USAW-Kansas is proud of every wrestler
with the courage to step on the mat.
Every wrestler who improves his or her skill is a winner,
but some have achieved more than most.

The following represent some of the high achievements
by Kansas wrestlers during the 1999/2000 season.

 

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The Kansas Junior Colleges had another great year at the NJCAA Division I Championships.  Neosho County Community College won a National Championship in only its second year of existence, scoring 142.5 pts for a margin of 27.5 pts over 2nd place Iowa Central.  This is the second consecutive year that a Kansas school has won the championships, with Colby Community College claiming last year's top prize.  Colby did well again this year, placing tenth.  Labette Community College finished with a solid 15th place, giving Kansas a great showing overall.

 

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Fort Hays State University, our only four-year collegiate wrestling program in Kansas, finished their season ranked 9th in the nation, with two individual national runners-up: Keith Blaske (Hwt) and Trevell Smittick (197).  Blaske was a 3X All American with a career record of 115-31.  Smittick earned his second All American honor, and had a career 70-56 record.

 

FHSU also finished 12th in the nation academically, with three academic All Americans - Erich Singer (Soph) was on the 1st Team with a 3.92 GPA, while his fellow Sophomores Zane Engelbert (3.73 GPA) and Mike Kennedy (3.38 GPA) received honorable mention.

 

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Although Kansas does not have any NAIA wrestling programs, we still managed to have an impact on the competition.  Jeremy Biddle (Winfield), wrestling for Missouri Valley College, was the national champion at 141 lbs., while Beau Vest (Topeka) placed 4th at 133 lbs., helping Missouri Valley to a 2nd place finish at the NAIA Championships.

 

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Kansas was also well represented on the international scene.  Melvin Douglas (Topeka) placed first in the Olympic Trials at 213 lbs. and was a member of the U.S. Olympic team.  Eric Akin (Overland Park) was an alternate on the Olympic team at 119 lbs.

 

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National High School Championships

To earn the right to compete in this tournament, you must be a graduating senior and a finalist in your state.  Kansas sent 29 wrestlers, who once again showed the nation that Kansas is tough and prepared to take on new challenges.  Our overall record of 58-59 is deceptive, in that this tournament features the best of the best and has no walk-thru matches.  The first match may well be the hardest, and many of the matches were decided by one point and overtimes.  It's a testament to our wrestlers that they can hang with the best.  The tournament started with 10 4-time state champions but finished with only 3!  Dustin Tovar (4-2) and Jeremy Long (5-2) went out just before the medal round and Luke Lang one round before that.  By the end of the first day, Kansas still had 6 wrestlers in the front side.

  Name

  School

Wt

Place

Dusty Spaulding

Emporia

135

8th

Clint Freeman

Ellsworth

171

8th

Jeremiah Beltran

Olathe South

275

5th

 

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USA Wrestling Triple Crown

There were eleven athletes who won the prestigious USA Wrestling Kids Triple Crown in 2000.  To win, an athlete must win USA Wrestling national titles in folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle the same year.  One of the eleven Triple Crown winners is from Kansas.

  Name

Hometown

Division

Wt

Atticus Disney

Andover

Midget

120

 

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Nations Elite Trinity Award

Eight wrestlers won the Trinity Award by placing first at the Cliff Keen Classic, Tulsa Nationals and Reno World of Wrestling Tournaments.  One of those eight came from Kansas.

  Name

Hometown

Division

Wt

Dalton Beard

Valley Center

6&U

Hwt.

