A little bird told me this may materialize if Hoxie is willing and available when Ponderosa is in Garden City. I don't know the details or if the wheels are turning yet.

Ponderosa has maybe it's best team ever. What's Hoxie like this year? Any predictions if it happens?

Hoxie has most of its power back from last year, with several state champions and several 2nd through 4th placers, which one can only assume are likely to be better than they were last year.
My be difficult to set up a dual at this late date but if it happens, I would sure like to see it. be sure and post if it is going to happen.

Heck with knowing about Hoxie...what about Ponderosa what do they have...we know Hoxie is loaded.

I don't suspect that if I named names they would mean anything to you, so I won't. They're gonna be really tough, at least as tough as last year.

I was looking at Hoxie's schedule and they don't have anything scheduled for the night of January 30th, which is the night before the Garden City tournament.

Does Kansas have a points system which limits the number of scheduled events? Ponderosa had a dual cancelled so they need to replace it which is how the topic of Hoxie came up.

I'm pretty sure Hoxie has all of it's state placers back. Plus I beleive they had a wrestler that was hurt last year that was a state placer in 2002.

Ponderosa finished last year as a Top 20 team (Cliff Keen/NWCA poll). I have not seen this years poll yet but I expect them in it. What a great opportunity for Hoxie to test themselves against a nationally rated program. There is competition points in Kansas (30 in a season per wrestler)...which means that Hoxie could hold each of its varsity wrestlers out of one previously scheduled dual and create "room" to wrestle Ponderosa. This is a common practice in surrounding states.

I would like to see more Kansas teams schedule duals against the likes of Blue Springs, MO; Broken Arrow, OK; Omaha Skutt; and Ponderosa.

according to this link they are not ranked:

http://www.themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=31&RankingID=417

Check the date on the rankings.

I doubt Ponderosa will be ranked in the pre-season top 20 when they come out. They lost 7 seniors and no one has heard of the guys who are replacing them yet. They are generously ranked 38th in the AWN preseason rankings. They'll have to earn a high ranking again by doing well at some pretty prestigious tournaments.

Hoxie and Ponderosa would certainly be a fun one to watch.

Have not checked the schedule to see where Hoxie is at the next morning - is the 31st the Phillipsburg Tourney?

In terms of Hoxie, of their 13 qualifers last season, five were seniors and four earned medals at state - Spillman, 125, 2nd; K. Schamberger, 145, 6th; Lewis, 152, 4th; Cooper, 189, DNP and Pratt, 215, 5th.

But they do have 8 qualifers back and all have medaled at state - Farber, junior (2nd as a sophomore, qualified as a freshman); M. Schamberger, sophomore (3rd as a freshman); Baker, sophomore (1st as a freshman); Gilliland, senior (1st as a freshman, sophomore and junior); M. Schippers, senior (1st as a junior, 3rd as a sophomore, 5th as a freshman); J. Schippers, senior (2nd as a junior, 4th as a sophomore, 2nd as a freshman); Campbell, senior (qualified as a junior, 5th as a sophomore); Shipley, senior (4th as a junior). Plus they have Charlie Ochs who placed 3rd as a freshman and 4th as a sophomore, but had to sit out last year due to injury - if he can make a comeback this year.

Barring injury, Hoxie should be pretty talented once again. They will need some new names to step in if they are to be as consistent throughout the line-up as they were last year, given the graduation of some pretty good talent. But they have some kids who paid their dues last year that will be ready.

I'm suprised at the number of guys Hoxie has that have placed at state as freshmen. Ponderosa only has two in it's history and Hoxie has 6 on this year's team. What's up with that?

Turner will have a dual with Blue Springs in January.

wow...sorry about the rankings thing...was really tired I guess and just missed it, my mistake.

Are the two teams getting together?
I have heard they might on the 29th or 30th.

I heard it is official that Ponderosa is going to dual Hoxie before the Garden City tournament, but I don't know if it's on the 29th or 30th. I would assume the 30th, but I don't know for sure.

I hope it is a packed house, because it is going to be a great dual!

where will the dual be held???

Probably Garden City

Just heard this dual is a go. It will be held in Hoxie on Thursday, Jan. 29th. Probable starting time will be 6:00 p.m.

Congratulations to the Hoxie High School administration and coaching staff for accepting the challenge.

This may well be a David vs. Goliath athletic event.

Hoxie, with an enrollment of approximately 100, versus Ponderosa, with an enrollment of approximately 1,845 students.

Ponderosa is the defending large class (5A) Colorado State Wrestling Champion.

In another topic, Mr. Brown, a former Hoxie State Champion, mentioned heritage when describing the success of Hoxie wrestling and I, as an outsider, would like to add an additional description, MOXIE.

Last year's Ponderosa Line-up:
2003 CHSAA 5A STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT

103 lbs.
Jake Ellis, Sophomore, 31-8, 4th Place
112 lbs.
No Qualifier
119 lbs.
Josh Cragg, Senior, 31-9, 6th Place
125 lbs.
Andy Etzen, Senior, 36-3, 1st Place
130 lbs.
Buster Snider, Junior, 34-10, 5th Place
135 lbs.
Adam Meyer, Senior, 33-11, 5th Place
140 lbs.
Justin Yelvington, Senior, 25-13, DNP
145 lbs.
Alex Etzen, Sophomore, 14-15, DNP
152 lbs.
Tito Rinaldis, Junior, 32-9, 6th Place
160 lbs.
Tommy Pasque, Sophomore, 34-10, DNP
171 lbs.
Max Smith, Senior, 35-2, 2nd Place
189 lbs.
Gary Haynes, Junior, 19-11, DNP
215 lbs.
Nate Graham, Senior, 31-8, 2nd Place
275 lbs.
Adam Murrey, Senior, 32-9, 3rd Place


Best of luck!