PCC Wrestling Sees More Success in Strong Recruiting Class

It did not take long for first year Thompson to reestablish PCC Wrestling as a national caliber program. With Beavers Colby Crawford and Jason Nichols returning from Nationals as All Americans and the team finishing 10th, they immediately established credentials on the national level. Those credentials should become even more solid with this year’s signees. "I am very proud of who I signed. I am pretty excited," said Thompson. "I think they are going to push the guys who are already here and possibly fill in some spots. They all have great shots to make an impact in their first season.” He will bring three Kansas State High School Athletic Association champions on campus in 2007-08. Maize's Zach Hentzen and Michael Maley of WaKeeney-Trego are blue chippers. Hentzen won the 2007 145-pound 6A title and finished his senior season 36-4. In 2005, he claimed the 135-pound championship. He is a four-time top-two finisher. Maley claimed the 3-2-1A 189-pound titles in 2006 and 2007. He earned the 2007 title with a 35-0 record. Matt McGinty of Gypsum-Southeast-Saline fell to Maley in the 2007 state final. Now, they will be PCC teammates. McGinty ended 2007 at 32-3. Thompson's third state champion is Jared Brown of Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights. Brown wrestled his way to a 35-5 record and the 160-pound 5A 2007 title. The coach considers Hentzen, Maley, and Brown major signees. Thompson has also signed Jacup Richey of Wichita South and Pittsburg’s Brandon Wise. Richey completed 2007 with a 31-9 record and the 215-pound runner-up at 6A states. Wise, a transfer from Central Missouri State University, was the 2005 4A 160-pound runner-up. Thompson's first out-of-state signee is 152-pound runner-up Nick Felix of Newkirk, Okla. Thompson expects to sign additional out-of-staters. "I just wanted to make sure I got in some people who wanted to come in and win," said Thompson. "All these kids have great attitudes and are excited about becoming Pratt Beavers. I have high confidence in them and they had enough confidence in me to sign on the dotted line." Aaron Ely of Leavenworth, the 2006 6A champion at 125 and 2007 champion at 130, is being pursued by Thompson. His commitment would be a jewel in Thompson's recruiting crown. Either way, it looks to be a heavy crown, and one Thompson is anxious to try on.

Pratt will be taking three up to the National tourney in Rochester, MN in two weeks.

which 3?

They're taking 4.

Tommy Edgemon - 125
Andrew Carillo - 141
Kirk Fairley - 174
Carl Wilkinson - 197

Good call Jobe. I forgot about Edgemon. He looked good this weekend.

Congratulations to Edgemon, Carrillo, Fairley and Wilkinson.
Go Beavers!

The Fan Who Won't be at home for nationals!

Four Beaver wrestlers qualify for nationals

Published: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 11:54 AM CST

Pratt Community College head wrestling coach Chas Thompson was short-handed heading to the 2008 West/Central Qualifying District in Rock Spring, Wyo., Saturday. Thompson and his Beavers didn't leave empty handed. Tommy Edgmon, Andrew Carrillo, Carl Wilkinson, and Kirk Fairley qualified for the NJCAA national championships in Rochester, Minnesota February 21-23.

"I was happy with them," said Thompson of his team. "It went about how I expected. That is what I was hoping for - most teams don't get you what you expect."

"We were banged up," he added. "We didn't have our top 10."

Labette County, the defending regional champions, won the team title. Colby, Western Wyoming, Neosho County, Northwest Wyoming, and Pratt followed the Cardinals.

The Jayhawk Conference won five weight classes. Labette possessed three of the five victories. Neosho and Colby had one individual champion apiece.

The top three finishers in each weight class and nine wild card selections qualified for nationals.

Edgmon and Fairley finished third. Carrillo and Wilkinson received wild cards.

Injuries and illness infiltrated the Beavers' line up throughout the season.

"I was happy with what we had, because we only had four or five of our original starters," said Thompson of his W/C line up. "I appreciate what those guys who stepped in did."

Edgmon was 3-1. He fell to Northwest Wyoming's Jeremy Ensley, who is ranked second in the nation, but defeated fifth-ranked Akmal Adilov, Colby, twice.

Edgmon is familiar with championships. He was a multiple state champion at Goddard High School.

Fairley's performance at 184 pleased Thompson.

"I was hoping he would," said Thompson of his sophomore qualifying. "It didn't surprise me. He improved a lot this year. I was real happy he qualified."

Fairley lost 8-6 to the No. 1 seed and the nation's top-ranked 184 pounder - Chris Kern, of Colby.

He defeated Neosho County's Tim Cross to capture third and compile a 3-1 record.

"He should have gotten in for third or fourth," said Thompson of Carrillo.

Carrillo was fifth. A key loss, 4-3, came to fourth-place finisher Jeremy Lawley, of Neosho.

"What that says about Andrew is the coaches think he can possibly do something at the national tournament," said Thompson of the sophomore's wild card selection,

Due to his wild card status, Thompson said Carrillo will probably face a regional champion or a returning All-American in his first match in Rochester.

Wilkinson had not wrestled in six weeks due to illness and injury.

A 2007 national qualifier in the 285-pound weight class, the Oklahoma product dropped to 197 this season. the

No. 3 ranked Nathan Barzee, of Northwest Wyoming, handed Wilkinson, ranked No. 7 nationally, a loss.

Wilkinson sat fourth after falling to No. 4 ranked Western Wyoming's Skip Crooks in the third-place match.

2008 NJCAA National Championship
Place Team Score
1. Iowa Central 138.00
2. Meramec 117.50
3. Labette 111.00
4. North Iowa Area Community College 109.00
5. Nassau 88.50
6. Ellsworth 71.50
7. William Rainey Harper 64.00
8. Colby 59.50
9. Clackamas 57.00
10. Neosho 53.50
(tie) Northwest Wyoming 53.50
, ...,
29. Pratt 8.50

Weight Name Record Place
125 Tommy Edgmon 2-2 DNP
141 Andrew Carrillo 2-2 DNP
184 Kirk Fairley 2-2 DNP
197 Carl Wilkinson 0-2 DNP