Just a few things i noticed, and have a couple ?'s about.

I just moved to kansas a couple seasons ago, and have been following alot of the teams through out the seasons. I heard that, that daul would be the one to watch so I went to it. I dont know anyone from either team personally.

First off.....Why did the Clay Center section boo Ross Taplin, I havent watched him since state last year; and he was one of the only few to impress me. That shows a lot of disrespect, Kansas should be proud that we have him here. Has he done something besides tear the kids up from Clay that he has wrestled, is that why you were all booing at him or what? The only time I heard anyone from Abilene boo, was after they announced who won for the tie-breaker.
Another thing is I heard through the greatvine, is that Dennis Charbonneau(Clay Center's Head Coach) wouldn't let Abilene's new heavy weight wrestle. Palmer I think is his name, his dad was one hell of a wrestler from my studies. Palmer had got to Abilene a few weeks ago, and got talked into wrestling or something like that. But there was something about Mr. Charbonneau calling the state to see if he was certified, and Palmer wouldnt offically be certified till after the daul. What was he scared of losing? I talked to 1 of Abilene's spectators after the daul and they said something like Dennis had pulled Mr. Stout (abilenes coach) into his office and made the call to the state right after Mr Charbonneau had seen Palmer.
I have read a lot of talk on Danny Greater, how he is real impressive and one of Kansas's best for the high school level; his match didnt really impress me for all the talk I have heard on him. From looking at the rankings Dylon Jenne is ranked 6th, but he sure had a nice take down on Grater in a close match of 8-4.
I understand the rivalry between the 2 teams, but the booing was just horrible, I had never seen so much direspect for a team and wrestlers who didn't deserve it.
By the end of the daul I was for Abilene, and they came up with the short end. From looking at the 4-A regionals I saw that Abilene and Clay go to the same, I'm sure it will be a mad-house; especially with Santa Fe there(# 3 in 4-A). It will be interesting to watch. Good luck to both teams, but I hope Clay will man-up to a better level and show some respect, and just let the kids wrestle!

First off, I believe that it was a great dual. Both teams did what they could do to win the match. I think it turned out the way I thought it would with Abilene jumping out to the lead and Clay coming back to tie. Congrats to both teams. Now my reaction to your post. I believe Ross Taplin is a great wrestler and a great competitor. If I was the ref. I would have given Clay a point for him taking off his head gear the minute he got the pin. That is just one example of why Clay Center people boo Ross. I guess you weren't at last years regional when it seemed like most of the gym was booing him. Maybe it was just me. Secondly, if their new heavyweight wasn't allowed to wrestle because of state rules, then so be it. I wouldn't blame Coach Charb. for doing what he did because Abilene's coach probably would have done the same thing. It was against the rules. Danny Grater probably didn't wrestling his best match of the year. I also believe that he probably should have rode his opponant when he let him up the last time. That takedown wasn't a good call, and many ex-wrestlers sitting around me agreed. It was a poor call. The kid Danny was wrestling was very good and took the kid from Andale that almost beat Danny earlier in the year into OT at the Baeshor Tourney, so the wrestler is quite good. I believe I heard the Abilene crowd boo a few more times than when Clay was announced the winner. I was surprised how they came up with the winner. Even a ref. sitting next to me didn't know that. This years regional should be quite exciting to watch. I wish everyone the best of luck. My last comment is on the kid from Abilene who wrestled Clay Center's Colby Lund. I thought THAT was poor sportsmanship to try and hurt him by going after his shoulder. I know that it is fair game but I believe that his intent was to hurt Colby and get an injury default (Colby was wearing a brace on his shoulder). Congrats to both teams for a hard-fought dual.

Rules are rules. Now I don't know the whole situation to the hwt thing, but you have to abide by the rules. Where did this Palmer kid come in from? Also are you from Abilene, I recall someone with a similar name being from Abilene.

As for Ross he's the best wrestler in the state hands down, and knowing the Clay Center fans they probably weren't booing him, probably the referee or something. Ross is way to physical for most high schoolers who just do wrestling as a way to stay in shape, he's going to the next level unlike many of his opponents who only are there to fill a roster.

What weight is the Lund you are mentioning...I didn't even look at weights, but I had an idea of who would wrestle that way before you mentioned anything.

No, I was at a different regionals last year. But there was booing comming from clays side for ross befor the daul. And for the Lund match, if the ref woulda called more stalling calls then from what i saw, there wouldnt have been any need for abilenes Colby Riffle to try what he was doing at the end of the match.
Another thing, wow it sure is close to regionals and with palmer just getting into the wrestling room not even a week ago, I dont see what the big controversary was about. Give the kid a few matches befor regionals, you never know wether hes good or not. I over heard Mr. Stout talking to a parents befor the daul, and he was saying how he woulda just let the boys wrestle, help them get prepared for a preveiw of regionals. Im not trying to talk bad about Dennis, but seriously the kid was certified right after the daul. It woulda maybe changed the final daul score who knows.
And the tie-breaked thing, I was talking to Mr. Woodford (manhattans head coach) the next day and he said that. that was a new rule in the book as of this season.

It is only a tie breaker because it is a league dual, to my understanding if it were an out of league matchup then it would be a tie. Why couldn't Abilene wrestle Nonamaker?

Colby Lund wrestled Colby Riffle @125. He was going after the shoulder at the beginning of the match when he had the injury T.O. I have great respect for Ross as a wrestler, I won't ever get tired of watching him wrestle, but I don't respect him as a person at all.

