Best wrestler ever

Who do you think was the best all-around wrestler to come out of Kansas High School in the last 5 years.

Neil Aresmen* Desoto now wrestles for OSU

banned

Erisman****

I think Jared Vogel has to qualify as one of the best in the last 5 years.

This is just a short list of wrestlers who have impressed me on a "wow"-level for a High School wrestler in the '00 era, and are all wrestlers I hope continue to remain a standard for Kansas High School wrestling:

Shawn Bunch
Eric Leudke
both McCormick's
Austin Devoe
Joe Johnston
Tanner Gardner
Ross Taplin
Joseph Cornejo
Tommy Edgmon
Neil Erisman
and Tristan Deshazers headlock

its obviously hard to say who the single best was but cody garcia definitly deserves to be mentioned in this debate. he was so smooth and fast on his feet; and has gone on to be quite successful in college.

I agree, Cody Garcia and Jesse Strawn both deserve to be mentioned.

I would have to say the Ross Taplin gave me the most brutal beating ever in a high school match. Very aggressive, fast, and strong as heck. Also in great condition. He was the only person ever in high school that was INTIMIDATING to me anyways. All I know is this: when wrestling Ross Taplin, even if you win the match, his roughness will make you feel like you lost. I haven't seen anybody else dominate a state bracket like he could in the last 5 years. No offense to Curtis Chenowith, but pinning a future NAIA national champion in the first period is very impressive to me.
MADMAN

What about Danny Grater???

3 times state champion

What about Danny Grater???

Justin Dyer. Not only for wrestling...the kid's a genius in the classroom too.

I have to agree with Schmee32; Danny Grater should be in there somewhere as well.

Daniel Prater, Josh Baldridge, Tim Elliot

EARL JONES!!!!!!!!!
#1 on my list.

What about wrestlers in the 80's and 90's??

who do you think is the best from that era?

What about wrestlers in the 80's and 90's??

1989...
Columbus had three state champions that year... and I believe there were 7 in the state finals?
Randy Roark 3X
Matt Roark 3X
Kyle Grant 1X

west harding 3x- South East of Saline

I agree With N. Zahm when he said Earl Jones

Let's end this now. Bo Maynes, Salina South...unbeaten and never friggen taken down. Zach Roberson from Blue Valley Northwest, unbeaten in 6A. Everyone else falls into the "best of the rest" category.

Justin Ware 4x state champ senior national champ started for nebraska true freshman then quit but he used to spank temore and not sure if he ever lost in kansas. also had the record at kid state till maynes beat it.

Trent Cox

Yep. I agree. Maybe that one dude that won Grand state a few times in a row back in the 70's should be added. I don't know because my history doesn't go back that far and i never saw him, just learned about him via this forum.

That's a list right there...most people on here don't seem to remember that far back.

What about this year? zlatnick or maybe paulie hansen?

cox got beat at state

boyle, strawn, evans, cotton, Bunch, Smyl, Ekey, sprigg, etc.

Where is Evans headed to wrestle next year?

not sure that he is
he should
he should also go to the senior Nationals

What about two brothers-Matt and Jason Pyle-5 State titles between them-Matt has two and a Div.III National Title and Jason now has 3 State Titles and an undefeated season on top of that. I am a little biased though! One could also throw in a cousin-Allyn Plattner in there.
Good genes or just hard work? Don't know about the gene pool but do know all three work their butts off in and out of season.
Coach Brown

In the 90's you had great wrestlers like: Billy Gabel(St. Francis 4x state champ, Nathan Lawrenz(Herington 2x state champ)

Also Dusty Spaulding from Emporia(graduated in 2000) is among the best.

Just wanted to throw the name Brent Rechfertig out there.

Nobody said Luke Metzler, he deserves to be in there with out a doubt.

I would have to say Brett Bahe, He is a awesome wrestler!!!!

Metzler was money at state! Brett is good and deserves to be mentioned. He kicked my butt all year long at practice. He kind of tensed up and wrestled really safe at state and this was the only time I ever got to see him wrestle quality kids. I think if it would have been at any other tournament he probably would have anilated the kids he wrestled.

I agree with you, and I guess it just goes to show you that wrestling safe does pay off at some point. He is totally a dedicated wrestler.

The best headlocker in the state ever was Jeremy Long of SFT!

I agree with el scorcho, Billy Gabel must be on the list. He was the first 4 time state champ in 321a and he only lost 3 matches in high school, after mentioning him you cannot forget his Brother Kelly, he was a three timer, and took second at high school nationals.

EricAkin

i think Romero Cotton and hes only a junior

No, the best headlocker was Brandon Redding from Caney Valley. He headlocked his way to the state finals in '97.

