the 10 points necessary for the technical superiority.

Bailes #275
Matthew Bailes made quick work of a foe from New York. Bailes scored a 3+1 takedown with a double over hook and secured the pin in 45 seconds.

Edison #329
At 189-pounds, Jarrett Edison was matched up with a lad from Oregon. Jarrett used a 3-point takedown and a 2-point gut to open with a lead he would never give back. Edison wins, 9-3!

Perez #425
Larry Perez is another wrestler that the contingent has high hopes on. In his first match against Illinois, it appeared Perez was up to the challenge. Larry showed off his lifting skills and gained the tech fall in 1.21.

Altman #427
Like Perez, Donny Altman figures to be a repeat All-American. Donny showed his intentions against his opponent from Illinois. Altman scored the first takedown and tried a lift. During that process, the Illini committed a leg-foul. Not to be detoured Donny returned to the lift, scored a 5+1 for his efforts and secured the fall in 1.35.

Bloodgood #473
An accomplished wrestler in the local folkstyle ranks does not guarantee success in this tourney. Such was the case for Cory Bloodgood. An opponent from Georgia gave Cory a lesson, beating him 1-11.

Baker #558
Team Kansas is sporting gear this year that mentions “Old School” and Tyler Baker showed his belief in that style. After a 3-point body lock and a 2+1 gut, Tyler gained a hammerlock, spun out front for an under hook, turned his opponent and stuck him.

Bailes #706
Sometimes a match that is clearly dominated by a wrestler can be turned around if that wrestler picks up an injury. Such was the case as Matthew Bailes was dominating a foe from Ohio and was ahead 6-1. But the action was stopped as Matthew injured his left thigh. After the injury timeout, the Buckeye out-scored Matthew, 1 to 8. Bailes loses, 7-9.

Chenoweth #733
Curtis Chenoweth won this match against a foe from Washington state. Curtis scored with a 3+1 toss and secured the fall.

Edison #757
I joined this match at the intermission and Jarrett Edison trailing 2-3. In the second, the opponent from Michigan was charged with passivity. Jarrett exploited the opportunity picking up a leg foul and then scoring on a 3+1 lift. Back to their feet, Edison did allow the match to pick up some interest as he has able to hold on for the 8-7 victory.

Perez #856
We next pay a visit to the Larry Perez Flight School where Larry “Big Air” Perez was giving lessons to an opponent from Texas. After the early takedown, Larry scored on two consecutive 5+1 throws. The flight was very dramatic but very short. Perez wins 13-0 in 0.36.

Altman #865
Perhaps the chap from Maryland has seen the flight lessons on the neighboring mat, as he was not going to allow Donny Altman to treat him so rudely. Donny tried to lift his opponent twice but was stopped by his opponent’s leg fouls. So Donny adjusted to his turns! Altman by tech fall in 2.32.

Cornejo #989
A Cajun offered little competition for Joseph Cornejo in this bout. Joseph earned the tech fall in 0.46.

Ely #36
Aaron Ely, competing in the 112# division, opened up his bid for All-American status with a bout against a foe from Oregon. After a brief struggle, Ely invaded the Ducks defenses with a 1-point takedown. Back on his feet, Aaron countered an attempt to score another takedown and quickly gained a 2-point turn. Before the period was over, Ely scored another single-point takedown. The second period opened with Ely scoring a takedown on a side headlock and a 2-point gut. The Duck was able to gain a 1-point reversal but could not score any further. Aaron Ely scored from his feet again and closed out the scoring, gaining a 9-1 decision.

Noblet #54
Matt Noblet gained a shutout victory over his initial opponent from California. Matt used his trademark 2-on-1 to setup his 3-point body lock. Having done this a couple of times and gutting the West Coaster once, Noblet earned the 9-0 victory.

Isenberg #138
Our next report comes from the 130-pound weight class and the Kansan, Aldon Isenberg. The opponent from Iowa offered little in the way of resistance as Aldon scored a 2nd-period tech fall.

Patterson #246
Ryan Patterson was pitted against a wrestler from New York. Ryan used a 1-point takedown and 3 consecutive 3-point head-and-arms to quickly gain the technical fall.

Disney #326
Next up was the match up between Atticus Disney and his foe from Arizona. Atticus controlled this bout all the way as he used a 3-point takedown to put his foes back to the mat. Disney scored the fall at 1.09 in the first period.

Andrus # 335
In the heavy weight division, we saw Stephen Andrus open his bid for an All American status, in a match against Wisconsin. Andrus did manage to score 6-points against the badger. But Stephen’s defenses were solid as he did not allow any score. Andrus wins in a 6-0 decision.

Thomas #345
Alex Thomas opened his match very cautiously against a foe from Minnesota. Perhaps he was a bit too cautious as he was charged with passivity. The Gopher capitalized on this, gaining a 2-point gut. The second period saw Alex giving up the takedown and being turned to trail 0-5 before he regained his feet. It was the Gopher again picking up the 1-point takedown but then the match took an interesting turn. The Minnesotan did turn Alex but clearly committed a leg foul while doing so. The action was stopped and Alex was awarded 4 points on two cautions. Back on their feet, Alex had a reprieve but was unable to capitalize. Minnesota was the match by the score of 4-8.

Furches #393
Nathan Furches is expected to make a splash in this years tourney. He opened with a dominating 11-1 tech fall against his opponent from Wisconsin.

Henes #531
We travel to Maryland for Phillip Henes first round opponent. Henes found his foe to be fairly tough as he lost a 3-7 decision.

