I have to say I thought it was pretty bad at Ottawa also. Especially the half mat for some of the 14 year olds. My thoughts on the 14 & 16 is that I think there are just to many weight classes for that age. Most are like you say 8th to maybe juniors they don't have near that many different weights. I am sure somebody who has all the stats could sit down and come up with something better for everyone. They should know exactly which brackets and age and weights don't fill half a bracket at state. For example 14 and under 70 and 16 under 95, they have to wrestle heavier in school any way. Doesn't make since to have only a couple people year in and year out in so many brackets. I think if they combined weights they could save alot on the numbers and I was just using those weights as an example. I personaly feel anytime you can have lets say 1-18 record for example and take 2nd at state with your 1 win which has happened because there were only three in a bracket. What is the point. I personally feel it takes away from the sport. As for the refs I was in both gyms alot and I think the 16 year olds definately had the worst, glad my son was at 14&under. Even when they made a bad call, they were at least consistent at it and you could figure out what to expect. I walked over to watch a good 16 year old match and witnessed a ref looking around in the stands while they were wrestling. To bad he missed a heck of a match.