"The blasting is not about the top of 5A and 6A. The blasting is about the lack of depth and the steep drop off after the top two or three. The real measure is to match up 4 through 6 to see which class is the toughest. There are way too many losing records and too many easy pins in the first two rounds of 5A and 6A. We need to do it right like the Okies and invite only the top 8 to state for 5A and 6A if we are not going to combine them. This would make the mat space and other logistics easier to contend with when we do the right thing and move all three classes into the same arena. Man up and admit the 5A and 6A have NO depth."

NO depth? Why don't you look at 5A 119. There's at least one weight WITH depth. Any of the top 5 placers could have won the bracket. So obviously, there IS depth. NO depth is a completely ignorant statement.

There will always be exceptions Stevie. Do you want me to address the depth issue for each of the 14 weights for 4A, 5A, and 6A? There are twic as many schools in 4A than there are in 5A and 6A so the depth is going to be stronger, GENERALLY speaking. Let me put it this way... The 33rd best guy in 4A can beat the 33rd best guy in 5A ang 6A every time! "Completely ignorant." Wow.

Generalizing EVERY weight in 5A and 6A as having a lack of depth IS ignorant. I will say "wow" to that. And every time? Really? I find that impossible to believe.

Show me the data and lets be objective. If you have a case make it and stop attacking me for having an opinion. You are being unreasonable and intolerant. Put up some facts and your name.

There are several weights that are lower in depth than 4A. But not EVERY weight. I stated data two posts ago, 5A 119 has depth. You are entitled to your opinion, I couldn't care less what you think in some areas either. But to say that every weight in the two classes lack depth, I won't ignore that.

STEPHEN SANTIAGO

Statistically speaking, 5A and 6A have more students to choose form and 4A has more schools. Between the two, it probably balances out and some weights are tougher in 4A, while others are tougher in 5A or 6A. Regarding the statement of depth in the top 6, look at 189

At the Eudora tourn early in the season at 189, the top 3 placers were:

1st Place:Nathan Wessel (Ls) 5A
2nd Place:Brett Newell (BV) 6A
3rd Place:Dylon Walker (El) 4A

Walker finished 5th at state in 4A, Wessel finished 5th at state in 5A and Newell finished 6th at state in 6A. In addition, Mark Kolmer finished 3rd in 5A. The 189 Bishop Carroll (5A) kid who was ranked, didn't qualify for state. Ryan Revoir Olathe Ease didn't place in 6A.

189 top 6 placers by class include:

4A 189
Place Wrestler Year School Record
1st Darnell Bortz 12 Pratt 43- 1
2nd Treat Bugbee 12 Colby 32- 9
3rd Joel Marrs 12 Clay Center 35- 3
4th Zach Grimes 10 Osawatomie 40- 6
5th Dylon Walker 11 El Dorado 40- 7
6th Steven Skaggs 11 Meriden-Jefferson West 30- 10

5A 289
Place Wrestler Year School Record
1st Aron Elsen 12 Great Bend 28- 5
2nd Nate Davis 12 Liberal 33- 5
3rd Mark Kolmer 11 Emporia 39- 2
4th Dylan Matheny 11 Wichita-KMC 36- 12
5th Nathan Wessel 10 Lansing 34- 5
6th Steven Cooksley 11 Topeka-Seaman 25- 9

6A 189
Place Wrestler Year School Record
1st Boaz Beard 12 Goddard 28- 0
2nd Brandon Reif 12 Wichita-Haysville 29- 5
3rd Jarad Sanches 12 Shawnee Mission-West 37- 8
4th Cole Carpenter JR Derby 27- 15
5th Tyler West SR Manhattan 30- 16
6th Brett Newell 12 Blue Valley 37- 10

At 285 the number 2 guy at Wichita Northwest who was ranked 2nd earlier in the year, didn't wrestle at state because he was not the varsity wrestler. The varsity wrestler Page, finished 2nd in 6A. That's depth in one 6A school.