Aaron the tie breaking system is used in all duals now not just league duals. The only thing I have to say in reply to the original topic is that the last time Clay beat Abilene in a dual and were league champions, Abilene won a state championship, perhaps lighting will strike twice.

I wasn't there, which is unfortunate for me, because it featured two great teams coached by two great friends who will be battling it out at the end of this month for the state title.

If I'm from Clay Center, I would probably boo Ross also, I mean, he is from the other team and all. One time, when I was at a KU game I actually booed Darrin Sproles, now how could I do that to a kid from my own state? Oh yeah, because he played for the other team. Yes, yes, I know sportmanship and all that stuff, but c'mon, two teams of this magnitude battling it out on a Friday night and you're suprised that there was booing? hmmm.....maybe you should live here longer and realize that the Clay Center people (great fans) know how great Ross is and that they are just reminding him of that fact.

Not impressed with Danny Grater? Jenne is no slouch, so give him some credit, but I'm not sure what Grater has to do to "impress you." Win a couple state championships? Go undefeated? Hit an underground double-leg with a bacon-straightener finish every match? The kid just wins? Always. And that impresses wrestling fans.

As far as the heavyweight controversy goes, Coach Charbonneau (Dennis as you like to call him) and Coach Stout (Mr. Stout as you like to call him) are two of the most respected and responsible coaches that you will find and I am certain that they both played fairly and applied the rules correctly.

Oh, and as for attacking the kid with a bad shoulder....uh...oh...um...well you see...oh wait, that's right, this is wrestling.

Well said Coach Dewitt. But what the heck is a bacon straightner!

More importantly, what is a "daul?"

As for the dual, it was great! The stands were packed and the crowd was intense and into the matches.

Yes, there were some things that happened that weren't in the best sportsmanship probably on either side. It's going to happen in duals like this.

I for one, DID NOT boo Ross! He is a friend and has always treated our family with the upmost respect. Do I always agree with some of the things that happen when anyone wrestles - no, but that is my right! Sometimes when a wrestler is over agressive on the mat and has the "bad guy" attitude while wrestling, it carries over to the crowd. We've always taught our sons to act the same whether your hand is raised at the end of the match or not. Good luck Ross the rest of your season! It's been fun over the years watching Danny and you wrestle!

On the match between Riffel and Colby Lund in my books, was close to being called a back bow. He was also a little rough at times during the match. The ref should have gotten it stopped a little quicker to prevent injury to Colby Lund.

I have to give credit to the Clay Center wrestlers, as they never gave up. When it came down to knowing they had to pin out, they got it done and tied the dual!!

As for Danny Grater (my son), maybe some of you don't know the pressure / goals that he was trying to meet that evening. He knew he wanted a pin to help his team win the dual. He was wrestling probably a little more cautious and didn't want to make any mistakes. He knew where Jenne was ranked and had not wrestled him until that evening. If you watch the tape, it might have been a cheap 2 pts. on the takedown on the out-of-bounds line, but that was the officials call. He was also going for his 100TH CONSECUTIVE WIN that evening. With the win over Jenne (no matter what the score was), he got it. He's a senior and wants the younger wrestlers and his teammates to win a NCKL and State Title or at least have a part of it. He's had that experience and wants to pass it on. There's nothing wrong with that and working to reach those goals!!

I have to add, thanks for the CCCHS coaches for the presentation on his 100th consecutive win after the dual was over. It really meant a lot to him and his family!

The heavyweight thing, rules are rules. There was nothing wrong with Coach Charbonneau and our AD checking it out, as I'm sure Abilene would have done the same thing if we had a wrestler that was questionable and had not received late certification approval from the KSHSAA! Was this wrestler on the team before Nonamaker was injured at Beloit or did he just come out in the last couple of weeks?

Best of luck to both teams in regionals & state! It will be fun watching these wrestlers the next few weeks. However, I am a CCCHS alumni and parent of a CCCHS Wrestlers, so therefore, GO CCCHS TIGERS!!!

Leanna Grater

Keep up the good work Ross.

Coach Dewitt, im still waiting for answer to the Bacon Straightener. Am I going to have to come to Eudora and see someone do it?

Nigel,

It's one of those "secret" moves. You know, when guys like you aren't looking!

Oh one of "those" moves, well if i ever get down to that area next year I'll have to watch extra hard to revel the secret.

Good point on last time Abilene winning the State title, but I don't think it will be a walk in the park. I'm still sticking with SFT.

Aaron, I can't see how SFT is deep enough. Too many wrestlers that are unproven!! I'm going with Abilene or Clay Center. How good is the Palmer kid. If he is anything like his dad, he would be extremely tough. That might just be enough to put the Cowboys over.

Well of course it won't be a walk in the park, I think both Abilene and Clay both have an exact equal chance of winning as referenced in the closeness of the teams by the dual, SFT is a question mark in my book, once again state is going to come down to how the regionals are pair at state. I do think a number of Abilene kids who won't make it to the finals will score some major points on the backside.

I was at the regional last year and during the semis taplin slamed the kid he was wrestling and injured him, then the kid was fine to finish the match. The next move taplin delibertly slamed the kid again. With most wrestlers a ref would of called it potentally dangerous. But it was not called. All taplin did was smile the whole time as if it was funny that he had hurt the kid. This is unsportsmanlike and shows the kind of person he is. The regional was in Abliene and when the final matches were announced the whole placed booed him.