WHEN DEBATING THE TOPIC OF KIDS WITH LOSING RECORDS GETTING INTO THE STATE TOURNAMENT, KEEP IN MIND THAT IS MUCH EASIER TO GET THROUGH AN EIGHT MAN REGIONAL THAN A SIXTEEN. YEARS AGO I WOULD FOLLOW THE 4A REGIONALS WHEN MY BROHTHER WRESTED FOR CANEY VALLEY, AND IT WAS AMAZING THE LEVEL OF COMPETITON WITH COLUMBUS, AUGUSTA, WELLINGTON,AND ANDOVER. FOR MANY KIDS IT WAS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT JUST OT GET THROUGH REGIONALS. MANY TIMES THESE SAME TEAMS WERE COMPETING FOR THE STATE TITLE. NOW I LIVE IN A TOWN WITH A 5A SCHOOL, AND ALTHOUGH I WATCHED SOME KIDS WITH LOSING RECORDS GET THROUGH REGIONALS LAST SATURDAY, I APPLAUD THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS. TWO WRESTLERS FROM OUR TEAM (WITH LOSING RECORDS) DEFEATED OPPONENTS WITH WINNING RECORDS TO QUALIFY (THATS WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT, WINNING ON THE MAT, NOT ON PAPER). SO I WOULD DISAGREE THAT ONE CLASS INHERENTLY HAS BETTER WRESTLERS THAN ANOTHER, ITS JUST THAT THE EIGHT MAN REGIONAL PROVIDES KIDS WITH A BETTER OPPORTUNITY.