Something I was taught a long long time ago: FIGURES LIE AND LIARS FIGURE!!! That's not calling any one a name, but says that any set of data, numbers, info, etc. can be used to argue or support both sides of the same issue. To prove a point the data needs to be tested. In the case of wrestling, perhaps no one will be satisfied until there is some kind of wrestle off. Possible exceptions to being satisfied: wrestlers who have finished their season or their HS career and are ready to move on to another sport, college, work, the military, their life. HS sports are not the end all! Its probably coaches or overl competitive dads who argue the loudest for a Grand State, let my kids in the Metro, another this, another that, another, another........

If you take stock in the mythical "all-class" ranking from Feb 23rd at 130 lbs, 7 of the top 11 130 pounders are 5A kids. Based on the rankings, the 7th best 5A kid would be the 2nd best in 321A and 4A or 3rd best in 6A.

130
1. Ryne Cokeley - 10 - SJA - 4A
2. Trent Cox - 12 - MZ - 6A
3. Colt Rogers - 11 - SC - 321A
4. Kash Biddle - 11 - ARK - 5A
5. Justin Rose - 12 - EMP - 5A
6. Dylan Penka - 10 - BC - 5A
7. Spencer Blew - 10 - LS - 5A
8. Kasey Lien - 11 - SS - 5A
9. Rylan Dalke - 12 - NEW - 5A
10t. Trey Houlden - 10 - GD - 6A
10t. Josh Umscheid - 12 - AC - 5A

Cokely what I am talking about here is that all these kids come on here and read all of us adults bad mouthing them because they wrestle in a 5 or 6A school and I think is sort of bush league to do that to them. I have seen all of these classifications on top from time to time and it just seems a little bit bitter to talk about them that way. We could start talking about the idea that a 4A school that can recruit is not really in the same boat as a 4 or 5A school that can't. Should they still be in the conversation? Just a thought.

You never cease to amaze me with your asinine comments. I am sure you will say the same of me.

What 4A school is recruiting? Pretty serious accusation you are making. Back it up! No one is bashing any kids just the system. There are facts that back up the recommendations. I know that kids with a losing record are making it to state without winning a match at regionals. 5A ang 6A only need to be 8 man brackets. Plain and simple.

Will there isn't a parochial school in the country that doesn't recruit in some fashion. It's legal and they all do it. I've seen it, been approached by them for both my son's and most of the schools around here have had it happen to them. I don't think it is right but it happens. My statement was hypothetical but it caught your attention didn't it. Might want to read it again, I didn't accuse anyone of anything. I am just saying all 4 5 or 6A's are not created equal. Any private school that doesn't go looking for kids won't keep their doors open very long, we aren't all stupid out here. Lots of us have lost a lot of kids over the years to the catholic schools in this area in every sport. You can be righteously indignant all you want but too many people have been talked to by the three major schools in this area to act like it doesn't or isn't or hasn't been happening. So my point is if some schools can do that legally and others can't then are they equals and do they belong in this who is better conversation that I think is so silly. Thats all I was saying. He if you took offense, thats ok.

There is a great deal of difference between promoting and recruiting. Perhaps a dictionary will help you out. You knew exactly what you were insinuating and so do I. When you have a good product you don't have to recruit. Any public school can do the same thing.

Good point. It is done all the time across all classes. Kids/parents want to be associated with good programs.

I don't think Oak Park HS 'recruited' Elijah Madison. But, when his Dad took a new job in that area, he was glad to wrestle for OPHS.

Well actually most of the public schools cannot in fact do that. They are bound by their districts. There are only a few school districts in the state that have open enrollment and only one in or two in this half the state that I know of that do. The others cannot do so. As I said before it is completely legal, I just don't think one has any similarity to the other. One of them you have to build and the other you can just plug in. That seems like a whole different ballgame to me. Hey I know its a good product my oldest son went to Miege. I just think if the whole area is my oyster I have an advantage over schools who can only chose from kids who live in their district. It is my last comment on it, hey whatever you think is fair is ok with me.

I am not saying anyone is, isn't, will, won't recruit. What I am saying is that the fact that they can if they want to makes them unique and makes the playing field unfair. Now Will that is exactly what I am saying. Now you don't have to explain what I am saying to me lol. I am smiling as I type that. I think people get way to heavy in here.

I am thinking of a 4A public school who within the past three years has had wrestlers from Newton, Sedgwick, VC, and Andover on their roster. Some pretty long drives in there for it to be about the lunch menu.

I don't know. Some schools have pretty good lunch programs.