I can't speak for wrestlers in the 60's - 80's, but I have to agree that Zach Roberson and Bo Maynes are the best from this era. Undefeated and 4 state titles. Anyone who has lost a single match in high school falls below the accomplishments of these two.

The best headlocker of this era, Jeremy Long. Headlocked his way to 4 titles.

I would have to agree with you on Jeremy Long. Beat Bo Tillman (senior and 3x state champ at the time) his freshman year to win state.

You are thinking of Doug Duell from Goodland, the 1st 4 timer in KS. There are several from the 1970's that should be mentioned:
Jeff Vap and Jerry Lorimer from Atwood, Rory Cahoj, Mike Frewen from St Francis, Fred Duell from goodland-all dominant during their time. Andy Prickett from Hoxie was another good one.

Macho Man Randy Savage.

Billy and Kelly Gable were both amazing wrestlers as well as wonderful people. As well as their good friends the Jenkins boys. But I thought this list was kids from the last 5 years.

Josh Carrol and Justin Dyer are also on my list of greats from the 00's.

Stewart Bogart was pretty good, he had multiple cadet/junior placings at Fargo and was a four time state finalist and won state twice. Wrestles for Oregon now.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo yeah! Snap into a Slim Jim!

im gonna say tyler stokes and aldon isenberg cuz they r both from gardner and we need some ppl representing gardner

Romero Cotton 3x state chmp undefeted this year and is going into his senior year

I'm gonna have to throw Todd Layton into the mix... from the stories i have heard he was incredible

There R so many goog wrestlers to choose from, and so many that got so close to being a champion. But our hats need to go off to those guy's who showed up every day, every year at pratice that never made it to the big dance, or was JV through out their careers. You know the ones that gave the others top notch practice competition that helped those champions better wrestlers. We need to stop and thank them also.

I agree Layton was great, but I think that E.K. Franks beat him at the Derby tournament in 87.

Layton only lost 1 match in highschool and that loss was a DQ...some kind of throw

Todd Layton was a great wrestler no doubt but his only legit loss in high school was not to E.K. it was to David Watson of Schlagle in the first round of the El Dorado tourney his freshman year. The score was 7-3. I know that because I was sittin in the corner watching it. His only other loss was a DQ for a Illegal hold injury.

The three best wrestlers that I have seen since 1965 were Justin Ware (who was a whole lot better than I thought he was before we got smacked by him in the semi finals of state), Doug Duell (who we also got smacked by in the state tourney in 75) and Stan Falkender of St. Francis who was just an artist with his legs and could wrestle any style you wanted to wrestle. Steve Lampe was darn good too as were many others for sure. There are so many of them it is really hard to say but Kansas has had a bunch of great ones.

Forgot about Roberson, how could I. Certainly as dominate as anyone has ever been in Kansas. A better technician than Maynes who was the one at the time that people debated about and as good as the ones I mentioned above. See it is tough to mention them all. Yeah and Ulmer I have not forgotten that you beat Stan. (I know I am going to hear about that sooner or later lol)

My last thought on this subject is there is no way to pick between these guys and so many others. I enjoy the idea that it is good to remember some of them and some of the legendary matches they wrestled. I think it is good for young wrestlers to know something of the greatness that came before them. Those guys didn't have some of the opportunities that exist now and they labored in anonimity back then. Someone should write a book about them sometime before the coaches that coached them are gone. If only there was video back then, it would be special.

Amazing some of these guys who were the best and never won a world, or made an Olympic team. Not that they aren't good, most all of them mentioned are great, but when judging the best, at the very least a NCAA Championship should be considered and beyond that then look at the Olympics. Meheringer, with the gold medal, still is the best until someone else duplicates that task.

... we could even expand it a bit and ask how many have made a World or Olympic team!

Melvin Douglas and Eric Akin come to mind!!

A funny sidebar to the Meringer thing. He is from my hometown (Kinsley) When I was a very young wrestler in the late 60's, an elderly man came down and wished me luck before I wrestled in a dual match. I was a little irritated when he grabbed my arm and said something to me. One of your coaches told me to mind my manners that the guy was an olympic champion. I never actually believed him until later when he should me his name in a book. It was true, and he was the real McCoy. A lot of the deal of making those teams is opportunity and availability. There have been a lot of guys who for one reason or another didn't have or didnt choose those paths. Melvin and Eric were or are I guess in Eric's case very very good. Meringer wrestled in an era that was very primitive by today's standards. He began wrestling in county fairs and did not wrestle an interscholastic match until he went to KU. His Olympic trial field consisted of four guys. He was the best of his time for sure, but a very different time.

should have said "one of my coaches" lol sorry

just noticed that my spelling sucks lol it is late and I am crosseyed tonight. My apologies.