Looking for your favorite 321a state finals moments since 1983. Please challenge yourself to think outside of the team you cheer for.  While those memories are welcomed, I'm wanting spontaneous, overall "greatest moments" thoughts.

(If you can recall the year & weight, it'd be helpful.)

Thanks.

Troy Reitcheck

Butch Kerns, 1989, 135 lbs over Todd Plumber of Oakley. Blake Pilkington, 2001, 152 lbs over Kevin Hadley of Phillipsburg. 1998, Barry Samuelson 135 lbs of Oakley over Jeff Carlson of Kinsley.

2003-
Shawn Drennan (Minneapolis) winning over Eric Johnson (Norton)

One of the best finals matches ever between two very decorated high school wrestlers.

Chad Flores of Silver Lake over Brandon Redding Caney Valley 1996. Flores with 2 late cradles for the win. The final one on a restart with 8 seconds left in the 3rd period. Redding had opened up a comfortable lead with a 5pt toss in the first and a 3pt turn later. One of the best finishes I can remember

Jeff Boyle. For about the 28th time his senior year.....Double Leg, Lift heavyweight opponent, Gently return to the mat, Half-Nelson, Pin.

Terry Smith (Holcomb) backflips after winning state in 1985 and 1986 at 98#.

....gotta love seeing 4-timers. Smoky Hills Public Television has televised all championship matches from Billy Gabel of St. Francis, Matt Gilliland of Hoxie, Clay Madden of Norton, Colt Rogers of Smith Center and Dylan Schumacher of TMP-Marian.

Love the responses. I had the backflips in mind, Ron. Agreed all four-timers deserve their moments. I was thinking about Flores wrestling against his Dad's Leoti wrestler in the finals. Todd Plummer used to whip my ass!! No chance of him making the highlight reel... Just kidding. Which Norton heavyweight had to get a pin in the finals for the team to win or tie and what year was that? I love all the team title ties, Shepard beating Harding, Lampe winning after being a three-time runner up, etc. Keep them coming!! Again, years & weights are important, I don't own all these tapes and am simply forwarding info on to the production crew.


Troy Reitcheck

Michael Sprigg is the Norton heavy weight's name that comes to mind, and he wrestled Ryan Honas from Ellis in the championship, but don't think Norton needed a pin to win, although a victory was needed for the championship, but think Sprigg won 5-3 in O.T. giving Bill Johnson his first of many state championships at Norton! Also believe that Norton took 10 wrestlers and 9 placed...What a great year that was....2004

I'll focus on a few teams:
In 1996, Leoti-Wichita Co. and St. Francis tying for the team title.

Effingham-ACCHS crashing through the glass ceiling for eastern Kansas schools by topping Hoxie in back to back years in 2000 and 2001. Also, a neat story line is that Coach Flores won multiple team titles at Leoti-Wichita Co. in the early '90s before heading east.

The Baker's Dozen in 2003 from Hoxie was a pretty fun and dominating team to watch.

The following year, 2004, Norton topped Hoxie in a tight team race that saw Michael Sprigg seal the deal in finals. Sprigg avenged an overtime loss to Ryan Honas of Ellis that happened in the finals the prior season by beating Honas in overtime.

The state title race ending in a tie in 2007 between Beloit and Smith Center. A key finals match that helped Beloit keep Smith Center at bay was at 140 between Brad Estrel of Beloit and Justin York of Smith Center. York had the match won but couldn't return Estrel to the mat in the 3rd period and was penalized a point leading to overtime where Estrel finished the match with a takedown.

The dominance of the 2006 and 2010 Norton Bluejays was also impressive.

This had to be one of my all time favorites:
J.B. Harding of Norton winning the 103 lb. bracket 7 to 6 in overtime on a caution in 1999 over Adam Ostermeyer of Hoxie. Ostermeyer was cautioned 3 times and the third happened at the start of overtime when he attempted a low-single leg takedown off the whistle. After winning the match Harding gave a big D-Generation X "suck it" sign to crowd, which was popular in professional wrestling at the time.

Already had that match in mind. Only time I've ever seen a kid lose state on a false start penalty.

Troy Reitcheck

I am going to put a plug in for my brother.

1990 Lyle Geyer a 1 loss sophomore from Leoti vs Ryan Becker undefeated senior from Plainville. Lyle puts Ryan in a spladle early in the match, and the official does not call the take down or back points for a long time. Coaches and fans from the stands were almost ready to run on the mat to tell the official the move. The official does make the call, and awards the back points. Lyle goes on to knock off Ryan in the state finals.

Lyle deserves recognition. If my memory serves me correctly he's the ONLY Kansas wrestler to go on to be Co-outstanding wrestler at nationals. With Cary Kolat of Pennsylvania in 1992. I might add Cary went on to be a division I national champion as a true freshman.

Some other questions that might make my research a lil' easier.

Years & weights, please:
Gable & Rogers completing their 4 years?
Can anyone think of a "consolidated" state finalist before Doyle Hart of Morland?

Troy Reitcheck

Troy,
You are correct he was Co outstanding wrestler at nationals in 1992. He was Kansas only OW until C.J. Napier in 2009. Kansas has had 2 OW at senior nationals now.

An interesting story was Nick Newell from Mankato, State Champion '05 160lbs. He had played basketball all 3 years prior to his senior year when he decided to wrestle and went on to win state that year.

I also then believe after winning his state title he played basketball for Mankato in the sub state tournament but cannot remember for sure.

Gable winning his 4th the standing ovation still gives me chills thinking about it. Also Corey Johnson of Stockton 92 93 was a pretty exciting wrestler he pinned Sramek of Atwood in the finals at 135. Chris Lampe of St Francis pinning Marsteller of Dighton was pretty exciting

Thanks Alex,

I remember Nick and had him marked. That's what brought the consolidation question to mind.

Troy Reitcheck

Don't remember the year but Jay Eilers of plainville won with the same referee that had refereed his dad's state championship in 78 or so. Pretty neat story.

Interesting individual stories or matches:
Tyler Grandclair of Hoisington winning the title in 1998 at 160. Grandclair looked like he was about to pass out in this match against Brandon Pfiefer from Ellis, but he somehow found a way to win 9 to 7 in overtime.

Freshman Matt Gilliland of Hoxie beating senior 2-time state champion, J.B. Harding of Norton, for his 1st win over Harding that entire season. That 4-0 win in 2001 at 119 would lead to three more state championships for Gilliland.

Luke Page of Prairie View losing by fall in the 1st round of the 215 lb. bracket in 2002. Page was a returning state runner-up in 4A and he came into Hays with a spotless (35-0) record. After the match he was disqualified from the rest of the tournament for smashing through a glass fire extinguisher case.

Nick Newell of Mankato winning a state title at 160 lbs. in 2005 during his senior season after playing basketball for past 3 years was impressive.

Jordan Gienger of St. Francis becoming a 3rd Generation State Champion in 2007. The 152 lb. final match against Jordan Meyer of Sabetha went down to the wire with Gienger scoring a takedown in the last minute and defending his lead to win 6 to 5.