... it's the 2009 NHSCA Senior Nationals!

Well, everyone has arrived on the beach! Of course the young men are nervous about their weight. We have a couple of meetings scheduled to begin at 7 pm EDT!

It seems like familiar territory for me and such as it should. I will be heading over to the venue in a bit to see if any Kansas lads are wrestling in the Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior divisions!

Weigh ins for the Seniors are at 2 pm Thursday and wrestling begins, 10 am Friday!

More later!!

ttfn

Wish I was out there! This should be a blast. Looking forward to your updates. They should dig your flowered Kansas shirt and shorts out there.

Me too! Probably not going to get much work done Friday anyway...Randy be sure and do some finger stretching before you start firing those updates back to KS. This is no time for a typing injury!!!

is there a list of all kansas contestants.

thank you

(stretching done, thanks)

... 7 am EDT, wake-up call has been made to all the wrestlers and coaches. Team meeting in the lobby at 7.45. Then, we will assemble the troops and head over to the venue (about 1/4 mile) where Team Kansas will have their picture taken!

Then about 9 am it is a workout session for the wrestlers! Weigh-ins are at 2 pm. At 3 pm, a clinic by the legendary, Gene Mills and at 5 pm, a mandatory meeting.

I do have a decent digital camera this year so I will try to get some pictures. Our bus driver from the airport is predicting a great weather weekend!

My wife, Kjo, and I's roomie, Chaz Lawrence; is up and about, preparing the meeting (and Sharky Slyter will be joining us sometime today). I need to get everything packed up for a day at the Convention Center!

More later, ttfn

I will see you guys in 15.5 hours! Can't wait to watch our KS kids excell on the mat!

... the picture has been taken and the workout over! The guys have checked their weight!

what are everyones thoughts how this team should fair compared to the past years teams. I am looking at this list going wow. I got to watch many of those kids at the 5 and 6a state tournament and that is a pretty impressive list. Good luck to all you guys and bring back some hardware.

Are the brackets posted anywhere?

My opinion ... this is a stellar group of athletes and would rival some of the best team Kansas has ever brought to the Senior Nationals.

I would like to see 18-20 All-Americans, hope for 10 or 12, and realistically 6 to 8! Always, it is about how the boys compete on the mat; can they keep their focus, can the wrestle to their abilities?

Windham, Ornelas, Callahan have a good shot! I am interested to see how Sharky handles the tourney. If Chaz Lawrence can get his offense going, it should be fun!

Others, like Weigel from Plainville and the Colby clan of Arnberger and Kriss could see themselves on the podium.

Everyone has to avoid the hidden landmines that are randomly placed. I recall years, where 4-time State champs from Kansas, did not All-American at this tourney! However, if C.J., Caldwell, Maple, Detmer, Nelson, Beard ... wrestle well, they will challenge for the top of the podium!

Stokes and Vesta will be factors, Cox and Means will be contenders. Peters, Jesseph, Lynch, Crank could surprise a few. As will, Peoples, Zahorsky, Fullbright, Van Holland, Bortz, Gutirrez, Feldcamp, and Nathan Sommer. And clearly Worrell, Marrs, and Kriss will also be warriors!

24-hour until Showtime ... everyone has a shot. That's the nature of the beast. But as I suggest, there some bear traps hungrily waiting!

I have reviewed the entries for the Freshman, Sophomore, and Juniors ... I find that Kansas has no entries!

Just curious, how do they go about seeding this tournament. Natl ranking, Fargo?

Interesting you ask! I am sitting next to Rob Sherrill, of W.I.N. magazine, who is responsible for just that duty!

Past Fargo results, major tourney's, etc. go into their seedings. Also they try to separate wrestlers by State when they can. But as always, it is an art not a science!

For instance, when he went to seed 135 ... he ran into the Maple and Napier dilemma. If I recall, he seeded Kendric 3rd and C.J. 7th. At this level of event, they also look at the top wrestlers not only meeting in the finals but he looked at the quarters!

The wrestlers in the end ... will decide it!

When will brackets be available online?

Randy, Breck Amberger, KS listed in the Juniors bracket at 171...shows as a DEF and FOR.
typo?

it tough to say "Who you think will all american here" because you dont wanna leave anyone out. I say the best sr wrestlers in kansas (abd i said this last night in a discusions with the bros) Caldwell, Napier, Beard... All American wise... Umm, Caldwell, Napier, Beard (more than likely) Windham (depending on kids) Callahan and Ornellas (yes but only one of them) Vesta (depends) Sharky (if he gets on a roll) Chaz (Hopefully) Crank (possibly) Maple (yeah) Detmer(yeah) Nelson (i heard he was way out of shape) Means(possibly) Cox(ya)

I havent seen Trent wrestle in forever, I remember my junior year i thought he was the best on the scene at 103.

Thats all... good luck to all.... wrestle hard

This is Church Jr. under my fathers name. We had a great work-out this morning as the kids looked great and very crisp. I am very excited too see these boys on the mat. We did run into some trouble today as someone stole my fathers wallet and he is out a very large sum of cash and is cards and Identification. I hope he can at least find the wallet somewhere because getting on an airplane without ID is going to be a rough road.

Anyway, Looking forward too some good times. Weigh-ins is an hour or so!!!!

Church

Brackets will be posted some time after weigh-ins, probably late this evening.

Yes, Breck Arnberger was a misprint as Seniors have not wrestled yet!

And I agree Brandon ... it is tough to say! To steal a bit from Coach Renfro, we will do alright, as long as we, T.C.O.B.!