* The best name in Kansas high school wrestling has to be – wait for it – Tim Wrestler. He’s a Chanute sophomore ranked No. 6 at 119 pounds, according to the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association.
* Wichita West wrestling standout Tristen DeShazer is ranked No. 20 among 133-pounders in NCAA Division I. Tristen, a redshirt sophomore at Northern Illinois, has pinned four top-20 wrestlers and is 18-7 this year. He was a four-time state champion, from 2003 to 2006, at West.
* This week CatchItKansas.com featured another former standout, Dennis Charbonneau, and his impressive Clay Center team. Dennis earned three state titles, all at 126 pounds, before he graduated from Clay Center in 1983. He now coaches the Tigers, who are two-time defending state champs in Class 4A.
Dennis strongly believes that hard work surpasses talent on the mat.
“I probably wasn’t the most talented wrestler in the world,” he said, “but I always felt like I probably worked as hard as anyone else. And when it came down to the time to wrestle at the state tournament, many times the person that is going to win those close matches is the one that feels like they can do that. That comes back to mental toughness … that never-give-up attitude and that feeling like you deserve to be there.”
The Tigers finished sixth at the Valley Center dual tournament, but all the teams ahead of them were from Class 5A and 6A. They earned third place at the Newton tournament, just behind Class 5A Emporia and second-place Colby, the top-ranked team in Class 4A. Clay Center is ranked No. 2. It would be interesting to see those squads battle it out at the 4A state tournament.
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1 comment:
When you talk about the top wrestlers in the state - you have to mention Tyler Caldwell. He has impressive credentials all through his high school career - and he's not done yet.
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