How much interest is there in having a 2nd place challenge at State?

I vote no. It is anti-climatic to the whole proceedings and I do not see many wanting to stay to see it. The third place wrestler has a clear advantage, with the runner-up wrestler just coming off of a devistating loss. Perhaps though it would be an opportunity to "build character". It does not seem like much of a reward for making the finals. I do not see that much need for it. There is not much difference between 2nd and 3rd in some eyes, they both have one loss. I realize that the two best do not always meet in the finals, that could also happen at the high school tournament or even the DI nationals and they do not challenge at either. I can see that if the whole bracket was a blind draw than it would be justified, I just do not see the merit in this instance. It sounds real good if you get 3rd, but it sounds like a bad idea if you just got 2nd. I can think of many reasons not to do it and only one reason to do it. This is just my opinion so please do not blast me.

Then the option is to have a blind draw for the districts wrestling each other. 1st place will still wrestle 4th and so on, but each weight will draw for the corresponding district. I know some say it's too complicated, but Oklahoma does it. They actually have a challenge as well. I don't think you need the challenge match if you random draw. Again random draw still only has two #1's on each side, etc. You just dont know which district wrestles who.

Just my thoughts,

SlamBam

I am not sure about Oklahoma kid's state as far as how they do it. That was so long ago when I wrestled in it. Back then, there were only two regionals (not 4 districts) and no need for challenges. On the high school level though, it is easy in Oklahoma because they only have two regionals not four. I guess that it would make sense in Kansas to draw the weights like they do at the Kansas high school tournament.

Meaning that it is easier to set up the brackets in OK with only two regionals instead of four.
1a vs 4b, 2b vs 3a, 1b vs 4a, 2a vs 3b.

They do it now with 4 districts just like KS.

SlamBam

I like the idea, although more getting challenged looses than wins. It is a good thing to learn to overcome a loss though. Seems to me like a true 2nd would be appropriate for the kids.

I would be in favor of a random or computer draw to distribute the seeds within the bracket. I opened a topic on this forum just before the state tournament this year entitled "Computer Draw". I am not sure if a 2nd place challenge is necessary or feasible in our current championship format but I am open to the idea.

I lived in 2 states where there was a challenge for second at the state tourney. It was really tough, especially for the younger kids to wrestle a championship match and then turn around and get challenged.

I saw quite a few 3rds knock off the 2nd in the younger bracket. My son as a 10 and under, lost a close state championship match and then had to turn around in 15 minutes and face the challenge for second.

Another idea in the younger weights is to take some of the very close weight classes and their champions and have a champion of champions match. those were lively, fun and nothing to lose.