 

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Junior/Cadet National Team

Nine Kansas wrestlers combined to win eleven medals, including two national champions.  The Cadet Freestyle Team placed ninth in the overall team standings, while the Junior Greco-Roman Team placed eight.  The team coaches were:

Bill Johnson, Juniors Director

Richard Frakes, Cadets Director

Bobby Bovaird

Dennis Charbonneau

Richard Fergola

Larry Gabel

Kit Harris

Kevin Klemm

Randy Lemon

Terry Pack

Scott Reick

Fred Spaulding

 

Junior National Freestyle All-Americans:

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Place

Shawn Bunch

Leavenworth

114.5

3rd

Stewart Bogart

Overland Park

105.5

4th

Luke Metzler

Newton

105.5

6th

 

Junior National Greco-Roman All-Americans:

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Jeremiah Beltran

Olathe

275

1st

Shawn Bunch

Leavenworth

114.5

2nd

Dusty Spaulding

Emporia

132

3rd

Luke Metzler

Newton

105.5

6th

 

Cadet National Freestyle All-Americans:

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Korey Lira

Ulysses

112

1st

Cody Garcia

Hutchinson

94.5

3rd

Gabe Conaghan

Overland Park

154

5th

Doug Hoover

Wichita

112

7th

 

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Kids National Folkstyle Championships

Midget (born 1990-1991)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Stephen Santiago

Wichita

50

3rd

Trent Cox

Haysville

55

2nd

Kyle Detmer

Wichita

70

6th

Christopher Cody

Augusta

75

2nd

Romero Cotton

Partridge

80

2nd

Nathan Kriss

Kansas City

80

4th

Blair DeBord

Manhattan

80

6th

Joel Marrs

Clay Center

87

3rd

Gus Allen

Severy

87

4th

Ethan Anno

Carbondale

87

5th

Boaz Beard

Wichita

95

1st

Robert Cooper

Maple Hill

95

6th

Michael Patenaude

Morganville

112

1st

Atticus Disney

Andover

120

1st

Josh Rodriguez

Emporia

120

2nd

Matthew Bigley

Douglass

129

2nd

 

Novice (born 1988-1989)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Donny Altman

Derby

60

5th

Blake Fisher

Garden Plain

65

5th

Trevor Leahy

DeSoto

80

1st

Marvio Tischhauser

Hope

80

3rd

Mark Millstead

Kansas City

85

3rd

Scott Elliott

Derby

85

4th

Jared Brown

Topeka

85

5th

William Irvine

Chapman

90

3rd

Brandon Smith

Kansas City

90

4th

Chance Martin

Cherryvale

90

5th

Matthew Bailes

Kansas City

100

2nd

Alex Juby

Hutchinson

100

4th

Josh Marrs

Clay Center

112

4th

Elijah Madison

Salina

112

5th

Kyle Allen

Clay Center

120

1st

Steven Foster

Haysville

120

5th

Duane Zlatnik

Rossville

130

3rd

Randall Flowers

Buhler

130

6th

Jeffrey Perez

Hugoton

167

2nd

Jesse Hardy

Lawrence

192

1st

Trent Hutton

Wichita

192

2nd

Philip Carselowey

Rose Hill

192

4th

 

Schoolboy (born 1986-1987)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Conner Crumbliss

Arkansas City

70

5th

Charles Knox, Jr.

Wichita

85

1st

Neil Erisman

Olathe

90

1st

Jake Kriegbaum

Abilene

90

3rd

Cody Bell

Basehor

95

3rd

Geoffrey Tucker

Wichita

95

5th

Sequoya Hill

Wichita

100

4th

Charlie Ochs

Hoxie

100

6th

Danny Grater

Green

105

6th

Lucas Geske

Enterprise

110

1st

Ryan Johnson

Manhattan

115

5th

Adam Salas  Jr.

Ulysses

125

2nd

Justin Johnson

Manhattan

125

4th

Brad Scheuerman

Great Bend

125

6th

Joshua Clark

Wellington

130

4th

Travis Eden

Overbrook

140

2nd

Dustin Foster

Haysville

140

6th

Adam Monks

Overland Park

150

2nd

Patrick Bigley

Douglass

150

3rd

Matt Campbell

Wamego

160

3rd

Mark Durant

Mayfield

160

4th

Christopher Carpenter

Clay Center

182

1st

Joe Zlatnik

Rossville

182

2nd

Sean Hoffman

Topeka

182

5th

 

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Kids National Freestyle Championships

Midget (born 1990-1991)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Sharky Slyter

Paola

50

5th

Collin Hase

Silver Lake

55

4th

Michael Patenaude

Morganville

112

5th

Atticus Disney

Andover

120

1st

 

Novice (born 1988-1989)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Donny Altman

Derby

65

3rd

Matthew Bailes

Kansas City

105

5th

Duane Zlatnik

Rossville

130

4th

 

Schoolboy (born 1986-1987)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Tristen DeShazer

Wichita

80

2nd

Charles Knox, Jr.

