Who do you think the best 189lbs since 97-98 are?

Heres my guess

1)Joe Nelson
2)Josh Maze
3)Landen Maxwell
4)Aaron Lane
5)JD Scharmburg
6)Justin Dyer
7)Josh Lattimer
8)Justin Bancroft
9)Gerrad Speer
10)Maybe Joel Tapler

Crow,

You forgot that Aaron ruled Josh Maze from the time they were 8 year olds until they both graduated. Josh wone once.

You guys are way off, Justin Dyer is the best and has shown it. JD Schamburg from Fredonia was a good 189 but should not even be in the top 10

What about Noah Clouse. He was dominant as anyone as a junior. And his senior year if he was wrestling at 189. He would of killed everyone through everyone last year. But I still think that Dyer is quite a bit better than the others mentioned.

You guys forgot a guy by the name of jalon crowley from ark city.

clouse pinned bancroft lsat year so he should be in front of justin

Brent,
True, I would have to agree that Aaron Lane would probably be ranked ahead of Josh Maze. His record and ability speak for themselves. However, "ruled" would be a little strong in defense of both wrestlers. Every match they had, and I saw all of them, were generally well wrestled. They both were head and shoulders above their competition in high school. (except for Joe Nelson which was just unbelievably strong).

I still stand by it. I know the match scores sometimes seemed close, but they never really were that close. Joe Nelson was strong. Aaron beat Joe his freshman year. He lost to him in the finals his junior year after giving up two easy takedowns which should not have happened had Aaron kept his elbows in. Josh beat Aaron one time. I know Josh and I think he is a great kid, but there never was a time in my mind that Josh was better or that I worried about Aaron losing to Josh. It simply was not a thought.

Brent,
I believe I said that I agreed that Aaron should probably be ranked ahead of Josh Maze. However if you are going to give reasons why Aaron should have beat Joe Nelson and didn't, then the same can be said of what Josh should have did as well in close matches he lost. It is true that their sr. years, Josh's only 2 losses were to Aaron. My point is that they were both extremely good wrestlers. Everything else is just a matter of perception.

What about? JACOB STRAIT

Not really a matter of perception. I saw Lane beat Maze over and over again and most of them werent that close. Sort of a reality. Kid from Olathe is the best I have seen for quite a while at that weight and not just since 97. Best in a long while.

Dyer is the best ......hands down.

JD Schaumberg might have been tough in 4A but when Fredonia dropped to 3-2-1a for the 1999 state tournament, Jack Dennis of Oakley made Schaumberg look like a rag doll in the 215 semi-finals before pinning him. I'm sure you are very familar with Jack Dennis (who later wrestled at Colby CC and earned 2 juco All-American honors), right Jalon?

I also feel that Gerrad Speer is not getting the respect he deserves.

As a freshman at 171 he entered the tournament as a Regional champ with only 3 losses. He lost in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Steven Frakes of Douglass and then lost in the consolation quarterfinals to 5th place medalist Charlie Goetz of Lansing by the scores of 7-3 and 6-0, respectively. Both were seniors - Frakes ended up at 36-1 and Goetz at 24-6 on the year.

As a sophomore at 189 Gerrad scored 2 falls and two major decisions - including a 24-11 dismantling of Baldwin's Luke Lang in the state finals. Speer closed his season at 28-1.

As a junior at 215 he scored three falls and a major decision en route to his second state title and an undefeated record of 23-0.

As a senior he dominated the 215 bracket again and went 40-0 on the year. I believe it was a 7-2 score in the finals over the much heralded and presumably unbeatable Matt Weishaar of Atchison.

A 3x state champ with a 103-6 record in the upper weights is pretty impressive in my book. Out of curiosity did Speer and Lattimer wrestle in the 2001 East / West Dual and if so what was the outcome?

With this said, I feel Gerrad deserves a higher ranking than the one given to him by Mr. Crowley.

Okay, then reality it is. Maze beat Lane twice. He also has a 6th place state medal, 3rd place state medal, and 2 State Championship medals. Not bad for someone you don't seem to think even belonged on the same mat with Lane.

I have heard we just might find out who is better between Dyer and Joel Tapler, both wrestling at OU next year, and may be fighting for the starting spot I forgot which weight it was, though..

I never thought Tapler was as good as everyone says he was.....and is. (I wrestled him the summer before his junior year.) All i can remember was thinking that there was no way he could only weigh about 180 pounds and then wondering how i beat him. (if you care to know how, its because i cheated. I used a pressure point in his neck and got a few single leg takedowns when he'd wince and look the other way).

Dyer is good. I would put money on Dyer against anyone in the state (any weight class)right now. I can't wait to see how Dyer fares at Senior Nationals.

However, Tapler has had the advantage of wrestling for a tough program that is known for bringing out the best in their wrestlers. I think Dyer is the better of the two, regardless of Tapler's college experiance. I guess we'll hear about it next year.

Dyer is an excellent wrestler. He would have had a run for his money at the Johnson County Classic if Donnie Ables soulder wasat full health. Donnie is a great wrelter. He only wreslted 198 this year but he is a great wreslter!!!

Jacob Strait was a good wrestler but no where near the talents of Clouse, Maize, And Of Course Dyer who is probably the best 189 wrestler I have seen

Mr. Lane, You are exactly correct it had slipped my mind that Aaron did beat Josh every time that they wrestled, that was an error on my part. Anyways, to everybody else, this was simply my opinion on who I thought were the best because I wrsetled everybody on that list except Dyer and Speer. So pardon me if I left somebody off or have them in the wrong order. And by the way, if Dyer and Tapler compete for the 197 spot at OU Dyer will kill Tapler even though Tapler has two years experience, because Tapler shouldn't even be wrestling at a Div. I school.

I would have to say that Dyer is the best hands down, but the best in a short amount of time would have to be Bishop Wards Chris Glenn who only wrestled for 2 years and took second in state. Anything to add???