Koehn #599
As one who was watched the development of this next young man, Derek Koehn is an impressive wrestler. Clearly his opponent from North Carolina may share that opinion. A non-descript 1-point takedown was followed by a “too sweet” 5+1 lift and throw. The Tar heel even tried to hook a leg to stop his flight during which his shoulders were pressed squarely on the mat. Koehn wins by fall!

Cotton #662
Romero Cotton was pitted against a first round opponent from Minnesota. Early in the action it was the Gopher scoring first with a 1-point takedown but that was the last point Cotton would give up. Romero was decisive in scoring the 7-1 decision.

Furches #750
Nathan Furches continued his march with another tech fall. This bout ended in the first period with a score of 11-0.

Ely #807
New York provided the next competitor for Aaron Ely. The early part of this bout was scoreless and New York was charged with being passive. Aaron was unable to turn and ended up giving a 1-point takedown. The first period ended with Aaron trailing by 0-1. Ely took the lead with a 3-point head-and-arm but gave up a 2-point reversal. This tied the score, 3-3. In overtime, both wrestlers were trying to score but their defense was too tough. The bout ended with Aaron Ely gaining the win on criteria.

Noblet #821
Virginia was the victim of a crash landing as Matt Noblet tossed him for a 5+1. This, coupled with a takedown and a couple of guts, gave Matt a first period tech fall.

Fisher #870
I joined this match as it went to overtime with Brent Fisher leading a wrestler from Colorado by the score of 2-1. According to the rules, the wrestlers had to go to the clinch to open overtime. The overtime period ended quickly as Brent scored on a 3-point toss.

Thoman #898
Sam Thoman was victorious over a foe from Texas in this bout. Sam won fairly decisively with a 10-4 victory.

Cotton #947
Romero Cotton won this bout by a 3-0 score. In Greco and Freestyle, in order for the match to end in regulation, the winner must score a minimum of 3 points.

Andrus #1029
Stephen Andrus held a 2-0 lead going in to the second period with his opponent from the Showme State. Two additional single point takedowns and a 3-point TD made the final score, 7-0.

Furches #1080
For those that felt Nathan Furches needed a close match, your wish came true as he was pitted against Pennsylvania. Nathan took his opponent down early and after the action went out-of-bounds, gutted him for 2. Furches was on cruise control but perhaps it was a bit early. In the second period, Nathan was charged with passivity, and from par terre, was warned twice about his false starts, the second one, costing him a caution and a point. The clock was winding down, and the lad from Pennsylvania was desperately trying for the turn. He was trying so hard, he got out of position and Nathan caught him on his back. But Nathan committed a leg foul in the process. The second caution and 2 points tied the score at 3-3 as regulation ended. Nathan’s opponent threw the head-and-arm but slipped. Nathan could not manage the turn and they were brought back to their feet. Again an attempt at a head-and-arm but Nathan countered for the 1-point takedown. Furches wins 4-3.

Ely #1120
Aaron Ely remained undefeated in this bout against a competitor from New York. It was an early takedown by New York but Aaron tightened up his defense. Aaron wins by a 5-1 decision.

Isenberg #1168
A cowboy from Wyoming was the next opponent up for Aldon Isenberg. Aldon used a pair of 3-point takedown and a pair of single pointers to win the bout in a 8-0 decision.

Patterson #1216
After an initial 1-point takedown, Ryan Patterson threw a magical head-and-arm, on his foe from Oregon. It was after the throw that this bout took an interesting turn. With the action going out-of-bounds, both wrestlers were on their feet headed back to the center, when Ryan went down in a heap. Apparently, Ryan had previously injured a shoulder and in the throw, re-injured the same. After he was back on his feet, his body thought it was time to lie down, and so it did. The trainer quickly evaluated Ryan and after 1.30 of injury time, pronounced Ryan good to go! The restart had Ryan again scoring a 3+1 head-and-arm but apparently that was all Ryan could muster. Patterson held on to win the match, 8-6.

Thomas #1274
It was center stage and on the podium for Alex Thomas and his foe from California. The first period ended as it has started … scoreless. Alex had shown a bit of prowess in the clinch and that came in handy as the second period began in the clinch. It was Thomas gaining the first point of the bout but the Golden Bear quickly scored a reversal. Back to the neutral position, it was the Bear scoring again on the 1-point takedown, as regulation ended. Without the 3 points necessary for the win it was back to the clinch. Again, Alex Thomas dominated this position and scored a 2-point takedown. Thomas won the match, 3-2.

Noblet #1301
The score after the first period, showed Matt Noblet clearly in control of his opponent from Oklahoma, 9-0. In the second, the Sooner had a much better plan for defense but forgot about scoring. Noblet wins, 9-0.

Disney #1417
Oftentimes the heavier weights seem like a slow motion dance. This was the case with Atticus Disney facing a foe from Missouri. Atticus gained the early advantage, as the Showme was charged with passivity, and Disney scoring on a 2-point gut. The second period began and the dance resumed. The Showme was feeling some pressure and was trying to score but Atticus held his position. Until, there were about 20 seconds left. The Showme scored a 1-point takedown and tied the score with a 1-point gut. Regulation ended. The “clinch.” A couple of the basic rules of this position are that you must maintain the lock and you must stay inbounds. Atticus stepped out-of-bounds, giving his opponent the victory.

Thomas #1425
It was déjà vu all over again as once again, Alex Thomas found himself going to the clinch with another opponent. This time Alex maintained good position, scored the takedown, gained a turn and hold, and worked for the fall.