Wichita

90

4th

Neil Erisman

Olathe

95

2nd

Michael Manion

Valley Center

125

6th

Adam Monks

Overland Park

150

4th

 

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Kids National Greco Roman Championships

Midget (born 1990-1991)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Sharky Slyter

Paola

50

1st

Collin Hase

Silver Lake

55

1st

Michael Altman

Derby

55

6th

Michael Patenaude

Morganville

112

2nd

Atticus Disney

Andover

120

1st

 

Novice (born 1988-1989)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Donny Altman

Derby

65

1st

Mark Millstead

Kansas City

90

6th

Brandon Smith

Kansas City

95

4th

Matthew Bailes

Kansas City

105

6th

Duane Zlatnik

Rossville

130

5th

Artie Squire

Overland Park

140

6th

 

Schoolboy (born 1986-1987)

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

Place

Tristen DeShazer

Wichita

80

1st

Charles Knox, Jr.

Wichita

90

1st

Neil Erisman

Olathe

95

2nd

Michael Manion

Valley Center

125

4th

Adam Monks

Overland Park

150

3rd

Mark Durant

Wellington

Hwt

3rd

 

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Junior Regionals (1st Place)

Tournament

  Style

  Name

Hometown

Wt 

 

Northern Plains

Freestyle

Joe Johnston

Prairie Village

143

OW

Western

Greco

Shawn Bunch

Leavenworth

123

 

Western

Freestyle

Joe Johnston

Prairie Village

143

OW

Southern Plains

Greco

Chris Suiter

Maize

220

 

 

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Southern Plains Kids/Cadet Freestyle (1st Place)

Midget (born 1990-1991)

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Sharky Slyter

Paola

50

Collin Hase

Silver Lake

55

Jon Woodbridge

Salina

70

Travis Adcox

Tonganoxie

87

Michael Patenaude

Morganville

112

Atticus Disney

Andover

120

 

Novice (born 1988-1989)

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Mark Millstead

Kansas City

90

Brandon Smith

Kansas City

95

Matthew Bailes

Kansas City

105

 

Schoolboy (born 1986-1987)

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Tristen Deshazer

Wichita

80

Charles Knox, Jr.

Wichita

90

Neil Erisman

Olathe

95

Luke Zouzas

Salina

115

Adam Monks

Overland Park

150

Chris Carpenter

Clay Center

160

Mark Durant

Mayfield

Hwt

 

Cadet (born 1984-1985)

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Thomas Rhodes III

Wichita

132

Brett Stewart

Junction City

154

 

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Southern Plains Kids/Cadet Greco Roman (1st Place)

Midget (born 1990-1991)

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Sharky Slyter

Paola

50

Collin Hase

Silver Lake

55

Jon Woodbridge

Salina

70

Michael Patenaude

Morganville

112

Atticus Disney

Andover

120

 

Novice (born 1988-1989)

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Mark Millstead

Kansas City

90

Brandon Smith

Kansas City

95

Matthew Bailes

Kansas City

105

 

Schoolboy (born 1986-1987)

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Aaron Ellison

Columbus

75

Tristen Deshazer

Wichita

80

Charles Knox, Jr.

Wichita

90

Neil Erisman

Olathe

95

Adam Monks

Overland Park

150

Chris Carpenter

Clay Center

160

 

Cadet (born 1984-1985)

  Name

Hometown

Wt

Thomas Rhodes III

Wichita

132

Brett Stewart

Junction City

154