Did Kelly Brewster wrestle Erick Akin in the finals his senior year 1987, and loose the match right at the end? Would that have been Brewsters third title?
Good match, Akin loosing his freshman year to junior Corey Jones. Jones dominated that completely. Have any best of all timers?????

last year at the prairie veiw invatationalm luke page and justin bancroft. The match went to overtime with luke, asthma and all, winning the match. There was a big crowd and the place was rocking. it was great.

Roberson-Spaulding was the most exciting 2-1 "barn-burner" I've seen. 2 great champions.

As for Akin-Richardson, I preferred Akin's 15-0 tech fall in freestyle 2 monthes later at BVN, but Landon's win was HUGE! I think Akin teched or pinned all at state his senior year. Brewster may have gotten upset in the semis.

Others to consider:

1981 Sunflower Classic (grand state) Eric Koehler beat Melvin Douglas I think 14-12...WOW at 167 lbs, same tournament 138 lbs, David Ray beat Oakley 4 timer Troy Sporer 9-6 though Sporer got Ray in a tight near cradle for nearly a minute late in the match and couldnt turn him. Coach Jay Robinson was there to give his new Hawkeye recruit his medal.

2002 Curtis Baylor beating Troy Medill in OT 16-14 is one of the best clashes I have ever witnessed anytime, anyplace, anywhere... it stands right up there with all of 'em!

Kevin Klemm

This is not exactly the same category, but one of the toughest brackets I have ever seen was in 1987 at the Beloit Inv. At 126 lbs., there was Dave Canfield, Concordia, a junior, 14-0; Wes Harding, S.E. Saline, a senior, 16-1; and Neal Keller, Kapaun, a senior(I believe) 9-2. Canfield was a defending 2x 4-A state champ, Harding a 3x 3-A state champ, and Keller 5-A state champ. Canfield was seeded first, Keller second, and Harding third. That is also how they finished. Keller defeated Harding 1-1 (criteria) in the semi's and Canfield defeated Keller in the finals 4-2.

Doug;
I remember that. I was in 6A then but I remember we watched that with so much interest that year. They were all three so good. That would have to be one of the best weight classes in history.

I dont think Brewster lost at the end to Eric. That was a pretty handy match for Akin. Akins upset loss to Landun Richardson that year was one hell of a go. That was in the finals of the Schlagle Tournament. Richardson beat him 10-4. It was Eric's only loss in his last three years.

Hey Kevin; Landun had only wrestled a year of freestyle when that happened. They were both awfully good. Landun didnt have the same interest level in freestyle that Eric had. They enjoyed wrestling against each other and I was proud of both of them

Doug, Whatever happened to Dave Canfield. Where did he go to college?
Does anyone remember Oeser in Grand State and his matches? Did anyone ever give Justin Ware a run for his money other than Clint Lopez of Derby?

Canfield attended Colby juco on wrestling scholarship. But had problems with a nagging shoulder injury that eventually required surgery. He only wrestled 5 matches for Colby before the injury forced him to hang up the shoes for good.

One of the most memorable matches was in
'94 when freshman Jesse West "upset"
3x champ Beau Vest in the finals. It
was tough to see a senior go out like
that though.

Yeah, that was a good match. But, that was Beau's junior year. He lost his senior year to Mike Snider from one of the Shawnee Mission schools. It looked like fate was going to catch up with West his junior year - he was upset by freshman Andy Tieben of Dodge City. The next year he transferred to a school in Iowa. Don't know how that season ended up for him.

My bad, on the year! I beleive that West
got 2nd at Iowa state that year.

Les, What would you consider to be one of the best matches of all time? Anyone else want to put in their two cents worth? Lets see what old timers come out of the wood work.........

I will tell you one of the best I have seen and I can't remember who it was he wrestled from Derby, but Kirk Baker beat a Derby kid in the semi-finals of the grand state the first year. The kid had Kirk in a three quarter nelson for the entire second period but couldnt turn him. Kirk ended up beating him and going ahead and winning the tourney. I wish I could remember the kids name, I was at ElDorado then and we wrestled him. I think it was Kyle somebody help me out here.

His name was Simpson I think come to think of it. That was in maybe 1976 or 7 I think.

Another great match was Kevin Hewitt of Beloit over Frakes from Douglas in the finals of the 76 state tourney or 77. Hewitt had beaten Fredrickson of Oblerlin in the semi's in a weight full of state champs.

Richard Frakes of Douglass vs. Martin Bontz of Kapaun. Grand State in 1977 (I think!) The match was still tied at the end of overtime and back then tie matches were decided by a set of criteria, and then if still tied, by a referees decision. Gross Coliseum was packed and the place went nuts when the referee gave Bontz the decision. The only time I've seen a wrestling crowd react any more negatively was at Oklahoma State in the Big 8 finals in the 1970's when a decision went to OU instead of OSU. They had to sweep the orange souvenier cups off of the mats---twice!

Marty; I bet that match you are talking about was when Shawn Garrell of OU and Billy Martin of OSU both had cradles hooked up and Eldon Zimbleman slapped the mat for Martin and Garrell thought it was for him. The crowd was so loud that Garrell didnt realize he had lost until Eldon held up Martins hand. Garrell went after Eldon and was subdued by his coaches. The crowd was so loud that Eldon didnt even know Garrell was after him until way after the fact. That was an amazing deal. I think that was in 1975 or so.

Does anyone remember Drake getting beat in his only loss @ Newton Tournament. Wasn't it fron an Ark City kid? Rumor was Drake was ill. Who ever gave Todd Layton a close call? Can anyone remember that match?

Layton had one legitimate loss not counting an injury disqualification late in his career. His freshman year he lost 7-1 to David Watson of Schlagle in the first round of the El Dorado Tournament. I remember that well because I was sitting in Davids corner when that happened.