Liberal sits just barely in Kansas but has a storied sports history sending a handful of athletes to the NFL and NBA. They have won state in football, basketball, and track (including a remarkable string of 14 consectutive, I believe). Unfortunately they have never placed higher than 3rd in a state wrestling tournament. Here is a brief synopsis of their wrestling program.

Wrestling started in 1955 under coach Gerald Sadowsky (Ed Scott was on this first team.) Sadowsky was at the helm for three seasons before Coach Hoxie Freeman took over for two years. (Fred Scott was on these teams.) Wrestler Charles Zimmerman placed 4th in 1957 becoming Liberal's first medalist. (At this time there was only ONE state tournament.) The legendary Rocky Welton then took over and ran the program until 1964. In '64 Don Scott placed 4th at the state tournament. In 1965 Coach Ted Snyder took over (he was Stan Abel's high school coach) and Don Scott placed 2nd at the state tournament. Snyder's connection help Scott obtain a scholarship to wrestle for the University of Oklahoma. Snyder left after the '65 season and Fred Scott (former Redskin wrestler and teammate of Jim Beltch's at Ft. Hays) returned to his home town to run the program. In 1966 Tom Scott won Liberal's first state championship for his brother Fred. JD Armstrong took home a gold at this tournament as well. (this was the first year the small and big schools were split into seperate tournaments.) Coach Fred Scott left the program in the early 70's when John Kendall took over (Coach Kendall led Liberal to back-to-back state championship football games in 79 and 80, winning it all in '80.) Kendall coached until after the 77 season when Rob Fairchild took over for one season. In '79, Don Scott took the head coaching position. He coached through the '85 season when he left to attend law school. (He is now the Seward County Attorney.) In '81 David Tawater finished 2nd in the 5A state tournament and he is currently a Bishop Carroll assistant coach. Coach Rob Ross was named head coach and held this position until Tom Scott returned and took the head coaching position which he held until departing for Texas opening the head coaching position to Mike Pewthers who is still there today.