Carroll might get stiff test
BY JEREMY COSTELLO
Wichita Eagle correspondent
Judging by its dominating wrestling this season, Bishop Carroll will be the runaway favorite to win the City League tournament championship Saturday at Heights.
The rest of the league knows it needs to give its best shot to prove otherwise.
"They have quality wrestlers and they come together as a team. Their guys can come through the back door in consolation brackets, too," Heights coach Tod Sacquitne said about Carroll. "That's what everyone needs to do."
Heights' Kendric Maple (119) is ranked No. 1 in the state and was one of the few wrestlers who won his match when the Falcons faced Carroll earlier this season. Maple is 27-0, 7-0 in the City League.
South coach Bob Church said Mike Webb (171) has been close with Carroll's Timmy Chad and could pull an upset. Though Webb lost three times to him throughout the season, Chad beat him by one point in their last meeting.
That's been the key for a lot of league wrestlers. Coaches aren't focusing so much on what they've done, but what is still left to do.
"It's about what you do in the month of February. It's your momentum builder. You need to do well here and build momentum," Church said. "Anybody who can place in this tournament can place at state."
Northwest could be a darkhorse. One of its two losses was against Carroll, and it was close.
Jordan Edison (145) and Kyle Caylor (189) are both 6-1 in league matches. Northwest faces a young North team tonight, which could go a long way to proving how it can compete against the top teams Saturday.
East's Lemario White (285) could sneak in at the top weight class. Though East hasn't won a league dual, White has competed well against several tough opponents.
There are three corrections I would like to make about the Wichita Eagle Article that was published today 2/8/2007
Least of all, My name is Michael Church not Bob Church
Most importantly I was asked about any possible high light matches for this week-ends GWAL tournament and I said Tim Chad and Michael Webb at 171 could be a barn burner. I said "Mike has beaten Timmy three times but each time is a closer match. We only beat him by a point at Chanute". They printed it the other way around. Plus, I never even mentioned the word upset at all when talking about the match. Tim is a great kid and I have great respect for him and his entire family whom I am close with. But I believe if your going to get your name in the paper and deserve it as Mike Webb does thus far it should be printed correctly. He is 30-4 right now and ranked 2nd in the state and has beaten Tim in all three action packed awesome matches they have been in. It should be another great one Saturday.
Also, the article states that I said all GWAL placers should place at State!!!!! I hope you all know that I am a little wrestling smarter than that!!! I said "This is a way to gauge how many kids we will take to state. If you place in the top four of the GWAL, then you should be able to get into the top 4 of an 8 man regional bracket and qualify for state" Placing was a slight exaggeration by my man Jeremy Costello!!!
I have contacted the eagle about the mis prints. They have done a great job of covering wrestlin for us and am pleased with them but I have asked them to correct it. Duane Frazier assured me it would be done. I hope they re-write the article with the facts in it but who knows.
Good luck to you all this week-end
Michael Church
Head Wrestling Coach
Wichita South High School
